The BIOGEOMON conference, held in Prague, September 1993, was dedicated to the use of geochemistry and biology in the elucidation of biogeochemical processes in the context of research on small catchments, which are natural systems that lend themselves to the study of environmental problems at the ecosystem level. Biogeochemical Monitoring in Small Catchments, which contains reviewed papers from the conference, includes long-term studies of nutrient cycling in forested catchments, effects of anthropogenic action on streamwater chemistry, stable isotope studies for tracing biogeochemical processes, determination of the process rates, and mathematical modelling of ecosystem behaviour and mass fluxes. For research scientists and students of ecology, biology, hydrology and geochemistry as well as professionals in natural resources management.

A celebrated biologist’s manifesto addressing a soil loss crisis accelerated by poor conservation practices and climate change   “Jo Handelsman is a national treasure, and her clarion call warning of a looming soil-loss catastrophe must be heard. Add her clearly written alarm to other future-shocks: climate change, pandemics, and mass extinctions.�—Laurie Garrett, Pulitzer Prize winner and author of The Coming Plague: Newly Emerging Diseases in a World out of Balance   “The ground beneath our feet is slipping away as we lose the precious soil that sustains us. Jo Handelsman’s writing—as rich and life supporting as the soil itself—is a riveting warning.�—Alan Alda, actor, writer, and host of the podcast Clear+Vivid with Alan Alda   This book by celebrated biologist Jo Handelsman lays bare the complex connections among climate change, soil erosion, food and water security, and drug discovery.   Humans depend on soil for 95 percent of global food production, yet let it erode at unsustainable rates. In the United States, China, and India, vast tracts of farmland will be barren of topsoil within this century. The combination of intensifying erosion caused by climate change and the increasing food needs of a growing world population is creating a desperate need for solutions to this crisis.   Writing for a nonspecialist audience, Jo Handelsman celebrates the capacities of soil and explores the soil-related challenges of the near future. She begins by telling soil’s origin story, explains how it erodes and the subsequent repercussions worldwide, and offers solutions. She considers lessons learned from indigenous people who have sustainably farmed the same land for thousands of years, practices developed for large-scale agriculture, and proposals using technology and policy initiatives.

This book gives background information why shale formations in the world are important both for storage capacity and enhanced gas recovery (EGR). Part of this book investigates the sequestration capacity in geological formations and the mechanisms for the enhanced storage rate of CO2 in an underlying saline aquifer. The growing concern about global warming has increased interest in geological storage of carbon dioxide (CO2). The main mechanism of the enhancement, viz., the occurrence of gravity fingers, which are the vehicles of enhanced transport in saline aquifers, can be visualized using the Schlieren technique. In addition high pressure experiments confirmed that the storage rate is indeed enhanced in porous media. The book is appropriate for graduate students, researchers and advanced professionals in petroleum and chemical engineering. It provides the interested reader with in-depth insights into the possibilities and challenges of CO2 storage and the EGR prospect.

The present book provides guidance to understanding complicated coupled processes based on the experimental data available and implementation of developed algorithms in numerical codes. Results of selected test cases in the fields of closed-form solutions (e.g., deformation processes), single processes (such as groundwater flow) as well as coupled processes are presented. It is part of the OpenGeoSys initiative - an open source project to share knowledge and experience in environmental analysis and scientific computation with the community.

This volume provides essential information on the origin and evolution of Greek rivers, as well as their ecological and anthropogenic characteristics. The topics covered include geomythology, biogeography, hydrology, hydrobiology, hydrogeochemistry, geological and biogeochemical processes, anthropogenic pressures and ecological impacts, water management - both in the antiquity and today - and river restoration. The book is divided into four parts, the first of which explores the importance of rivers for ancient Greek civilization and the natural processes affecting their evolution during the Holocene. In the second part, the hydrological, hydrochemical and biological features of Greek rivers and the unique biogeographical characteristics that form the basis for their high biodiversity and endemism are highlighted, while the third part comprehensively discusses the impacts of environmental pollution on the structure and function of Greek river ecosystems. In turn, the final part describes the current socio-economic factors in Greece that are affecting established water management practices, the application of ecohydrological approaches in restoring fragmented rivers, and the lessons learned from restoring aquatic ecosystems in general as a paradigm for understanding and minimizing anthropogenic impacts on water resources, at the Mediterranean scale. Given the breadth and depth of its coverage, the book offers an invaluable source of information for researchers, students and environmental managers alike.

This atlas gives a comprehensive account on the benthic foraminiferal fauna in the China Seas, especially on the Bohai and the Yellow Seas. Details of about 183 species, subjected to 5 orders, 52 families and 92 genera are included. For each species there is a brief description of the morphological characteristics, synonymised names, measurements and geographical distribution worldwide, as well as a top-level elegant plate illustrated the fossil and live specimens. It could be used as a reference book for researchers working at marine biology, marine geology, micropaleontology, paleoceanography, paleobiology and related fields.

