Conservation biologists assign population distinctiveness by classifying populations as
evolutionarily significant units (ESUs). Historically, this classification has included ecological …

Craig Moritz is at the Dept of Zoology and Centre for Conservation Biology, The University of
Queensland, Qld 4072, Australia. w riting in the first issue of TREE, Ryder'brought the term …

Abstract The Evolutionarily Significant Unit (ESU) was conceptualized in 1986 as a
conservation unit below the species level, theoretically applicable to a wide range of taxa …

The∼ 26 definitions of species often yield different numbers of species and disparate
groupings, with financial, legal, biological and conservation implications. Using conservation …

A frequent outcome when studying complex biological systems is that data collected to test a
specific hypothesis can be interpreted several ways, and interpretations can be influenced …

Recent years have seen a debate over various methods that could objectively prioritize
conservation value below the species level. Most prominent among these has been the …

Conservation planning has tended to focus more on pattern (representation) than process
(persistence) and, for the former, has emphasized species and ecosystem or community …

Current approaches to biodiversity conservation are largely based on geographic areas,
ecosystems, ecological communities, and species, with less attention on genetic diversity …

The designation of units for conservation has been a necessary but challenging objective
since conservation efforts began. Most species are divided, typically by environment, into …

Conservation genetics has expanded its purview such that molecular techniques are now
used routinely to prioritize populations for listing and protection and infer their historical …