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Insular Lessons for Global Biodiversity Conservation with Particular Reference to Alien Invasions

  • Chapter
Islands

Part of the book series: Ecological Studies ((ECOLSTUD,volume 115))

Abstract

The SCOPE Programme on the Ecosystem Function of Biodiversity is aimed at ascertaining whether it is necessary to prevent the predicted man-induced extinction of much of the Earth’s current biodiversity (Ricklefs et al. 1990) on the grounds of securing the adequate functioning of global life-support systems. Given this background, it would appear inappropriate to focus on oceanic islands, as they constitute a minute fraction of the Earth’s total land surface and, accordingly, are likely to make an infinitesimally small contribution to global fluxes in the biosphere. Even on simple biodiversity conservation grounds, a focus on islands within a global programme is of doubtful validity, as most biodiversity is located on the continents and in the oceans.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. WWF South Africa, P O Box 456, Stellenbosch, 7599, South Africa

    I. A. W. MacDonald & J. Cooper

  2. Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, 7700, South Africa

    I. A. W. MacDonald & J. Cooper

Authors
  1. I. A. W. MacDonald
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  2. J. Cooper
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biological Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA

    Peter M. Vitousek

  2. National Biological Survey, Haleakala National Park, 96768, Makawao, Maui, HI, 96768, USA

    Lloyd L. Loope

  3. Department of Plant Ecology, Botanical Institute, University of Copenhagen, Øster Farimagsgade 2D, DK 1353, Copenhagen K, Denmark

    Henning Adsersen

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© 1995 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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MacDonald, I.A.W., Cooper, J. (1995). Insular Lessons for Global Biodiversity Conservation with Particular Reference to Alien Invasions. In: Vitousek, P.M., Loope, L.L., Adsersen, H. (eds) Islands. Ecological Studies, vol 115. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-78963-2_15

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-78963-2_15

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-78965-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-78963-2

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