A major shift is underway in the field of biology, as many biologists see that the systems with which they work are rapidly disappearing. Conservation Biology: the theory and practice of nature conservation, preservation and management represents the state-of-the-art in the field. The editors have brought together a number of leading authorities in the fields of biological diversity and conservation whose contributions cover both species and habitats. The integrated chapters of this book cover the patterns and processes of diversity, rarity and extinction; the fragmentation of habitats; deforestation and conversion; the monitoring, assessment, and management of biological diversity; and the practice of conservation biology. Conservation Biology deals with some of the most crucial biological issues of our time. It will be a valuable reference for ecologists and evolutionary biologists concerned with this new and rapidly growing field.