Natural resource managers face a complex decision-making environment characterized by the potential occurrence of rapid and abrupt ecological change. These abrupt changes are poorly accommodated by traditional natural resource planning and decision-making processes. As recognition of threshold processes has increased, contemporary models of ecological systems have been modified to better represent a broader range of ecological system dynamics. Key conceptual advances associated with the ideas of non-linear responses, the existence of multiple ecological stable states and critical thresholds are more likely the rule than the exception in ecological systems. Once an ecological threshold is crossed, the ecosystem in question is not likely to return to its previous state. There are many examples and a general consensus that climatic disruptions will drive now stable systems across ecological thresholds. This book provides professional resource managers with a broad general decision framework that illustrates the utility of including ecological threshold concepts in natural resource management. It gives an entry into the literature in this rapidly evolving concept, with descriptions and discussion of the promising statistical approaches for threshold detection and demonstrations of the utility of the threshold framework via a series of case studies.

This book aims, through its chapters, at providing the knowledge to make competent decisions, convince peers or top management to take appropriate action, or beat out the competition for climate adaptation measures including adjustments for design and operations. Topics discussed include business-as-usual vs. divergence; the effects of public pressure on corporate, industrial and government decision making; techniques for gathering the proper information to assess risks and hazards; the importance determining risk tolerance thresholds; the difference between tolerable risks, intolerable ones that benefit from mitigation and those that require strategic shifts; why common practice approaches such as FMEA, and risk matrices are inadequate in today's world and do not help ensure infrastructural and systemic resilience and sustainability. Case histories and three complete case studies that can be adapted to any industry or project walk the reader step by step from client request to recommendations and conditions of validity. The ultimate aim is to understand how to reduce risks to tolerable and societally acceptable levels while simultaneously creating sustainable and ethical systems.

Ion-selective electrodes (ISEs) have a wide range of applications in clinical, environmental, food and pharmaceutical analysis as well as further uses in chemistry and life sciences. Based on his profound experience as a researcher in ISEs and a course instructor, the author summarizes current knowledge for advanced teaching and training purposes with a particular focus on ionophore-based ISEs. Coverage includes the basics of measuring with ISEs, essential membrane potential theory and a comprehensive overview of the various classes of ion-selective electrodes. The principles of constructing ISEs are outlined, and the transfer of methods into routine analysis is considered. Advanced students, researchers, and practitioners will benefit from this expedient introduction.

This book presents an exhaustive overview of electrochemical sensors and biosensors for the analysis and monitoring of the most important analytes in the environmental field, in industry, in treatment plants and in environmental research. The chapters give the reader a comprehensive, state-of-the-art picture of the field of electrochemical sensors suitable to environmental analytes, from the theoretical principles of their design to their implementation, realization and application. The first three chapters discuss fundamentals, and the last three chapters cover the main groups of analytes of environmental interest.

At the beginning of the 21st century, Antarctica is poised at the edge of a warmer and busier world. Leading Antarctic researchers examine the needs and challenges of Antarctic environmental management today and tomorrow. Through: (i) investigating the impacts of human activities on specific ecosystems and species, (ii) examining existing environmental management and monitoring practices in place in various regions and (iii) interrogating stakeholders, they address the following questions: What future will Business-As-Usual bring to the Antarctic environment? Will a Business-As-Usual future be compatible with the objectives set out under the Antarctic Treaty, especially its Protocol on Environmental Protection? What actions are necessary to bring about alternative futures for the next 50 years? This volume is an outcome of the International Polar Year (2007-2009) Oslo Science Conference (8-12, June, 2010).

This book presents a novel approach to studying the groundwater dynamics of and characterising karst aquifers. The content is based on long-term monitoring of groundwater parameters in the epiphreatic caves of a selected karst aquifer: part of the classical recharge area of Ljubljanica River, Slovenia. The recorded data was analysed on the basis of the recharge to the system, which is controlled by outflow from the Planinsko Polje, and on the basis of the known and inferred geometry of the karst conduit system. The book presents numerically tested conceptual models of the observed conduit system, which offer new insights into its structure and function. In closing, the author stresses the importance of caves as groundwater monitoring sites and provides new tools for interpreting cave water level hydrographs. Although the book focuses on a specific site, the methodology introduced here can be applied to numerous other karst systems, lending it considerable practical relevance.

"New Issues in Polar Tourism" traces and analyzes a decade of growing interest in the polar regions, and the consequent challenges and opportunities of increasing tourist traffic in formerly remote and seldom-visited places. The book arises from the recently-formed International Polar Tourism Research Network(IPTRN), and documents the outcomes of its 2010 conference, held at Sweden s Abisko Scientific Research Station."

Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition (CVPR) together play an important role in the processes involved in environmental informatics due to their pervasive, non-destructive, effective, and efficient natures. As a result, CVPR has made significant contributions to the field of environmental informatics by enabling multi-modal data fusion and feature extraction, supporting fast and reliable object detection and classification, and mining the intrinsic relationship between different aspects of environmental data. Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition in Environmental Informatics describes a number of methods and tools for image interpretation and analysis, which enables observation, modelling, and understanding of environmental targets. In addition to case studies on monitoring and modeling plant, soil, insect, and aquatic animals, this publication includes discussions on innovative new ideas related to environmental monitoring, automatic fish segmentation and recognition, real-time motion tracking systems, sparse coding and decision fusion, and cell phone image-based classification and provides useful references for professionals, researchers, engineers, and students with various backgrounds within a multitude of communities.

Modern Earth System Monitoring represents a fundamental change in the way scientists study the Earth System. In Oceanography, for the past two centuries, ships have provided the platforms for observing. Expeditions on the continents and Earth's poles are land-based analogues. Fundamental understanding of current systems, climate, natural hazards, and ecosystems has been greatly advanced. While these approaches have been remarkably successful, the need to establish measurements over time can only be made using Earth observations and observatories with exacting standards and continuous data. The 19 peer-reviewed contributions in this volume provide early insights into this emerging view of Earth in both space and time in which change is a critical component of our growing understanding.

This book presents a survey of modern theoretical techniques in studies of radiative transfer and light scattering phenomena in turbid media. It offers a comprehensive analysis of polarized radiative transfer, and also discusses advances in planetary spectroscopy as far as aerosol layer height determination is of interest. Further, it describes approximate methods of the radiative transfer equation solution for a special case of strongly scattering media. A separate chapter focuses on optical properties of Black Carbon aggregates.

This thesis presents an impressive summary of the potential to use passive seismic methods to monitor the sequestration of anthropogenic CO2 in geologic reservoirs. It brings together innovative research in two distinct areas - seismology and geomechanics - and involves both data analysis and numerical modelling. The data come from the Weyburn-Midale project, which is currently the largest Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) project in the world. James Verdon's results show how passive seismic monitoring can be used as an early warning system for fault reactivation and top seal failure, which may lead to the escape of CO2 at the surface.

This volume comprises an outstanding variety of chapters on Earth Observation based time series analyses, undertaken to reveal past and current land surface dynamics for large areas. What exactly are time series of Earth Observation data? Which sensors are available to generate real time series? How can they be processed to reveal their valuable hidden information? Which challenges are encountered on the way and which pre-processing is needed? And last but not least: which processes can be observed? How are large regions of our planet changing over time and which dynamics and trends are visible? These and many other questions are answered within this book "Remote Sensing Time Series Analyses - Revealing Land Surface Dynamics". Internationally renowned experts from Europe, the USA and China present their exciting findings based on the exploitation of satellite data archives from well-known sensors such as AVHRR, MODIS, Landsat, ENVISAT, ERS and METOP amongst others. Selected review and methods chapters provide a good overview over time series processing and the recent advances in the optical and radar domain. A fine selection of application chapters addresses multi-class land cover and land use change at national to continental scale, the derivation of patterns of vegetation phenology, biomass assessments, investigations on snow cover duration and recent dynamics, as well as urban sprawl observed over time.

India launched its maiden scientific expedition to Antarctica way back in 1981 and ever since annual expeditions are launched to address thematic research in the contemporary areas of Antarctic Science and Engineering. The initial efforts and achievements of India are not only significant but are of historical importance. This book discusses a wide array of topics that have entered the mainstream of geotechnical and geo environmental engineering over the initial two and half decades of India's presence in the icy continent 'Antarctica'. At the same time, it highlights the lessons learnt in cryo-engineering technologies. It covers various articles on many aspects of environmental science and collates the overall achievements in the fascinating field of Antarctic engineering and environmental impact assessment. Accordingly, this book covers articles on wind energy by Ramesh et al., and engineering aspects in Antarctica by Rai. Similarly, Pathak has reviewed the engineering details of Dakshin Gangotri and Maitri. On the contrary, Sharma has provided an interesting history about the process of establishment of Dakshin Gangotri station. Similarly, communication aspects have been highlighted by Dhaka. Commercial polymers and their utility in cold region have been discussed by Dabholker et al. Besides, Tiwari and Khare have reviewed the environmental studies carried out during the initial 25 years in Antarctic research base 'Maitri'. Similarly, Ramchandran and Sathe have studied the natural radioactivity in Antarctica while fire safety in Antarctica has been touched upon by Chatterjee. On the other hand, Veerbhadraiah and Jain have provided a status on environmental management services at Maitri station Additionally Tiwari has provided details on the new Indian Research Base 'Bharti' at Larsemann Hills region. It provides a one-stop reference for researchers and those working in industry and government.

