This overview of the roles of alien species in insect conservation brings together information, evidence and examples from many parts of the world to illustrate their impacts (often severe, but in many cases poorly understood and unpredictable) as one of the primary drivers of species declines, ecological changes and biotic homogenisation. Both accidental and deliberate movements of species are involved, with alien invasive plants and insects the major groups of concern for their influences on native insects and their environments. Risk assessments, stimulated largely through fears of non-target impacts of classical biological control agents introduced for pest management, have provided valuable lessons for wider conservation biology. They emphasise the needs for effective biosecurity, risk avoidance and minimisation, and evaluation and management of alien invasive species as both major components of many insect species conservation programmes and harbingers of change in invaded communities. The spread of highly adaptable ecological generalist invasive species, which are commonly difficult to detect or monitor, can be linked to declines and losses of numerous localised ecologically specialised insects and disruptions to intricate ecological interactions and functions, and create novel interactions with far-reaching consequences for the receiving environments. Understanding invasion processes and predicting impacts of alien species on susceptible native insects is an important theme in practical insect conservation.

Awareness of eco-literature has recalled the central ideology of environmentalism - "to think globally and act locally." As this volume shows, various tags of contemporary discourse have emerged, including transnational, cosmopolitan, hybridity, diaspora, and generally cultural. These concerns highlight such global environmental problems as biodiversity, climate change, and developing new forms of interconnectedness with local and regional communities. In this context, contemporary discourse becomes of immediate concern in understanding the environmental crisis. In a way, reading different cultures and experiences can contribute to a contemporary discourse that can facilitate an environmental sensibility and develop a unique ecological approach.

This is the first collection of essays in which European and American philosophers explicitly think out their respective contributions and identities as environmental thinkers in the analytic and continental traditions. The American/European, as well as Analytic/Continental collaboration here bears fruit helpful for further theorizing and research. The essays group around three well-defined areas of questioning all focusing on the amelioration/management of environmentally, historically and traditionally diminished landscapes. The first part deals with differences between New World and the Old World perspectives on nature and landscape restoration in general, the second focuses on the meaning of ecological restoration of cultural landscapes, and the third on the meaning of the wolf and of wildness. It does so in a way that the strengths of each philosophical school-continental and analytic-comes to the fore in order to supplement the other's approach. This text is open to educated readers across all disciplines, particularly those interested in restoration/adaptation ecology, the cultural construction of place and landscape, the ongoing conversation about wilderness, the challenges posed to global environmental change. The text may also be a gold mine for doctoral students looking for dissertation projects in environmental philosophy that are inclusive of continental and analytic traditions. This text is rich in innovative approaches to the questions they raise that are reasonably well thought out. The fact that the essays in each section really do resonate with one another directly is also intellectually exciting and very helpful in working out the full dimensions of each question raised in the volume.

This book addresses the impacts of current and future reproductive technologies on our world food production and provides a significant contribution to the importance of research in the area of reproductive physiology that has never been compiled before. It would provide a unique opportunity to separate the impacts of how reproductive technologies have affected different species and their contributions to food production. Lastly, no publication has been compiled that demonstrates the relationship between developments in reproductive management tools and food production that may be used a reference for scientists in addressing future research areas. During the past 50 years assisted reproductive technologies have been developed and refined to increase the number and quality of offspring from genetically superior farm animal livestock species. Artificial insemination (AI), estrous synchronization and fixed-time AI, semen and embryo cryopreservation, multiple ovulation and embryo transfer (MOET), in vitro fertilization, sex determination of sperm or embryos, and nuclear transfer are technologies that are used to enhance the production efficiency of livestock species.

In this collection of articles, an environmental scientist traces a journey through the wilderness of environmental politics. In his travels, Dr. Edward Krug developed a unique perspective on vital areas of the environmental issues, making him critical of both sides of the environmental debate. "Environment Betrayed" delves into numerous environmental issues and into environmentalism itself, presenting both Dr. Krug's opinions and the well-documented opinions of others who were active participants in the environmental arena.

