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Books > Earth & environment > Earth sciences
Teide Volcano has many different meanings: For the Guanche aborigines, who endured several of its eruptions, it was Echeide (Hell). Early navigators had in Teide, a lifesaving widely visible landmark that was towering over the clouds. For the first explorers, Teide was a challenging and dangerous climb, since it was thought that Teide's peak was so high that from its summit the sun was too close and far too hot to survive. Teide was considered the highest mountain in the world at that time and measuring its height precisely was a great undertaking and at the time of global scientific significance. For von Buch, von Humboldt, Lyell and other great 18th and19th century naturalists, Teide helped to shape a new and now increasingly 'volcanic' picture, where the origin of volcanic rocks (from solidified magma) slowly casted aside Neptunism and removed some of the last barriers for the development of modern Geology and Volcanology as the sciences we know today. For the present day population of Tenerife, living on top of the world's third tallest volcanic structure on the planet, Teide has actually become "Padre Teide", a fatherly protector and an emblematic icon of Tenerife, not to say of the Canaries as a whole. The UNESCO acknowledged this iconic and complex volcano, as "of global importance in providing evidence of the geological processes that underpin the evolution of oceanic islands". Today, 'Teide National Park' boasts 4 Million annual visitors including many 'volcano spotters' and is a spectacular natural environment which most keep as an impression to treasure and to never forget. For us, the editors of this book, Teide is all of the above; a 'hell of a job', a navigation point on cloudy days, a challenge beyond imagination, a breakthrough in our understanding of oceanic volcanism that has shaped our way of thinking about volcanoes, and lastly, Teide provides us with a reference point from where to start exploring other oceanic volcanoes in the Canaries and beyond. Here we have compiled the different aspects and the current understanding of this natural wonder.
Foraminiferal cultures now serve as tools for researching biological, environmental, and geological topics. However, the biological backgrounds, in particular the natural histories of foraminifera, largely remain unclear. It is also true that the different techniques used in different subdisciplines are a setback to fully understanding the subject. Taken together, these factors prevent progress in experimental approaches to foraminiferal studies. This book aims to share and exchange knowledge between researchers from different subdisciplines, and the book should interest not only foraminiferal researchers but also scientists who are working with marine organisms to explore questions in relation to biology, geology, and oceanography.
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 thesis transforms satellite precipitation estimation through the integration of a multi-sensor, multi-channel approach to current precipitation estimation algorithms, and provides more accurate readings of precipitation data from space. Using satellite data to estimate precipitation from space overcomes the limitation of ground-based observations in terms of availability over remote areas and oceans as well as spatial coverage. However, the accuracy of satellite-based estimates still need to be improved. The approach introduced in this thesis takes advantage of the recent NASA satellites in observing clouds and precipitation. In addition, machine-learning techniques are also employed to make the best use of remotely-sensed "big data." The results provide a significant improvement in detecting non-precipitating areas and reducing false identification of precipitation.
This book will help readers learn the basic skills needed to study microfossils especially those without a formal background in paleontology. It details key principles, explains how to identify different groups of microfossils, and provides insight into their potential applications in solving geologic problems. Basic principles are addressed with examples that explore the strengths and limitations of microfossils and their geological records. This overview provides an understanding of taphonomy and quality of the fossil records, biomineralization and biogeochemistry, taxonomy, concepts of species, and basic concepts of ecology. Readers learn about the major groups of microfossils, including their morphology, ecology, and geologic history. Coverage includes: foraminifera, ostracoda, coccolithophores, pteropods, radiolaria, diatoms, silicoflagellates, conodonts, dinoflagellates, acritarch, and spores and pollens. In this coverage, marine microfossils, and particularly foraminifera, are discussed in more detail compared with the other groups as they continue to play a major role in most scientific investigations. Among the various tracers of earth history, microfossils provide the most diverse kinds of information to earth scientists. This richly illustrated volume will help students and professionals understand microfossils, and provide insight on how to work with them to better understand evolution of life, and age and the paleoenvironment of sedimentary strata.
The book presents the state-of-the-art document describing the knowledge, data, cost-effectiveness and technologies employed to manage the waste in several countries such as Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Jordon, Syria, Palestine, Lebanon, and Yemen. It covers diverse topics including the status of the waste in the region, solid waste management, solid waste recovery and disposal, the use of the agricultural waste in feeding poultry, sludge disposal and management, wastewater treatment and energy production. Also, the book explains how waste management systems are becoming more complex in many countries with the move from landfill-based to resource recovery-based solutions following the setting of international and national targets to divert waste from landfill and to increase recycling and recovery rates. Besides, this book also evaluates the environmental legislation in the selected countries and suggests new performance enhancements. This book is of interest to environmental professionals including scientists and policymakers in the Middle East, North Africa, and areas with similar features.
