This book brings together a selection of original studies submitted to Biodiversity and Conservation that address the conservation and biodiversity of vertebrates - particularly those in terrestrial habitats. Vertebrates are, along with plants, the best-known and most intensively studied components of biological diversity on Earth. While studies on vertebrates can be expected to provide models for other groups, they can also pose their own particular problems due to their relative mobility as in some migratory birds. In addition, many mammals & fish are also subject to extensive human exploitation for food or sport. The contributions in this volume are drawn from a wide range of countries - from Australasia, East Africa, Europe, and North, Central and South America. Collectively they provide a snap-shot of the types of studies and actions being taken in vertebrate conservation.

The main subject of this book is the interaction between diggings created by porcupines when consuming geophytes, and their influences on annual and perennial vegetation in a desert biome. The accumulation of run-off water in diggings and depressions made by animals increases the carrying capacity of these microhabitats in the desert biome. The accumulation of run-off water does not only benefit the natural vegetation; a system of human-made depressions can be evolved to increase the catchment of the run-off water that is typical to many desert habitats, and can lead to run-off agriculture in such areas. This book should be of interest to anyone working in the fields of development of deserts from the ecological point of view, water resources, soil protection and erosion, plant ecophysiology and settlement, and agronomy. It should be helpful to students, researchers, teachers, and anyone interested in any of these areas.

This book focuses on the latest cutting-edge research for achieving sustainable development goals during urbanisation in the Belt and Road Initiative Era. The book aims on tackling urban challenges on social and environmental issues. The book is a compilation of selected papers from the 2020 International Conference on Resource Sustainability - Sustainable Urbanisation in the BRI Era (icRS Urbanisation 2020). The contents make valuable contributions to academic researchers, practitioners in the industry and policymakers of respective authorities. Readers will also encounter new ideas for realising a better sustainable development for urbanisation.

This book deals with the modeling, analysis and simulation of problems arising in the life sciences, and especially in biological processes. The models and findings presented result from intensive discussions with microbiologists, doctors and medical staff, physicists, chemists and industrial engineers and are based on experimental data. They lead to a new class of degenerate density-dependent nonlinear reaction-diffusion convective equations that simultaneously comprise two kinds of degeneracy: porous-medium and fast-diffusion type degeneracy. To date, this class is still not clearly understood in the mathematical literature and thus especially interesting. The author both derives realistic life science models and their above-mentioned governing equations of the degenerate types and systematically studies these classes of equations. In each concrete case well-posedness, the dependence of solutions on boundary conditions reflecting some properties of the environment, and the large-time behavior of solutions are investigated and in some instances also studied numerically.

The Italian-annotated bibliography on tunas, tuna-like and billfish species is a sort of unicum, because for the very first time, it provides annotation in English for all papers published by Italian authors over the centuries in various languages. Taking into account that these species are an essential component of the Italian and Mediterranean culture, thousands of authors published a very high amount of papers since historical times, on various themes and subjects. These large fish species are nowadays not only essential elements of the marine trophic chain, but also important components of human seafood and the related fishery economy. This book makes all these papers internationally available for all scientists, helping them in their research activities and the annotations facilitate the searching work by species and keywords.

This book is about airborne particulate matter, sources, chemistry and health and contained a complete information about their emission source, transport, atmospheric chemistry, distribution at local, regional and global levels, and their level in indoor and outdoor settings. Primary and secondary particulate matters in the ambient atmosphere also describe in detail. Analytical techniques, statistical tools and mathematical models used in airborne particulate research is also described. This book also covers the important aspects of the particulate matter chemistry in atmosphere, and their adverse impact on plant and human health. A detailed insight about the harmful impact of airborne particulate matter (biogenic and anthropogenic both) on different human system is described in detail. The toxicological significance of particulate matter on human body was also mentioned. The mitigation, management and regulatory policies to control ambient particulate matter is also provided. This book is also written in simple language with helpful photographs, diagrams, tables and flowcharts which will make the reader comfortable in understanding the concepts a more relatively easier way. Overall, the present book is a valuable tool for students working in the fields of Atmospheric Science, Environmental Science, Biological Sciences, Epidemiology and Agriculture Science. This book also a unique resource for environmental consultants, researchers, policymakers and other professionals involved in air quality, plant and human health.

