There is a growing need to support undergraduate educators in the development of environmental management educational materials. Recognizing this need, the National Science Foundation funded a College Faculty Workshop on Environmental Management, that was conducted at Utah State University in July and August 1996. The principle objectives of the seminar were (1) to provide a meaningful course which would generate new ideas and innovative educational approaches in the emerging field of environmental management, and (2) to develop an applications-oriented problem workbook which would support undergraduate faculty involvement in the production of course materials. The result of this effort is Environmental Management: Problems and Solutions, an informative text on the essentials of environmental management. More than 200 structured problems presented in the book are meant to elicit a sound understanding of the basics of environmental monitoring, assessment and control. Detailed solutions to each problem, provided with each chapter, will prove useful to both the student and the instructor. This innovative text is a valuable resource for anyone involved in training of engineers and scientists in the field of environmental engineering.

Confronting Climate Crises through Education: Reading Our Way Forward envisions the responsibility of public education to engage a citizenry more prepared to address the challenges of a changing world. Young advocates a paradigm shift that positions ecopedagogy as the central organizing principle of curriculum and assessment design. Each chapter outlines ways literature can serve as a cultural lens for examining the complex patterns of contexts behind our most pressing climate concerns, including potential solutions these patterns may illuminate. A focus on fiction and non-fiction exemplars that can provide such a lens illustrates practical steps educators can take to develop instruction around the immediately relevant environmental crises we are experiencing and to inspire more ecologically conscious, globally-minded problem-solvers prepared to confront them.

Global warming is expected to change fire regimes, likely increasing the severity and extent of wildfires in many ecosystems around the world. What will be the landscape-scale effects of these altered fire regimes? Within what theoretical contexts can we accurately assess these effects? We explore the possible effects of altered fire regimes on landscape patch dynamics, dominant species (tree, shrub, or herbaceous) and succession, sensitive and invasive plant and animal species and communities, and ecosystem function. Ultimately, we must consider the human dimension: what are the policy and management implications of increased fire disturbance, and what are the implications for human communities?

The state of the art in the area of security related civil science and technology concerning energetic materials and munitions is of pressing importance at the present time, because 10 years after the end of the cold war, in many countries in east and west, huge stockpiles of munitions still await destruction. The safety behavior of munitions and their energetic material is the determining factor for all precautionary measures for the protection of environment and population. The probability of a catastrophic reaction of munitions and their energetic components will be so more likely, the closer the munitions are to the end of their life time. Residues and undetected ordnance, recycling, destruction of ammunition and depletion or reuse of energetic materials will either cause more or less damage to environment. Scientific research and development have the aim to increase performance of munitions on one side and to improve safety in relation to unpredictable events on the other side. The impact on the environment by the production and normal use of munitions and their residues after use will acquire an increasing importance in environmental awareness. The excellent technical presentations were classified in five Groups, according to the technical programme. The "Introduction to the subject; Methods, tests and application; Insensitive and "green" munitions; Storage and transportation; and Demilitarisation and recycling" sessions, were closed by a final and general interesting discussion among participants.

This unique visual reference presents more than 750 brilliant, four-color images of bacterial isolates commonly encountered in diagnostic microbiology and the methods used to identify them, including microscopic and phenotypic characteristics, colony morphology, and biochemical properties. Chapters cover the most important bacterial pathogens and related organisms, including updated taxonomy, epidemiology, pathogenicity, laboratory and antibiotic susceptibility testing, and molecular biology methodology Tables summarize and compare key biochemical reactions and other significant characteristics New to this edition is a separate chapter covering the latest developments in total laboratory automation The comprehensive chapter on stains, media, and reagents is now augmented with histopathology images A new Fast Facts chapter presents tables that summarize and illustrate the most significant details for some of the more commonly encountered organisms For the first time, this easy-to-use atlas is available digitally for enhanced searching. Color Atlas of Medical Bacteriology remains the most valuable illustrative supplement for lectures and laboratory presentations, as well as for laboratorians, clinicians, students, and anyone interested in diagnostic medical bacteriology.

