The impact of invasive species is second only to that of human population growth and associated activities as a cause of the loss of biodiversity throughout the world. In the United States, invasions of nonnative plants, animals, or microbes cause major environmental damage. The second edition of Biological Invasions: Economic and Environmental Costs of Alien Plant, Animal, and Microbe Species represents the most current, single-source reference containing scientific and economic information on this timely subject.

This volume reconfirms the diverse and unpredictable roles that non-native species assume as they invade new ecosystems: destruction of vital crops and forests, major damages to ecosystems leading to loss of biodiversity, soil erosion, and water loss. The text provides information on how the non-native species invade new ecosystems, their subsequent environmental effects, and estimates on economic impacts. Biological Invasions supplies scientists, policymakers, and the public with a better understanding of the invading species and how to prevent their spread and improve control procedures.

Hedges and field margins are important wildlife habitats and deliver a range of ecosystem services, and their value is increasingly recognised by ecologists. This book reviews and assesses the current state of research on hedgerows and associated field margins. With the intensification of agriculture in the second half of the last century, field sizes were increased by amalgamation and the rooting out of hedges, synthetic pesticide and inorganic fertiliser use increased, and traditional methods of hedge management were largely abandoned. The book is split into two main sections. The first deals with definitions, current and historic management, the impact of pesticides, the decline in hedge stock and condition, and new approaches to hedge evaluation using remote sensing techniques. The second section explores the pollination and biological pest control benefits provided by hedges and field margins and examines the ecology of some of the major groups that are found in hedgerows and field margins: butterflies and moths, carabid beetles, mammals, and birds. A case study on birds and invertebrates from a research farm managed as a commercial enterprise, but which attempts to farm with wildlife in mind, brings these themes together. A final chapter introduces the neglected area of hedges in the urban environment. The book will be of great interest to advanced students, researchers and professionals in ecology, agriculture, wildlife conservation, natural history, landscape, environmental and land management.

Fascinating and diverse, savanna ecosystems support a combination of pastoral and agropastoral communities alongside wild and domestic herbivores that can be found nowhere else. This diversity has made the study of these areas problematic. Ecosystem Function in Savannas: Measurement and Modeling at Landscape to Global Scales addresses some of the discontinuities in the treatment of savannas by the scientific community and documents a range of measurements, methods, technologies, applications, and modeling approaches. Based on contributions from leading authorities and experts on savanna systems worldwide, the book describes the global savanna biome in terms of its broad ecological properties, temporal dynamics, disturbance levels, and human dimensions. The text examines carbon, water, energy, and trace gas fluxes for major global savanna regions. It looks at quantitative surface properties of savannas that can be retrieved using remote sensing and numerical approaches used to explore savanna dynamics. The authors also discuss how savanna modeling and measurement approaches might be unified. By presenting this confluence of information in a single resource, the book provides a platform for examining synergies, connections, integrative opportunities, and complementarities among approaches and data sources. This information can then be used to harmonize measurement and modeling methods among scales and across disciplinary boundaries. The book builds a bridge across the markedly different perspectives on savannas by which ecologists, biogeochemists, remote sensors, geographers, anthropologists, and modelers approach their science.

