Conservation of biological diversity: all things considered

Abstract

Most ecosystems contain a few common species and many rare ones. By virtue of being rare, these species are often poorly understood and difficult to manage. Scientists at the PNW Research Station have recently published a landmark book that chronicles what is known and what they've recently learned about conserving cryptic biodiversity. For the past decade, federal land managers in the Pacific Northwest have been faced with the unprecedented challenge of ensuring the protection of more than 400 rare or little-knowns species, mostly fungi, lichen, mollusks, and amphibians thought to be associated with old-growth forests. Expertise gained regionally in the Northwest was synthesized with national and international approaches to species and systems management in the book Conservation of Rare or Little-Known Species: Biological, Social, and Economic Considerations.

Citation

Thompson, Jonathan; Raphael, Martin; Molina, Randy; Marcot, Bruce; Olson, Deanna. 2008. Conservation of biological diversity: all things considered. Science Findings 108. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 5 p.