Conservation ecology is the branch of ecology and evolutionary biology that deals with the preservation and management of biodiversity and natural resources. It is a discipline that is emerging rapidly as a result of the accelerating deterioration of natural systems and the worldwide epidemic of species extinctions. Its goal is to find ways to conserve species, habitats, landscapes, and ecosystems as quickly, as efficiently, and as economically as possible. The theoretical base of conservation ecology is synthetic, based not only on principles of ecology but on those of genetics, systematics, population biology, and other disciplines.

The Conservation Ecology AOE has a primarily biological emphasis; students should have or acquire a broad background in ecology, population biology, evolution, and systematics. At the same time, this AOE can be regarded as having an applied ecology emphasis; students should acquire some background in environmental policy and conduct thesis or dissertation research relevant to solving conservation ecology problems.