Encyclopedia of Inland Waters, Second Edition, focuses on a variety of key areas surrounding inland waters, from the distribution of water on Earth to the properties of water, including the hydrologic cycle, the physics of water movement in lakes and rivers; it includes topics such as waterborne diseases, the metabolism of aquatic ecosystems, pollution conservation, biodiversity, pollution and cycling of chemicals. New topics cover comprehensively recent advances in the field, explaining pressures and underlying concepts and theories.

Treatise on Geomorphology, Second Edition, Eleven Volume Set is organized into eleven volumes built on the outstanding success of the first edition. This comprehensive introduction to the large and diverse discipline of geomorphology provides a key reference tool for undergraduate geology students looking for term paper topics, graduate students starting a literature review for their thesis work, and for professionals seeking a concise summary of a particular topic. The tools available to understand geomorphology have greatly advanced in recent years, hence this new release will complement the work of a variety of professionals who are interested in topics such as GIScience, Remote Sensing and Karst.

Plant nutrients are the vital elements essential for plant growth and survival, with key roles in adapting to challenging environments. Each nutrient, whether required in relatively large (macronutrients) or minute concentrations (micronutrients) plays a unique role in plant life cycle. Both the insufficient and surplus concentrations of these nutrients may render negative impacts on plant growth and development and therefore their homeostasis is considered critical for optimal plant growth and yield. Plant Nutrition and Food Security in the Era of Climate Change comprehensively reviews all critical plant nutrients. Chapters include topics such as: biological roles, uptake and transport of vital nutrients in plants; an in-depth review of the roles of potassium, calcium, magnesium and trace element; molecular breeding approaches for enhanced plant nutrients; and exploring the rhizosphere microbiome for enhance nutrient availability. Written by leading experts in the field of plant biology, this is an essential read for researchers and scientists interested in plant science, agronomy, food security and environmental science.

Encyclopedia of Geology, Second Edition presents in six volumes state-of-the-art reviews on the various aspects of geologic research, all of which have moved on considerably since the writing of the first edition. New areas of discussion include extinctions, origins of life, plate tectonics and its influence on faunal provinces, new types of mineral and hydrocarbon deposits, new methods of dating rocks, and geological processes. Users will find this to be a fundamental resource for teachers and students of geology, as well as researchers and non-geology professionals seeking up-to-date reviews of geologic research.

A quest is never what you expect it to be.

Elizabeth Madeline Martin spends her days in a retirement home in Cape Town, watching the pigeons and squirrels on the branch of a tree outside her window. Bedridden, her memory fading, she can recall her early childhood spent in a small wood-and-iron house in Blackridge on the outskirts of Pietermaritzburg. Though she remembers the place in detail – dogs, a mango tree, a stream – she has no idea of where exactly it is. ‘My memory is full of blotches,’ she tells her daughter Julia, ‘like ink left about and knocked over.’

Julia resolves to find the Blackridge house: with her mother lonely and confused, would this, perhaps, bring some measure of closure? A journey begins that traverses family history, forgotten documents, old photographs, and the maps that stake out a country’s troubled past – maps whose boundaries nature remains determined to resist. Kind strangers, willing to assist in the search, lead to unexpected discoveries of ancestors and wars and lullabies. Folded into this quest are the tender conversations between a daughter and a mother who does not have long to live.

Taken as one, The Blackridge House is a meditation on belonging, of the stories we tell of home and family, of the precarious footprint of life.

Advances in Ecological Research, Part Two, Volume 64, the latest release in this ongoing series, includes specific chapters on Tropical Ecosystems in the 21st Century. Chapters in this volume cover topics such as landscape-scale expansion of agroecology to enhance natural pest control, a systematic review and ecosystem services, and the resilience of agricultural landscapes.

Advances in Agronomy, Volume 166, the latest release in this leading reference on agronomy, contains a variety of updates and highlights new advances in the field. Each chapter is written by an international board of authors.