The Forest Primary Production Research Group was born in the Department of S- viculture, University of Helsinki in the early 1970s. Intensive ?eld measurements of photosynthesis and growth of forest vegetation and use of dynamic models in the interpretation of the results were characteristic of the research in the group. Electric instrumentation was based on analogue techniques and the analysis of the obtained measurements was based on self-written programs. Joint research projects with the Research Group of Environmental Physics at the Department of Physics, lead by Taisto Raunemaa (1939-2006) started in the late 1970s. The two research groups shared the same quantitative methodology, which made the co-operation fruitful. Since 1980 until the collapse of the Soviet Union the Academy of Finland and the Soviet Academy of Sciences had a co-operation program which included our team. The research groups in Tartu, Estonia, lead by Juhan Ross (1925-2002) and in Petrozawodsk, lead by Leo Kaipiainen (1932-2004) were involved on the Soviet side. We had annual ?eld measuring campaigns in Finland and in Soviet Union and research seminars. The main emphasis was on developing forest growth models. The research of Chernobyl fallout started a new era in the co-operation between forest ecologists and physicists in Helsinki. The importance of material ?uxes was realized and introduced explicitly in the theoretical thinking and measurements.

This book represents a multidisciplinary and international vision across different countries in Europe that are facing similar challenges about ageing and quality of life in present cities. It is divided in three main topics from the global context of health in cities and reduction of health inequities to the current research of different study cases, focusing on residential models and the relationship with the built environment. The third chapter illustrates best practices with some study cases from different cities in Europe. Friendlier environments for older people come together with the need of innovation, smart and updated technologies, healthier environments and mitigation of climate change. Health re-appears nowadays as one of the priorities for urban planning and design, not only for the communicable diseases and the effect of the pandemics, but also for the non-communicable diseases, that were also triggering the wellbeing and equity of our cities. Indeed, the Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted health inequities and vulnerabilities of those areas of the city that were already deprived and facing other health problems, such as obesity, diabetes, social isolation, respiratory problems or mental health issues, specifically applying for vulnerable groups. Older adults have been one of the most affected groups from the pandemic's threats and derived consequences. In this context, the care crisis arises intertwined with the design and planning of our cities, where there is an urgent need to regenerate our environments with a perspective of sustainability, inclusion, and health prevention and promotion. From the global urban challenges to the specific contextualisation of each city and study cases, each chapter offers an updated insight of the main questions that we should consider to address urban planning and design from the perspective of ageing and social inclusion in European cities.

This book answers the question "What is it that viruses do?" by presenting three aspects of viral ecology. The first aspect explains how viruses affect the population diversity and energetics of their host communities. Perhaps the most notable example of this concept is our understanding that primary production within ecosystems often depends upon those viruses which serve as controllers of nutrient recycling, connecting the aquatic and terrestrial realms in ways that can be assessed locally and globally. The second aspect describes genetic partnerships which exist between hosts and their viruses. These include processes termed endogeny and lysogeny by which the host carries at least a partial genomic copy of the virus. Fluidity of these collective genomes is expressed on an evolutionary time scale and the mutual life cycles which they produce represent a forging of shared genomic fate that obligates partnership of the virus and its host. The viral sequences represent a source of potential benefit as well as potential peril for the host and can implement phenotypic changes in the host. Hosts often use those changes as tools. As humans, the most notable example would be that mammals rely upon temporary activation of their endogenous viral genes in order to successfully develop a placenta. The third aspect is defending the health of a host, which relies upon activity in two directions. Hosts often use their captured viral genes to identify and subsequently direct battle against invading viruses. This natural concept has been engineered for combating cancer, is useful for suppressing the detrimental consequences of genetic diseases, and has been developed to create targeted antiviral vaccines. But, the defense has to work in two directions and the host can use other symbiotic microorganisms as protection against its viruses. This book will appeal to a wide readership by providing a broad perspective of viral ecology, and all scientists will find it helpful for gaining a view of fields beyond their specialization.

This contributed book is based on the current status of biodiversity in India, issues and challenges faced by the authorities involved in conservation efforts, and the imperative role of various direct and indirect stakeholders in biodiversity conservation. The book discusses the current status of different forms of biodiversity in India, challenges faced by stakeholders, issues and reasons for biodiversity losses, and efforts by government through various laws, policies, and programs in a concise and comprehensive manner throughout its many chapters. In this way, readers can access diverse information on Indian biodiversity through this book. It is compiled by leading experts in the field of conservation. In 18 chapters, it covers biodiversity of both fauna and flora, on land and in aquatic ecosystems, legal and policy aspects, as well as innovative conservation tool and techniques. It is useful for undergraduates and graduate students and also educates policy planners, bureaucrats, foresters, and researchers in India and abroad.

