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Books > Earth & environment > The environment > Applied ecology > Biodiversity
This book is dedicated to the Silver Bream, a fish too long neglected by anglers, wildlife enthusiasts and science. In fact, this is the first book ever devoted to this freshwater fish. Scientist, author and broadcaster Dr Mark Everard introduces the biology of the silver bream, angling for this fish, and its diverse social quirks and values.
This work presents an authoritative examination of the inter-relationships between the law, intellectual property rights, biodiversity protection, biotechnology and the protection of traditional knowledge. It includes twenty-eight chapters from dozens of international legal and scientific experts containing a comprehensive assessment of the issues complete with thorough references; and an essential references for all legal libraries, legal practitioners, science libraries, corporations involved in pharmaceuticals or biotechnology and conservationists and other NGOs. How do we promote global economic development, while simultaneously preserving local biological and cultural diversity? This authoritative volume, written by leading legal experts and biological and social scientists from around the world, aims to address this question in all of its complexity.
The Southern Oceans including Antarctic regions are peculiar and very sensitive water biotopes, where animal life and species interrelations are only poorly investigated. Especially the influence of parasites on their host species needs intensive consideration in times of global warming and worldwide pollution. Both factors may influence the finely balanced interrelationships between parasites and endangered hosts especially in specialized regions such as Antarctica. Before this background the present book offers a broad spectrum of important parasite-host interrelations in times of ecosystem changes written by experienced and renown international specialists.
The value of planet Earth's biodiversity has been estimated at US
$16-54 trillion per year. Trillions of dollars of food, raw
materials, pharmaceuticals, oxygen production, soil nutrient
enrichment, climate regulation and sheer aesthetic delight and
wonder. We are reliant on biodiversity to keep the plant healthy
and resilient.
Focusing on ethnography and interviews with subsistence food producers, this book explores the resilience, innovation and creativity taking place in subsistence agriculture in America. To date, researchers interested in alternative food networks have often overlooked the somewhat hidden, unorganized population of household food producers. Subsistence Agriculture in the US fills this gap in the existing literature by examining the lived experiences of people taking part in subsistence food production. Over the course of the book, Colby draws on accounts from a broad and diverse network of people who are hunting, fishing, gardening, keeping livestock and gathering and looks in depth at the way in which these practical actions have transformed their relationship to labor and land. She also explores the broader implications of this pro-environmental activity for social change and sustainable futures. With a combination of rigorous academic investigation and engagement with pressing social issues, this book will be of great interest to scholars of sustainable consumption, environmental sociology and social movements.
This book considers all aspects of bioprospecting in 14 succinct chapters and a forward by David Hawksworth. The organisms addressed include plants, insects, fungi, bacteria and phages. Bioprospecting has never been more relevant and is of renewed interest, because of the extremely worrying rise in novel, resistant pathogenic microorganisms. The practices in pharmaceutical companies have failed to deliver novel antibiotics to control these infections. We need to look for new sources of drugs from the environment on a massive scale as drug discovery is "too important to fail". Furthermore, the field can add great value to ecosystems in terms of economics, while providing additional reasons for maintaining associated services, such as food provision, benign climate, effective nutrient cycling and cultural practices. Bioprospecting provides another reason why climate change must be reduced in order to preserve relevant environments. Previous bioprospecting projects should be re-visited and established biodiversity centres have a major role. Many different ecosystems exist which contain unique organisms with the potential to supply novel antibiotics, enzymes, food, and cosmetics, or they may simply have aesthetic value. The book stresses the difficulties in obtaining successful products and yet describes why natural products should be investigated over combinatorial chemistry. Personal experience of bioprospecting projects are given significance. Issues such as how to share the benefits equitably with local communities are described and why pharmaceutical companies can be reluctant to be involved. Legal issues are discussed. Finally, there has never been a better time for a new book on bioprospecting, because of the need to preserve ecosystems, and from the emergence of resistant pathogenic microorganisms.
Key Features A timely book for a still pressing problem Contributions by many of the leading figures in the debate. Summarizes the many new contributions to the field of recent years. For the use of upper level seminars and courses A dialogue format will generate further discussion
This book provides a compact, up-to-date and detailed overview of the vegetation of the Iberian Peninsula, a highly diverse part of Europe in the Mediterranean area. Written by a group of experienced researchers, the volume includes a first section with general chapters discussing the climate, the biogeography and the flora, and a second section with detailed descriptions of the 14 regional sectors into which the peninsula and Balearic Islands have been divided. A third section explores special features, such as aquatic vegetation, gypsum and dolomite vegetation, coastal vegetation, mountain flora and vegetation, conservation issues and alien flora.
