The field of conservation biology, the applied science dealing with the maintenance of the earth's biological diversity, has grown tremendously over the past decade; and this book has been designed specifically for the increasing number of undergraduate courses in the subject. It focuses on the biological aspects of the discipline and assumes that students have some background in biology or ecology. Social, political and economic aspects of conservation biology issues will also be covered - both interwoven throughout the book and considered in three separate chapters. The book uses a large