Humic Substances color all waters more or less brown. Their concentrations exceed all carbon of living organisms by at least one order of magnitude. Opposite to former paradigms, they participate in almost any metabolic pathway. They protect against UV-irradation, enable indirect photolysis and, thus, purify hazardous chemicals, they provide inorganic and organic nutrients, may form cryptic genes with DNA and dampen metabolic fluctuations. More recently they can increase adverse effects of hazardous chemicals and they can directly interfere with organisms. The book tries to relate effects to structural features.

This book brings together many of the world s leading experts in the fields of Antarctic terrestrial soil ecology, providing a comprehensive and completely up-to-date analysis of the status of Antarctic soil microbiology.

Antarctic terrestrial soils represent one of the most extreme environments on Earth.Once thought to be largely sterile, it is now known that these diverse and often specialized extreme habitats harbor a very wide range of different microorganisms.

Antarctic soil communities are relatively simple, but not unsophisticated. Recent phylogenetic and microscopic studies have demonstrated that these communities have well established trophic structuring and play a significant role in nutrient cycling in these cold and often dry desert ecosystems. They are surprisingly responsive to change and potentially sensitive to climatic perturbation.

Antarctic terrestrial soils also harbor specialized refuge habitats, where microbial communities develop under (and within) translucent rocks. These cryptic habitats offer unique models for understanding the physical and biological drivers of community development, function and evolution."

This contributed volume describes management practices based on interdisciplinary and convergence science approaches from different disciplines of agricultural science to enhance the resilience of dryland agriculture. The main focus of this book is to address the current issues and trends along with future prospects and challenges in adopting salient agricultural management practices in drylands globally under a climate-change scenario. Climate change and global warming have profound repercussions on increasing frequency, severity, and duration of droughts and/or floods, which may have implications for future productivity of dryland agriculture, e.g., more water shortages or abundances and high or low runoff rates, diminished crop yields, and reduced water productivity. In past few years, many technological advancements and management strategies have been evolved to tackle the climate-induced risks of dryland agriculture considering interdisciplinary and convergence approaches that integrate knowledge from multi-disciplines. This book is an attempt to bridge the gap in literature by unraveling controversies and characteristics of dryland ecosystems under the changing climate and dealing with detailed procedures of applying the advanced practices adapted to climate change for management of dryland agriculture. This edited book is of interest to ecologists, economists, environmentalists, geologists, horticulturalists, hydrologists, soil scientists, social scientists, natural resource conservationists and policy makers dealing with dryland agriculture. This book offers a broad understanding of dryland agriculture and assists the reader to identify both the current as well as the probable future state of dryland agriculture in a global context. 

This book investigates radiocesium movement in all major components of forest ecosystems, e.g. the plants, animals, insects, microorganisms, and soils, during the initial stage of contamination after the incident at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. Most of the work was conducted at a common research site. More specifically, the book examines the contribution of surface uptake by trees in the dynamics of radiocesium during the initial contamination stage; the movement of radiocesium in the form of small organic fragments that are essential to the radiocesium dynamics in forest ecosystems; and the upward movement of radiocesium due to microorganism activity, which promotes the effective decontamination of the forest floor. Lastly, it explains why spiders could be a valuable indicator of the contamination level in forest ecosystems.

How did the dog become man's best friend? A celebrated anthropologist unearths the mysterious origins of the unique partnership that rewrote the history of both species. Dogs and humans have been inseparable for more than 40,000 years. The relationship has proved to be a pivotal development in our evolutionary history. The same is also true for our canine friends; our connection with them has had much to do with their essential nature and survival. How and why did humans and dogs find their futures together, and how have these close companions (literally) shaped each other? Award-winning anthropologist Pat Shipman finds answers in prehistory and the present day. In Our Oldest Companions, Shipman untangles the genetic and archaeological evidence of the first dogs. She follows the trail of the wolf-dog, neither prehistoric wolf nor modern dog, whose bones offer tantalizing clues about the earliest stages of domestication. She considers the enigma of the dingo, not quite domesticated yet not entirely wild, who has lived intimately with humans for thousands of years while actively resisting control or training. Shipman tells how scientists are shedding new light on the origins of the unique relationship between our two species, revealing how deep bonds formed between humans and canines as our guardians, playmates, shepherds, and hunters. Along the journey together, dogs have changed physically, behaviorally, and emotionally, as humans too have been transformed. Dogs' labor dramatically expanded the range of human capability, altering our diets and habitats and contributing to our very survival. Shipman proves that we cannot understand our own history as a species without recognizing the central role that dogs have played in it.

