Scientific Meeting - Extinction risk in common species

Conservation attention and activities tend to focus on rare species - those with low population numbers or restricted distributions.

However, there is a growing list of examples of species threatened with extinction that in the recent past were considered to be common.

Major declines in such species potentially have much greater consequences than declines in rare species, because common species contribute proportionately so much more to the functioning of the ecosystems in which they are (or were) numerically dominant.

Speakers will provide an overview of the causes and consequences of such declines, followed by case studies of once common species that are now a major cause of conservation concern.

Organised by Professor Tim Blackburn.

Talk titles and speakers
"Commonness and biological conservation" - Kevin J. Gaston - Professor of Biodiversity and Conservation, University of Sheffield;
"Vulture declines in South Asia: causes and consequences" - Andrew A. Cunningham - Head of Wildlife Epidemiology, Institute of Zoology, ZSL; and
"The saiga antelope - a conservation success story?" - E.J. Milner-Gulland - Professor in Conservation Science, Imperial College London

The evening will be chaired by Professor Tim Blackburn, Director of the Institute of Zoology, ZSL.

Please note that this event has already taken place.

Extinction risk in common species Scientific Meeting abstracts (77 KB)

The talks are free and open to the public (no advance booking or registration required). Talks will begin at 6.00pm; doors open at 5.00pm and seats will be allocated on a first-come first-served basis. A dinner with the speakers will follow this Scientific Meeting and places must be booked in advance; please download above booking form for further information.

Further Information: please contact Joy Hayward, Scientific Meetings Coordinator, Zoological Society of London, Regents Park, London NW1 4RY.
Tel:+44 (0)20 7449 6227. Fax: +44 (0)20 7449 6411. E-mail: joy.hayward@zsl.org.

Related links
ZSL Scientific Meetings
Map showing ZSL Meeting Rooms