With respect to scope, it is intended that the book should contain a body of knowledge about the use of ecological theory and principles to solve problems associated with the intensive human use of the environment. It is beyond our capacity to return Earth to a primeval state, but what we can do is build a technological ‘ark’ to retain as much ecological integrity as possible. To achieve this, many aspects of ecology have to be applied to manage conservation systems where the maintenance, restoration, and creation of diverse and healthy ecosystems are principal objectives.
Some conservation systems may be broadly classified as in situ operations. These include:
- protection of rare species and habitats;
- restoration of industrial wasteland and the mitigative creation of new ecosystems;
- using wetland ecosystems for treating wastewater;
- environmental valuation in relation to the needs for conservation and development to go hand in hand;
- integration of sustainable ecosystems with commercial enterprises, such as agriculture and nature tourism;
- study of the ecology of human diseases in relation to their control.
Other kinds of conservation systems are classified as ex situ. These include operations in zoos, botanical gardens, museums, and germ plasm stores. The objectives are to provide breeding populations of plants and animals for reintroductions, and maintain a classified biodiversity inventory of specimens and genetic resources.
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