examines how we can promote the role of indigenous peoples and local communities as environmental stewards and how we can ensure that their ways of life are protected. considers the lessons that can be learnt about the situation of indigenous peoples and local communities. investigates the nature and role of community protocols beyond issues of access to genetic resources and traditional knowledge
There has been a resurgence of interest in environmental friendly, sustainable and organic cultural practices that warrants high yield and quality in agricultural crops. To enhance sustainable agricultural production and alleviate food scarcity, spoor of majority of microorganisms, especially plant growth and health promoting bacteria of eminent characteristics that allow them for exploitation in agro-ecosystem. Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria are the soil bacteria inhabiting around/on the root surface and are directly or indirectly involved in promoting plant growth and development via production and secretion of various regulatory chemicals in the vicinity of rhizosphere. Among various beneficial bacteria mediated mechanisms include direct production of phytohormones and biosurfactants experiencing quest of research and concept up gradation that can built emerging paradigm (agriculture model). Research on bacteria-mediated phytohormones is crucially important, provides key understanding of the plant growth and development. Various genera including PGPR group of bacteria are potential source of plant growth regulators. Application of such organism allow plants to survive under abiotic and biotic stress conditions besides govern phytohormone mediated immune response and manage to regulate hormones. Such group of bacteria also produce another important metabolite i.e. biosurfacatants which are involved in many important functions to bacteria itself as we ll as for the plants and their ecosystem. Biosurfactants may alter nutrient availability, endogenous metabolites such as antibiotics production, root colonization imparting protection from phytopathogens besides eradicating soil contaminants and other pollutants. The role and activities of surfactants produced by bacteria are multifarious in nature. Thus, bacterial phytohormones and biosurfactants are identified as effector molecules in plant- microbe interactions, in pathogenesis and phyto-stimulation which can either be beneficial for the bacteria itself or for the crops. This book highlights current applications and research on bacterial hormones and surfactants to provide a timely overview. The chapters have been contributed by subject experts from around the world and include topics of varied importance which include phytohormones production by rhizospheric and endophytic bacteria, their role in rhizosphere competence, plant growth regulation, bioremediation, biosurfactants as antibiofilm agents and other aspects. This major new work represents a valuable source of information to all those scientists interested in microbial technology with respect to the microbial innovative products and applications towards sustainable agroecosystem.
There is a rapidly growing interest in, and demand for, non-timber forest products (NTFPs). They provide critical resources across the globe fulfilling nutritional, medicinal, financial and cultural needs. However, they have been largely overlooked in mainstream conservation and forestry politics. This volume explains the use and importance of certification and eco-labelling for guaranteeing best management practices of non-timber forest products in the field. Using extensive case studies and global profiles of non-timber forest products, this work not only seeks to further our comprehension of certification processes but also broaden understanding of non-timber forest product management, harvesting and marketing. It should be useful to forest managers, policy-makers and conservation organizations as well as for academics in these areas.
The first book on zoo/captive animal behavior and how this applies to welfare. Despite growing evidence of the need to implement more suitable, naturalistic practices into zoo animal welfare, it still seems to be somewhat overlooked - this book will address this oversight. Includes specific detail and examples focusing on taxa, a huge factor in managing animals in zoos that has not previously been addressed in this way. Covers invertebrates as well as vertebrate species. Would be a recommended or core text on Zoo Biology courses, BScs in Animal Science, and Animal Welfare MScs, as well as an invaluable practitioner reference. A lot of students interested in animal behaviour are interested in zoos. Each chapter covers species-specific content include the following information: Ecology and natural history as relevant to the zoo, behaviour and welfare measures based on ecological knowledge, feeding ecology and nutritional management, mating systems and reproductive characteristics, enrichment and behavioural diversity. The chapters are consistently formatted for ease of information, with end of chapter summaries, boxes with selected enrichment devices or welfare assessment methods for assessing welfare state, and directed reading of peer reviewed and other reputable sources that help advance care. A final Part explores welfare assessment tools, quality of life, veterinary interventions and evidence-based approaches. It looks at ways to increase the value of zoo and aquarium animals by enhancing visitor interest and visitor behaviour change. Also, research needs for keepers and how to build evidence into a daily routine, as well as management of native species programmes and the future of zoo research.
discusses the long evolution of the idea that foreign state and private financing can be used to protect tropical forests and the carbon stored within them, resulting in both local economic development and global climate benefits. links the literature on REDD+ with that covering Indonesias recent democratic regression, highlighting how the countrys environmental performance is inextricably linked to the timbre of its political governance. This book will be of great interests to students and scholars of political ecology, deforestation, climate change, environmental politics, natural resource management and environmental conservation.
