While most efforts at biodiversity conservation have focused primarily on protected areas and reserves, the unprotected lands surrounding those areathe "matrix"are equally important to preserving global biodiversity and maintaining forest health. In Conserving Forest Biodiversity, leading forest scientists David B. Lindenmayer and Jerry F. Franklin argue that the conservation of forest biodiversity requires a comprehensive and multiscaled approach that includes both reserve and nonreserve areas. They lay the foundations for such a strategy, bringing together the latest scientific information on landscape ecology, forestry, conservation biology, and related disciplines as they examine:
the importance of the matrix in key areas of ecology such as metapopulation dynamics, habitat fragmentation, and landscape connectivity
general principles for matrix management
using natural disturbance regimes to guide human disturbance
landscape-level and stand-level elements of matrix management
the role of adaptive management and monitoring
social dimensions and tensions in implementing matrix-based forest management
In addition, they present five case studies that illustrate aspects and elements of applied matrix management in forests. The case studies cover a wide variety of conservation planning and management issues from North America, South America, and Australia, ranging from relatively intact forest ecosystems to an intensively managed plantation.
Conserving Forest Biodiversity presents strategies for enhancing matrix management that can play a vital role in the development of more effective approaches to maintaining forest biodiversity. It examines the key issues and gives practical guidelines for sustained forest management, highlighting the critical role of the matrix for scientists, managers, decisionmakers, and other stakeholders involved in efforts to sustain biodiversity and ecosystem processes in forest landscapes.
PART I. Principles for Biodiversity Conservation in the Matrix Chapter 1. Critical Roles for the Matrix Chapter 2. The Matrix and the Major Themes in Landscape Ecology and Conservation Biology Chapter 3. Objectives and Principle s for Developing Comprehensive Plans for Forest Biodiversity Conservation Chapter 4. Using Information about Natural Forests, Landscapes, and Disturbance Regimes
PART II. Biodiversity Conservation Across Multiple Spatial Scales Chapter 5. Importance and Limitations of Large Ecological Reserves Chapter 6. Landscape-Level Considerations with in the Matrix: Protected Habitatat the Patch Level Chapter 7. Landscape-Level Considerations: Goals for Structures and Habitats, Transport Systems and Distribution of Harvest Units in Space and Time Chapter 8. Matrix Management in the Harvested Stand Chapter 9. Revisiting a Multiscaled Approach to Forest Biodiversity Conservation Chapter 10. Matrix Management in Plantation Landscapes
PART III. Case Studies in Developing Multiscaled Plans for Biodiversity Conservation Chapter 11. Case Study 1: Northern, California and Mexican Spotted Owls Chapter 12. Case Study 2: Leadbeater's Possum and Biodiversity Conservation in Mountain Ash Forests Chapter 13. Case Study 3: The Tumut Fragmentation Experiment Chapter 14. Case Study 4: The Biological Dynamics of Forest Fragments Project Chapter 15. Case Study 5: The Rio Condor Project
PART IV. Adaptive Management and the Human Aspects of Matrix Management Chapter 16. Adaptive Management and Long-Term Monitoring Chapter 17. Knowledge Gaps in Forest and Biodiversity Management: Areas for Future Research Chapter 18. Social and Other Dimensions Associated with Matrix Management Chapter 19. Future Directions