This textbook addresses the increasing trend in urbanization of the world's population and its relation with urban soils. Written by active practitioners of university level teaching and research, this book is designed primarily as an educational text, while it also provides readers with an authoritative gateway to the primary literature. It includes explicit coverage of spatial and statistical (multivariate) techniques and case studies to illustrate key concept, and to support practical guidance in issues such as data collection and analysis. The authors reflect current developments in research and urban trends. In China, for example, the proportion of the population living in cities increased from 13% in 1950 to 45% in 2010 (World Bank data). Australia is one of the world's top ten urbanised countries with population greater than ten million, with approximately 90% of its population living in cities, mainly along Australia's coast. The most rapidly urbanising populations are currently in nations of the African continent. Soils in urban areas have multiple functions which are becoming more valued by urban communities: soils supply water, nutrients and physical support for urban plant and animal communities (parks, reserves, gardens), and are becoming increasingly valued for growing food. Soils may be used for building foundations, or as building materials themselves. Urban hydrology relies on the existence of unsealed soils for aquifer protection and flood control. This volume presents the importance of urban ecosystems and the impacts of global change. It examines pedogenesis of urban soils: natural materials affected by urban phenomena, and natural processes acting on urban materials, including an examination of different climatic zones. There is a focus on soils formed on landfill, reclaimed land, dredge spoils as well as soil-related changes in urban geomorphology. There is plenty of discussion on urban soil as a source and sink as well as soil geochemistry and health. The book is intended primarily as a text for upper-level undergraduate, and postgraduate (Masters) students. It will also be invaluable as a resource for professionals such as researchers, environmental regulators, and environmental consultants.

Professor Gerald Esch has already published two books in what is becoming an informal series of essays exploring the way that discoveries about the biology of parasites have influenced ecological and evolutionary theories over a career that has spanned nearly 50 years. This book will be the third set of essays and will focus on key moments of discovery and explore how these achievements were due to collaboration, mentoring, and community building within the field of ecological parasitology. The book will not only describe case studies, pure science and biology but also act as a career guide for early-career ecologists emphasizing the importance of collaboration in the advancement of science.

This book gathers together a wide range of contributions addressing diverse aspects of front-line human involvement in biodiversity exploitation and conservation. As such they collectively provide a snap-shot of on-going action and state-of-the-art research, rather than a series of necessarily more superficial overviews. As such it is envisaged that it will be of particular interest to courses including biodiversity and/or conservation issues, and to advanced students and researchers working in related fields. The scope of these embraces cases involving birds, crop plants, invertebrates, land use changes, livestock, mammals, marine organisms, and medicinal plants and issues related to the importance of gardens, hedges and green lanes, housing developments, hunting, invasive species, local community involvement, sacred groves, socio-economic factors, and trade.

Despite the billions of dollars we've poured into foreign wars, homeland security, and disaster response, we are fundamentally no better prepared for the next terrorist attack or unprecedented flood than we were in 2001. Our response to catastrophe remains unchanged: add another step to airport security, another meter to the levee wall. This approach has proved totally ineffective: reacting to past threats and trying to predict future risks will only waste resources in our increasingly unpredictable world. In Learning from the Octopus , ecologist and security expert Rafe Sagarin rethinks the seemingly intractable problem of security by drawing inspiration from a surprising source: nature. Biological organisms have been living- and thriving- on a risk-filled planet for billions of years. Remarkably, they have done it without planning, predicting, or trying to perfect their responses to complex threats. Rather, they simply adapt to solve the challenges they continually face. Military leaders, public health officials, and business professionals would all like to be more adaptable, but few have figured out how. Sagarinargues that we can learn from observing how nature is organized, how organisms learn, how they create partnerships, and how life continually diversifies on this unpredictable planet. As soon as we dip our toes into a cold Pacific tidepool and watch what we thought was a rock turn into an octopus, jetting away in a cloud of ink, we can begin to see the how human adaptability can mimic natural adaptation. The same mechanisms that enabled the octopus's escape also allow our immune system to ward off new infectious diseases, helped soldiers in Iraq to recognize the threat of IEDs, and aided Google in developing faster ways to detect flu outbreaks. While we will never be able to predict the next earthquake, terrorist attack, or market fluctuation, nature can guide us in developing security systems that are not purely reactive but proactive, holistic, and adaptable. From the tidepools of Monterey to the mountains of Kazakhstan, Sagarin takes us on an eye-opening tour of the security challenges we face, and shows us how we might learn to respond more effectively to the unknown threats lurking in our future.

