Conservation biogeography: The modern scientific contribution of biogeography to the improvement of nature conservation

Abstract

In present times, there is a clear and growing need for applying theoretical biogeographic achievements in improving the state of biodiversity and conservation. Conceptual principles of conservation biogeography take the research into the relationship between fundamental biogeographic principles and the need for their appliance in nature conservation as the basic theory model, based upon biogeographic studies of isolated ranges. This paper is meant to point out the differences between spatial and functional isolation and the effects these have on the stability of populations and species. In light of this need to apply theories in biodiversity and nature conservation, it is important to research not only the processes that depend solely upon natural factors, but also those that are caused by a number of human-induced changes, e.g. habitat fragmentation, climate change or biotic homogenization.

U savremenom periodu jasno je izražena potreba za primenom teorijskih biogeografskih dostignuća u unapređenju stanja biodiverziteta i zaštiti prirode. Konceptualne osnove konzervacione biogeografije za polazni teorijski model imaju razmatranje veza između fundamentalnih biogeografskih zakonitosti i potreba za njihovom primenom u zaštiti prirode, na osnovu proučavanja biogeografije izolovanih areala. Rad bi trebalo da ukaže na razlike između prostorne i funkcionalne izolovanosti i implikacija koje ta stanja mogu proizvesti na stabilnost populacija i vrsta. U kontekstu potrebe za primenom teorije na zaštitu biodiverziteta i prirode, potrebno je razmatrati ne samo procese koji zavise isključivo od prirodnih faktora, već i one koji imaju svoj uzrok u nizu poremećaja nastalim pod uticajem antropogenog faktora, kao što su fragmentacija staništa, klimatski poremećaji ili biotička homogenizacija.