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Books > Earth & environment > The environment > Applied ecology
Winner of the 2017 Paul Sweezy Marxist Sociology Book Award from the American Sociological Association Although humans have long depended on oceans and aquatic ecosystems for sustenance and trade, only recently has human influence on these resources dramatically increased, transforming and undermining oceanic environments throughout the world. Marine ecosystems are in a crisis that is global in scope, rapid in pace, and colossal in scale. In The Tragedy of the Commodity, sociologists Stefano B. Longo, Rebecca Clausen, and Brett Clark explore the role human influence plays in this crisis, highlighting the social and economic forces that are at the heart of this looming ecological problem. In a critique of the classic theory “the tragedy of the commons†by ecologist Garrett Hardin, the authors move beyond simplistic explanations—such as unrestrained self-interest or population growth—to argue that it is the commodification of aquatic resources that leads to the depletion of fisheries and the development of environmentally suspect means of aquaculture. To illustrate this argument, the book features two fascinating case studies—the thousand-year history of the bluefin tuna fishery in the Mediterranean and the massive Pacific salmon fishery. Longo, Clausen, and Clark describe how new fishing technologies, transformations in ships and storage capacities, and the expansion of seafood markets combined to alter radically and permanently these crucial ecosystems. In doing so, the authors underscore how the particular organization of social production contributes to ecological degradation and an increase in the pressures placed upon the ocean. The authors highlight the historical, political, economic, and cultural forces that shape how we interact with the larger biophysical world. A path-breaking analysis of overfishing, The Tragedy of the Commodity yields insight into issues such as deforestation, biodiversity loss, pollution, and climate change.Â
This volume constitutes the most recent and most comprehensive consideration of the largest family of bony fishes, the Cichlidae. This book offers an integrated perspective of cichlid fishes ranging from conservation of threatened species to management of cichlids as invasive species themselves. Long-standing models of taxonomy and systematics are subjected to the most recent applications and interpretations of molecular evidence and multivariate analyses; and cichlid adaptive radiations at different scales are elucidated. The incredible diversity of endemic cichlid species in African lakes is revisited as possible examples of sympatric speciation and as serious cases for management in complex anthropogenic environments. Extreme hydrology and bathymetry as driver of micro-allopatric speciation is explored in the African riverine hotspot of diversity of the lower Congo River. Dramatic new molecular evidence draws attention to the complex taxonomy and systematics of Neotropical cichlids including the crater lakes of Central America. Molecular genetics, genomics, imaging tools and field study techniques assess the roles of natural, sexual and kin selection in shaping cichlid traits and beyond. The complex behavioral adaptations of cichlids are considered from a number of sub-disciplines including sensory biology, neurobiology, development, and evolutionary ecology. Most importantly, this volume puts forth a wealth of new interpretations, explanatory hypotheses and proposals for practical management and applications that will shape the future for these remarkable fishes in nature as well as their use as models for the study of biology.
Drawing together understandings from science and business around the increasingly important concept of resilience, this book provides managers, academics and practitioners with important ideas that will help business prepare for the future. It provides much needed detail on the challenges that climate change poses for organisations and makes essential reading for anyone interested in sustainable business.' - Suzanne Benn, University of Technology, Sydney, AustraliaClimate change has had a significant impact globally, predominantly for those vulnerable to its influence. The first book of its kind, The Climate Resilient Organization assesses the issues that have mounted for decision-makers in the field, while providing strategies to tackle them. With a particular focus on building climate-resilient pathways for private sector organizations, the expert authors offer practical tools and decision-making criteria for evaluating adaptation needs, costs and benefits. Split into two parts, this book begins with an analysis of the subject on a global scale; it continues by translating the science surrounding it while presenting it in a manner suited to local decision-makers. Sustainability and climate adaptation scholars as well as managers will equally find this book to be an insightful read. Government officers and risk management professionals will also find the topics discussed beneficial to their work.
Industrial ecology is coming of age and this superb book brings together leading scholars to present a state-of-the-art overviews of the subject. Each part of the book comprehensively covers the following issues in a systematic style: * the goals and achievements of industrial ecology and the history of the field * methodology, covering the main approaches to analysis and assessment * economics and industrial ecology * industrial ecology at the national/regional level * industrial ecology at the sectoral/materials level * applications and policy implications. The authors are all experts at the cutting edge of the field and the bibliography alone will prove useful as a comprehensive guide to the literature. This outstanding handbook will be an indispensable reference for students and scholars working in environmental management, industrial ecology and environmental and ecological studies.
