Showing papers by "Simon N. Stuart published in 1988"

Biological Diversity and Tropical Forests

Abstract: T conservation of biological diversity has recently become a subject of significant international action. Task-forces in its support have been established by institutions such as the World Bank, and campaigns to improve its prospects are being orchestrated by international nongovernmental conservation organizations. This world-wide concern is largely based on the widespread belief that more species of organisms are becoming extinct in the latter part of the 20th century than at any time in the history of the Earth. A major manifestation of this concern is the significant international effort which is now under way to save the forests of the tropical 'developing world'. These forests are the most biologically diverse biomes on Earth, and many of the present species extinctions are thought to result from their rapid disappearance. The current preoccupation with the conservation of biological diversity leads to a tendency to concentrate conservation efforts in areas where this diversity is greatest. The term 'megadiversity' has been applied in respect of such areas as the Atlantic forests of Brazil, the east-coast forests of Madagascar, Peninsular Malaysia, and parts of the huge island of Borneo. These sites are indeed of very high value for conservation, and consequently merit special international attention. However, a logical extension to this preoccupation with species diversity as a criterion for the application of conservation resources, could lead to unfortunate distortions of conservation programmes, much as can overemphasis on conservation of a single species.