Lakes across the globe require help. The Lake Restoration Handbook: A New Zealand Perspective addresses this need through a series of chapters that draw on recent advances in modelling and monitoring tools, citizen science and First Peoples' roles, catchment and lake-focused restoration techniques, and policy implementation. New Zealand lakes, like lakes across the globe, are subject to multiple pressures that have increased in severity and scale as land use has intensified, invasive species have spread and global climate change becomes manifest. This books builds on the popular Lake Managers Handbook (1987), which provided guidance on undertaking investigations into, and understanding lake ecosystems in New Zealand. The Lake Restoration Handbook: A New Zealand Perspective synthesises contemporary issues related to lake restoration and rehabilitation, integrated with social science and cultural viewpoints, and complemented by authoritative topic-area summaries by renowned scientists and practitioners from across the globe. The book examines the progress of lake restoration and the new and emerging tools available to managers for predicting and effecting change. The book will be a valuable resource for natural and social scientists, policy writers, lake managers, and anyone interested in the health of lake ecosystems.

This thorough review is based on observational satellite, airborne and in-situ data, scientific literature and technical reports, as well as the substantial experience of the authors, who hail from several Baltic Sea countries. They pay special attention to national practices, HELCOM and EMSA CleanSeaNet activities in oil pollution monitoring, and show different applications of the Seatrack Web model for oil spill drift prediction and the identification of illegal polluters, as well as for environmental risk assessment. Furthermore, some of the results on satellite monitoring of the Nord Stream gas pipeline construction in the Gulf of Finland are presented. This volume addresses the needs of specialists working in different fields of marine, environmental, and remote sensing sciences. It is a useful handbook on oil pollution for international and governmental agencies, as well as for policy makers who plan and manage oil and gas projects, the construction of ports and terminals, shipping, fishery, recreation, and tourist activities in the Baltic Sea. It also offers graduate and undergraduate students in marine and environmental sciences a valuable resource and reference work on the subject."

Ecotoxicology Modeling is a comprehensive and well-documented text providing a collection of computational methods to the ecotoxicologists primarily interested in the study of the adverse effects of chemicals, their mechanisms of action and/or their environmental fate and behavior. Avoiding mathematical jargon, the book presents numerous case studies to enable the reader to understand the interest but also the limitations of linear and nonlinear models in ecotoxicology.

Written by an international team of scientists, Ecotoxicology Modeling is of primary interest to those whose research or professional activity is directly concerned with the development and application of models in ecotoxicology. It is also intended to provide the graduate and post-graduate students with a clear and accessible text covering the main types of modeling approaches used in environmental sciences.

This book examines the way that lead enters the biosphere and the subsequent environmental impact. The contributing authors include international experts who provide methods for assessing and characterizing the ecological risk of lead contamination of soil and plants. Information is provided on the consequences for human health as a result of lead pollution. This book reveals that approximately 98% of stable lead in the atmosphere originates from human activities. Lead in Plants and the Environment reports on methods for detecting, measuring, and assessing the concentration of lead in plants. The authors provide a method for the measurement of 210Pb isotopes in plants. This method can be applied extensively in different environmental settings, not only as a way of revealing sources of lead, but also as a way to monitor lead transport in plants and animals that ingest them. The chapters include coverage on the following topics: * Lead bioavailability in the environment and its exposure and effects * Radioanalytical methods for detecting and identifying trace concentrations of lead in the environment * Lead contamination and its dynamics in soil plant systems * Lead pollution monitoring and remediation through terrestrial plants in mesocosm constructed wetlands * A review of phytoremediation of lead This book is a valuable resource to students, academics, researchers, and environmental professionals doing field work on lead contamination throughout the world.

Nuclear and radioactive agents are considerable concerns especially after the early 1990s and more attention has been focused on the radiation detection technologies. This book comprises the selected presentations of NATO Advanced Training Course held 26-30 May 2008 in Mugla, Turkey. The contributions represent a wide range of documents related to control, monitoring and measurement methods of nuclear / radioactive isotopes and agents for both fundamental and applied works dealing with their use for different purposes. This book presents environmental data from many locations of different countries and also contains the contributions in the detection/monitoring programs of some authors from CIS countries.

The basic goal of this book is to deal with recent developments and applications of environmental monitoring and measurement techniques of environmental radionuclides and nuclear agents as well as the auxiliary techniques. The many recent examples contributed by authors will be useful in monitoring/ measurement studies of radioactive/nuclear agents in the present environment, and can help, not only in carrying out outdoor and laboratory experiments, but also in protection of possible sources of radionuclides and nuclear agents. Especially the contributions of experts and specialists involved in this book assured the highest level of knowledge in the field of techniques for the detection of radioactive and nuclear agents.

