Conservation Biology

The goal of conservation biology is to maintain healthy and diverse populations of native species, including plants, animals, fungi, and microorganisms. Human development damages natural habitats and reduces populations of many species. In suburban and urban environments, where ecosystems are already disrupted, our focus shifts to preserving whatever wildlife we can.

Small backyard ponds can play an important role in this effort. They provide habitat for aquatic invertebrates, can serve as breeding grounds—or “sources”—for some amphibians, and offer water and food for larger animals. In these mesocosms, our aim is to support as many native species as possible. For most species, these ponds function as ecological “sources,” or at least do not harm populations. Ideally, few or no species experience these ponds as ecological “sinks,” where their populations would decline.