It is critical that the wellbeing of society is systematically tracked by indicators that not only give an accurate picture of human life today but also provide a window into the future for all of us. This book presents impactful findings from international longitudinal studies that respond to the United Nations' Agenda 2030 commitment to "leave no-one behind". Contributors explore a wide range and complexity of pressing global issues, with emphasis given to excluded and vulnerable populations and gender inequality. Importantly, it sets out actionable strategies for policymakers and practitioners to help strengthen the global Sustainable Development Goals framework, accelerate their implementation and improve the construction of effective public policy.

Advances in Agronomy, Volume 165, the latest release in this leading reference on agronomy, contains a variety of updates and highlights new advances in the field. Each chapter is written by an international board of authors, with this release including chapters on Urban Anthropogenic Soils - A Review, Epichloe spp. And Serendipita indica Endophytic Fungi: Functions in Plant-Soil Relations, Heating Up a Cold Case: Applications of Analytical Pyrolysis GC/MS to Assess Molecular Biomarkers in Peat, The problem with "Apparent Electrical Conductivity" in Soil Electromagnetic Induction Studies, and more.

International Encyclopedia of Human Geography, Second Edition, Fourteen Volume Set embraces diversity by design and captures the ways in which humans share places and view differences based on gender, race, nationality, location and other factors-in other words, the things that make people and places different. Questions of, for example, politics, economics, race relations and migration are introduced and discussed through a geographical lens. This updated edition will assist readers in their research by providing factual information, historical perspectives, theoretical approaches, reviews of literature, and provocative topical discussions that will stimulate creative thinking.

A charming, moving account of one man's race to save a herd of elephants.

When South African conservationist Lawrence Anthony was asked to accept a herd of 'rogue' elephants on his Thula Thula game reserve in Zululand, his common sense told him to refuse. But he was the herd's last chance of survival - dangerous and unpredictable, they would be killed if Anthony wouldn't take them in.

As Anthony risked his life to create a bond with the troubled elephants and persuade them to stay on his reserve, he came to realize what a special family they were, from the wise matriarch Nana, who guided the herd, to her warrior sister Frankie, always ready to see off any threat, and their children who fought so hard to survive.

With unforgettable characters and exotic wildlife, this is an enthralling book that will appeal to animal lovers and adventurous souls everywhere.

Solid Waste Landfilling: Concepts, Processes, Technology provides information on technologies that promote stabilization and minimize environmental impacts in landfills. As the main challenges in waste management are the reduction and proper treatment of waste and the appropriate use of waste streams, the book satisfies the needs of a modern landfill, covering waste pre-treatment, in situ treatment, long-term behavior, closure, aftercare, environmental impact and sustainability. It is written for practitioners who need specific information on landfill construction and operation, but is also ideal for those concerned about the possible return of these sites to landscapes and their subsequent uses for future generations.

Spatial Data on Water: Geospatial Technologies and Data Management focuses on the worldwide corroborated difficulties in accessing data, a major hindrance in conducting water related studies in several domains.

