North and South America share similar human and ecological histories
and, increasingly, economic and social linkages. As such, issues of
ecosystem functions and disruptions form a common thread among these
cultures. This volume synthesizes the perspectives of several
disciplines, such as ecology, anthropology, economy, and conservation
biology. The chief goal is to gain an understanding of how human and
ecological processes interact to affect ecosystem functions and species
in the Americas. Throughout the text the emphasis is placed on habitat
fragmentation. At the same time, the book provides an overview of
current theory, methods, and approaches used in the analysis of
ecosystem disruptions and fragmentation.