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 is a work of historical significance, an experimental study reproducing parts of the late Dr. Wilhelm Reich's controversial atmospheric research, specifically the technique of Cosmic Orgone Engineering ("cloudbusting"). This study took place in the late 1970s at the University of Kansas, Geography-Meteorology Department, as part of the author's graduate-level research, showing changes in cloud cover and rainfall across the state of Kansas as the apparatus was operated. Reich's original findings had been dismissed as "impossible" by the scientific community of his day, stirring up such outrage that his writings were literally "banned and burned" by Federal bureaucrats, who also threw Reich into prison on fabricated charges, where he died in 1957. This particular study was the first university-level investigation into the most extreme of Reich's claims - of an atmospheric energy which could be affected by his cloudbuster invention to bring rains over widespread areas, even during droughts or in deserts. The study verified Reich's claims. This republication of that original study also includes a major separate work as an Appendix, "Evidence for the Existence of a Principle of Atmospheric Continuity," which makes the argument for a renewed examination of the old cosmic-ether of space, as a parallel concept to Reich's orgone energy discovery. It also reviews similar inexplicable long-distance energetic phenomenon in the natural world which require a similar mechanism, such as solar-terrestrial phenomenon.

This book reviews the consequences of improper disposal of greywater into the environment and the most appropriate treatment technologies for developing countries, focusing on the potential to reuse greywater as a production medium for biomass and bio-products. It also describes the quantities and qualitative characteristics, as well as the common practice of discharging greywater in developing countries, and highlights the associated health risks. Further, it compares the management of greywater in developed and developing countries and explores the advantages and disadvantages of various treatment technologies, discussing the reuse of greywater for irrigation purposes in arid and sub-arid countries, especially in the Middle East. The book shows the benefits of greywater and introduces low-cost technologies based on the available local facilities can be used to discharge, reuse, and recycle it.

This book offers up-to-date information on the impact of climate change on water resources in Slovakia, the occurrence of drought and floods, hazards and protection methods. The topics covered include hydrological extremes, such as droughts and flood, in Slovakia; risk assessment and protection; sustainable management; and water management in buildings. The closing chapter provides general conclusions and recommendations for future research. It appeals to graduate students and researchers as well as to decision makers involved in planning future water resources in Slovakia.

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.

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.

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

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 two-volume book is an up-to-date revision of methods and principles of phylogenetic analysis of morphological data. It is also a general guide for using the computer program TNT in the analysis of such data. The book covers the main aspects of phylogenetic analysis, and general methods to compare classifications derived from molecules and morphology. Practical application of all principles discussed is illustrated by reference to TNT, a freely available software package that can perform all the steps needed in a phylogenetic analysis. Key Features Provides in depth discussion of the connections between hypotheses of homology and the parsimony criterion Helps understand the basis for designing different aspects of a morphological study, from hints on delimiting the problem and data collecting, to character definitions and analysis Discusses the applicability of statistical models coopted from sequence analysis to the analysis of morphological data Gives detailed descriptions of the principles behind algorithms for evaluating and searching phylogenetic trees Presents extensive information on commands and options of the TNT computer program

This lab manual offers a variety of activities for an active, applied student experience and increased flexibility for instructors. Every lab includes "What Do You Think?" exercises in which students apply the course concepts to real-world scenarios. New Geotours Google Earth exercises get students exploring and analyzing real-world sites. A new, unique chapter on global change in which students explore how the Earth will evolve during their lifetime has been added to this edition.

More than 90% of wildfires are caused by human activity, but other causes include lighting, drought, wind and changing weather conditions, underground coal fires, and even volcanic activity. Wildfire Hazards, Risks, and Disasters, one of nine volumes in the Elsevier Hazards and Disasters series, provides a close and detailed examination of wildfires and measures for more thorough and accurate monitoring, prediction, preparedness, and prevention. It takes a geo-scientific and environmental approach to the topic while also discussing the impacts of human-induced causes such as deforestation, debris burning and arson-underscoring the multi-disciplinary nature of the topic. It presents several international case studies that discuss the historical, social, cultural and ecological aspects of wildfire risk management in countries with a long history of dealing with this hazard (e.g., USA, Australia) and in countries (e.g., Taiwan) where wildfire hazards represent a new and growing threat to the social and ecological landscape.

