Biodiversity loss has been identified as one of the great
challenges of our time. The potential demise of one-fourth or
more of the Earthâ€™s species before the end of this century
represents an irreversible loss of nature and may significantly
undermine the sustainable use of natureâ€™s services. The
continuing expansion of populations and economies and the urgent
need to improve human well-being also place increasing pressures
on biological diversity. The need for new understanding and
novel approaches to the management of wildlands and protected
areas has never been greater. Scientists and practitioners
within the field of Conservation Biology need specialized
knowledge of their sub-discipline -- forest management,
endangered species policy or wildlife ecology, for example. They
also need the integrative perspective of a broadly educated
scholar-practitioner who is equipped to understand interactions
between natural systems and human influences. This field of
study combines basic knowledge from the ecologi