Safeguarding Mountain Ecosystems: A Global Challenge provides an overview of the relevant research in mountain regions worldwide, identifying existing challenges and providing an understanding of the diversity of mountain ecosystems in different regions. Mountain ecosystems are increasingly vulnerable to modified climate conditions and other global changes (demographic, migration, urbanization). In this time of change, efforts for sustainable development in mountain ecosystems deserve all the attention, especially in synergy with the United Nations’ International Frameworks, including the Sustainable Development Agenda 2030, the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, the Paris Agreement, and the New Urban Agenda.Sections underline the importance of mountain regions for humanity at global, regional and local scales, describe the challenges of safeguarding mountains and possible solutions worldwide, and scrutinize regional specificities of the major mountain ranges, describing the challenges and opportunities of each. Final sections reflect on applications and technologies that address and solve major problems.

An extraordinary life, recorded for posterity, by a man who beat adversity in his earlier days to fulfil his ambition to succeed in the commercial world. John Lucken tells the story of his time from an old-style naval school of the 1930s, thorugh WW11 and the Korean War to entering the field of hydrographic survey and exploration worldwide. He recalls working in Borneo and in the former Dutch New Guinea before the arrival there of the powerful mining companies and the influx of thousands of immigrants from other parts of Indonesia. He was present in Nigeria when the first oil well was discovered and stayed in contact throughout the Biafran civil war. Emotional recollections that are a real eye-opener and a lesson to anyone sat behind a desk in Britain about just how different a life can be.

Water Resources Management for Rural Development: Challenges and Mitigation provides an overview of the current challenges of rural water and its management strategies. The content contains practical and theoretical aspects of the water crisis in rural areas in a changing climate era, with an emphasis on recent water crisis research and management strategies. The book's structure contains fundamentals of water resources, pollution, remediation, supply and management strategies. Case studies included provide different water-related issues around the globe, introducing the reader to the paths of reducing the burden on the groundwater and the alternative options for the supply of water in rural areas. Decision-makers and water supply authorities will benefit from this unique resource that comprehensively covers rural water management in ways no comparable book has achieved.

Modeling and Mitigation Measures for Managing Extreme Hydrometeorological Events Under a Warming Climate explores the most recent computational tools, modeling frameworks, and critical data analysis measures for managing extreme climate events. Extreme climate events-primarily floods and droughts-have had major consequences in terms of loss of life and property around the world. Managing extreme occurrences, reducing their effects, and establishing adaptation strategies requires significant policy and planning improvements. This practical guide explores the latest research literature, recent advanced modeling approaches, and fundamental ideas and concepts to provide a variety of solutions for managing extreme events.

Agricultural Soil Sustainability and Carbon Management presents long-term research in the field of sustainable soil use and management to guide in the prioritizing the multifunctional value of soil health and addressing interdisciplinary links between major issues such as biodiversity and climate change. As soil is the largest terrestrial carbon pool, as well as a significant contributor of greenhouse gases, much progress can be made toward curtailing the climate crisis by sustainable soil management practices.The book provides valuable insight into the soil and carbon management, the research gaps and the methodological challenges for research into soil carbon management will be include over the decades.

Skuif handel oor die evolusie van ons wêreld vanaf die begin van lewe tot in die toekoms. Die boek gee ’n ongelooflike oorsig van elke tydperk in die aarde se tektoniese geskiedenis. Hierdie verstommende visuele voorstelling van die aarde se geologiese geskiedenis beskryf die verskuiwing van landmassas en die ontwikkeling van die kontinente soos ons dit vandag ken.

Met pragtige wêreldkaarte en illustrasies wat die oorsprong van lewe uitbeeld en die aarde se moontlike toekoms vorspel, is Skuif die ideale gids tot ons planeet se geskiedenis. Martin Ince beskryf op toeganklike wyse wat die impak van geologiese veranderinge op die lewe op aarde is.

