One objective of this book is to provide an up-to-date synthesis of conservation biology. If this is a nearly impossible task now, it will be even more so in the future, as infomation and ideas continue to multiply. Other objectives include the encouragement of communication among all sectors of the conservation community, and the engendering of a sense of purpose and excitement in students and professionals. The book is divided into six sections, each preceded by a short "overview". Rather than syntheses, these short introductions touch on some of the commonalities and differences in the chapters. They may also serve to facilitate application of the principles discussed and to assist students in working through some of the more technical or controversial topics. The advantages of multi- authored volumes include breadth of coverage, expertise, and perspective. The disadvantages include uneven style and content. I have done what I can to ameliorate the latter problem and to present the information in a logical sequence. I hope you enjoy it, but more importantly, I hope that it makes you a more informed and effective member of the conservation biology community. This book, like most human endeavors, would have been impossible without the enthusiastic cooperation of many people and organizations. The rallying point for the project was the Second Conference on Conservation Biology, sponsored by the School of Natural Resources, University of Michigan, in May, 1985, and supported by generous contributions from the National Science Foundation, World Wildlife Fund - U.S., UNESCO, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN), World Wildlife Fund International, and the New York Zoological Society.