Agrarian Landscapes in Transition researches human interaction with the earth. With hundreds of acres of agricultural land going out of production every day, the introduction, spread, and abandonment of agriculture represents the most pervasive alteration of the Earth's environment for several thousand years. What happens when humans impose their spatial and temporal signatures on ecological regimes, and how does this manipulation affect the earth and nature's desire for equilibrium?
Studies were conducted at six Long Term Ecological Research sites within the US, including New England, the Appalachian Mountains, Colorado, Michigan, Kansas, and Arizona. While each site has its own unique agricultural history, patterns emerge that help make sense of how our actions have affected the earth, and how the earth pushes back. The book addresses how human activities influence the spatial and temporal structures of agrarian landscapes, and how this varies over time and across biogeographic regions. It also looks at the ecological and environmental consequences of the resulting structural changes, the human responses to these changes, and how these responses drive further changes in agrarian landscapes.
The time frames studied include the ecology of the earth before human interaction, pre-European human interaction during the rise and fall of agricultural land use, and finally the biological and cultural response to the abandonment of farming, due to complete abandonment or a land-use change such as urbanization.

This book provides insights into recent developments in the use of mulching in agroecosystems with emphasis on the major pros and cons. Increase in human population, climatic changes and agricultural intensification have put enormous pressure on soil and water resources. As a result, we are confronted with challenges to enhance nutrient and water use efficiencies and conserve soil organic matter without compromising crop yields and food security. Increasing the soil organic matter (SOM) via residue return increased nutrient availability and soil physical and biological properties. Management practices, such as straw mulching or incorporation, have significant effects on soil health. Straw addition also increases functionality related to carbon and N metabolism via increasing the microbes and thus greatly contributes to CO2 and N2O emissions. However, the co-use of organic and inorganic fertilizer reduces the N2O emission without compromising crop yield. Mulching has long been advocated to conserve soil moisture and increase the efficiency of macro- and micro-nutrients by improving soil physical, chemical, and biological properties. These effects of mulch are translated into better crop yields while improving soil health and quality in the long run. Therefore, the use of mulching techniques is on the rise in organic as well as conventional agriculture. The book is of great interest for researchers, academics, agriculture extensionists, soil and plant scientist, fertilizer industry, farmers, agro-industrial workers, farm managers, NGOs, and climate and civil society activists.

Dealing with stormwater runoff in urban areas is a problem that is getting bigger and more expensive. As we cover porous surfaces with impervious structures-commercial buildings, parking lots, roads, and houses-finding places for rainwater and snowmelt to soak in becomes harder. Many landscapers, architects, planners, and others have proposed that the use of "green" localized management practices, such as rain gardens and bio-swales, may function as well as traditional "gray" pipes and basins at reducing the effects of stormwater runoff, and do so in a way that is more attractive in the landscape-and possibly also less expensive. To make stormwater management practices work, however, communities need to know the real costs and policy makers need to give people incentives to adopt the best practices. Economic Incentives for Stormwater Control addresses the true costs and benefits of stormwater management practices (SMPs) and examines the incentives that can be used to encourage their adoption. Highlighting the economic aspects, this practical book offers case studies of the application of various stormwater runoff control policies. It also presents the theory behind the different mechanisms used and illustrates successes and potential obstacles to implementation. The book covers: Efficient use of "green" SMPs Low-impact development (LID) style new construction Green infrastructure Property prices and incentive mechanisms to encourage homeowners to retain stormwater on their property Legal, economic, and hydrological issues associated with various incentive mechanisms In-lieu fees and cap-and-trade incentives Primarily concerned with the sociodemographic and economic aspects of people's participation in stormwater runoff control, this accessi

This book provides a concise synthesis of how toxic chemical pollutants affect physiological processes in teleost fish. This Second Edition of the well-received Water Pollution and Fish Physiology has been completely updated, and chapters have been added on immunology and acid toxicity. The emphasis, as in the first edition, is on understanding mechanisms of sublethal effects on fish and their responses to these environmental stressors. The first chapter covers the basic principles involved in understanding how fish respond, in general, to environmental alterations. Each subsequent chapter is devoted to a particular organ system or physiological function and begins with a short overview of normal physiology of that system/function. This is followed by a review of how various toxic chemicals may alter normal conditions in fish. Chapters covering environmental hypoxia, behavior, cellular enzymes, and acid toxicity are also included. The book closes with a discussion on the practical application of physiological and biochemical measurements of fish in water pollution control in research and regulatory settings.