Authored by world-class scientists and scholars, The Handbook of Natural Resources, Second Edition, is an excellent reference for understanding the consequences of changing natural resources to the degradation of ecological integrity and the sustainability of life. Based on the content of the bestselling and CHOICE-awarded Encyclopedia of Natural Resources, this new edition demonstrates the major challenges that the society is facing for the sustainability of all well-being on the planet Earth. The experience, evidence, methods, and models used in studying natural resources are presented in six stand-alone volumes, arranged along the main systems of land, water, and air. It reviews state-of-the-art knowledge, highlights advances made in different areas, and provides guidance for the appropriate use of remote sensing and geospatial data with field-based measurements in the study of natural resources. Volume 3, Wetlands and Habitats, provides fundamental information on wetlands and their integral functions as a productive ecosystem. The topics it covers include wetlands biodiversity, wetlands classification and monitoring, floods, river ecosystems, pollution, and more. New to this edition are discussions on wetland vegetation, assessment of current wetland health status, restoration, sea-level rises and coastal storm, vulnerability to human impacts, and lakes and wetlands remote sensing. This volume demonstrates the key processes, methods, and models used through many case studies from around the world. Written in an easy-to-reference manner, The Handbook of Natural Resources, Second Edition, as individual volumes or as a complete set, is an essential reading for anyone looking for a deeper understanding of the science and management of natural resources. Public and private libraries, educational and research institutions, scientists, scholars, and resource managers will benefit enormously from this set. Individual volumes and chapters can also be used in a wide variety of both graduate and undergraduate courses in environmental science and natural science at different levels and disciplines, such as biology, geography, earth system science, and ecology.

The #1 selling wildlife management book for 40 years, now updated for the next generation of professionals and students. Since its original publication in 1960, The Wildlife Techniques Manual has remained the cornerstone text for the professional wildlife biologist. Now fully revised and updated, this eighth edition promises to be the most comprehensive resource on wildlife biology, conservation, and management for years to come. Superbly edited by Nova J. Silvy and published in association with The Wildlife Society, the 50 authoritative chapters included in this work provide a full synthesis of methods used in the field and laboratory. Chapter authors, all leading wildlife professionals, explain and critique traditional and new methodologies and offer thorough discussions of a wide range of relevant topics. To effectively incorporate the explosion of new information in the wildlife profession, this latest edition is logically organized into a 2-volume set: Volume 1 is devoted to research techniques and Volume 2 focuses on pragmatic management methodologies. Volume 1 describes research design and proper analytic methods prior to conducting research, as well as methods and considerations for capturing and handling wild animals and information on identification and marking of captured animals. It also includes new chapters on nutritional research and field sign identification, and on emerging topics, including structured decision-making. Finally, Volume 1 addresses measurements of wildlife abundance and habitat and research on individual animals. Volume 2 begins with a section on the relationship between research and management including public outreach, described in a context that encourages engagement prior to initiation of management. An adaptive management approach is described as a cornerstone of natural resource management, followed by a section on managing landscapes and wildlife populations. The volume also includes new chapters on ethics in wildlife science and conservation, conflict resolution and management, and land reclamation. A standard text in a variety of courses, the Techniques Manual, as it is commonly called, covers every aspect of modern wildlife management and provides practical information for applying the hundreds of methods described in its pages. This deft and thorough update ensures that The Wildlife Techniques Manual will remain an indispensable resource, one that professionals and students in wildlife biology, conservation, and management simply cannot do without.

This open access book is a consolidation of lessons learnt and experiences gathered from our efforts to utilise Earth observation (EO) science and applications to address environmental challenges in the Hindu Kush Himalayan region. It includes a complete package of knowledge on service life cycles including multi-disciplinary topics and practically tested applications for the HKH. It comprises 19 chapters drawing from a decade's worth of experience gleaned over the course of our implementation of SERVIR-HKH - a joint initiative of NASA, USAID, and ICIMOD - to build capacity on using EO and geospatial technology for effective decision making in the region. The book highlights SERVIR's approaches to the design and delivery of information services - in agriculture and food security; land cover and land use change, and ecosystems; water resources and hydro-climatic disasters; and weather and climate services. It also touches upon multidisciplinary topics such as service planning; gender integration; user engagement; capacity building; communication; and monitoring, evaluation, and learning. We hope that this book will be a good reference document for professionals and practitioners working in remote sensing, geographic information systems, regional and spatial sciences, climate change, ecosystems, and environmental analysis. Furthermore, we are hopeful that policymakers, academics, and other informed audiences working in sustainable development and evaluation - beyond the wider SERVIR network and well as within it - will greatly benefit from what we share here on our applications, case studies, and documentation across cross-cutting topics.