Since prehistoric times and throughout the course of human evolution, wood has been an integral part of all civilizations. Wooden Cultural Heritage can be found worldwide, providing valuable information on the social and economic context of human history. Nonetheless, as a natural cellulosic material, wood shows low resistance to biodeterioration and thus wooden Cultural Heritage often fails to escape decomposition in both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. This book provides a comprehensive overview on the biodeterioration of wooden Cultural Heritage and describes the decay mechanisms of key organisms and microorganisms encountered in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. Cultural Heritage professionals, researchers and academics may explore within this book the associations between deteriogens, habitats and decay, which will assist them to understand wood biodeterioration and design effective prevention, mitigation and remediation strategies. The book presents case studies around the world to demonstrate the impact of biogenic deterioration on wooden Cultural Heritage and illustrates mechanisms and patterns in order to be a useful handbook of decay diagnosis. Lastly, by adopting a holistic approach to wood decay, basic concepts of wood technology, ecology, and deteriogens' biology are introduced, permitting readers of different scientific backgrounds to easily comprehend wood biodeterioration.

Caterpillars are excellent model organisms for understanding how multiple selective forces shape the ecology and evolution of insects, and organisms in general. Recent research using the tools of modern molecular biology, genetics, metabolomics, microbial ecology, experiments conducted at a global level, network analysis, and statistical analyses of global data sets, combined with basic natural history, are yielding exciting new insights into caterpillar adaptations and ecology. The best way to view these research advances is within a framework of tri-trophic interactions. This is a timely topic for research given the central role of caterpillars and plants in the ecology and trophic structure of terrestrial communities. This book is unique in that it contains chapters from a team of experts on a diversity of key topics within caterpillar-plant interactions. This volume brings together contributions by researchers from around the globe, working in both tropical and temperate habitats, and in human-managed and more natural habitats. It is a significant contribution to our understanding of insect biology, and the role that insects, as represented by caterpillars, play in a world increasingly dominated by humans and one in which threats to insect biodiversity are mounting. Chapter 11 is available open access under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License via link.springer.com. The Natural History of Caterpillar-Ant Associations" is available open access under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License via link.springer.com.

Nouragues is a tropical forest research station in French Guiana. It was established in 1986 for research on natural mechanisms of forest regeneration. Since then a lot of research has been done on this and related topics. This book provides an overview of the main research results, and focuses on plant communities, vertebrate communities and evolutionary ecology, frugivory and seed dispersal, and forest dynamics and recruitment. The appendices give (annoted) checklists of plants, birds, mammals, herpetofauna and fishes found in the same area.

Systems approaches are excellent in integrating insights in the physical, chemical, Systemsapproachesareexcellentinintegratinginsightsinthephysical, chemical, physiological and ecological processes that dictate the behaviour of living systems, of physiologicalandecologicalprocessesthatdictatethebehaviouroflivingsystems, of which which agro-ecosystems agro-ecosystems are are important importantones. ones. Furthermore, Furthermore, they theyhelp help to tobridge bridge the the gap gap between betweendetailed detailed process processoriented oriented studies studies and and higher higherintegration integration levels. levels. Systems Systems approaches approaches are are roughly roughlycategorized categorized in inthree three groups groups of of studies: studies: (i) (i) predictive predictive studies studies to to support support decision decision making making and and guide guide interventions, interventions, (ii) (ii) systems systemsanalysis analysis and and simulation simulation in inorder order to toget get insight insight and and understanding understandingof of the the functioning functioningof of (living) (living) systems, systems, and and (iii) (iii) explorative explorative studies studies to to investigate investigate possible possible options options for for development development and and trade trade offs offs of of aims, aims, objectives objectives and andconstraints. constraints. All All these these systems systems approaches approaches are are now nowwidely widely used used in inecological ecological systems systems including including agriculture, agriculture, and and applied appliedin in land landuse use planning. planning. This This book book is is an an introduction introduction to toone one of ofthe the major majorfields: fields: systems systems analysis analysis and and simula simula tion. tion."