This book focuses on a representative example and one of the world's largest steppe conversions, and provides a detailed overview of the results of the BMBF-funded research project KULUNDA. As part of the Siberian virgin land policy, the Kulunda steppe was transformed into agricultural land from 1954 to 1965. In the course of the project, a multidisciplinary research team conducted a natural, social-economic and agro-scientific cause-and-effect analysis of (agro-)ecosystem destabilisation, as well as various field trials covering tillage and crop rotation options in their socio-economic context. The ecologically and economically sound findings offer strategies for combining climate smart land utilization, ecosystem restoration and sustainable regional development, and can readily be applied to other virgin land conversion efforts. In addition, the findings on the Eurasian steppes will expand the current conversion literature, which mainly consists of the 'Dust Bowl' literature of the North American plains. Given its scope, the book will appeal to scientists, professionals, and students in the environmental, geo- and climate sciences.

Richard D. Alexander is an accomplished entomologist who turned his attention to solving some of the most perplexing problems associated with the evolution of human social systems. Using impeccable Darwinian logic and elaborating, extending and adding to the classic theoretical contributions of pioneers of behavioral and evolutionary ecology like George Williams, William Hamilton and Robert Trivers, Alexander developed the most detailed and comprehensive vision of human social evolution of his era. His ideas and hypotheses have inspired countless biologists, anthropologists, psychologists and other social scientists to explore the evolution of human social behavior in ever greater detail, and many of his seminal ideas have stood the test of time and come to be pillars of our understanding of human social evolution. This volume presents classic papers or chapters by Dr. Alexander, each focused on an important theme from his work. Introductions by Dr. Alexander's former students and colleagues highlight the importance of his work to the field, describe more recent work on the topic, and discuss current issues of contention and interest.

"Soil Carbon in Sensitive European Ecosystems - From Science to Land Management" is a comprehensive overview of the latest research in this field drawn together by a network of scientists from across Europe. Soil carbon assessments are crucial at present to our understanding of the dynamics of terrestrial ecosystems and our ability to assess implications for the global carbon exchange and its consequences on the future climate. This book focuses primarily on ecosystems and their soil carbon stocks. The book identifies three key sensitive ecosystems within Europe: Mediterranean Forest and Agricultural Systems; Mountains; and Peatland.Contributors include those currently working for the European research programme, COST Action 639 BurnOut (www.cost639.net; 2006-2010).

COST Action 639 emerged from a demand from policy makers in Europe for more detailed information on soil carbon dynamics. The cooperation between experts for reporting and experts for soil dynamics is the focus of the book. This book seeks to provide an up-to-date account on the state-of-the-art research within this topical field.

This book is Volume 2 which is published to complement "Environmental Processes and Management: Tools and Practices" (https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-030-38152-3), 2020 This book provides an in-depth, well-researched and science-based approach to applying key project management and spatial tools and practices in environmental projects. This book is an important read for leaders considering projects that balance social-economic growth against minimizing its ill effects on Planet Earth. This book brings together several aspects of groundwater engineering, as well as the formula and analytical approaches required for more informed decision-making. It also highlights the vital importance of understanding the technological, economic and social dimensions of environmental studies explained through dynamic approaches and illustrative figures that have short-term results and long-term impacts. This book emphasizes on encouraging the modern and vibrant research works conducted by young researchers across the world. This book clearly details the general application of fundamental groundwater processes, the character of the different types of systems in which they occur and the way in which these factors influence process dynamics, environmental systems and their possible remedies. The book sets a possible recommendation for the professionalism with which environmental research should be planned, executed, monitored, assessed and delivered. While primarily intended for professionals responsible for the management of groundwater projects or interested in improving the overall efficiency of such projects, it is also useful for managers in the private, public and not-for-profit sectors. The book is a valuable resource for students at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. In addition, this book serves as an indispensable guide for anyone willing to develop their skills in modern groundwater / environmental management and related techniques

Despite our growing awareness of the vital role they play in the global environment, wetlands remain among the most endangered ecosystems on Earth and are still being destroyed and degraded at an alarming rate. This much-needed publication, which includes contributions from leading researchers and practitioners, presents a holistic perspective on the restoration of wetland ecosystems such as shallow lakes, streams, floodplains and bogs. Through the use of carefully chosen case studies, the authors examine European wetland restoration projects from Scandinavia to Bulgaria and from Ireland to Belarus, focusing on the lessons they can teach to a new generation of conservationists. As well as reviewing the sum of current knowledge on the subject, the text is a store of practical know-how, covering a wide range of conservation approaches and techniques. It analyzes the major problems in the field and identifies key principles for achieving sustainability in wetland restoration. The topics covered include: * the role of wetlands in landscape functioning * human interference with natural processes such as water and matter cycles and energy dissipation * the impact of land use on global problems such as climate change, floods and droughts * the role played by diversity in wetland functioning The work shows that without sustainable land use over the totality of their catchment areas, and without cohesive inter-agency cooperation, individual restoration projects will have a short life span. The balance between scientific background and practical restoration makes this book a valuable resource for scientists as well as wetland managers, decision makers and land use planners, as well as students of ecology, nature conservation and environmental protection.