Ever since the concept of the "struggle for life" became the heart of Darwin's theory of evolution, biologists have studied the relevance of interactions for the natural history and evolution of organisms. Although positive interactions among plants have traditionally received little attention, there is now a growing body of evidence showing the effects of positive interactions between higher plant species. Written by international experts, Positive Plant Interactions and Community Dynamics reviews these developments with particular emphasis on positive interactions and spatial and temporal gradients.

The text addresses key issues in plant ecology and anthropogenic impacts through reviews, syntheses, and the proposition of new concepts. The book begins with coverage of the different approaches used over time and the tools currently available for analyzing the direction, intensity, and importance of plant interactions, and to quantify them accurately. It explains, at least in part, the success of invasive plant species. The book also shows the existence of evolutionary relationships among plants, a decidedly non-individualistic process, which plays an important role in the organization of communities. The book's focus then shifts to the scale at which facilitation works, assessing its effects from the individual plant to the landscape level, and the impacts of climate change on plant-plant interactions using case studies to illustrate underlying fundamental points relevant to all plant communities. After analyzing the role of positive and negative interactions and their relationship with biodiversity and ecosystem functioning, the text reviews the role of mychorrizal symbiosis in plant-plant interactions, focusing on the effect of mychorhizal-mediated facilitation on the structure and dynamics of plant communities.

A good understanding of natural processes is necessary to manage natural habitats properly, prevent environmental risks, and secure continued ecosystem services. Clearly and concisely written, this book challenges the paradigm that interactions should be considered independently, with little regard to context. Addressing the complex processes at the foundation of ecosystem diversity, the book promotes more rigorous experimental design and opportunities for further research developments in this field.

Rangeland ecosystems which include unimproved grasslands, shrublands, savannas and semi-deserts, support half of the world's livestock, while also providing habitats for some of the most charismatic of wildlife species. This book examines the pressures on rangeland ecosystems worldwide from human land use, over-hunting, and subsistence and commercial farming of livestock and crops. Leading experts have pooled their experiences from all continents to cover the ecological, sociological, political, veterinary, and economic aspects of rangeland management today. This book provides practitioners and students of rangeland management and wildland conservation with a diversity of perspectives on a central question: can rangelands be wildlands? * The first book to examine rangelands from a conservation perspective* Emphasizes the balance between the needs of people and livestock, and wildlife* Written by an international team of experts covering all geographical regions* Examines ecological, sociological, political, veterinary, and economic aspects of rangeland management and wildland conservation, providing a diversity of perspectives not seen before in a single volume

The book brings together research topics having a broad focus on human and climate change impacts on the terrestrial ecosystems in the tropics in general and more specifically from the most significant and vulnerable Himalayan ecosystem. A total of 16 contributions included in the book cover a diverse range of global change themes such as the impacts of changing temperature and precipitation on soil ecosystems, forest degradation, extent and impacts of invasive species, plant responses to pollution, climate change impacts on biodiversity and tree phenology, environmental changes associated with land use, importance of traditional knowledge in climate change adaptation, timberline ecosystems, and role of integrated landscape modeling for sustainable management of natural resources. The book is a collective endeavour of an international multidisciplinary group of scientists focused on improving our understanding of the impacts of global change on the structure and functioning of tropical ecosystems and addressing the challenges of their future sustainable management. We hope that the book will help researchers working in the areas of ecology and environmental science to update their knowledge. We also expect that natural resource managers and policy planners will find explanations for some of their observations and hypotheses on multiple global change factors impacting tropical ecosystems and especially Himalayan ecosystems.