Environmental pollution by man-made Persistent Organic Chemicals (POCs) has been a serious global issue for over half a century. Exposure to POCs may result in health effects, including, endocrine disruption leading to birth defects, intellectual disability, low testosterone, childhood obesity, autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Therefore, POCs have been the subject of intensive regional, national, and international efforts to limit the production, use, and disposal of these chemicals. Since POCs are ubiquitous and recalcitrant, and cause long-term effects on wildlife and humans, trend monitoring studies are valuable in making clear the behavior and fate of these compounds and to protect our environment and living resources. The Pacific Basin is a unique geographical region representing tropical, temperate and polar zones. This region is home to two-thirds of the world's population and consists of rapidly growing economies (countries) and highly developed countries. Due to this diversity of climatic and socio-economic conditions, environment and biota in different countries in this basin have varying degrees of environmental contamination and effects on wildlife and humans. The Pacific Rim countries play a pivotal role in governing global POC contamination and resulting harmful health effects. Because articles on POCs and their effect on environment and health are published in a large number of different journals, it is useful to have a book that includes original papers and reviews on the latest advances by well-known scientists in the field, especially focusing on the countries in the Pacific Rim. The two volumes of this book satisfy this need. Topics covered in Volume 1 include an overview of POCs contamination status and trends in the Pacific Basin Countries; human exposure to brominated flame retardants; POCs in sediments, soil and atmosphere of South Korea; and new research on sequestration and redistribution of emerging and classical persistent organic pollutants by polystyrene. The collection of chapters in these volumes may serve as a reasonable representation of current and future trends of POCs in the Pacific Basin countries. It is hoped that the book can inspire students and researchers, as well as professionals, to facilitate the understanding of the environmental and biological behavior of these persistent chemicals and to help in the development of strategies and practices for protecting the global environment for future generations.

Working with Dynamic Crop Models: Methods, Tools and Examples for Agriculture and Environment, 3e, is a complete guide to working with dynamic system models, with emphasis on models in agronomy and environmental science. The introductory section presents the foundational information for the book including the basics of system models, simulation, the R programming language, and the statistical notions necessary for working with system models. The most important methods of working with dynamic system models, namely uncertainty and sensitivity analysis, model calibration (frequentist and Bayesian), model evaluation, and data assimilation are all treated in detail, in individual chapters. New chapters cover the use of multi-model ensembles, the creation of metamodels that emulate the more complex dynamic system models, the combination of genetic and environmental information in gene-based crop models, and the use of dynamic system models to aid in sampling. The book emphasizes both understanding and practical implementation of the methods that are covered. Each chapter simply and clearly explains the underlying principles and assumptions of each method that is presented, with numerous examples and illustrations. R code for applying the methods is given throughout. This code is designed so that it can be adapted relatively easily to new problems.

Earth's Oldest Rocks, Second Edition, is the only single reference source for geological research of early Earth. This new edition is an up-to-date collection of scientific articles on all aspects of the early history of the Earth, from planetary accretion at 4.567 billion years ago (Ga), to the onset of modern-style plate tectonics at 3.2 Ga. Since the first edition was published, significant new advances have been made in our understanding of events and processes on early Earth that correspond with new advances in technology. The book includes contributions from over 100 authors, all of whom are experts in their respective fields. The research in this reference concentrates on what is directly gleaned from the existing rock record to understand how our planet formed and evolved during the planetary accretion phase, formation of the first crust, the changing dynamics of the mantle and style of tectonics, life's foothold and early development, and mineral deposits. It is an ideal resource for academics, students and the general public alike.

The containment of pollution by physical defenses is the first step in restoring the ocean to its natural state. The first two chapters of Oil Spill Studies: Healing the Ocean, Biomarking and the Law describes the feedback on seven experiments made on the East Atlantic Ocean. The first chapter concerns semi-open sites while the second focuses on open environment directly linked to the ocean. The third chapter examines pollution from a French harbor marina and its effects on the local biodiversity. The book provides a methodology to quantify biological contamination coming from heavy metal releases into the environment. Chapter four provides the state-of-the-art in the science of a mid-depth-living fish species affected by the treatment of oil pollution by chemical dispersion. In a similar way, the fifth chapter addresses new explored and exploited ocean with extreme environments such as the Arctic and deep sea. The sixth and final chapter provides a lawyer's analysis on the subject.

Next Generation Biomonitoring: Part Two, Volume 59, the latest release in the Advances in Ecological Research series, is the second part of a thematic on ecological biomonitoring. It includes specific chapters that cover aquatic volatile metabolomics using trace gases to examine ecological processes, next generation approaches to rapid monitoring Bio-aerosol and the link between human health and environmental microbiology, NGB in Canadian wetlands, CELLDEX/global monitoring of functional responses, Citizen Science and Biomonitoring, and more.