Based on the work and contributions of 46 scientists, managers, and policymakers, Ecological Assessment of Selenium in the Aquatic Environment documents the state of the science and explores how to use this information when assessing and managing the environmental effects of Se. A focused discussion on the fate and effects of Se in aquatic ecosystems, the book reviews: Past and current problems related to Se in aquatic environments, together with lessons learned, and provides a generalized conceptual model Environmental partitioning, in particular Se speciation leading to its entry into the food chain, and provides conceptual models specific to environmental partitioning. Se bioaccumulation and trophic transfer from the physical environment (i.e., water-column particulates), and from primary producers to herbivores to carnivores, including the influence of modifying ecological factors Toxic effects from Se, in particular body burdens and their relationship to toxicity Filled with practical guidance and concise information on how to conduct selenium risk assessments in the aquatic environment, the book contains the latest information on assessment techniques, elucidates the current state of contamination in industrialized countries, and raises awareness for developing nations. Written by leading experts, it describes best practices for designing experiments to collect information on aquatic effects and trophic transfer of selenium for risk assessments, presents numerous case studies both domestic and international, and gives insight as to how current and future ecosystems may or may not be affected.

Ecosystem Responses to Mercury Contamination: Indicators of Change contains the information needed to design a large-scale monitoring program for mercury and to use the concentration data to create, enforce, and evaluate the progress of initiatives aimed at reducing mercury emissions.

Current procedures used for hazard identification and classification are based on persistence, bioaccumulation, and toxicity measurements. Assessing the Hazard of Metals and Inorganic Metal Substances in Aquatic and Terrestrial Systems provides the basis for improvements to the current model for hazard assessment. The book reviews the scientific underpinnings of the use of persistence as applied to metals, including bioavailability, and the use of bioaccumulation to evaluate aquatic species and aquatic-linked food chains. It also examines toxicity procedures as used within PBT approaches and measurements for metals in terrestrial ecosystems. The book brings together a multidisciplinary and international group of scientists, managers, and policy makers from Australia, Belgium, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and the United States to discuss various means for assessing the environmental hazard posed by metals and inorganic metal substances. The contributors include representatives from regulatory and nonregulatory government agencies, academia, industry, environmental groups, and consulting firms involved in assessment, management, and basic research of metals and metal substances. They provide a focused discussion of the fate and effects of metals in the environment, incorporating important advances developed over the past decade.

The author proposed the satoumi concept, analogous to the satoyama concept on land, as coastal sea with high biodiversity and productivity in harmony with human interaction in 1998. The concept for environmental conservation in the coastal seas has been widely accepted and was included in the Japanese national policy of Strategy for Establishment of an Environmental Nation in 2007. This book is a translation of the author s Japanese book (2010) in response to concerns and questions about satoumi, including: Does biodiversity increase as a result of human interaction in coastal seas? Do the economics of fishing villages need to be considered in detail? What legal support is necessary for the creation of satoumi? Is there a relation between the concepts of God and Nature in satoumi? What is the relationship between fishermen and city dwellers? Chapter 1 presents the basic concept of satoumi. In Chapter 2 the relation between biodiversity and human interaction, economic problems related to satoumi, legal support for satoumi creation, satoumi" "from the point of view of landscape ecology, and the relation between society and science with regard to the satoumi movement are discussed. In Chapter 3 examples of satoumi creation in Japan are presented, andin Chapter 4 the overseas dissemination of the satoumi concept is introduced, with Chapter 5 providing the conclusion. Chapter 1 presents the basic concept of satoumi. In Chapter 2 the relation between biodiversity and human interaction, economic problems related to satoumi, legal support for satoumi creation, satoumi" "from the point of view of landscape ecology, and the relation between society and science with regard to the satoumi movement are discussed. In Chapter 3 examples of satoumi creation in Japan are presented, andin Chapter 4 the overseas dissemination of the satoumi concept is introduced, with Chapter 5 providing the conclusion. "