This handbook provides a holistic overview of different aspects of energy management in agriculture with an orientation to address the sustainable development goals. It covers possible applications not only from a technical point of view, but also from economic, financial, social, regulatory, and political viewpoints. Agriculture is one of the most imperative sectors that contribute to the economy across different agro-ecologies of the universe with energy inputs in each stage of production, from making and applying chemicals to fueling tractors that lay seeds and harvest crops to electricity for animal housing facilities. The majority of agricultural research has focused on the use of input, production, and productivity, whereas rational energy budgeting and use remain an overlooked and likely underestimated segment, ignored so far while formulating agro-ecosystem framework. Energy management study is a new frontier of agriculture and is challenging du to complex enterprises, spatial-temporal variability, exposure to pollution, and the predominant effect of the anthropogenic factor on ecology and environment. But it is worth taking the challenge considering the important prerequisite role of energy for sustainable development which has been evidenced from increasing research in recent times. Of recent origin, there are critical, in-depth studies around the globe assessing the capture and flow of energy in the ecosystem, which will help to develop a conceptual framework to incorporate this vital resource in the agriculture management template. This book is a state-of-the-art resource for a broad group of readers including a diversity of stakeholders and professionals in universities, public energy institutions, farmers and farming industry, public health and other relevant institutions, and the broader public as well.

The contemporary crisis of emerging disease has been a century and a half in the making. Human, veterinary, and crop health practitioners convinced themselves that disease could be controlled by medicating the sick, vaccinating those at risk, and eradicating the parts of the biosphere responsible for disease transmission. Evolutionary biologists assured themselves that coevolution between pathogens and hosts provided a firewall against disease emergence in new hosts. Most climate scientists made no connection between climate changes and disease. None of these traditional perspectives anticipated the onslaught of emerging infectious diseases confronting humanity today. As this book reveals, a new understanding of the evolution of pathogen-host systems, called the Stockholm Paradigm, explains what is happening. The planet is a minefield of pathogens with preexisting capacities to infect susceptible but unexposed hosts, needing only the opportunity for contact. Climate change has always been the major catalyst for such new opportunities, because it disrupts local ecosystem structure and allows pathogens and hosts to move. Once pathogens expand to new hosts, novel variants may emerge, each with new infection capacities. Mathematical models and real-world examples uniformly support these ideas. Emerging disease is thus one of the greatest climate change-related threats confronting humanity. While time is short, the danger is great, and we are largely unprepared, The Stockholm Paradigm offers hope for managing the crisis. By using the DAMA (document, assess, monitor, act) protocol, we can "anticipate to mitigate" emerging disease, buying time and saving money while we search for more effective ways to cope with this challenge.

The definitive textbook for students of wildlife management, now updated to cover the latest techniques, tools, and topics. Wildlife Management and Conservation presents a clear overview of the management and conservation of animals, their habitats, and how people influence both. The relationship among these three components of wildlife management is explained in chapters written by leading experts and is designed to prepare students for careers in which they will be charged with maintaining healthy animal populations. To be successful wildlife professionals, they will need to find ways to restore depleted populations, reduce overabundant, introduced, or pest species, and manage relationships among various human stakeholders. This book gives them the basic knowledge necessary to accomplish these goals. This second edition, which is updated throughout, features several new and expanded topics, including communication in the wildlife profession, fire science, Indigenous models of management and conservation, plant-animal interactions, quantitative analysis of wildlife populations, and a detailed glossary. The book also covers: * Human dimensions of wildlife management * Animal behavior * Predator-prey relationships * Structured decision making * Issues of scale in wildlife management * Wildlife health * Historical context of wildlife management and conservation * Hunting and trapping * Nongame species * Nutrition ecology * Water management * Climate change * Conservation planning The most widely used foundational text in the field, this is the perfect resource not only for students but also for early career professionals and those in related fields who need to understand the core tenets and tools of wildlife conservation and management. Contributors: C. Jane Anderson, Bart M. Ballard, Warren B. Ballard, John A. Bissonette, Clint Boal, Scott B. Boyle, Leonard A. Brennan, Robert D. Brown, James W. Cain III, Tyler A. Campbell, Michael J. Cherry, Michael R. Conover, Daniel J. Decker, Randall W. DeYoung, Jonathan B. Dinkins, W. Sue Fairbanks, Selma N. Glasscock, James B. Grand, Michael J. Haney, James R. Heffelfinger, Scott E. Henke, Fidel Hernandez, Davie G. Hewitt, C. L. Hoving, David A. Jessup, Heather E. Johnson, Winifred B. Kessler, John L. Koprowski, Paul R. Krausman, William P. Kuvlesky, Jr., Roel R. Lopez, R. W. Mannan, Melissa J. Merrick, L. Scott Mills, Michael S. Mitchell, Michael L. Morrison, Anna M. Munoz, John F. Organ, Katherine L. Parker, William F. Porter, Shawn J. Riley, Steven S. Rosenstock, Michael C. Runge, Susan P. Rupp, William F. Siemer, Robert J. Steidl, Kelley M. Stewart