Dr. Krug has worked as an environmental scientist since the early eighties, and much of the research and information included here originated in the eighties and nineties. Despite this gap of time, defenders of modern Western civilization don't seem to recognize the nature of the environmental war, let alone many of its details. By raising issues, environmentalists also define the battlefield-that is, the context of thought. Krug cites credible sources on both sides of the debate with varying perspectives on where things stand in this conflict.

Only by gaining a clear understanding of what's at stake can we truly grasp the numerous environmental issues swirling around us and what they will mean for our future.

The study of literature and the environment evokes and promotes this highly original eco-critical collection and its contributions to evaluating the preservation of nature and human attachment and to situate it at a local, communitarian, or bio-regional level. Revisiting eco-literature can aid our exploration of numerous global issues and challenges through a literary rendition of the natural world in poetry, fiction, and non-fiction. Reflecting on different works will prompt the readers to intensify their search for viable and effective choices and healthy alternatives in a confusing world.

"Soil as World Heritage" celebrates a half century of field experiments on the Balti Steppe, in Moldova - where Dokuchaev first described the Typical Chernozem in 1877, protected from the elements by a unique system of shelter belts designed by the great man, and now provisionally listed as the first World Heritage Site for soil. The book presents contributions to the 2012 international symposium attended by researchers, practitioners and policy makers from the European Commission and countries as diverse as Belarus, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Romania, Russia, Ukraine, United Kingdom, USA and, of course, Moldova itself.

The experimental data demonstrate the damage caused by human activity to the productivity and integrity of the black earth and, also, ways to restore its fertility. Results from even longer-established trials worldwide also demonstrate that agricultural practices are driving global warming, leaching of nutrients, pollution of water resources, diversion of rainfall away from replenishment of soil and groundwater to destructive runoff, and destroying soil organic matter and biodiversity. These are pressing issues for our generation and will press harder on future generations. Long-term field experiments, and the scientific skills and experience that they nurture, will be more and more valuable as a foundation and focus for interdisciplinary teams studying the effects of farming practices on the soil and soil life so as to devise a sustainable alternative.

Europe-wide and worldwide contributions also discuss economic incentives - carbon and green water credits - which themselves require robust supporting data, and legislative aspects of promoting more sustainable farming systems. The outcomes of the conference include recommendations for institutional support for sustainable farming and a draft of the law on land and soil management for the Parliament of Moldova."

This book is about conflicts between different stakeholder groups triggered by protected species that compete with humans for natural resources. It presents key ecological features of typical conflict species and mitigation strategies including technical mitigation and the design of participatory decision strategies involving relevant stakeholders. The book provides a European perspective, but also develops a global framework for the development of action plans.

How can cultivated plant biodiversity contribute to the transformation and the "ecologization" of agriculture in Southern countries? Based on extensive field work in the Southern countries, a great deal of scientific progress is presented in all areas affecting agriculture (agronomy, plant breeding and crop protection, cultivation systems, etc.) in order to intensify the ecological processes in cultivated plots and at the scale of rural landscapes.

This book is the first to integrate biological control into a conceptual framework - ecostacking - uniting all aspects of biological control and ecosystem services. In 2018 the "First International Congress of Biological Control" was organised and held in Beijing, China. The chapters highlight some of the achievements presented at the congress, worldwide. Of particular significance are the numerous contributions by Chinese researchers illustrating the remarkable progress made on developing and adopting multiple biological control strategies over vast agricultural areas, largely replacing chemical pesticides for sustainable agricultural and horticultural production. In many parts of the world including Europe, fragmented research based on short-term funding has been unable to answer to the needs to develop sustainable long-term solutions to crop protection, while colleagues in China have been successful in implementing programs that exemplify the power of the ecostacking approach. Key contributions by European and US specialists combined with the expertise and experiences by the Chinese contributors comprise the building blocks for the integration of biological control approaches into the overall frame of ecostacking. This book will lead the way to a broader, integrated adoption of biological control techniques in sustainable pest, disease and weed management supporting also the functioning of other key ecosystem services. Chapter 2 of this book isavailable open access under a CC BY 4.0 license at link.springer.com

