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The Role of Climatic Change in the Design of Biological Reserves: The Paleoecological Perspective for Conservation Biology

The Role of Climatic Change in the Design of Biological Reserves: The Paleoecological Perspective... Illinois State Museum Springfield,IL 62706 The design of areas (refuges, reserves, or preserves) to conserve the biological diversity of terrestrial ecosystems in the face of unprecedented habitat destruction has primarily been based on the equilibrium theory of island biogeography (MacArthur & Wilson 1967). The equilibrium models and others such as the passive sampling, random placement, and habitat heterogeneity hypotheses (for discussion see Boecklen & Simberloff 1986:250) are designed for the climatic and environmental conditions of the region today. They do not take into consideration the potential response of the biota to future long- and short-term climatic changes, although there have been some exceptions (Hamilton 1981; Peters & Darling 1985). Hunter et al. (page 375) use a paleovegetational perspective to address specific recommendations for the design of nature preserves. Specifically, they emphasize the individualistic responses of taxa to past environmental changes rather than a community, or holistic, response. The significance of including contingencies for climatic change in designing biological reserves is clearly illustrated by the Holocene archeological and paleontological record of the eastern Sahara. Today, this area is one of the largest hyperarid expanses on Earth. During the early Holocene (8,000-10,000 years ago), “climatic conditions supported extensive vegetation, a http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Conservation Biology Wiley

The Role of Climatic Change in the Design of Biological Reserves: The Paleoecological Perspective for Conservation Biology

Conservation Biology , Volume 2 (4) – Dec 1, 1988

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References (29)

Publisher
Wiley
Copyright
"Copyright © 1988 Wiley Subscription Services, Inc., A Wiley Company"
ISSN
0888-8892
eISSN
1523-1739
DOI
10.1111/j.1523-1739.1988.tb00204.x
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

Illinois State Museum Springfield,IL 62706 The design of areas (refuges, reserves, or preserves) to conserve the biological diversity of terrestrial ecosystems in the face of unprecedented habitat destruction has primarily been based on the equilibrium theory of island biogeography (MacArthur & Wilson 1967). The equilibrium models and others such as the passive sampling, random placement, and habitat heterogeneity hypotheses (for discussion see Boecklen & Simberloff 1986:250) are designed for the climatic and environmental conditions of the region today. They do not take into consideration the potential response of the biota to future long- and short-term climatic changes, although there have been some exceptions (Hamilton 1981; Peters & Darling 1985). Hunter et al. (page 375) use a paleovegetational perspective to address specific recommendations for the design of nature preserves. Specifically, they emphasize the individualistic responses of taxa to past environmental changes rather than a community, or holistic, response. The significance of including contingencies for climatic change in designing biological reserves is clearly illustrated by the Holocene archeological and paleontological record of the eastern Sahara. Today, this area is one of the largest hyperarid expanses on Earth. During the early Holocene (8,000-10,000 years ago), “climatic conditions supported extensive vegetation, a

Journal

Conservation BiologyWiley

Published: Dec 1, 1988

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