This book examines the development needs of protected areas with threatened ecological biodiversity to gain deeper understanding of the local perspective of protected area ecosystems. The study focuses on the case of Nech Sar National Park in Ethiopia, a protected area facing many development challenges due to human over-utilization of its resources and threats to wildlife. The conceptual framework developed by this research makes an academic contribution in the protection and sustainable development of national parks' natural capital, since it is designed to provide a systemic analysis of the problem by showing the extent and magnitude of human induced impacts on the natural capital of protected areas. In line with this, the application of the framework produces new and evidence-based findings which will help to improve the governance of protected areas as the research will provide park authorities with a practical tool in addressing the underlying causes of the degradation of national parks before the state of degradation of these resources reach its irreversible juncture. The book will help academicians and researchers to assess the state of biodiversity resources in protected areas using Nech Sar National Park as a representative example of a threatened area common throughout Africa, and will enable development practitioners and policy makers to devise appropriate strategies such as community participation in the governance of protected areas that could help to halt the degradation of resources in protected areas.

In recent years, there has been a marked proliferation in the literature on economic approaches to ecosystem management, which has created a subsequent need for real understanding of the scope and the limits of the economic approaches to ecosystems and

With the general consensus on sustainable development worldwide, the balance between nature conservation and poverty eradication has become an inevitable choice. Biodiversity (including ecosystem diversity, species diversity, and genetic diversity) refers to the ecological complex formed by living organisms as well as their surrounding environment. Biodiversity provides ecosystem services essential for human well-being and is also interrelated with regional socio-economic development. Protected areas are the most direct and effective initiative to conserve biodiversity while increasing evidence shows that the services provided by intact and functioning ecosystems in protected areas are also of great value to human livelihoods, health, and well-being. Therefore, biodiversity conservation and sustainable development within and around protected areas have become a central topic in the field of conservation ecology. With this aim in mind, we would like to invite scholars to share novel findings on biodiversity conservation and the sustainable development of protected areas. The research topic will cover progress in the maintaining and sustainable use of different features of biodiversity (ecosystems, animals, plants, micro-organisms, etc.). We welcome contributions to the fundamental theories, technologies and approaches, and practices, toward a better understanding of the relationship between biodiversity conservation and regional development within and around protected areas.

Human-induced environmental disturbance – through fishery activities, coastal development, tourism and pollution – is a major challenge to the restoration and conservation of marine biodiversity. Synthesizing the latest research into marine biodiversity conservation and fisheries management, this book provides regional and global perspectives on the role of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in confronting this challenge. The approach is multidisciplinary, covering all the fields involved in designating and assessing MPAs: ecology, fisheries science, statistics, economics, sociology and genetics. The book is structured around key topics, including threats to marine ecosystems and resources, the effects and effectiveness of MPAs and the scaling-up of MPA systems. Both theoretical and empirical approaches are considered. Recognizing the diversity of MPA sciences, the book also includes one part designed specifically as a practical guide to implementing scientific assessment studies of MPAs and monitoring programs.

In the past decade, the growing realization that biodiversity and human wellbeing are inextricably linked has led to the adoption of numerous environmental policies. The concept of the Green Economy has gained particular attention as an economic system where growth is possible within environmental limits. The preservation of ecosystem services and the halt of biodiversity loss are identified as key pillars of the Green Economy. Despite the concept’s momentum there is still no clear understanding of how biodiversity fits within a Green Economy. In the current debate, biodiversity is rarely acknowledged in economic sectors other than agriculture, forestry, fisheries and tourism, and when it is acknowledged biodiversity and its conservation feature more as buzzwords than as concrete and tangible components of the Green Economy. This book aims to identify, understand and offer pragmatic recommendations of how biodiversity conservation can become an agent of green economic development. This book establishes ways to assess biodiversity’s contributions to the economy and to meaningfully integrate biodiversity concerns in green-economy policies.

Seabirds are global travellers connecting oceans and seas all over the world, and facing multiple threats at local and global scales. Seabirds are long-lived top predators, reflecting changes at lower trophic levels, and are good models to assess ecological changes produced by human societies. Thus, world-wide collaborations are needed to understand seabird ecology and to develop effective conservation measures benefitting both humans and seabird populations. This book provides a modern overview on seabird biodiversity studies: it begins by covering the most up-to-date techniques to study seabirds, and then focus on pragmatic issues related with interactions between seabirds and humans, the use of seabirds as ecological indicators and conservation of seabirds. It gives an updated insight on all these topics and highlights gaps that need further development for a comprehensive understanding of the relationships between seabirds and human actions. This book covers the response of the seabird research community to a biodiversity crisis aiming to contribute towards environmental sustainability. It should provide inspiration to a wide range of professionals and students, including the much needed world-wide collaboration between research groups and practitioners. In this way seabird research and conservation provide an inspiration for the solution of global issues such as climate change.