We live on an increasingly human-dominated planet. Our impact on the Earth has become so huge that researchers now suggest that it merits its own geological epoch - the 'Anthropocene' - the age of humans. Combining theory development and case studies of 'planetary boundaries', emerging infectious diseases, financial markets and geoengineering, this groundbreaking book explores the 'Anthropocene Gap' otherwise known as society's current failure to address the most profound environmental challenges of our times. What are the political and institutional implications of this new epoch? And what are some novel ways to analyze the complicated interplay between institutions, Earth system complexity and technology? This book offers one of the first explorations of political and institutional dimensions of the Anthropocene concept by providing a novel combination of institutional analysis along with insights from Earth system sciences. It provides an exploration of the role of technology for global environmental governance and defines a new agenda for political science analysis in the Anthropocene. Offering the first summary of the planetary boundaries debate, this cutting edge book will be of great interest to researchers concerned in the interplay between politics, technology, and global environmental change, and those interested in the debate surrounding the Anthropocene and 'planetary boundaries'. Contents: Foreword. The 'Anthropocene Gap' 1. Planetary Terra Incognita 2. Governance and Complexity 3. Earth System Complexity 4. Epidemics and Supernetworks 5. Engineering the Planet 6. Financial Markets, Robots and Ecosystems 7. Bridging the 'Anthropocene Gap' Epilogue: Back to London via the Baltic Sea References Index

Get submerged in the amazing world of sharks! Your expert host, award-winning marine biologist Dr. David Shiffman, will show you how-and why-we should protect these mysterious, misunderstood guardians of the ocean. Sharks are some of the most fascinating, most ecologically important, most threatened, and most misunderstood animals on Earth. More often feared than revered, their role as predators of the deep have earned them a reputation as a major threat to humans. But the truth is that sharks are not a danger to us-they're in danger from us. In Why Sharks Matter, marine conservation biologist Dr. David Shiffman explains why it's crucial that we overcome our misconceptions and rise above cinematic jump scares to embrace sharks as the imperiled and elegant ocean guardians they really are. Sharing his own fascinating experiences working with sharks, Shiffman tells us * why healthy shark populations are a must for supporting ocean ecosystems-and the coastal economies that depend on them * why we're in danger of losing many shark species forever * what scientists, conservationists, and readers can do to help save these iconic predators * why so much of what you've heard about sharks and how to save them is wrong Exploring the core tenets of shark conservation science and policy, Shiffman synthesizes decades of scientific research and policymaking, weaving it into a narrative full of humor and adventure. Touching on everything from Shark Week to shark fin soup, overfishing to marine sanctuaries, Shiffman reveals why sharks are in trouble, why we should care, and how we can save them. Perfect for shark enthusiasts, Why Sharks Matter is an approachable, informative guide to the world of shark conservation and the passionate, fascinating, brilliant people who work to understand and protect our oceans. This fun read will have you looking at sharks with a fresh perspective and an understanding that the survival of sharks is crucial to the survival of another apex predator-ourselves.

This book contains contributions to the 32nd Polish-Czech-Slovak Symposium on Mining and Environmental Geophysics held in May 2009 in Piechowice (Poland). The papers are related to various aspects of geophysical science such as induced seismicity, engineering seismology, environmental geophysics and geophysics in geology

At the beginning of the 21st century, Antarctica is poised at the edge of a warmer and busier world. Leading Antarctic researchers examine the needs and challenges of Antarctic environmental management today and tomorrow. Through: (i) investigating the impacts of human activities on specific ecosystems and species, (ii) examining existing environmental management and monitoring practices in place in various regions and (iii) interrogating stakeholders, they address the following questions: What future will Business-As-Usual bring to the Antarctic environment? Will a Business-As-Usual future be compatible with the objectives set out under the Antarctic Treaty, especially its Protocol on Environmental Protection? What actions are necessary to bring about alternative futures for the next 50 years? This volume is an outcome of the International Polar Year (2007-2009) Oslo Science Conference (8-12, June, 2010).