Behavioral Ecology of Tropical Birds, Second Edition provides the most updated and comprehensive review on the evolution of behavior in tropical landbirds. The book reviews gaps in our knowledge that were identified twenty years ago when the first edition was published, highlights recent discoveries that have filled those gaps, and identifies new areas in urgent need of study. It covers key topics, including timing of breeding, movement ecology, life history traits, slow vs. fast pace of life, mating systems, mate choice, territoriality, communication, biotic interactions, and conservation. Written by international experts on the behavior of tropical birds, the book explores why the tropics is a unique natural laboratory to study the evolution of bird behavior and why temperate zone species are so different. A recent surge of studies on tropical birds has helped to reduce the temperate zone bias that arose because most avian model species in behavioral ecology were adapted to northern temperate climates. This is an important resource for researchers, ecologists and conservationists who want to understand the rich and complex evolutionary history of avian behavior.

"We do not own these woods. They own us" - Timothy Goodwin "(This book) is arresting, like the wee lesson at the end of an Aesop's fable. All who spend time in the woods ... will deeply appreciate this book." –Minneapolis Star Tribune Goodwin's book is an intimate journey into the Northwoods. As a biologist, musician and artist, he explores the diversity of life, from flora to fauna, who live in the forest near his cabin in the woods. This book is truly like taking a walk in nature with a good friend who has a scientific eye and the soul of an artist. Includes 60 original illustrations by the author.

Under threat from natural and human disturbance, tropical dry forests are the most endangered ecosystem in the tropics, yet they rarely receive the scientific or conservation attention they deserve. In a comprehensive overview, Tropical Dry Forests in the Americas: Ecology, Conservation, and Management examines new approaches for data sampling and analysis using remote sensing technology, discusses new ecological and econometric methods, and critically evaluates the socio-economic pressures that these forest are facing at the continental and national levels. The book includes studies from Mexico, Costa Rica, Colombia, Venezuela, and Brazil that provide in-depth knowledge about the function, status, and conservation efforts of these endangered forests. It presents key elements of synthesis from standardized work conducted across all sites. This unique contribution provides new light in terms of these forests compared to each other not only from an ecological perspective but also in terms of the pressures that they are facing, and their respective responses. Written by experts from a diversity of fields, this reference brings together the many facets of function, use, heritage, and future potential of these forests. It presents an important and exciting synthesis of many years of work across countries, disciplines, and cultures. By standardizing approaches for data sampling and analysis, the book gives readers comparison information that cannot be found anywhere else given the high level of disparity that exists in the current literature.

Agroecology theory is not endless. A point is reached where the central elements become visible, equations distill, and a conceptual apex is reached. This is agroecology condensed into core concepts and theorems describing how crops relate to each other, the land, and their surroundings. This book covers advanced agroecology, including agroecological theory as well as applications of biodiversity that underwrite agroecology. Since much of agroecology theory is new, the resulting algorithms are equally novel, though presented so as to be useful and appreciated by less mathematically inclined professionals.