Tropical islands are fragile, vulnerable environments and yet they are coming under increasing strain due to coastal developments and global environmental change. As a result of their remote location, small size and limited natural resource endowments, tourism has become an important economic activity, leading to emerging conflicts between the interests of developers, tourists and residents. Whilst much has been written about tourism-related development in tropical islands from a socio-cultural and economic point of view, the political ecology of environmental change has received surprisingly little attention. Political ecology is a powerful tool with which to investigate the role and interests of different actors in the process of environmental change, and this highly original volume represents a first ever study of tourism and tropical island development employing this novel but effective approach. Central to the argument is the belief that environmental problems cannot properly be understood without considering their economic and political context. The political ecology focus allows the authors to compare a wide range of tropical islands and to identify more sustainable development paths. They are also able to analyse the role of the various actors involved in the tourism development versus environmental change debate such as the state, international organizations, the tourism industry, local communities and non-governmental organizations. The continued growth of tourism will undoubtedly cause greater environmental problems. This book makes a major contribution toward understanding and solving these conflicts, particularly in those islands where the problems are most pressing. It will be required reading for students, researchers and academics of tourism, service management, geography, environmental studies, human ecology and economic development.
This book, as a part of a series of CERES publications, provides a multi-regional and cross-sectoral analysis of food and water security, especially in the era of climate risks, biodiversity loss, pressure on scarce resources, especially land and water, increasing global population, and changing dietary preferences. It includes both conceptual research and empirically-based studies, which provides context-specific analyses and recommendations based on a variety of case studies from Africa, Middle East, and Asia regarding the fostering of long-term resilience of food and water security. The core approach of the volume consists of: assessing the structural drivers affecting the vulnerability of food and water security, under the persistence of current trends; identifying the best solutions and practices to enhance the climate resilience for food and water security; and fostering climate adaptation and biodiversity protection for food and water security.
This book explores how Pacific Island communities are responding to the challenges wrought by climate change-most notably fresh water accessibility, the growing threat of disease, and crop failure. The Pacific Island nations are not alone in facing these challenges, but their responses are unique in that they arise from traditional and community-based understandings of climate and disaster. Knowledge sharing, community education, and widespread participation in decision-making have promoted social resilience to such challenges across the Pacific. In this exploration of the Pacific Island countries, Bryant-Tokalau demonstrates that by understanding the inter-relatedness of local expertise, customary resource management, traditional knowledge and practice, as well as the roles of leaders and institutions, local "knowledge-practice-belief systems" can be used to inform adaptation to disasters wherever they occur.
Summarizing the current state of knowledge on the links between business and climate change, this timely Handbook analyzes how businesses contribute to and are affected by climate change, looking closely at their centrality in developing and deploying solutions to address this problem. Contributions from a global collection of scholars and practitioners explore a broad range of key industries' impacts and responses to climate change, examining corporate strategy and leadership in the climate economy, functional perspectives and corporate practice, and climate finance. Chapters use diverse case studies to analyze climate-related business issues, including supply chain management, decarbonization, consumer decision-making, and climate-related financial investments. The Handbook delves deeper into how businesses perceive the issue of climate change, how they are affected by and engage with it, as well as the impact they have and what this impact costs. Forward-thinking, it concludes with reflections from the contributors on what the future holds for businesses and climate change. Covering matters relating to finance, economics, marketing, operations, strategy, leadership and communications, this interdisciplinary Handbook will prove invaluable to students and scholars in business management, sustainability and environmental studies, as well as to sustainability officers (and their staff) in corporations. Addressing, as it does, a wide range of climate-related issues from the corporate standpoint, it will also prove to be a useful resource for policymakers concerned with enabling solutions to climate change.
Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura) (Diptera: Drosophilidae), the spotted wing drosophila (SWD), is the most important pest affecting berry crop production worldwide. The global fresh fruit trade, coupled with the ability of the larvae to hide inside the fruit undetected until after transportation, facilitate their distribution. SWD is native to Asia, but is increasingly found in other regions: occurrences have been recorded in the Americas and Europe, and Africa, and the insects have the potential to adapt and become established in Oceania. Gathering the experiences of leading scientists in the management of D. suzukii around the globe, the book addresses D. suzukii monitoring; biological, chemical and cultural control; sterile insect technique (SIT); integrated pest management (IPM), and other control methods. It also discusses the use of drones, GPS, biotechnology, telemetry and other technological tools to make the management of this pest more efficient and accurate. As such, it is a valuable resource for scientists, professionals and students.
As the importance of corporate social responsibility grows, especially environmental responsibility, it is imperative to acknowledge the impact of the individual on a company's environmental performance. Given that individuals spend much of their day in the workplace, it is crucial to understand both their behaviours and the potential impact they can have on the company's environmental performance and the environment. Bringing together leading academics from various research fields, this Handbook examines the features and challenges within the area of employee pro-environmental behaviour. The Research Handbook on Employee Pro-Environmental Behaviour brings contributions that consolidate existing research in the field as well as adding new insights from organisational psychology, human resource management and social marketing. Drawing on studies from across the methodological spectrum, this Handbook covers a broad range of topics from the antecedents and consequences of employee pro-environmental behaviour to ways in which employers can encourage pro-environmental behaviour. This Handbook will be an invaluable tool for those engaged in research in employee environmental behaviour and sustainability. It will be especially useful for postgraduate students of environmental employee behaviour as well as environmental consultants and practitioners seeking to gain an understanding of employee behaviour. Contributors include: B. Asfar, N. Ashkanasy, W. Binney, M. Bissing-Olson, F. Bowen, P. Bradley, L. Brennan, J. Callewaert, Y.H. Cheung, C. Ciocirlan, M. Davis, S. Dilchert, C. Dutra, P. Endrejat, S. Fudge, B. Gatersleben, D. Gregory-Smith, A. Guntner, R. Hahn, S. Kauffeld, R. Klein, F. Klonek, M. Leach, A. Leung, S. Lockrey, D. Manika, R. Marans, N. Murtagh, T. Norton, D. Ones, F. Ostertag, P. Paille, S. Parker, A. Ruepert, S. Russell, I. Shah, A. Shahjahan, W. Staples, L. Steg, T. Tudor, D. Uzzell, C. Verfuerth, K. Verghese, V. Wells, B. Wiernik, L. Yang, H. Zacher
Greening Auto Jobs: A Critical Analysis of the Green Job Solution details current and problematic understandings of what constitutes a "green job." Adopting an approach grounded in critical political economy, this book presents a framework to scrutinize the green job solution and the theoretical framework which overwhelmingly informs contemporary green job creation efforts and ecological modernization. The text also explores the tensions that encircle the world of work and environmental action, often referred to as "jobs versus the environment," by detailing the conflicting commitments of political-economic actors to the idea of green job creation. These conflicts are outlined through an examination of the political-economic debate that has surrounded the Australian Government s environmental plans from 2008 to 2012 and the conflicting positions of Australian trade unions on environmentally transitioning the world of work. Interviews with key political-economic actors provide in-depth and nuanced understandings of the varied perspectives of political and union leaders in Australia. The second part of the book presents a detailed case study of the posited green job solution within the specific context of the Australian automotive manufacturing industry. The case study is also informed by interviews with key industry, union, and policymakers. The automotive industry is scrutinized not only because it has expressed going green as important to its long-term economic future, but because the Australian Government declared that its $6.2 billion "New Car Plan for a Greener Future" policy would create green jobs. Therefore, the book engages with the task of examining the three multinational vehicle producers operating in Australia Ford, GM Holden, and Toyota and how they have responded and engaged with the idea of green jobs, greening the manufacturing process, and the vehicles they produce in Australia."
This is a thoroughly revised and updated edition of an authoritative introduction to ecological modelling. Sven Erik Jorgensen, Editor-in-Chief of the journal Ecological Modelling, and Giuseppe Bendoricchio, Professor of Environmental Modelling at the University of Padova, Italy, offer compelling insights into the subject. This volume explains the concepts and processes involved in ecological modelling, presents the latest developments in the field and provides readers with the tools to construct their own models.