Populations of cities have grown at unprecedented rate, consuming ever more land, placing severe strain on the environment and also on cash-strapped governments. Nature needs to be reintroduced to our cities. This book is focused on urban nature conservation, aspects that will resonate with advisors to local government, people interested in bringing back nature to our cities and anyone with a keen interest in nature. Our ecosystems are under threat and green infrastructure needs to be better managed so that there will be less fragmentation and habitat loss. All of us have to live more towards a sustainable urban nature environment. This book guides all of us how to address nature on our doorsteps. There are 214 photos, 6 tables and 25 illustrations on principles of urban nature conservation. The book informs how to participate and synchronise lifestyles to contribute to sustainable urban nature environments. Urban wetlands, watercourses, riparian zones, buffer zones, ecological corridors and functions are explained. The annexures in the book described owl boxes, bird feeders, earthworm bins and how to produce organic compost. What is important is that more and more people move to cities and city developments encroach upon nature areas. These encroachments can be managed to accommodate ecologically sensitive urban nature areas. These areas can be utilised in ways that it will benefit the environment people live in.

This book compiles the latest findings in the field of marine and brackishwater aquaculture. It covers significant topics such as techniques of culture of live feeds (microalgae, rotifer, Artemia, marine copepod & polychaetes), while also highlighting vital themes like the culture and applications of free and marine sponge associated microbial probiotics, controlled breeding, seed production and culture of commercially important fin and shell fishes. Moreover, the book focuses on the breeding and culture of marine ornamental fishes, sea cucumber and sea urchin and discusses seaweeds culture, aqua feed formulation and nutrition, water quality management in hatchery and grow-out culture systems, fish disease diagnosis and health management and cryopreservation of fish gametes for sustainable aquaculture practices, all from a multidimensional perspective. The global fish production was 154 million tonnes in 2011 which more or less consisted of capture and culture fisheries (FAO, 2012). Roughly 80% of this is from inland-freshwater aquaculture and the remainder from capture fisheries in the marine and brackishwater sector. However, marine and brackishwater catches have recently begun to diminish due to overexploitation, climate change and pollution. The UNEP report affirmed that if the world remains on its current course of overfishing, by 2050, the ocean fish stock could become extinct or no longer commercially viable to exploit. In these circumstances, aquaculture is considered to be a promising sector to fulfill our future protein requirement. However, brackishwater and marine fish production now face serious challenges due to e.g. lack of quality fish seeds, feeds, poor water quality management and diseases. Fisheries and aquaculture sectors play a vital role as potential sources of nutritional security and food safety around the globe. Fish food is rich in protein, vitamins, phosphorous, calcium, zinc, selenium etc. In addition, fish contains omega-3 fatty acids, which help to prevent cardiovascular diseases. Fish food can also provide several health benefits to consumers. The omega 3 fatty acids found in fish can reduce the levels of LDL cholesterol (the "bad" cholesterol) and increase the HDL levels (the "good" cholesterol). Research conducted in Australia has proved that fish consumption can be used to cure hypertension and obesity. It is also reported that people who ate more fish were less prone to asthma and were able to breathe more easily. Omega 3 fish oil or fish consumption can help to prevent three of the most common forms of cancer: breast cancer, colon and prostate cancer. The omega 3 fatty acids present in fish or fish oil induce faster hair growth and prevent hair loss. Since most varieties of fish are rich in protein, eating fish helps to keep hair healthy. Furthermore, fish or fish oil helps in improving the condition of dry skin, giving it a healthy glow. It is useful in treating various skin problems such as eczema, psoriasis, itching, redness of skin, skin lesions and rashes. It is well known that eating fish improves vision and prevents Alzheimer's and type-2 diabetes, and can combat arthritis. Further, fish oil or fish is good for pregnant women, as the DHA present in it helps in the development of the baby's eyes and brain. It helps to avoid premature births, low birth weights and miscarriages. In addition, it is widely known that fish can be a good substitute for pulses in cereal-based diets for the poor. The global fish production was roughly 154 million tonnes in 2011 (FAO, 2012). It is estimated that by 2020 global fish requirements will be over 200 million tonnes; as such, innovative technological improvements are called for in order to improve the production and productivity in fisheries. In this context, this book provides valuable information for academics, scientists, researchers, government officials and farmers on innovative technological advances for sustainable fish production using aquaculture methods. The book identifies the main issues and trends in marine and brackishwater aquaculture from a global perspective in general and in the Indian context in particular. It includes 23 chapters written by prominent researchers from various institutes and universities across India, who address the latest aquaculture technologies with distinctive approaches to support academics, researchers and graduates in the fields of Fisheries, Aquaculture, Marine Science, Marine Biology, Marine Biotechnology, Zoology and Agricultural Sciences. Our thanks go to our contributors; we are confident that all readers will immensely benefit from their valued expertise in the field of marine and brackishwater aquaculture.

