Conservation Physiology
Madliger, Christine L. ca. 20./21. Jhr., Franklin, Craig E. ca. 20./21. Jahrhundert, Love, Oliver P. ca. 20./21. Jahrhundert, Cooke, Steven
Abstract
Conservation physiology is a rapidly expanding, multi-disciplinary field that uses physiological tools to characterize and solve conservation problems. This text provides a consolidated overview of the scope, purpose, and goals of conservation physiology, with a focus on animals. It outlines the major avenues by which conservation physiology is contributing to the monitoring, management, and restoration of animal populations and defines opportunities for growth in the field. By using a series of case studies, it illustrates how approaches from the conservation physiology toolbox tackle diverse conservation issues ranging from monitoring environmental stress, predicting the impact of climate change, understanding disease dynamics, improving captive breeding, reducing human–wildlife conflict, and many others. Moreover, by acting as practical road maps across a diversity of subdisciplines, these case studies will serve to increase the accessibility of this discipline to new researchers. The diversity of taxa, biological scales, and ecosystems that are highlighted illustrate the far-reaching nature of the discipline and allow readers to gain an appreciation for the purpose, value, and status of the field.