Nature is all around us, in the beautiful but also in the unappealing and functional, and from the awe-inspiring to the mundane. It is vital that we learn to see the agency of the natural world in all things that make our lives possible, comfortable and profitable. The Ecology of Everyday Things pulls back the veil of our familiarity on a range of 'everyday things' that surround us, and which we perhaps take too much for granted. This key into the magic world of the everyday can enable us to take better account of our common natural inheritance. Professor James Longhurst, Assistant Vice Chancellor, University of the West of England (UWE Bristol) For many people, ecosystems may be a remote concept, yet we eat, drink, breathe and interface with them in every moment of our lives. In this engaging textbook, ecosystems scientist Dr. Mark Everard considers a diversity of 'everyday things', including fascinating facts about their ecological origins: from the tea we drink, to the things we wear, read and enjoy, to the ecology of communities and space flight, and the important roles played by germs and 'unappealing creatures' such as slugs and wasps. In today's society, we are so umbilically connected to ecosystems that we fail to notice them, and this oversight blinds us to the unsustainability of everyday life and the industries and policy environment that supports it. The Ecology of Everyday Things takes the reader on an enlightening, fascinating voyage of discovery, all the while soundly rooted in robust science. It will stimulate awareness about how connected we all are to the natural world and its processes, and how important it is to learn to better treat our environment. Ideal for use in undergraduate- and school-level teaching, it will also interest, educate, engage and enthuse a wide range of less technical audiences.
Now revised and updated, Van Jones's provocative and cutting edge New York Times bestseller The Green Collar Economy delivers a viable plan for solving the two biggest issues facing the country today--the economy and the environment.
Paying the Carbon Price analyzes the practice of freely allocating permits in Emissions Trading Schemes (ETSs) and demonstrates how many heavy polluters participating in ETSs are not yet paying the full price of carbon. This innovative book provides a framework to assist policymakers in the design of transitional assistance measures that are both legally robust and will support the effectiveness of the ETSs whilst limiting negative impacts on international trade. Within the realm of international and comparative law, this book closes the gap between the legal frameworks of ETSs in practice, the economic research data and the doctrinal analysis of WTO law. These interesting insights and fresh ideas explore the connection between ETSs, the problems with free allocation of emission permits and the analysis of complex legal instruments. This accessible resource will be invaluable for those researching and teaching climate change law and policy, international trade law and environmental economics. It will also be a useful tool for policymakers, lawyers and economists.
This book explores the interconnections between world politics and non-human nature to overcome the anthropocentric boundaries that characterize the field of international relations. By gathering contributions from various perspectives, ranging from post-humanism and ecological modernization, to new materialism and post-colonialism, it conceptualizes the embeddedness of world politics in non-human nature, and proposes a reorientation of political practice to better address the challenges posed by climate change and the deterioration of the Earth's ecosystems. The book is divided into two main parts, the first of which addresses new ways of theoretically conceiving the relationship between non-human nature and world politics. In turn, the second presents empirical investigations into specific case studies, including studies on state actors and international organizations and bodies. Given its scope and the new perspectives it shares, this edited volume represents a uniquely valuable contribution to the field.
In this controversial book Herman Daly, a leading commentator on the environment, offers lively criticism of existing work on ecological economics and the economics of ecology. The theme throughout the book is about changes in perspective, attitudes and policies required to avoid uneconomic growth - that is, the impoverishment that results when the environmental and social costs of growth exceed the benefits. Key issues addressed include: * growth economics * misunderstandings of thermodynamics * economic development and population * globalization * money * humans in the ecosystem. This major new book will be of interest to economists, ecologists, environmentalists, public policy scholars and activists as well as social philosophers.
Population genomics is revolutionizing wildlife biology, conservation, and management by providing key and novel insights into genetic, population and landscape-level processes in wildlife, with unprecedented power and accuracy. This pioneering book presents the advances and potential of population genomics in wildlife, outlining key population genomics concepts and questions in wildlife biology, population genomics approaches that are specifically applicable to wildlife, and application of population genomics in wildlife population and evolutionary biology, ecology, adaptation and conservation and management. It is important for students, researchers, and wildlife professionals to understand the growing set of population genomics tools that can address issues from delineation of wildlife populations to assessing their capacity to adapt to environmental change. This book brings together leading experts in wildlife population genomics to discuss the key areas of the field, as well as challenges, opportunities and future prospects of wildlife population genomics. |
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