A historian offers a unique look at the pandemic, climate change, and the human versus nonhuman.   Climate change represents a deep conundrum for humans. It is difficult for humans to give up the unequal and yet accelerating pursuit of a good life based on an insatiable appetite for energy sourced mainly from fossil fuel. But the same pursuit, scientists insist, damages the geobiological system that supports the existence of interrelated forms of life, including ours, on this planet. The planet, seen thus, is one. The global sway of financial and extractive capital connects humans technologically, but they remain divided along multiple axes of inequality. Their worlds are many and their politics still global rather than planetary. In the narrative presented here, Chakrabarty continues to explore the temporal and intellectual fault lines that mark the collapse of the global and the planetary in human history.  

This book integrates a variety of issues such as regional settings of productivity and nutrient cycling; plankton of coastal and shelf systems; plankton, climate change and human-induced changes; harmful algae and their impacts; and gelatinous zooplankton. This book explores the intriguing marine plankton communities of the SWA region of South America encompassing low to high latitude environments, framed by a complex hydrographic background and global climate change. This vast and iconic region has been largely under-recognized and under-studied. However, in recent years a strong interest has emerged along with the acknowledgment of its high biological productivity. The book concludes by discussing conservation in the region, highlighting regional biodiversity hotspots where the challenges of climate change, habitat loss, and other threats to biodiversity may be particularly acute. Plankton Ecology of the Southwestern Atlantic is a timely synthesis of the field, setting a new baseline for future research. It will be important reading for both researchers and graduate students, and will also be of interest and use to a professional audience of oceanographers, conservation biologists, stake holders and educated science enthusiasts

All the information researchers, students, and practitioners need to conducted innovative, state-of-the-art research on small mammals. Rodents and insectivores constitute the vast majority of mammals on our planet, yet we often overlook the importance of this group. As seed dispersers, prey species, and disease regulators, these animals are critical to the functioning of our ecological systems. While considerable material exists that describes these species, there has been no dedicated guide explaining how to effectively research them-until now. Methods for Ecological Research on Terrestrial Small Mammals is a one-stop resource compiling all the information readers need to conduct state-of-the-art research on small terrestrial mammals across the globe. The authors cover the full spectrum of issues, from capture, handling, identification, reproduction, demography, and taxonomy to behavior, diet, evolution, diseases, movements, morphometrics, and more. They also: * highlight the latest techniques while carefully explaining the tried-and-tested methods needed to conduct rigorous scientific inquiries; * provide step-by-step examples and case studies, demonstrating how the methods discussed can be used in actual research projects; * compare and contrast methodologies, analytical techniques, and software packages, helping researchers determine which pathways and tools will yield the best results for their studies. A comprehensive and invaluable resource, Methods for Ecological Research on Terrestrial Small Mammals is a must-have for any ecologist working on small mammals.

Salt marshes are highly dynamic and important ecosystems that dampen impacts of coastal storms and are an integral part of tidal wetland systems, which sequester half of all global marine carbon. They are now being threatened due to sea-level rise, decreased sediment influx, and human encroachment. This book provides a comprehensive review of the latest salt marsh science, investigating their functions and how they are responding to stresses through formation of salt pannes and pools, headward erosion of tidal creeks, marsh-edge erosion, ice-fracturing, and ice-rafted sedimentation. Written by experts in marsh ecology, coastal geomorphology, wetland biology, estuarine hydrodynamics, and coastal sedimentation, it provides a multidisciplinary summary of recent advancements in our knowledge of salt marshes. The future of wetlands and potential deterioration of salt marshes is also considered, providing a go-to reference for graduate students and researchers studying these coastal systems, as well as marsh managers and restoration scientists.