Before the drought of the early twenty-first century, the dry benchmark in the American plains was the Dust Bowl of the 1930s. But in this eye-opening work, Kevin Z. Sweeney reveals that the Dust Bowl was only one cycle in a series of droughts on the U.S. southern plains. Reinterpreting our nation's nineteenth-century history through paleoclimatological data and firsthand accounts of four dry periods in the 1800s, Prelude to the Dust Bowl demonstrates the dramatic and little-known role drought played in settlement, migration, and war on the plains. Stephen H. Long's famed military expedition coincided with the drought of the 1820s, which prompted Long to label the southern plains a ""Great American Desert"" - a destination many Anglo-Americans thought ideal for removing Southeastern Indian tribes to in the 1830s. The second dry trend, from 1854 to 1865, drove bison herds northeastward, fomenting tribal warfare, and deprived Civil War armies in Indian Territory of vital commissary. In the late 1880s and mid-1890s, two more periods of drought triggered massive outmigration from the southern plains as well as appeals from farmers and congressmen for federal famine relief, pleas quickly denied by President Grover Cleveland. Sweeney's interpretation of familiar events through the lens of drought lays the groundwork for understanding why the U.S. government's reaction to the Dust Bowl of the 1930s was such a radical departure from previous federal responses. Prelude to the Dust Bowl provides new insights into pivotal moments in the settlement of the southern plains and stands as a timely reminder that drought, as part of a natural climatic cycle, will continue to figure in the unfolding history of this region.

This book describes selected problems in contemporary spectroscopy in the context of quantum mechanics and statistical physics. It focuses on elementary radiative processes involving atomic particles (atoms, molecules, ions), which include radiative transitions between discrete atomic states, the photoionization of atoms, photorecombination of electrons and ions, bremsstrahlung, photodissociation of molecules, and photoattachment of electrons to atoms. In addition to these processes, the transport of resonant radiation in atomic gases and propagation of infrared radiation in molecular gases are also considered. The book subsequently addresses applied problems such as optical pumping, cooling of gases via laser resonance radiation, light-induced drift of gas atoms, photoresonant plasma, reflection of radio waves from the ionosphere, and detection of submillimeter radiation using Rydberg atoms. Lastly, topical examples in atmospheric and climate change science are presented, such as lightning channel glowing, emission of the solar photosphere, and the greenhouse phenomenon in the atmospheres of the Earth and Venus. Along with researchers, both graduate and undergraduate students in atomic, molecular and atmospheric physics will find this book a useful and timely guide.

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 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.

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.

Understanding Geology through Maps guides young professional geologists and students alike in understanding and interpreting the world's dynamic and varying geological landscapes through the liberal use of visual aids including figures, maps, and diagrams. This highly visual reference introduces the skills of interpreting a geological map and relating it to the morphology of the most important types of geological structure. Thoroughly revised, and with more international examples, it is ideal for use by students with a minimum of tutorial supervision. Maps of geological structures provide all of the realism of a survey map without the huge amount of data often present, so readers can develop or hone their skills without becoming overwhelmed or confused. In particular, emphasis is placed throughout on developing the skill of three-dimensional visualization so important to geologists.

How much has human history been influenced by the earth and its processes? This volume in the Science 101 series describes how both slow changes and rapid, violent, ones have impacted the development of civilizations throughout history. Slow changes include variations in climate, progressive development of types of tools and sources of energy, and changes in the types of food that people consume. Violent changes include volcanic eruptions such as the one at Toba 75,000 years ago, which may have caused diversification of people into different races, and the eruption of Santorini in 1640 BC, which may have destroyed Minoan civilization. Other disasters are Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and the tsunami in the Indian Ocean in 2004. Earth Science and Human History 101 describes basic principles of geology and shows how the earth affected history and is affecting present events. The volume has four sections: BLProcesses in the atmosphere, oceans, and rivers BLPlate tectonics BLThe conflict between the evidence for evolution during the long history of the earth and the beliefs of creationists BLResources and the environment The volume includes a glossary, numerous illustrations, and a bibliography of works useful for further research.

Great blue herons, yellow birches, damselflies, and beavers are among the talismans by which Bill Roorbach uncovers a natural universe along the stream that runs by his house in Farmington, Maine. Populated by an oddball cast of characters to whom Roorbach ("The Professor") and his family might always be considered outsiders, this book chronicles one man's determined effort-occasionally with hilarious results-to follow his stream to its elusive source. Acclaimed essayist and award-winning fiction writer Bill Roorbach uses his singular literary gifts to inspire us to laugh, love, and experience the wonder of living side by side with the natural world.