This Handbook presents state-of-the-art methodological guidance and discussion of international practice related to the integration of biodiversity and ecosystem services in impact assessment, featuring contributions from leading researchers and practitioners the world over. Its multidisciplinary approach covers contributions across five continents to broaden the scope of the field both thematically and geographically.

This reference highlights the significance of marine ecosystems, encompassing seaweed beds, seagrasses, coral reefs, mangroves, estuaries, and protected areas, as a remarkable gateway to overcoming healthcare challenges and unlocking a rich trove of bioactive compounds for drug discovery. One of the key highlights of this book is its exploration of the development of marine bio-drugs, a field that demands collaboration among scientists from both academic and industrial fronts. The editors also include a prospective review on marine environments, emphasizing the necessity for big data, collective knowledge sharing, financial support, and streamlined administrative processes, all of which contribute to enhancing innovation in the drug discovery process. Another feature includes reference lists that allow researchers to explore topics of interest in depth. With twelve comprehensive chapters, this book extensively covers marine ecosystem biodiversity, productivity, protected areas, and the intricate interplay of biotic and abiotic factors that shape these ecosystems. Readers will learn about important bioactive compounds within marine organisms and how to use this knowledge to outline a strategy for bio-drug discovery. The book caters to a diverse audience of researchers, students, ecologists, microbiologists, pharmacologists, and biotechnologists who are engaged in studying the dynamic components of marine environments. By providing the latest insights and strategies in the realm of bio-drug discovery from marine resources, this book serves as an invaluable resource for scholars and professionals seeking to tap into the potential of these unique ecosystems.

With the health of the world’s oceans threatened as never before, it is becoming increasingly apparent that Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) play a vitally important role in protecting marine and coastal habitats. Management of Marine Protected Areas: A Network Perspective draws on the results of a major EU-sponsored research project related to the establishment of networks of MPAs in the Mediterranean and Black Seas that transpired from February 2011 to January 2016. Featuring contributions by leading university- and national research institute-based scientists, chapters utilize the latest research data and developments in marine conservation policy to explore issues related to ways in which networks of MPAs may amplify the effectiveness and conservation benefits of individual areas within them. Topics addressed include the broader socio-economic impacts of MPAs in the Mediterranean and Black Seas; the use of Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) to resolve conflicts between marine resource use and protection; special protection measures under the EU’s Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD); ecological value assessments in the Black Sea; the Ecosystem Approach (EA) for managing marine ecosystems; MPAs along Turkey’s Black Sea coast; MPAs and offshore wind farms; and managing and monitoring MPA networks within and between the Black and Mediterranean Seas. Timely and important, Management of Marine Protected Areas: A Network Perspective offers invaluable insights into the role of MPAs in preserving the welfare and long-term viability of our world’s oceans.

Protected areas can be found in a wide variety of environments, ranging from mountains to the sea, deserts, forests and freshwater lakes, and even traverse borders. They differ in almost every respect, including the purposes for which they are managed, their size, the types of sites and resources they protect, and their management. In recent decades, the number of protected areas has increased rapidly. Although, there has been good progress in expanding the coverage of terrestrial protected areas 14.9%, the further areas are needed for a full representation of areas of particular importance for biodiversity and ecosystem services (UNEP-WCMC, IUCN and NGS, 2018). In general, this rapid and recent growth in protected areas has not been accompanied by commensurate expansion in management capacity. The designation of protected status both on land and water has often failed to resolve (and in some cases has heightened) conflicts over access, use or control of the areas concerned. Economic recession and hardship have thrown such issues into sharper focus in recent years. Protected areas will not survive unless they enjoy broad public support, which is dependent on people’s fundamental needs being met. Land use and resource management conflicts, inequities or impacts do not cease to exist simply because an area is granted protected status. When established by nation states or related entities, protected area boundaries often reflect considerations of sovereignty, governance and tenure as much as the environment types they seek to protect. For all these reasons, the planning and management of protected areas must be coordinated with the use and management of other areas rather than treated in isolation. The long-term success of protected areas must be framed by the search for more sustainable patterns of development in general. The present Guidelines are intended to support the establishment process for protected areas.