Phytoplankton ecology has developed from an understanding of taxonomy, species dynamics and functional roles, and species interactions with the surrounding environment. New and emerging technologies enable a paradigm shift in the ways we monitor and understand phytoplankton in a range of environments. Advances in Phytoplankton Ecology: Applications of Emerging Technologies is a practical guide to these new technologies and explores their application with case studies to show how recent advances have changed our understanding of phytoplankton ecology. Part one of this book explores how traditional taxonomy and species identification has changed, moving from morphological to molecular techniques. Part two explores the new technologies for remote and automatic monitoring and sensor technology and applications for management. Part three explores the explosion of omics techniques and their application in species identification, functional populations, trait characterization, interspecific interactions, and interaction with their environment. This book is an invaluable guide for marine and freshwater ecology researchers to how new technologies can enhance our understanding of ecology.

We are facing a world food crisis of unparalleled proportions. Our reliance on unsustainable dietary choices and agricultural systems is causing problems both for human health and the health of our planet. Solutions from lab-grown food to vegan diets to strictly local food consumption are often discussed, but a central question remains: how did we get to this point? In Diet for a Large Planet, Chris Otter goes back to the late eighteenth century in Britain, where the diet heavy in meat, wheat, and sugar was developing. As Britain underwent steady growth, urbanization, industrialization, and economic expansion, the nation altered its food choices, shifting away from locally produced plant-based nutrition. This new diet, rich in animal proteins and refined carbohydrates, made people taller and stronger, but it led to new types of health problems. Its production also relied on far greater acreage than Britain itself, forcing the nation to become more dependent on global resources. Otter shows how this issue expands beyond Britain, looking at the global effects of large agro-food systems that require more resources than our planet can sustain. This comprehensive history helps us understand how the British played a significant role in making red meat, white bread, and sugar the diet of choice--linked to wealth, luxury, and power--and shows how dietary choices connect to the pressing issues of climate change and food supply.

The alarming rise in greenhouse gas and pollution level which has resulted in serious environmental and ecological harm is the biggest concern today. It has not only made the lives of mankind miserable but also threatens their very existence. Ecology and Environment has delved in depth on the subject and brings a broad perspective of the various issues. Following the curriculum of University Grants Commission, the book covers different types of ecosystem on the earth. It deals with the effective and sustainable use of natural resources which includes water, forest, mineral resources in the ground and productive land. The book explains the population trends in the world and India, and how it is impacting the environment. The role of public participation in promoting environmental sustainability is explored too. Please note: This volume is Co-published with The Energy and Resources Institute Press, New Delhi. Taylor & Francis does not sell or distribute the Hardback in India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka

Series Information:
Routledge Introductions to the Environment

CCTV for Wildlife Monitoring is a handbook on the use of CCTV in nature watching, conservation and ecological research. CCTV offers a unique ability to monitor wildlife in real time, stream video to the web, capture imagery of fast-moving species or cold animals such as wet otters or fish and maintain monitoring over long periods of time in a diverse array of habitats. Wildlife watchers can take advantage of a huge range of CCTV cameras, recording devices and accessories developed for use in non-wildlife applications. CCTV allows intimate study of animal behaviour not possible with other technologies. With expert experience in engineering, photography and wildlife, Susan Young describes CCTV equipment and techniques, giving readers the confidence to tackle what initially may seem technically challenging. The book enables the reader to navigate the technical aspects of recording: basic analogue, high definition HD-TVI and IP cameras, portable CCTV, digital video recorders (DVR) and video processing by focusing on practical applications. No prior knowledge of CCTV is required - step-by-step information is provided to get anyone started recording wildlife. In-depth methods for recording foxes, badger, deer, otters, small mammals and fish are also included, and the book makes comparisons with trail cameras where appropriate. Examples of recorded footage illustrate the book along with detailed diagrams on camera set-ups and links to accompanying videos on YouTube. Case-studies show real projects, both the equipment used and the results. This book will be of interest to amateur naturalists wishing to have a window into the private world of wildlife, ecological consultants monitoring protected species and research scientists studying animal behaviour.