This book details how the GALO system of basin modelling may be used in the analysis of actual, non-standard problems of geology. It begins by addressing the tectonic subsidence of sedimentary basins, and goes on to consider the problems of maturation of organic matter and hydrocarbon generation in the vicinity of intrusions and subtrappean sedimentary complexes. Lastly, the book discusses the formation of temperature and heat flow distributions with depth due to the sharp climate variations in the Quaternary, which was marked by repeated formation and degradation of permafrost. The book studies the application of the GALO basin modelling system to the three problems mentioned above. Employing the GALO system provides a unique opportunity to assess the amplitude and duration of the stretching and thermal activation of the basin lithosphere, and to study in detail the formation of a maturity aureole of organic matter in the basin's subtrappean sedimentary cover. This book offers a valuable resource for all graduate students and professionals interested in numerical modelling of the thermal evolution of sedimentary basins. It will also be of great interest to petroleum geologists engaged in oil and gas exploration in the trap provinces of the world. Lastly, it will benefit those students and geologists dealing with the thermal field of sedimentary blankets in actual and degraded permafrost areas.

Global Atmospheric-Biospheric Chemistry; R.G. Prinn. Atmospheric Chemistry and Composition of Air over the North Atlantic Ocean; S.A. Penkett, et al. Marine Aerosol and Gas Exchange and Global Atmospheric Effects; B.J. Huebert, et al. Multiphase Atmospheric Chemistry: Implications for Climate; R.J Charlson, J. Lelieveld. Atmospheric Chemistry of the East-Asian Northwest Pacific Region; H. Akimoto, et al. Biomass Burning in the Global Environment: First Results from the IGAC/BIBEX Field Campaign STARE/TRACEA/SAFARI92; M.O. Andreae, et al. Biosphere-Atmosphere Exchange of Trace Gases in the Tropics: Evaluating the Effects of Land Use Changes; M. Keller, P.A. Matson. Trace Gas Emissions from Rice Fields; H.U. Neue, R.L. Sass. Polar Atmosphere and Snow Chemistry; L.A. Barrie, R.J. Delmas. Terrestrial Biosphere-Atmosphere Exchange in High Latitudes; W.S. Reeburgh, et al. Exchange of Trace Gases between the Terrestrial Biosphere and the Atmosphere in the Mid-latitudes; K.A. Smith, et al. 4 additional articles. Index.

From tidal waves and sandstorms to lava flows and glaciers, natural geological processes are often hazardous to human life. This book examines the scientific principles behind these processes, explaining how and why they pose a frequent threat. Twelve chapters cover such topics as:

Earthquakes

Volcanic eruptions

Tsunami

Mass wasting

Streams and floods

Coastal hazards

Deserts, droughts, and wind

Glaciers and glaciation

Hazardous geologic materials, such as asbestos and radon gas

Natural geologic subsidence, such as sinkholes

Sudden catastrophic geologic events, such as asteroid impacts

Each chapter includes an extensive list of additional resources, featuring books, journal articles, Web sites, and contact information for relevant organizations. In addition to a general introduction, the volume also contains a detailed subject index and over 60 photographs, tables, and charts.

Written in a clear, engaging manner with numerous examples of famous or recent geological disasters, the Sourcebook is an excellent introduction to the topic for high school and college students, as well as a valuable resource for teachers, professors, journalists, and interested general readers. Government agencies and private relief organizations that deal with natural disasters will also find the book useful.

This book provides a comprehensive description of the volcanological, petrological and geochemical features of the Poas Volcano (Costa Rica), one of the most active volcanic systems in Central America and part of the Central America Volcanic Arc (CAVA). Poas Volcano hosts a unique sulfur lake, which actually is one of the world's most acidic lakes, and has experienced molten sulfur eruptions. Past investigations, current monitoring activities and planned programs of investigation into lessening of the volcanic hazard are reported here. Specific sections of the monograph will be devoted to the impact of this volcano on the social, agricultural and industrial activities in the area. Legends and popular traditions related to this volcano will be described in the last chapter to round up a complete scientific review on this unique volcanic system.

Thoroughly revised and expanded from the 2012 edition (twice the number of pages, almost double the number of illustrations) this book pays tribute to the man and his diverse works and achievements. James Hutton (1726-1797) was one of the first environmentalists, a man ahead of his time. He developed a grand theory of the Earth in which he tried to make sense of a lifetime of observation and deduction about the way in which our planet functions. For example, he connected temperature with latitude. His measurements, with rudimentary thermometers, of temperature changes between the base and summit of Arthur's Seat, were remarkably accurate and he studied climate data from other parts of the world. A leading figure in the eighteenth-century Scottish Enlightenment, he was also an innovative farmer, successful entrepreneur and a man with endless intellectual curiosity. The year 2026 will be the tercentenary of his birth. There will be many special events leading up to and in that year organised by The James Hutton Institute, Scotland's premier environmental and agricultural research organisation.

