PREDICTING the persistence of small populations is
a key issue in population ecology and conservation
biology. A large and increasing number of species
are threatened with extinction from factors associated
with humans (such as habitat loss, over-exploitation,
pollution and introduced species) and stochastic
hazards (demographic and environmental
fluctuations, natural catastrophes, inbreeding and loss
of genetic variation). In order to address such
problems in a systematic way, the process of
?population viability analysis? (PVA) has been
developed over the past few decades, and has now
become one of the major unifying disciplines in
conservation biology. PVA is a technique, usually
employing complex computer simulations, for
predicting the future fate of wildlife populations and
comparing competing management options, based on
the integrated modelling of demographic,
environmental, genetic and habitat-related
information. Using PVA allows time, money and onground
action to be rationally and efficiently
allocated.
"Quantitative Conservation Biology: Theory and Practice of Population Viability Analysis" by W. F. Morris and D. F. Doak [book review]
