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Biodiversity, conservation biology and nature conservation in Croatia

Croatia is among European hot-spot countries with high biodiversity. This biodiversity includes intraspecific, interspecific and ecosystem diversity and high endemism rate. A rapid decrease of world biodiversity caused by loss, fragmentation and disturbance of habitats, overexploitation, and introduction of alien species and diseases recently resulted in dramatically increased extinction rates. In Croatia, just among vertebrates, the list of extinct species includes the monk seal Monachus monachus, Dalmatian pelican Pelecanus crispus, Atlantic sturgeon Acipenser sturio etc. The existing concept of the nature conservation based upon formal protection of species and establishing of protected areas showed to be globally insufficient. Challenging world biodiversity loss, a new scientific approach to biodiversity conservation appeared in late 1970’s – the conservation biology. Based on ecological principles, it focuses research and management efforts in conservation, evaluating the relative effectiveness of specific changes on population and ecosystem responses. Although still a developing discipline, conservation biology is considered the science of the 21st century and a prerequisite for effective conservation of nature. While in many countries worldwide the conservation biology is included in university curricula and employed in the field of biodiversity conservation, it is not the case in Croatia. This reflects in confusion of conservation biology with ecology or nature protection. Considering increased human impact on ecosystems, limited resources and the time constraint, the conservation biology should be recognized as a “new” scientific discipline in Croatia whose analysis should become a baseline in planning effective conservation of Croatian biodiversity.

biodiversity; threats; conservation biology; nature protection; Croatia

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