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Crisis in a Crisis Discipline

Crisis in a Crisis Discipline When Michael Soulé called conservation biology a crisis discipline, he meant that ours is a mission‐oriented science with pressing timelines. He recognized that we must work quickly to address urgent problems such as habitat destruction, invasive species, overharvest, and the many other factors that threaten biodiversity and the very fabric of life on Earth. Conservation biology does not have the luxury of time to slowly and timidly reveal its scientific contributions to the world. We must act quickly if we are to influence species extinction rates, habitat loss, and the human condition. Although this is a formidable task, we have no choice but to succeed, and to succeed quickly. I detect a simmering crisis in this crisis discipline, one that could influence how successful we ultimately are at accomplishing our mission. A necessary (though not sufficient) step in our success is publication of rigorous, peer‐reviewed scientific information in various journals, including this one. This is the primary means by which good information, through a selective process ensuring a particular level of quality, reaches the light of day. This process of timely, independent, critical review is, I suggest, approaching crisis. This journal (and, I suspect, others) is experiencing increasing http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Conservation Biology Wiley

Crisis in a Crisis Discipline

Conservation Biology , Volume 15 (2) – Apr 8, 2001

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Publisher
Wiley
Copyright
Copyright © 2001 Wiley Subscription Services, Inc., A Wiley Company
ISSN
0888-8892
eISSN
1523-1739
DOI
10.1046/j.1523-1739.2001.015002303.x
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

When Michael Soulé called conservation biology a crisis discipline, he meant that ours is a mission‐oriented science with pressing timelines. He recognized that we must work quickly to address urgent problems such as habitat destruction, invasive species, overharvest, and the many other factors that threaten biodiversity and the very fabric of life on Earth. Conservation biology does not have the luxury of time to slowly and timidly reveal its scientific contributions to the world. We must act quickly if we are to influence species extinction rates, habitat loss, and the human condition. Although this is a formidable task, we have no choice but to succeed, and to succeed quickly. I detect a simmering crisis in this crisis discipline, one that could influence how successful we ultimately are at accomplishing our mission. A necessary (though not sufficient) step in our success is publication of rigorous, peer‐reviewed scientific information in various journals, including this one. This is the primary means by which good information, through a selective process ensuring a particular level of quality, reaches the light of day. This process of timely, independent, critical review is, I suggest, approaching crisis. This journal (and, I suspect, others) is experiencing increasing

Journal

Conservation BiologyWiley

Published: Apr 8, 2001

There are no references for this article.