Models for Planning Wildlife Conservation in Large Landscapes

Overview

A single-resource volume of information on the most current and effective techniques of wildlife modeling, Models for Planning Wildlife Conservation in Large Landscapes is appropriate for students and researchers alike. The unique blend of conceptual, methodological, and application chapters discusses research, applications, and concepts of modeling and presents new ideas and strategies for wildlife habitat models used in conservation planning.

Contributions to Wildlife Conservation

The book makes important contributions to wildlife conservation of animals in several ways: (1) it highlights historical and contemporary advancements in the development of wildlife habitat models and their implementation in conservation planning; (2) it provides practical advice for the ecologist conducting such studies; and (3) it supplies directions for future research including new strategies for successful studies.

Intended Use

Intended to provide a recipe for successful development of wildlife habitat models and their implementation in conservation planning, the book could be used in studying wildlife habitat models, conservation planning, and management techniques. Additionally, it may be a supplemental text in courses dealing with quantitative assessment of wildlife populations. The length of the book would be ideal for a graduate student seminar course.

Importance of Wildlife Habitat Models

Using wildlife habitat models in conservation planning is of considerable interest to wildlife biologists. With ever-tightening budgets for wildlife research and planning activities, there is a growing need to use computer methods. Use of simulation models represents the single best alternative. However, it is imperative that these techniques be described in a single source. Moreover, biologists should be made aware of alternative modeling techniques. It is also important that practical guidance be provided to biologists along with a demonstration of utility of these procedures.

Current Challenges and Opportunities

Currently, there is little guidance in the wildlife or natural resource planning literature on how best to incorporate wildlife planning activities, particularly community-based approaches. Now is the perfect time for a synthetic publication that clearly outlines the concepts and available methods, and illustrates them.

Key Features

- Only single resource book of information not only on various wildlife modeling techniques, but also with practical guidance on the demonstrated utility of each based on real-world conditions.

- Provides concepts, methods, and applications for wildlife ecologists and others within a GIS context.

- Written by a team of subject-area experts.