BY THE WAINWRIGHT-CONSERVATION-PRIZE-WINNING AUTHOR OF REBIRDING Transform your understanding of the natural world forever and discover the wild forces that once supported Britain’s extraordinary natural riches, and could again. Our precious archipelago is ravaged by climate change, bereft of natural ecosystems and lies at the mercy of global warming, flooding, drought and catastrophic biodiversity loss. But could restoring species that once helped protect our islands help turn this crisis around? From familiar yet imperilled honeybees and ancient oak woods to returning natives like beavers and boars, Britain’s cornerstone species may hold the key to recovering our biodiversity on land and in our seas. In Cornerstones, we discover how beavers craft wetlands, save fish, encourage otters, and prevent rivers from flooding. We learn how ‘disruptive’ boars are seasoned butterfly conservationists, why whales are crucial for restoring seabird cities and how wolves and lynx could save our trees, help sequester carbon and protect our most threatened birds. Benedict Macdonald transforms our understanding of the natural world forever, revealing lives that once supported extraordinary natural riches and explaining how humans – the most important cornerstone species of all – can become the greatest stewards of the natural world.
This volume presents technical papers devoted to development and practical use of computer methods in geotechnical and geoenviromental engineering. It covers issues on space use and construction, soil and rock mechanics, and mining applications amongst other topics.
This book is a celebration of the humble gudgeon, the angler's favourite 'tiddler'. This much-loved little fish is long overdue a little book all of its own. Scientist, author and broadcaster Dr Mark Everard tells tales about the biology of the gudgeon, gudgeon fishing, and the diverse social quirks and values of this most popular of little fishes.
explores how the innovative approach of commons-based organic apple breeding can contribute to sustainability in agricultural and food systems more widely. advances the innovative solution of commons-based apple breeding as a model for developing resilience in fruit breeding and cultivation will be of great interest for students and scholars from the fields of sustainable food systems, sustainable agriculture, crop science, resource management and in particular those that seek inspiration for innovative approaches rooted in sustainability research, social-ecological resilience, and the commons.
The Routledge Handbook of Law and the Anthropocene provides a critical survey into the function of law and governance during a time period when humans have power to impact the Earth system. The Anthropocene is a 'crisis of the earth system'. This book addresses its implications for law and legal thinking in the 21st century. Unpacking the challenges of the Anthropocene for advocates of ecological law and politics, this handbook pursues a range of approaches to the scientific fact of anthropocentrism, with contributions from lawyers, philosophers, geographers and environmental and political scientists. Rather than adopting a hubristic normativity, the contributors engage methods, concepts and legal instruments in a way that underscores the importance of humility and an expansive ethical worldview. Contributors to this volume are the leading scholars and future leaders in the field. Rather than upholding orthodoxy, the handbook also problematizes received wisdom and is grounded in the conviction that the ideas we have inherited from the Holocene must all be open to question. Engaging such issues as the Capitalocene, Gaia theory, the rights of nature, posthumanism, the commons, geoengineering and civil disobedience, this handbook will be of enormous interest to academics, students and others with interests in ecological law and the current environmental crisis.
Green Chemistry and Biodiversity: Principles, Techniques, and Correlations reports on new approaches to designing chemicals and chemical transformations that are beneficial for human health and the environment, a continuing emerging important field of study. This volume provides a collection of innovative research on the development of alternative sustainable technologies, taking a broad view of the subject and integrating a wide variety of approaches. With a focus on the interdisciplinary applications of green chemistry and biodiversity, this volume will be a rich resource for scientists and researchers in many subfields of chemistry and chemical engineering.
Genetic erosion is the loss of genetic diversity within a species. It can happen very quickly, due to catastrophic events, or changes in land use leading to habitat loss. But it can also occur more gradually and remain unnoticed for a long time. One of the main causes of genetic erosion is the replacement of local varieties by modern varieties. Other causes include environmental degradation, urbanization, and land clearing through deforestation and brush fires. In order to conserve biodiversity in plants, it is important to targets three independent levels that include ecosystems, species and genes. Genetic diversity is important to a species' fitness, long-term viability, and ability to adapt to changing environmental conditions. Chapters in this book are written by leading geneticists, molecular biologists and other specialists on relevant topics on genetic erosion and conservation genetic diversity in plants. This divisible set of two volumes deals with a broad spectrum of topics on genetic erosion, and approaches to biodiversity conservation in crop plants and trees. Volume 1 deals with indicators and prevention of genetic erosion, while volume 2 covers genetic diversity and erosion in a number of plants species. These two volumes will also be useful to botanists, biotechnologists, environmentalists, policy makers, conservationists, and NGOs working to manage genetic erosion and biodiversity.
