Why birds matter: avian ecological function and ecosystem services.

Stock ID 39051 Why birds matter: avian ecological function and ecosystem services. Cagan H. Sekercioglu.

Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2016. Octavo, paperback, black and white photographs.

For over one hundred years, ornithologists and amateur birders have jointly campaigned for the conservation of bird species, documenting not only birds' beauty and extraordinary diversity, but also their importance to ecosystems worldwide. But while these avian enthusiasts have noted that birds eat fruit, carrion, and pests; spread seed and fertilizer; and pollinate plants, among other services, they have rarely asked what birds are worth in economic terms. This volume brings together an international collection of ornithologists, botanists, ecologists, conservation biologists, and environmental economists who seek to quantify avian ecosystem services and the myriad benefits that birds provide to humans. The first book to approach ecosystem services from an ornithological perspective, it asks what economic value we can ascribe to those services, if any, and how this value should inform conservation.
Chapters explore the role of birds in such important ecological dynamics as scavenging, nutrient cycling, food-chains, and plant-animal interactions all seen through the lens of human well-being to show that quantifying avian ecosystem services is crucial when formulating contemporary conservation strategies. Both elucidating challenges and providing examples of specific ecosystem valuations and guidance for calculation, the contributors propose that in order to advance avian conservation, we need to appeal not only to hearts and minds, but also to wallets. Also available in hardcover [stock id 39052].

Price: $77.00 AU

other currencies

Add to Cart

Stock ID: 39051

In Print

New

Copies in Stock: 1

Enquire On Item Add to Wish List