World Seas: An Environmental Evaluation, Second Edition, Volume Two: The Indian Ocean to the Pacific provides a comprehensive review of the environmental condition of the seas from the Indian Ocean to the Pacific. Each chapter is written by experts in the field who provide historical overviews in environmental terms, current environmental status, major problems arising from human use, informed comments on major trends, problems and successes, and recommendations for the future. The book is an invaluable worldwide reference source for students and researchers who are concerned with marine environmental science, fisheries, oceanography and engineering and coastal zone development.

Transgenic Plants, Volume 86, the latest release in the series Advances in Botanical Research, brings together information needed by many teachers, researchers and managers who have to consider biotechnology from a scientific or legal point-of-view. It presents authors who bring their long personal experience on a given subject. Although the subjects are technical in nature, the take-home message of each chapter is understandable by non-specialists.

Emerging Technologies for Sustainable Desalination Handbook provides professionals and researchers with the latest treatment activities in the advancement of desalination technology. The book enables municipalities and private companies to custom-design sustainable desalination plants that will minimize discharge, energy costs and environmental footprint. Individual case studies are included to illustrate the benefits and drawback of each technique. Sections discuss a multitude of recently developed, advanced processes, along with notable advances made in existing technologies. These processes include adsorption, forward osmosis, humidification and dehumidification, membrane distillation, pervaporation and spray type thermal processes. In addition, theoretical membrane materials, such as nanocomposite and carbon nanotube membranes are also explored. Other chapters cover the desalination of shale gas, produced water, forward osmosis for agriculture, desalination for crop irrigation, and seawater for sustainable agriculture. International in its coverage, the chapters of this handbook are contributed by leading authors and researchers in all relevant fields.

In Resilience: The Science of Adaptation to Climate Change leading experts analyze and question ongoing adaptation interventions. Contributions span different disciplinary perspectives, from law to engineering, and cover different regions from Africa to the Pacific. Chapters assess the need for adaptation, highlighting climate change impacts such as sea level rise, increases in temperature, changing hydrological variability, and threats to food security. The book then discusses the state of global legislation and means of tracking progress. It reviews ways to build resilience in a range of contexts- from the Arctic, to small island states, to urban areas, across food and energy systems. Critical tools for adaptation planning are highlighted - from social capital and ethics, to decision support systems, to innovative finance and risk transfer mechanisms. Controversies related to geoengineering and migration are also discussed. This book is an indispensable resource for scientists, practitioners, and policy makers working in climate change adaptation, sustainable development, ecosystem management, and urban planning.

Energy and Climate Change: An Introduction to Geological Controls, Interventions and Mitigations examines the Earth system science context of the formation and use of fossil fuel resources, and the implications for climate change. It also examines the historical and economic trends of fossil fuel usage and the ways in which these have begun to affect the natural system (i.e., the start of the Anthropocene). Finally, the book examines the effects we might expect in the future looking at evidence from the "deep time" past, and looks at ways to mitigate climate change by using negative emissions technology (e.g. bioenergy and carbon capture and storage, BECCS), but also by adapting to perhaps a higher than "two degree world," particularly in the most vulnerable, developing countries. Energy and Climate Change is an essential resource for geoscientists, climate scientists, environmental scientists, and students; as well as policy makers, energy professionals, energy statisticians, energy historians and economists.

Water Scarcity and Sustainable Agriculture in Semiarid Environment: Tools, Strategies and Challenges for Woody Crops explores the complex relationship between water scarcity and climate change, agricultural water-use efficiency, crop-water stress management and modeling water scarcity in woody crops. Understanding these cause- and effect relationships and identifying the most appropriate responses are critical for sustainable crop production. The book focuses on Mediterranean environments to explain how to determine the most appropriate strategy and implement an effective plan; however, core concepts are translational to other regions. Informative for those working in agricultural water management, irrigation and drainage, crop physiology and sustainable agriculture.