Conservation by Proxy: Indicator, Umbrella, Keystone, Flagship, and Other Surrogate Species
The vast scope of conservation problems has forced biologists and managers to rely on "surrogate" species to serve as shortcuts to guide their decision making. These species-known by a host of different terms, including indicator, umbrella, and flagship species-act as proxies to represent larger conservation issues, such as the location of biodiversity hotspots or general ecosystem health.

 

Synthesizing an immense body of literature, conservation biologist and field researcher Tim Caro offers systematic definitions of surrogate species concepts, explores biological theories that underlie them, considers how surrogate species are chosen, critically examines evidence for and against their utility, and makes recommendations for their continued use. The book

clarifies terminology and contrasts how different terms are used in the real world

considers the ecological, taxonomic, and political underpinnings of these shortcuts

identifies criteria that make for good surrogate species

outlines the circumstances where the application of the surrogate species concept shows promise

Conservation by Proxy is a benchmark reference that provides clear definitions and common understanding of the evidence and theory behind surrogate species. It is the first book to review and bring together literature on more than fifteen types of surrogate species, enabling us to assess their role in conservation and offering guidelines on how they can be used most effectively.
"1025142238"
Conservation by Proxy: Indicator, Umbrella, Keystone, Flagship, and Other Surrogate Species
The vast scope of conservation problems has forced biologists and managers to rely on "surrogate" species to serve as shortcuts to guide their decision making. These species-known by a host of different terms, including indicator, umbrella, and flagship species-act as proxies to represent larger conservation issues, such as the location of biodiversity hotspots or general ecosystem health.

 

Synthesizing an immense body of literature, conservation biologist and field researcher Tim Caro offers systematic definitions of surrogate species concepts, explores biological theories that underlie them, considers how surrogate species are chosen, critically examines evidence for and against their utility, and makes recommendations for their continued use. The book

clarifies terminology and contrasts how different terms are used in the real world

considers the ecological, taxonomic, and political underpinnings of these shortcuts

identifies criteria that make for good surrogate species

outlines the circumstances where the application of the surrogate species concept shows promise

Conservation by Proxy is a benchmark reference that provides clear definitions and common understanding of the evidence and theory behind surrogate species. It is the first book to review and bring together literature on more than fifteen types of surrogate species, enabling us to assess their role in conservation and offering guidelines on how they can be used most effectively.
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Conservation by Proxy: Indicator, Umbrella, Keystone, Flagship, and Other Surrogate Species

Conservation by Proxy: Indicator, Umbrella, Keystone, Flagship, and Other Surrogate Species

Conservation by Proxy: Indicator, Umbrella, Keystone, Flagship, and Other Surrogate Species

Conservation by Proxy: Indicator, Umbrella, Keystone, Flagship, and Other Surrogate Species

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Overview

The vast scope of conservation problems has forced biologists and managers to rely on "surrogate" species to serve as shortcuts to guide their decision making. These species-known by a host of different terms, including indicator, umbrella, and flagship species-act as proxies to represent larger conservation issues, such as the location of biodiversity hotspots or general ecosystem health.

 

Synthesizing an immense body of literature, conservation biologist and field researcher Tim Caro offers systematic definitions of surrogate species concepts, explores biological theories that underlie them, considers how surrogate species are chosen, critically examines evidence for and against their utility, and makes recommendations for their continued use. The book

clarifies terminology and contrasts how different terms are used in the real world

considers the ecological, taxonomic, and political underpinnings of these shortcuts

identifies criteria that make for good surrogate species

outlines the circumstances where the application of the surrogate species concept shows promise

Conservation by Proxy is a benchmark reference that provides clear definitions and common understanding of the evidence and theory behind surrogate species. It is the first book to review and bring together literature on more than fifteen types of surrogate species, enabling us to assess their role in conservation and offering guidelines on how they can be used most effectively.

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9781597261937
Publisher: Island Press
Publication date: 06/23/2010
Edition description: 1
Pages: 400
Product dimensions: 6.00(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

Tim Caro is a professor in the Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Conservation Biology and a member of the Center for Population Biology, at the University of California, Davis.

