Product Description

Tropical habitats may contain more than a third of the world's plant and animal species; Costa Rica is home to one of the highest levels of biodiversity per unit area in the world, and stands at centre stage in worldwide conservation efforts. Within such regions, the use of state-of-the-art digital mapping technologies represents the future of conservation planning and policy. These methods, which employ satellites to obtain visual data on landscapes, allow environmental scientists to monitor encroachment on indigenous territories, trace park boundaries through unmarked wilderness, and identify wildlife habitats in regions where humans have limited access. Focusing on the rich biodiversity of Costa Rica, the contributors of this book demonstrate the use of geographic information systems (GIS) to enhance conservation efforts. They give an overview of the spatial nature of conservation and management and the current status of digital mapping in Costa Rica, a review of the principles behind digital mapping technologies; a series of case studies using these technologies and the results of the Costa Rican gap analysis project. For specialists in such areas as geography, conservation biology and wildlife and natural resource management, the combination of conceptual background and case examples make this book a crucial addition to the literature.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1333234 in Books
• Published on: 1998-06
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 278 pages

Michael A. Mares Oklahoma Museum of Natural History
"This book promises to be a cutting-edge contribution to the use of remote sensing and gap analysis to conservation problems on a broad scale and a benchmark for application of similar methodologies to tropical conservation throughout the world."

Michael A. Mares Oklahoma Museum of Natural History
This book promises to be a cutting-edge contribution to the use of remote sensing and gap analysis to conservation problems on a broad scale and a benchmark for application of similar methodologies to tropical conservation throughout the world.

Book Info
Shows how the utilization of geographic information systems (GIS) can enhance conservation efforts by helping scientists to monitor landscapes, trace park boundaries through unmarked wilderness, & identify regions where humans have only limited access.