In this second edition of a bestseller, authors Paul H. Brunner and Helmut Rechberger guide professional newcomers as well as experienced engineers and scientists towards mastering the art of material flow analysis (MFA) from the very beginning to an advanced state of material balances of complex systems. Handbook of Material Flow Analysis: For Environmental, Resource, and Waste Engineers, Second Edition serves as a concise and reproducible methodology as well as a basis for analysis, assessment and improvement of anthropogenic systems through an approach that is helpfully uniform and standardized. The methodology featured in this book is a vital resource for generating new data, fostering understanding, and increasing knowledge to benefit the growing MFA community working in the fields of industrial ecology, resource management, waste management, and environmental protection. This new second edition takes into account all new developments and readers will profit from a new exploration of STAN software, newly added citations, and thoroughly described case studies that reveal the potential of MFA to solve industrial ecology challenges.
- examines the five major religions - Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism - and provides a balanced, objective critique of both the beliefs and practices employed which lead to both the protection and exploitation of animals - draws on scripture as well as leading historical and contemporary figures in the religions, from early Christian saints to royal figures like Ashoka - compares the teachings of old with contemporary practice and showcases what the major religions are doing to protect or exploit animals, from moving their investments away from animal-exploiting companies or running animal sanctuaries to participating in or condoning animal sacrifice, cruel sports and factory farming - challenges religious leaders and followers to re-examine their religion's teachings and to raise their official or personal practices in relation to the well-being of animals. - essential reading for those interested in the role of religion in animal welfare, human-animal studies, and animal ethics more broadly.
"A literary work with a life all its own, and without
exaggeration, it is a masterpiece. . . . Far from being a simple
narrative, the book discusses the incredible contribution each tree
makes to the planet, where and how to plant them, and what
environment they are most complementary to." "In prose as rich as the forest itself, Diana Beresford-Kroeger
sees trees for all their attributes---as providers of clean air,
clean water, food, shelter, and beauty---and places them squarely
at the center of a complex web of nature that is crucial to all
species including man." Nothing on earth compares to the Boreal forest to maintain life on this planet. The vast primeval forest stretches across the northern regions of the world, from northern Canada and Alaska to northern Europe, Russia, China, and Japan. Boreal species can be found in cooler temperate climates everywhere, including Michigan and other cool areas of the United States, and some outliers are even found in the tropics. The circumpolar runoff from the Boreal enriches the seas with nutrients in the spring. The evergreens of the Boreal act as a passive ground coolant. And the needles of the evergreens and the trichomal hairs of the deciduous trees comb the air free of harmful minute particulate pollution. "Arboretum Borealis" does for the northern forests of the world what Arboretum America did for the forests of North America. Diana Beresford-Kroeger further describes how each Boreal tree group relates to its natural environment and how these specific trees can be used to promote health or to counteract the effects of pollution and global warming. "Arboretum Borealis" reveals the fascinating history of these trees in Native American culture, including their medicinal uses. Finally, Beresford-Kroeger offers practical design ideas and tips---where to plant these trees, what season they look best in, and what native plants complement them. Diana Beresford-Kroeger is a botanist; medical and agricultural researcher; lecturer; and self-defined "renegade scientist" in the fields of classical botany, medical biochemistry, organic chemistry, and nuclear chemistry. She is the author of "Arboretum America" and lives in Ontario, Canada. Cover image by Christian H. Kroeger
This volume considers current and future challenges for nature law and policy in Europe. Following the Fitness Check evaluation of the Birds and Habitats Directives, in 2017 the EU adopted an Action Plan for nature, people and the economy to rapidly improve the Directives' implementation and accelerate progress towards the EU's biodiversity targets for 2020. More recently, the EU has adopted a Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 and proposed an EU Nature Restoration Law. This book makes a timely contribution by examining the current state of play in light of recent and historical developments, as well as the post-2020 nature law and policy landscape. While evidence suggests that Natura 2000 and the Habitats and Birds Directives have delivered conservation benefits for wildlife in Europe, biodiversity loss continues apace. The book reviews the requirements for an effective international nature conservation system, with reference to the Birds and Habitats Directives. It examines regulatory regimes, current legal issues in the fields of site protection and species protection, the protection of areas outside Natura 2000, recent developments in the EU and the UK, including the implications of Brexit, agriculture and nature conservation, litigation, science and access to justice. Written by leading experts in the field, from a range of stakeholder groups, the volume draws on diverse experiences as well as providing interdisciplinary perspectives. This volume will be essential reading for students and scholars interested in European environmental policy and law, including lawyers, ecologists, environmental scientists, political scientists, natural resource managers, and planners. It will also be of interest to conservation practitioners, policy-makers and NGOs. |
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