Biodiversity Conservation Using Umbrella Species, 1st ed. 2018 Blakiston's Fish Owl and the Red-crowned Crane Ecological Research Monographs Series

This book focuses on Blakiston?s fish owl and the red-crowned crane as umbrella species. Healthy river, riparian and wetland ecosystems are necessary to maintain the populations of the two species. Both species have been revered by people since ancient times, but both are currently listed as endangered because of their small population sizes. The population decline of the two species can be mainly attributed to the degradation of the natural riparian and wetland habitats, which is associated with land use development.

The populations of the two species are now recovering in Japan due to recent conservation and reproduction efforts, but the genetic diversity of the two species are still low due to previous bottleneck effects. To develop conservation and dispersal plans to establish the species over the East Asian mainland and on the island of Hokkaido, basic information, such as their regional distribution, genetic diversity, food availability, reproductive traits, and nesting, breeding, rearing, and commuting habitat, is essential. The intensive, collaborative studies conducted in Japan and Russia has clarified the status quo and the ecology of the two species. 

This is the first book that comprehensively compiles the above information for the mainland and island populations. In addition, it verifies their suitability as umbrella species of an ecosystem and the possibility of their future population expansion, taking into account changes in land use in Hokkaido, which is about to experience a dramatic decline in human population.

As such, the book provides valuable information for students who wish to learn about these beautiful symbolic creatures, for NGOs engaged in conservation activities, and for managers who are involved in creating conservation plans and implementing restoration projects.

INTRODUCTION.- Part1 ECOLOGY OF BLAKISTON’S FISH OWL.- Distribution of Blakiston’s fish owl in the world.- Ecology and conservation of Blakiston's fish owl in Japan.- Ecology and conservation of Blakiston's fish owl in Russia and Northern Territories.- Part2 ECOLOGY OF RED-CROWNED CRANE.- Distribution of red-crowned crane in the world.- Ecology of red-crowned crane and conservation activities in Japan.- Ecology of red-crowned crane and conservation activities in Russia.- Part3 STATUS AND PERSPECTIVE OF THE POPULATION, BASED ON GENETIC DIVERSITY.- Status and Perspective of the Population, Based on Genetic Diversity:Introduction.- STATUS AND PERSPECTIVE OF THE BLAKISTON‘S FISH OWL POPULATION, BASED ON GENETIC DIVERSITY.- STATUS AND PERSPECTIVE OF THE RED-CROWNED CRANE, BASED ON GENETIC DIVERSITY.- Part 4 RED-CROWNED CRANE.- Can charismatic megafauna be surrogate species for biodiversity conservation? Pattern, process, and approach using citizen data and hierarchical community models.- Part5 Future perspectives for restoring habitats and spreading the distributions of the two species in Hokkaido.- Future perspectives for restoring habitats and spreading the distributions of the two species in Hokkaido: Introduction.- The possibility of using abandoned farmlands for habitat restoration in societies with decreasing populations.- Vegetation succession on fallow land.- Changes of ground beetle and bird species after farmland abandonment.- Predicting future range expansions of Blakiston’s fish owl subject to conservation efforts.- Abandoned farmlands as a potential new habitat for red-crowned crane.- Part 6 Policy issues on habitat conservation.- Policy issues on habitat conservation.- Forest and Agricultural management policies to conserve the two species..- References.

Futoshi Nakamura
Professor, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Agriculture
Project Leader, Ecosystem management and landscape ecology

The first English-language book introducing readers to the distribution and ecology of Blakiston’s fish owl and the red-crowned crane in their natural habitats

Presents the status quo and prospects for the populations of the two species based on genetic diversity

Examines how conservation of the two species promises conservation of other bird species

Presents future perspectives for restoring habitats and increasing the distributions of the two species in Hokkaido

Includes the results of multiple collaborative projects between Japanese and Russian scientists