Carbon (C), Nitrogen (N) and Phosphorus (P) are three of the most important elements used to build living beings, and their uptake from the environment is consequently essential for all organisms. Photosynthesis is the process in which plants absorb atmospheric C as they grow and convert it to biomass. However, plants acquire N and P only when these are available in the soil solution, which makes these elements the most limiting nutrients in plant growth and productivity in most ecosystems. When plant residues and roots decompose, the C, N and P they contain is transformed primarily into soil organic matter (SOM) or C and N can release to the atmosphere. Recent interest on the global C, N and P cycles has focused attention on the different proportion of terrestrial C, N and P stored in different ecosystem pools. Cuatro Cienegas represents an exceptional place, since the plants are not the base of the food web, they are the microbial community, that recycle the elements essential for life. In this book we describe how this is an analog of early Earth.
The coastal and ocean ecosystem is a significant feature of our planet and provides a source of food for much of life on Earth. Millions of species have been, and are still being discovered in the world's oceans. Among these zooplankton serve as secondary producers and are significant as they form pelagic food links and act as indicators of water masses. They constitute the largest and most reliable source of protein for most of the ocean's fishes. As such, their absence or depletion often affects fishery. In many countries, the decline in fishery has been attributed to reduced plankton populations. Furthermore, trillions of tiny copepods produce countless faecal pellets contributing greatly to the marine snow and therefore accelerating the flow of nutrients and minerals from the surface waters to the seabed. They are phylogenetically highly successful groups in terms of phylogenetic age, number of living species and success of adaptive radiation. A study of the basic and applied aspects of zooplankton would provide an index of the fishery potential and applications, offering insights into ocean ecology to safeguard food supplies and livelihoods of the millions of people living in coastal areas. For this reason, we need to understand all the facets of zooplankton as well as their interactions with atmosphere and other life forms, including human. In this context, this book discusses the basic and applied aspects of zooplankton, especially taxonomy, mosquitocidal activity, culture, analysis of nutritional, pigments and enzyme profile, preservation of copepods eggs, bioenrichment of zooplankton and application of zooplankton in sustainable aquaculture production, focusing on novel biofloc-copefloc technologies, and the impact of acidification and microplastics on zooplankton. Offering a comprehensive overview of the current issues and developments in the field of environmental and commercial applications, this book is a valuable resource for researchers, aquaculturists, environmental mangers wanting to understand the importance of zooplankton and develop technologies for the sustainable production of fish and other commodities to provide food and livelihoods for mankind.
Ostracod crustaceans, common microfossils in marine and
freshwater sedimentary records, supply evidence of past climatic
conditions via indicator species, transfer function and mutual
climatic range approaches as well as the trace element and stable
isotope geochemistry of their shells. As methods of using ostracods
as Quaternary palaeoclimate proxies have developed, so too has a
critical awareness of their complexities, potential and
limitations. This book combines up-to-date reviews (covering
previous work and summarising the state of the art) with
presentations of new, cutting-edge science (data and
interpretations as well as methodological developments) to form a
major reference work that will constitute a durable bench-mark in
the science of Ostracoda and Quaternary climate change.
Integrating information from several areas of engineering geology, hydrogeology, geotechnical engineering, this book addresses the general field of groundwater from an engineering perspective. It covers geological engineering as well as hydrogeological and environmental geological problems caused by groundwater engineering. It includes 10 chapters, i.e., basic groundwater theory, parameter calculation in hydrogeology, prevention of geological problem caused by groundwater, construction dewatering, wellpoint dewatering methods, dewatering wells and drilling, groundwater dewatering in foundation-pit engineering, groundwater engineering in bedrock areas, numerical simulation in groundwater engineering, groundwater corrosion on concrete and steel. Based on up-to-date literature, it describes recent developments and presents several case studies with examples and problems. It is an essential reference source for industrial and academic researchers working in the groundwater field and can also serve as lecture-based course material providing fundamental information and practical tools for both senior undergraduate and postgraduate students in fields of geology engineering, hydrogeology, geotechnical engineering or to conduct related research.