Soundscape Ecology represents a new branch of ecology and it is the result of the integration of different disciplines like Landscape ecology, Bioacoustics, Acoustic ecology, Biosemiotics, etc. The soundscape that is the object of this discipline, is defined as the acoustic context resulting from natural and human originated sounds and it is considered a relevant environmental proxy for animal and human life. With Soundscape Ecology Almo Farina means to offer a new cultural tool to investigate a partially explored component of the environmental complexity. For this he intends to set the principles of this new discipline, to delineate the epistemic domain in which to develop new ideas and theories and to describe the necessary integration with all the other ecological/environmental disciplines. The book is organized in ten chapters. The first two chapters delineate principles and theory of soundscape ecology. Chapters three and four describe the bioacoustic and communication theories. Chapter five is devoted to the human dimension of soundscape. Chapters six to eight regard the major sonic patterns like noise, choruses and vibrations. Chapter nine is devoted to the methods in soundscape ecology and finally chapter ten describes the application of the soundscape analysis.

This book is devoted to the analysis and applications of energy, exergy, and environmental issues in all sectors of the economy, including industrial processes, transportation, buildings, and services. Energy sources and technologies considered are hydrocarbons, wind and solar energy, fuel cells, as well as thermal and electrical storage. This book provides theoretical insights, along with state-of-the-art case studies and examples and will appeal to the academic community, but also to energy and environmental professionals and decision makers.

This textbook is one of the first to explain the fundamentals and applications of remote sensing at both undergraduate and graduate levels. Topics include definitions and a brief history of payloads and platforms, data acquisition and specifications, image processing techniques, data integration and spatial modeling, and a range of applications covering terrestrial, atmospheric, oceanographic and planetary disciplines. The policy and law issues of remote sensing and the future trends on the horizon are also covered. Remote sensing is an exciting, dynamic technology that is transforming the Earth sciences - terrestrial, atmospheric, and marine - as well as the practices of agriculture, disaster response, engineering, natural resources, providing evidence in legal cases and documented humanitarian crises, and many other fields. Increasingly, understanding of these techniques will be central to a number of disciplines, particularly as the technology advances.

This book explores how integrated management of environmental resources via a nexus approach can help in achieving the respective Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It provides conceptual considerations but mainly practical examples on how to implement a nexus approach in cities and multifunctional land-use systems to increase resource use efficiency and develop a low carbon economy. After sketching out the background and conceptual outline, contributions to the book explore key aspects of the nexus implementation. Specifically, they * Demonstrate how to sustainably use organic waste and wastewater for agriculture, * Explore examples on how to manage multifunctional land-use systems including multipurpose reservoirs, * Highlight the importance of economic incentives for successful nexus implementation, and * Provide a comprehensive perspective on challenges and opportunities of implementation, considering peer-to-peer learning, indigenous knowledge, and stakeholder participation. The chapters in this book shed a new light on key aspects of the interrelation between SDGs and the nexus approach in resilient cities and multifunctional land-use systems, and provide specific examples on how to advance sustainable resources management.

The book provides a review of experimental methods and presents the worldwide newest literature regarding chemical substances fluxes via submarine groundwater discharge (SGD). Thus, the book characterizes both the distribution of chemicals in groundwater impacted areas in the Baltic Sea and their fluxes via SGD to the Baltic Sea. This book presents the state of art regarding the SGD and detailed studies on SGD characterization in the Baltic Sea. The Baltic Sea is an example of a region highly influenced by a variety of human activities that affect the ecosystem. It is shown that SGD has been proven to be one of the important sources introducing dissolved substances into the Baltic Sea. The loads of chemical substances delivered to the Baltic sea with SGD have not been quantified so far.

This volume represents the proceedings of the Second International Conference on Sustainability in Energy and Buildings, SEB'10, held in the City of Brighton and Hove in the United Kingdom, and organised by KES International. Organised by the KES International organisation, SEB'10 formed a welcome opportunity for researchers in subjects related to sustainability, renewable energy technology, and applications in the built environment to mix with other scientists, industrialists and stakeholders in the field. SEB'10 attracted papers on a range of renewable energy and sustainability related topics and in addition the conference explored two innovative themes:- * The application of intelligent sensing, control, optimisation and modelling techniques to sustainability and * The technology of sustainable buildings. These techniques could ultimately be applied to the intelligent building SEB'10 attracted about 100 submissions from around the world. These were subjected to a two-stage blind peer-review process. With the objective of producing a high quality conference, the best 30% of these were selected for presentation at the conference and publication in this volume of proceedings. The papers in this volume are grouped into the five themes under which they were presented: Building Sustainability, Sustainable Power Generation, Sustainable Energy Policy and Strategy, Energy Monitoring and Management and Solar Energy Technology. These proceedings form an interesting and informative collection of papers, useful as a resource for further research, and a valuable source of information for those interested in the subject.