Wilson Lab Journal Club: The Convention of Biological Diversity’s Target for 2010, and beyond

August 1, 2010

By Jessica Walsh

The Convention of Biological Diversity (CBD) had global target for significantly reducing the current rate of biodiversity loss by 2010. There has recently been a flurry of activity to establish a new target for beyond 2010, and to develop indicators that will measure the progress made towards reaching it.

We, as conservation scientists, have a key role to play in the development and implementation of this biodiversity target for 2020. But, before a new target is set for the coming decade, we need to make a critical assessment of the strengths and limitations of the 2010 target.

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Wilson Lab Journal Club: What Is Natural?

June 20, 2010

What Is Natural? The Need for a Long-Term Perspective in Biodiversity Conservation. K. J. Willis, et al. Science 314, 1261 (2006); DOI: 10.1126/science.1122667

By Ana Prohaska

Conservation science and management tends to ignore long-term historical records.  An increasing number of studies, however, have illustrated the importance of long term and palaeo-ecological data in several aspects of conservation, such as in invasive species research, understanding wildfire patterns, identifying climate change adaptation solutions and specifying ecosystem thresholds.

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Wilson Lab Journal Club: War and Peace and Conservation Biology

May 11, 2010

Each month the Wilson Lab meets to discuss an important piece of literature, brainstorm grand ideas or discuss research directions and progress. This month, Lochran Traill led the discussion.

Ehrenfeld, D. 2000. War and Peace and Conservation Biology. Conservation Biology 14(1): 105-112.

By Lochran Traill

Written a decade ago, Ehrenfeld’s reference to “great events of the world” that are “inherently too complex to be managed by … science and reason” remains pertinent. Citing Tolstoy’s historical account of Napoleon’s defeat in Russia (in War and Peace), Ehrenfeld points out that scientists err by assumption that an increase in knowledge alone will stop (or even slow) the extinction crisis. As Field Marshal Kutúzov knew, no one leader could control great battles or great events, such things are unpredicted and undirected.

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