Key Concepts

CONCEPT 23.1 Conservation biology is an integrative discipline that applies the principles of ecology to the protection of biodiversity.

CONCEPT 23.2 Biodiversity is declining globally.

CONCEPT 23.3 Primary threats to diversity include habitat loss, invasive species, overexploitation, pollution, disease, and climate change.

CONCEPT 23.4 Conservation biologists use many tools and work at multiple scales to manage declining populations.

CONCEPT 23.5 Prioritizing species helps maximize the biodiversity that can be protected with limited resources.

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