The written history and archaeological records of Central Scotland takes us back to Pictish times some 5,000 years ago. The geology of the area stretches back a further 400 million years. The oldest rocks are found near Lesmahagow and in the Pentland Hills. Known geologically as 'inliers'- small areas of rocks from an older age, surrounded by younger strata - these strata have yielded some of the oldest fish on earth and are highly prized for what they tell us about early life on the planet. Rocks of the Old Red Sandstone and the succeeding Carboniferous era underlie the rest of Central Scotland in almost equal measure. Explosive volcanic rocks, thick layers of lava, desert sandstones, limestones and productive coal measures make up this bedrock patchwork. Then, sometime later, a covering of ice, some two kilometres thick, blanketed the landscape. It sandpapered and burnished the bedrock into the familiar scenes we see today - our matchless Scottish landscape. The coal and iron ore which lay beneath the ground between Edinburgh and Glasgow provided the raw materials that drove the Industrial Revolution in Scotland, and the early focus on understanding the rocks beneath our feet was unsurprisingly initially concentrated on the most useful minerals resources.

Lakes of Africa: Microbial Diversity and Sustainability examines microbial ecosystems in African lakes, including the history and formation of African lakes. The book describes how environmental stressors-including seasonal variations, climate change, and anthropogenic activities-affect microbial ecosystem dynamics in African lakes and the microbial responses to these stressors. The book explores and evaluates extremophiles in African lakes, including industrial biotechnology applications. The book highlights challenges facing microbial ecology in African lakes, as well as the design of models for solving these problems and predicting the future of lake microbial ecosystem sustainability.

Delve into the fabric of the planet to discover the wonders that hide there, from glittering minerals to stunning patterned rocks. See the watermelon colours of tourmaline, the shimmering glow of beryl and the radiant beauty of amethyst. Each rock and mineral is depicted in stunning and accurate original illustrations. Find out how the powerful forces that power our planet forge these incredible natural creations, why they are such vivid colours, and why some are so rare. With stunning illustrations, intriguing facts, and full-colour, poster-sized illustrations, this is the ideal reference for all the family. Stunning illustrations – vibrant, detailed images bring these incredible rocks and minerals to life. 36 different rocks and minerals - learn about dozens of rocks and minerals, from the shining emerald to the huge crystals of fluorite. Hundreds of dip-in facts – captivating and educational for budding geologists and petrologists of all ages.

The south of Scotland has a long and turbulent geological past. Perhaps most notably, it marks the place where, 432 million years ago, an ocean, once as wide as the north Atlantic, was compressed by a convergence of ancient lands and then ceased to be. Deserts covered the land with thick layers of brick-red coloured rocks, known as the Old Red Sandstone, piled up and dumped by rivers and streams that crisscrossed the area. Around 432 million years ago, violent explosive volcanic activity gave rise to the prominent landscape features recognised today as the Eildon Hills. In later geological times, the area was blanketed with massive sand dunes, later compressed to create the building stones from which Dumfries, Glasgow and other towns and cities, were constructed. It is also the place where the modern science of geology was born. James Hutton, star of the Scottish Enlightenment, found inspiration from his study of the local rocks. Sites he described almost 250 years ago are still hailed as amongst the most historic and important rock exposures to be found anywhere in the world.

From the icy oceans of our poles to remote coral islands, David Attenborough has filmed in every ocean habitat on planet earth. Now, with long-term collaborator Colin Butfield, he shares the story of our last great, critical wilderness, and the one which shapes the land we live on, regulates our climate and creates the air we breathe.

Through one hundred years, eight unique ocean habitats, countless intriguing species - and through personal stories, history and cutting-edge science - Ocean uncovers the mystery, the wonder and the frailty of the most unexplored habitat on our planet. And it shows its remarkable resilience: it is the part of our world that can, and in some cases has, recovered the fastest, and in our lifetimes we could see a fully restored marine world, even richer and more spectacular than we could possibly hope, if we act now.

It is a book almost a century in the making, but one that has never been more urgently needed.

Rivers of North America, Second Edition features new updates on rivers included in the first edition, as well as brand new information on additional rivers. This new edition expands the knowledge base, providing readers with a broader comparative approach to understand both the common and distinct attributes of river networks. The first edition addressed the three primary disciplines of river science: hydrology, geomorphology, and ecology. This new edition expands upon the interactive nature of these disciplines, showing how they define the organization of a riverine landscape and its processes. An essential resource for river scientists working in ecology, hydrology, and geomorphology.