In its first English-language edition, this book introduces the many-faceted interactions of animal populations with their habitats. From soil fauna, ants and termites to small and large herbivores, burrowing mammals and birds, the author presents a comprehensive analysis of animals and ecosystems that is as broad and varied as all nature. Chapter 2 addresses the functional role of animals in landscape ecosystems, emphasizing fluxes of energy and matter within and between ecosystems, and the effects of animals on qualitative and structural habitat change. Discussion includes chapters on the role of animal population density and the impacts of native herbivores on vegetation and habitats from the tropics to the polar regions. Cyclic mass outbreaks of species such as the larch bud moth in Switzerland, the mountain pine beetle and the African red-billed weaver bird are described and analyzed. Other chapters discuss Zoochory - the dispersal of seeds by ants, mammals and birds - and the influence of burrowing animals on soil development and geomorphology. Consideration extends to the impact of feral domestic animals. Chapter 5 focuses on problems resulting from introduction of alien animals and from re-introduction of animal species to their original habitats, discusses the effects on ecosystems of burrowing, digging and trampling by animals. The author also addresses keystone species such as kangaroo rats, termites and beavers. Chapter 6 addresses the role of animals in landscape management and nature conservation, with chapters on the impact of newcomer species such as animals introduced into Australia, New Zealand and Europe, and the consequences of reintroduction of species to original habitat. It also discusses the carrying capacity of natural habit, public attitudes toward conversation and more. The final section ponders the effects of climate on interactions between animals and their habitats.

This book is open access under a CC BY-NC 4.0 license. It explores the diverse phenomena which are challenging the international law of the sea today, using the unique perspective of a simultaneous analysis of the national, individual and common interests at stake. This perspective, which all the contributors bear in mind when treating their own topic, also constitutes a useful element in the effort to bring today's legal complexity and fragmentation to a homogenous vision of the sustainable use of the marine environment and of its resources, and also of the international and national response to maritime crimes.The volume analyzes the relevant legal frameworks and recent developments, focusing on the competing interests which have influenced State jurisdiction and other regulatory processes. An analysis of the competing interests and their developments allows us to identify actors and relevant legal and institutional contexts, retracing how and when these elements have changed over time.

Sediments are a natural part of aquatic systems and they are essential for the hydrological, geomorphological and ecological functioning of those systems. For society they are important and represent an important resource. However, due to the ever increasing use of river catchments, sediments need to be managed in a balanced and sustainable way. Sediment Management at the River Basin Scale reviews some of the key requirements and challenges facing scientists, river basin managers, and policy makers for sustainable sediment management at the river basin scale, and puts forward important recommendations.
This volume also available as part of a 4-volume set, ISBN 0444519599. Discount price for set purchase.
* First book to consider management at the basin scale
* State-of-the-art review chapters
* New conceptual frameworks and approaches to management

This monograph aims to familiarize readers with the problem of evaluating the quality and reliability of digital geographic information in terms of their use. It identifies the key requirements for the functionality of this information and describes the system of evaluating its quality and reliability. The whole text is supplemented by examples that document the impact of different quality of the information on the entire decision-making process in command and control systems at the rescue and military levels. The monograph is primarily intended for professionals who are responsible for the implementation of digital geographic information in command and control systems, or for those who use them in their work. For this reason, particular attention is paid especially to the user aspects of the digital geographic information used. Vaclav Talhofer is Full Professor of Cartography and Geoinformatics at the University of Defense in Brno, Czech Republic. Sarka Hoskova-Mayerova is Associate Professor of Mathematics at the University of Defense in Brno, Czech Republic. Alois Hofmann is a teacher and scientist of Cartography and Geoinformatics at the University of Defense in Brno, Czech Republic. All authors contributing to this book have been extensively studying the methods and procedures for the use of digital geographic information, especially in the environment of the Czech Armed Forces.

Studies of prehistoric exchange of goods provide information about the types of economic interaction, social organization, or political structures in which prehistoric peoples were engaged. Long-distance exchange is a special situation where the materials exchanged crossed significant boundaries, whether they were geographic, social, political, or otherwise. By examining the types and quantities of goods exchanged, along with the directions and distances they moved, archaeologists are able to examine the dynamic properties of exchange systems, i.e., how they operate and why they undergo change.

The purpose of this volume is to present a number of case studies of long-distance exchange from around the world which demonstrate the use of geochemical analysis of artifacts to find evidence of exchange. More important than the use of analytical technique employed or the types of artifacts studied are the interpretations themselves which illustrate that exchange studies are maturing and helping archaeologists to develop more accurate models of exchange.

