Forest Conservation Genetics

The cover image featuring a plain blue cover, with a green toned image of seed pods down the left side, and four smaller images on top of forest conse

Enlarge cover

Principles and Practice

By: Andrew Young, David Boshier, Timothy Boyle

eBook - July 2000 - eRetailers

Draws together much previously uncollected information relevant to managing and conserving forests.

Forest management must be sustainable not only in ecological, economic and social, but also genetic terms. Many forest managers are advocating and developing management strategies that give priority to conserving genetic diversity within production systems, or that recognise the importance of genetic considerations in achieving sustainable management. Forest Conservation Genetics draws together much previously uncollected information relevant to managing and conserving forests. The content emphasises the importance of conserving genetic diversity in achieving sustainable management. + Full description

Each chapter is written by a leading expert and has been peer reviewed. Readers without a background in genetics will find the logical sequence of topics allows easy understanding of the principles involved and how those principles may impact on day-to-day forest planning and management decisions.

The book is primarily aimed at undergraduate students of biology, ecology, forestry, and graduate students of forest genetics, resource management policy and/or conservation biology. It will prove useful for those teaching courses in these fields and as such help to increase the awareness of genetic factors in conservation and sustainable management, in both temperate and tropical regions.

- Short description

News

No longer available in a print edition.

Reviews

“Forest Conservation Genetics is a well-organized, timely, and well-written treatise destined to become a classic study guide for conservation of forest resources. The book does an excellent job of discussing all aspects of the complex topic of preservation of forest genetic resources on a global basis. Highly recommended as an invaluable addition to the literature on modern methods in forest genetics and gene conservation.”
D. F. Karnosky, Michigan Technological University (CHOICE v.38 no.3 February 2001)

“The main strength of this book is that it goes beyond just the “science” of genetics and includes the human dimensions. It also shows how genetic research can be incorporated into the overall planning of conservation programs.”
Michael Stine, Louisiana Agricultural Experiment Station, Louisiana State University (Forest Science v.47 no.2 2001)

“It is a useful reading both for scientists and practitioners dealing with gene conservation in forest trees anywhere in the world.”
Diana Krajmerova (Forest Genetics 7(4) 2000)

“A truly multidisciplinary field, forest conservation genetics includes aspects of ecology, population genetics, economics and social policy. Any book addressing the subject is therefore expected to be all encompassing. … Young, Boshier and Boyle together with a number of contributors from several fields have met all these challenges.”
Esther Kamau, Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, UK (Biological Conservation 101, 2001)

Preface
Contributors

Introduction
Section 1: Basic Genetic Principles
Basic genetics
Population genetics
Genetic tools: the use of biochemical and molecular markers

Section II: Genetic Processes

Mating systems
Gene flow in forest trees
Small population processes
Selection

Section III: Threats to in situ Genetic Conservation

Effects of logging and other forms of harvesting on genetic diversity in humid tropical forests
Forest Fragmentation
Effects of environmental population on the genetics of forest trees
Disease threats and the conservation genetics of forest trees
Hybridisation and forest conservation

Section IV: Domestication and ex situ Genetic Conservation