Table of Contents

Preface xv

Introduction

Chapter 1 Buzzwords in Conservation Biology 1

Shortcuts 1

Biodiversity 3

Usage 3

Documentation 8

Remarkable species 8

Scale 9

Surrogate species in systematic conservation 13

Taxonomy of surrogate species 15

Other terms 16

Difficulties in surrogate typology 17

Loose definitions 17

Lax terminology 22

Multiple applications and purpose 23

Using the same species for two surrogate tasks 26

Hidden agendas and research displacement activities 26

Summary 27

Distribution of Biodiversity

Chapter 2 Species Indicators of Biodiversity at a Large Scale 31

A big picture 31

Congruency of species richness 32

Environmental surrogates 36

Higher taxa 37

Congruency of endemism 39

Congruency of rarity 42

Congruency of threatened species 43

Complementarity and congruency 45

Concordance between different measures of biodiversity 50

Global scale 50

Continental scale 51

Complementarity 53

Biodiversity distribution and protected areas 53

Practical application 57

Summary 58

Reserve Site Selection

Chapter 3 Species Indicators of Biodiversity in Reserve Selection 61

A smaller scale 61

Cross-taxon congruence of species richness 62

Within-taxon congruence of species richness 66

Taxon subsets 68

Higher taxa 68

Morphospecies 71

Congruency of endemism, congruency of rarity, and congruency of threatened species 72

Concordance between measures of biodiversity 74

Species richness and endemism 74

Species richness and rarity 76

Species richness and threatened species 78

Biodiversity metrics 78

Congruency of complementarity 79

Species richness 79

Other biodiversity measures 82

Persistence 83

Higher taxa 84

Protected area coverage 86

Marine reserve prioritization 89

Environmental surrogates 90

Combining environmental and taxonomic surrogates 94

Practical issues 95

Summary 96

Reserve Design and Management

Chapter 4 Umbrella Species and Landscape Species 99

Three conservation goals 99

Lambeck's insight 102

Umbrella species by taxon 103

Plants 103

Invertebrates 105

Mammals 106

Birds 108

Choosing an appropriate umbrella species 113

Problems with umbrella species 117

Management implications 119

Landscape species 120

Summary 125

Chapter 5 Keystone, Engineering, and Foundation Species 127

The keystone species concept 127

Classic keystone species 127

Wider scope 129

Mesopredator release in temperate ecosystems 132

Ecological meltdown in the neotropics 134

Keystone introductions 136

Removing invasive species 138

Problems with using keystone species as a conservation tool 139

Reasons for continuing to use keystone species 142

Ecosystem engineers 143

Mechanisms of habitat modification 144

Examples of ecosystem engineers 146

Difficulties in using ecosystem engineers in conservation 151

Advantages of ecosystem engineers 153

Foundation species 153

Management issues 154

Summary 156

Species Indicators of Anthropogenic Change

Chapter 6 Environmental Indicator Species 159

Ecosystem health and biological integrity 159

Environmental indicators 162

Sentinel species 167

Examples of the uses of environmental indicator species 169

Marine pollution 169

Freshwater pollution 171

River modification 174

Marine fisheries 177

Climate change in marine ecosystems 181

Proliferation and obfuscation of terms 184

Summary 185

Chapter 7 Ecological-Disturbance Indicator Species 189

Effects of disturbance 189

Proposed criteria for indicator species 190

Single species and species-groups as indicators of disturbance 194

Single species 194

Species-groups 196

Examples of the use of species-groups in documenting effects of land-use change 197

Forest fragmentation: BDFFP 197

Countryside biogeography 203

Tropical plantations 206

Exurban USA 209

Changes in populations over time 210

Determining the number of species-groups 211

Management pointers 213

Summary 214

Chapter 8 Cross-Taxon-Response Indicator Species 217

Habitat alteration 217

Fora for cross-taxon-response indicator species 219

Land-use changes 219

Agricultural landscapes 224

Management areas 227

Intraguild-response indicator species 228

Population changes 229

Management indicator species 230

Difficulties with the MIS concept 233

Early warnings 234

Substitute species 238

Problems with cross-taxon-response indicator species 239

Summary 242

Promoting Conservation

Chapter 9 Flagship Species 245

Characteristics of flagship species 245

Multiple objectives 246

Are flagship species successful? 249

Public awareness 249

Raising funds 251

Reserve establishment 251

Qualities of flagship species 257

Iconic species 258

What next? 259

Summary 260

Summary of Concepts and Cost-Effectiveness

Chapter 10 Surrogate Species in the Real World 263

Surrogate categories 263

Synopsis 264

Multi-surrogacy 268

Predictive power of surrogate species 270

Distribution of biodiversity 271

Reserve site selection 274

Reserve design and management 277

Species indicators of anthropogenic change 278

Promoting conservation 281

Wrap-up 283

Summary 284

References 287

Scientific Names of Species Mentioned in the Text 355

Subject Index 365

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