Volume 1 of the Sustainable Management of Sediment Resources mini-series is the first attempt to fill many of these gaps in knowledge and also in practice. The volume includes sections on:
* Sampling
* Characterization of contaminants in sediments being bioavailability the main issue
* Chemical analysis
* Biological analysis
* Effect directed analysis and toxicity
* Identification evaluation
* Benthos sediment quality assessment
* Modelling of pollutant fate and behaviour
* Sediment quality guidelines
This first volume is applicable to a wide audience, from students at the graduate level, to experienced researchers and laboratory personnel in academia, industry and government.
This volume also available as part of a 4-volume set, ISBN 0444519599. Discount price for set purchase.
* A broad overview on sediment quality and impact assessment of pollutants
* Suitable for both newcomers to the field of sediment treatment and specialists alike
* Outlines practical examples of methods used in sediment quality analysis

This book is a critical appraisal of the status of the so-called Climate Sciences (CS). These are contributed by many other basic sciences like physics, geology, chemistry and as such employ theoretical and experimental methods. In the last few decades most of the CS have been identified with the global warming problem and numerical models have been used as the main tool for their investigations. The produced predictions can only be partially tested against experimental data and may represent one of the reasons CS are drifting away from the route of the scientific method. On the other hand the study of climate faces many other interesting and mostly unsolved problems (think about ice ages) whose solution could clarify how the climatic system works. As for the global warming, while its existence is largely proved, scientifically it can be solved only with a large experimental effort carried out for a few decades. Problems can arise when not proved hypotheses are adopted as the basis for public policy without the recognition that they may be on shaky ground. The strong interactions of the Global Warming (GW) with the society create another huge problem of political nature for the CS. The book argues that the knowledge gained so far on the specific GW problem is enough for the relevant political decisions to be taken and that Climate Science should resume the study of the climate system with appropriate means and methods. The book introduces the most relevant concepts needed for the discussion in the text or in appropriate appendices and it is directed to the general public with upper undergraduate background. Each chapter closes with a debate between a climate scientist and a humanist to reflect the discussions between climate science and philosophy or climate scientists and society.

The book deals primarily with the aspects of advances in Self-Potential geophysical data modeling, different interpretation techniques, new ideas and an integrated study to delineate the subsurface structures associated with exploration, contamination, buried paleochannels, archaeological investigations, glaciology, geomorphology, subsurface mapping and also in hydrocarbon exploration.The book is specifically aimed with the state-of-art information regarding research advances and new development in these areas of study, coupled to extensive modelling and field investigations obtained from around the world. It is extremely enlightening for the students, research workers, scientists, faculty members in Applied Geophysics, Near Surface Geophysics, Potential field, Electrical and Electromagnetic methods, Mathematical Modeling Techniques in Earth Sciences, as well as Environmental and other practical problems associated with Earth Sciences.

This book explores the geotectonic evolution of the lithosphere beneath the Indian Shield, which comprises a collage of cratons variously bounded by mobile belts and palaeo-rifts. The lithosphere beneath these is fairly thin compared to other cratons worldwide, petrologically varied and shows considerable variation in thickness with depth both intra-craton and among cratons. Moreover, it has been subjected to the influence of repeated magmatic episodes from Proterozoic to Palaeocene, which have variously impacted different parts of the shield. The thermotectonic influence on constituent cratons is variable depending on the evolutionary history. This book discusses the impact of successive tectonomagmatic events on the evolution of the deep crust and shallow mantle, and their Phanerozoic modification as gleaned through the xenolith window. The book provides a petrotectonic perspective on the deep crust and shallow mantle from direct samples brought up as xenoliths of deep lithologies, and offers a comprehensive overview for students, researchers, academics and professionals, integrating the results of petrological studies of deep lithologies and geophysical investigations to (i) shed light on the physico-chemical and thermal structure of the lithosphere from an array of geotectonic settings and (ii) gain insights into the spatio-temporal evolution of the Indian Shield. An in-depth guide critical thinking on the complex issue of mantle differentiation, magmatism, lithosphere modification and crustal growth over time, the book allows readers to gain a better understanding of the processes that affect the lithosphere and shape the crust on which we live.

This book highlights various aspects of shale gas production and discusses the associated problems, which have greatly influenced the current situation on the global gas market. It focuses on issues such as production technologies, environmental protection, and the impacts of shale gas production on human beings. Further, it investigates the role of shale gas in the development and implementation of foreign policy of many nations that welcomed the possibility to produce this hydrocarbon in their own countries. Taking into consideration the information published by world energy research centers, the prospects of shale gas production in different regions of the world are examined in detail. Given its coverage and scope, the book will greatly benefit specialists in the areas of hydrocarbon production, international relations and foreign policy, world economics and technologies, ecology and environmental protection.