This paper collection is the second volume of the LNMOB series on Road Vehicle Automation. The book contains a comprehensive review of current technical, socio-economic, and legal perspectives written by experts coming from public authorities, companies and universities in the U.S., Europe and Japan. It originates from the Automated Vehicle Symposium 2014, which was jointly organized by the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) and the Transportation Research Board (TRB) in Burlingame, CA, in July 2014. The contributions discuss the challenges arising from the integration of highly automated and self-driving vehicles into the transportation system, with a focus on human factors and different deployment scenarios. This book is an indispensable source of information for academic researchers, industrial engineers, and policy makers interested in the topic of road vehicle automation.
In the second edition Steve Kesler (University of Michigan) has been added as an author to rewrite some chapters. The motivation for this revised edition is to more intensively address economic issues that surround the exploitation of mineral resources. This emphasis gives the book a unique character. With these sections "Metals and Society" deals with issues that pervade much of current science reporting the rate of exploitation of natural resources, the question of when or if these resources will be exhausted, the pollution and social disturbance that accompanies mining, the compromises and challenges that arise from the explosion of demand from China, India and other rapidly developing countries, and the moral issues that surround mining of metals in lesser developed countries for consumption in the first-world countries. With its dual character, the book will be useful as an introductory text for students in the earth sciences and a reference volume for students, teachers and researchers of geography, economics and the social sciences. "
This book investigates geological CO2 storage and its role in greenhouse gas emissions reduction, enhanced oil recovery, and environmentally responsible use of fossil fuels. Written for energy/environmental regulators at every level of government (federal, state, etc.), scientists/academics, representatives from the power and fossil energy sectors, NGOs, and other interested parties, this book uses the characterization of the Rock Springs Uplift site in Wyoming as an integrated case study to illustrate the application of geological CO2 storage science, principles, and theory in a real-world scenario.
Few topics cut across the soil science discipline wider than research on soil carbon. This book contains 48 chapters that focus on novel and exciting aspects of soil carbon research from all over the world. It includes review papers by global leaders in soil carbon research, and the book ends with a list and discussion of global soil carbon research priorities. Chapters are loosely grouped in four sections: A wide variety of topics is included: soil carbon modelling, measurement, monitoring, microbial dynamics, soil carbon management and 12 chapters focus on national or regional soil carbon stock assessments. The book provides up-to-date information for researchers interested in soil carbon in relation to climate change and to researchers that are interested in soil carbon for the maintenance of soil quality and fertility. Papers in this book were presented at the "IUSS Global Soil C Conference "that was held at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA."
The purpose of this book is to bridge the gap between the traditional Geomechanics and Numerical Geotechnical Modelling with applications in science and practice. Geomechanics is rarely taught within the rigorous context of Continuum Mechanics and Thermodynamics, while when it comes to Numerical Modelling, commercially available finite elements or finite differences software utilize constitutive relationships within the rigorous framework. As a result, young scientists and engineers have to learn the challenging subject of constitutive modelling from a program manual and often end up with using unrealistic models which violate the Laws of Thermodynamics. The book is introductory, by no means does it claim any completeness and state of the art in such a dynamically developing field as numerical and constitutive modelling of soils. The author gives basic understanding of conventional continuum mechanics approaches to constitutive modelling, which can serve as a foundation for exploring more advanced theories. A considerable effort has been invested here into the clarity and brevity of the presentation. A special feature of this book is in exploring thermomechanical consistency of all presented constitutive models in a simple and systematic manner.
This book, authored by a well-known researcher and expositor in meteorology, focuses on the direct link between molecular dynamics and atmospheric variation. Uniting molecular dynamics, turbulence theory, fluid mechanics and non equilibrium statistical mechanics, it is relevant to the fields of applied mathematics, physics and atmospheric sciences, and focuses on fluid flow and turbulence, as well as on temperature, radiative transfer and chemistry. With extensive references and glossary this is an ideal text for graduates and researchers in meteorology, applied mathematics and physical chemistry.
This work examines the waters of marine ports as unique integrated aquatic ecosystems. It regards marine ports as entities comprising components of natural and anthropogenic origin, including pelagic, periphytal and benthal subsystems. Using selected Black and Azov Sea ports as examples, the book discusses the hydrodynamics and water exchange, which are weakened in ports compared with open coastal zones. It reflects consequences of the presence of hydrobionts and the accumulation of organic matter, which are promoted by the variety of hard substrata and the absence of fishery. The book is divided into five main chapters. The first chapter describes the general characteristics of the marine ports at the northern coast of the Black and Azov Seas and their shipping channels. Chapters 2 to 4 discuss the main abiotic and biotic peculiarities of the pelagial, periphytal and benthal subsystems of those marine ports, and chapter 5 deals with tropho-dynamic processes in their ecosystems. A concluding section reflects recommendations how the ecosystems of ports in non-tidal seas may be ameliorated.
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