Wild Law weaves politics, legal theory, quantum physics and ancient wisdom into a fascinating and inspiring story about how to rediscover a viable role for the human species within the Earth community.

This title has been seminal in inspiring the global movement to recognise rights for Nature - a movement destined to shape the 21st Century as significantly as the human rights movements shaped the 20th Century. Wild Law reveals how the governance systems of contemporary civilisations legitimise and promote the disastrous exploitation and destruction of Earth and why an Earth-centred approach is essential to address climate change and the accelerating degradation of the ecological systems on which we depend. Cormac Cullinan explains how to begin transforming industrialized societies to ensure that the pursuit of human wellbeing enhances the beauty, health and diversity of Earth instead of diminishing it.

This edition includes a new preface, postscript and the Universal Declaration of the Rights of Mother Earth proclaimed on 22nd April 2010 by the People's World Conference on Climate Change and the Rights of Mother Earth.

Climate Change and Life: The Complex Co-evolution of Climate and Life on Earth, and Beyond covers the critical tectonic and biogeochemical cycles that drive climate and shape the modern world. It compares the history of Earth to the histories of Venus and Mars, including new findings of Martian climate change. The book is multidisciplinary and will instruct readers on the range of extremes in climate and biogeochemical cycling that shape life on Earth. Topics covered include climate drivers on Earth (atmospheric gases, non-gaseous particulates in the atmosphere, etc.), various techniques to assess past climates, mass extension drivers, and future predictions. The book takes a long view on climate change and evolution while also focusing on defining moments in Earth history where critical thresholds and events occur. Climate scientists, earth scientists, environmental scientists and researchers in all other areas related to climate change will find value in the research presented in this book.

Seismic While Drilling: Fundamentals of Drill-Bit Seismic for Exploration, 2nd edition, revised and extended gives a theoretical and practical introduction to seismic while drilling by using drill-bit noise. While drilling seismic methods using surface sources and downhole receivers are also analysed. The goal is to support the exploration geology with geophysical control of drilling, and to build a bridge between geophysicists involved in seismic while drilling, drillers and exploration geologists. This revised and extended edition includes new topics such as novel drilling technology, downhole communication, ground-force drill-bit measurement, SWD seismic interferometry, and fiber optic (DAS). A new section is dedicated to well placement and geosteering. Like the first edition, Seismic While Drilling, 2nd edition also includes examples of SWD analysis and application on real data.

Stratigraphy Timescales, Volume Seven in the Advances in Sequence Stratigraphy series, covers research in stratigraphic disciplines, including the most recent developments in the geosciences. This fully commissioned review publication aims to foster and convey progress in stratigraphy with its inclusion of a variety of topics surrounding the latest research and findings in sequence stratigraphy.

Oceanography of the Mediterranean Sea: An Introductory Guide provides a comprehensive but concise introduction to the physical oceanography of one of the most fascinating marginal seas, the Mediterranean Sea. The book is primarily focused on the state-of-the-art understanding of the physical functioning of the Mediterranean Sea, while embracing the fundamentals of associated geological and chemical processes. Written by multiple scientists active over many years in the Mediterranean marine community, the book provides a broad overview on the information needed to get a robust background on the physical oceanography of the Mediterranean Sea for students in oceanography, climate science, marine geology and chemistry or scientists unfamiliar with the region.

Engineered Nanomaterials for Sustainable Agricultural Production, Soil Improvement and Stress Management highlights the latest advances in applying this important technology within agriculture sectors for sustainable growth, production and protection. The book explores various smart engineered nanomaterials which are now being used as an important tool for improving growth and productivity of crops facing abiotic stresses, improving the health of the soil in which those crops are growing, and addressing stresses once the plant begins to produce food yield. The book includes insights into the use of nanoparticles as bactericides, fungicides and nanofertilizers. In addition, the book includes an international representation of authors who have crafted chapters with clarity, reviewing up-to-date literature with lucid illustrations. It will be an important resource for researchers, nanobiotechnologists, agriculturists and horticulturists who need a comprehensive reference guide.