The unexpected and fascinating interspecies relationship between humans and horseshoe crabs. Horseshoe crabs are considered both a prehistoric and indicator species. They have not changed in tens of millions of years and provide useful data to scientists who monitor the health of the environment. From the pharmaceutical industry to paleontologists to the fishing industry, the horseshoe crab has made vast, but largely unknown, contributions to human life and our shared ecosystem. Catch and Release examines how these intersections steer the trajectory of both species' lives, and futures. Based on interviews with conservationists, field biologists, ecologists, and paleontologists over three years of fieldwork on urban beaches, noted ethnographer Lisa Jean Moore shows how humans literally harvest the life out of the horseshoe crabs. We use them as markers for understanding geologic time, collect them for agricultural fertilizer, and eat them as delicacies, capture them as bait, then rescue them for conservation, and categorize them as endangered. The book details the biomedical bleeding of crabs; how they are caught, drained of 40% of their blood, and then released back into their habitat. The model of catch and release is essential. Horseshoe crabs cannot be bred in captivity and can only survive in their own ecosystems. Moore shows how horseshoe crabs are used as an exploitable resource, and are now considered a "vulnerable" species. An investigation of how humans approach animals that are essential for their survival, Catch and Release questions whether humans should have divine, moral, or ethical claims to any living being in their path.

This coherent collection of both previously published and specially written papers applies general economic principles to the conservation of wildlife and natural areas, and outlines consequential policy issues. Particular consideration is given to open-access situations, property rights in wildlife and to the total valuation of species, allowing for their possible positive and negative values.Possible conflict between economic growth and biodiversity conservation is discussed, as are the arguments for state provision of parks and protected areas. Asian elephants, kangaroos and whales are selected examples of species used to illustrate applications of the underlying principles. Forestry management is also reviewed, drawing upon the experiences of China and India. Clem Tisdell aims to demonstrate how economics can help to clarify and resolve social conflicts about nature conservation, while also highlighting the limits of economics in providing answers such as those of an intrinsic value. Doubts are thrown upon some widely accepted concepts, such as the Environmental Kuznets curve, when applied to the relationship between nature conservation and economic growth. The Economics of Conserving Wildlife and Natural Areas will be warmly welcomed by academics and policymakers in the areas of ecological and environmental economics as well as natural resource economists and managers and those with a linked interest to development studies.

Large ungulates in tropical forests are among the most threatened taxa of mammals. Excessive hunting, degradation of and encroachments on their natural habitats by humans have contributed to drastic reductions in wild ungulate populations in recent decades. As such, reliable assessments of ungulate-habitat relationships and the spatial dynamics of their populations are urgently needed to provide a scientific basis for conservation efforts. However, such rigorous assessments are methodologically complex and logistically difficult, and consequently many commonly used ungulate population survey methods do not address key problems. As a result of such deficiencies, key parameters related to population distribution, abundance, habitat ecology and management of tropical forest ungulates remain poorly understood. This book addresses this critical knowledge gap by examining how population abundance patterns in five threatened species of large ungulates vary across space in the tropical forests of the Nagarahole-Bandipur reserves in southwestern India. It also explains the development and application of an innovative methodology - spatially explicit line transect sampling - based on an advanced hierarchical modelling under the Bayesian inferential framework, which overcomes common methodological deficiencies in current ungulate surveys. The methods and results presented provide valuable reference material for researchers and professionals involved in studying and managing wild ungulate populations around the globe.