The World Conservation Monitoring Centre provides information services on conservation and sustainable use of the world's living resources, and helps others to develop information systems of their own.

         

        Publications: WCMC Biodiversity Bulletins

        1. Priorities for Biodiversity Conservation in the Tropics

        By World Conservation Monitoring Centre. Michael J.B. Green, Martyn G. Murray, Gillian C. Bunting and James R. Paine. This study provides an assessment of the extent to which habitats in the tropics are protected and guidance on prioritising conservation action from global and national perspectives. At the global level, investments should be strategically targeted towards biologically richer countries and habitats inadequately represented within protected areas. In the case of habitats that are well represented within protected areas, investments should be targeted towards effectively managing such sites. At national levels, countries should aim to ensure that all habitats are well represented within their protected areas system.

        2. Tropical Montane Cloud Forests: An Urgent Priority for Conservation

        By World Conservation Monitoring Centre. Mark Aldrich, Clare Billington, Mary Edwards and Ruth Laidlaw. Tropical montane cloud forests (TMCFs) are high on the list of the world's most threatened ecosystems. In order to achieve the conservation of remaining areas there is an urgent need for information on the location, extent, protection status, biological importance, socio-economic conditions and current threats on a site by site basis. This report describes a first phase of work on the development of a global database and draft directory of Tropical Montane Cloud Forests. Interim results and conclusions are provided from a global overview of the information gathered to date. It concludes by recommending a series of activities to be undertaken in a further phase of work.

        3. Patterns of Biodiversity in Arctic Birds
        Christoph Zöckler

        Arctic ecosystems are harsh and inhospitable, containing very low species diversity. However, although the habitats are relatively homogeneous throughout the circumpolar Arctic region, differences in species richness and areas of outstanding species richness can be recognised.

        Analysis of patterns in species diversity can be used to prioritise regions for conservation in the Arctic. Towards this goal, the Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna (CAFF) programme has been compiling information on the distribution and abundance of species and ecosystems in the Arctic. The work described in this report was designed to complement other ongoing projects and was included in the CAFF V work plan. It was carried out under an EU fellowship at WCMC.

        Please contact the Information Officer at WCMC for further details at info@wcmc.org.uk

        See the World Conservation Bookstore for other titles.

        For further information please write to:
        Information Office,
        World Conservation Monitoring Centre,
        219 Huntingdon Road,
        Cambridge CB3 0DL,
        United Kingdom.
        Tel: +44 1223 277314;
        Fax: +44 1223 277136.
        Email: info@wcmc.org.uk
        Document URL: http:// www.wcmc.org.uk /information_services/publications/bulletin.htm
        Revision date: 27-July-1999
        Current date: 21-January-2000

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