This book explains the metabolic processes by which microbes obtain and control the intracellular availability of their required metal and metalloid ions. The book also describes how intracellular concentrations of unwanted metal and metalloid ions successfully are limited. Its authors additionally provide information about the ways that microbes derive metabolic energy by changing the charge states of metal and metalloid ions. Part one of this book provides an introduction to microbes, metals and metalloids. It also helps our readers to understand the chemical constraints for transition metal cation allocation. Part two explains the basic processes which microbes use for metal transport. That section also explains the uses, as well as the challenges, associated with metal-based antimicrobials. Part three gives our readers an understanding that because of microbial capabilities to process metals and metalloids, the microbes have become our best tools for accomplishing many jobs. Their applications in chemical technology include the design of microbial consortia for use in bioleaching processes that recover metal and metalloid ions from industrial wastes. Many biological engineering tasks, including the synthesis of metal nanoparticles and similar metalloid structures, also are ideally suited for the microbes. Part four describes unique attributes associated with the microbiology of these elements, progressing through the alphabet from antimony and arsenic to zinc.

A number of excellent textbooks on general ecology are currently available but' to date' none have been dedicated to the study of soil ecology. This is important because the soil' as the 'epidermis' of our planet' is the major component of the terrestrial biosphere. In the present age' it is difficult to understand how one could be interested in general ecology without having some knowledge of the soil and further' to study the soil without taking into account its biological components and ecological setting. It is this deficiency that the two authors' Patrick Lavelle and Alister Spain' have wished to address in writing their text. A reading of this work' entitled 'Soil Ecology'' shows it to be very complete and extremely innovative in its conceptual plan. In addition' it follows straightforwardly through a development which unfolds over four substantial chapters. Firstly' the authors consider the soil as a porous and finely divided medium of b- organomineral origin' whose physical structure and organisation foster the development of a multitude of specifically adapted organisms (microbial communities' roots of higher plants' macro-invertebrates).

This book demonstrates the concept of ecological system of the smart ports. The innovation is emphasized as the essence of the ecological system as well as the prerequisite and foundation of sustainable development of smart ports. The main supporting technologies of smart ports, including cyber-physical system, middle-office system, blockchain, artificial intelligence, machine vision, AR/VR, system simulation and emulation, digital monitoring and diagnosis, etc., are introduced with concepts and development descriptions as well as practical application cases. It could be used as demonstration and reference for the administrative staff, engineers and technicians as well as researchers in construction and operation of smart ports.

Selfie: Poetry, Social Change & Ecological Connection presents the first general theory that links poetry in environmental thought to poetry as an environment. James Sherry accomplishes this task with a network model of connectivity that scales from the individual to social to environmental practices. Selfie demonstrates how parts of speech, metaphor, and syntax extend bidirectionally from the writer to the world and from the writer inward to identities that promote sustainable practices. Selfie shows how connections in the biosphere scale up from operating within the body, to social structures, to the networks that science has identified for all life. The book urges readers to construct plural identifications rather than essential claims of identity in support of environmental diversity.

This book presents comprehensive information on various aspects of ecology with special reference to insects, to form a platform to design an ecologically sound insect pest management. Insects are the most dominant and diverse group of living organism on earth. Owing to their smaller size, smaller space and food requirements, more number of generation per unit time, insects serves as one of the best subject matter for studies on various ecological aspects such as chemical ecology, population dynamics, predator/parasitoid-prey interactions etc. The knowledge on various aspects of insect ecology helps in formulating an effective environmentally benign insect pest management. This book is of interest and use to the post graduate students and researchers working on various aspects of insect ecology with special emphasis on population dynamics, chemical ecology, tri tropic interactions, ecological engineering and Ecological Insect pest management.

The Ogawa Forest Reserve (OFR) is a species-rich, temperate, deciduous, old-growth forest in central Japan in which the ecology of the tree community has been intensively investigated since 1987. Detailed demographic data on the main tree species, covering the entire tree life cycle, were collected to elucidate the mechanisms by which community structure, organization, and species diversity are maintained. Included here is the work of more than 40 scientists in such diverse fields as botany, ecology, pedology, silviculture, mammal ecology, entomology, and ornithology, who have studied the same forest at the same time. This volume introduces the main areas of research under the OFR project and discusses the implications of the results on environmental issues. Integrated studies of this type are essential to clarify how species diversity is maintained, currently a central focus in ecology.