Natural forests with thousands of years of ecological continuity are unrivalled as the treasure store of terrestrial biodiversity on Earth. And while there is currently no fully comprehensive inventory of the biota associated with any given forest, it is reasonable to assume that in conserving natural forests we can conserve the myriads of unnamed bacteria, fungi, insects, mites and nematodes that forests support.

Drawing on diverse research from biodiversity experts around the world, this collection of papers reflects the diversity of forest types and forest issues that concern forest scientists globally. Forest types considered vary from savannah and tropical rainforests to the ancient oak forests of Poland; issues explored include the effects of logging, management practices, forest dynamics and climate change on forest structure and biodiversity.

Given the range of topics covered, this book should be of particular interest to those involved in teaching forest conservation and management, as well as to researchers requiring an overview of current work in forest diversity, conservation and sustainable management.

Reprinted from Biodiversity and Conservation 15: 4 (2006).

The link between modern lifestyles and increasing levels of chronic heart disease, obesity, stress and poor mental health is a concern across the world. The cost of dealing with these conditions places a large burden on national public health budgets so that policymakers are increasingly looking at prevention as a cost-effective alternative to medical treatment. Attention is turning towards interactions between the environment and lifestyles.Exploring the relationships between health, natural environments in general, and forests in particular, this groundbreaking book is the outcome of the European Union 's COST Action E39 Forests, Trees and Human Health and Wellbeing, and draws together work carried out over four years by scientists from 25 countries working in the fields of forestry, health, environment and social sciences. While the focus is primarily on health priorities defined within Europe, this volume explicitly draws also on research from North America.

This book explores recent advances on the use of microbes for agri-forestry biotechnological applications. It provides technical concepts and discussions on the use of microorganisms for processes such as bioprocessing, bioremediation, soil enhancement, aquaponics advances, and plant-host symbiosis. The book provides an overview of the microbial approach to the tools and processes used in agriculture and forestry that make or modify products, improve plants for specific uses, and make use of livestock in agricultural systems. The authors discuss the main process conditions that enhance agri-forestry applications with the use of microbes and introduce the use of genetically modified (GM) microbes in agrobiotechnology. Finally, the authors explore the main technological advances in the production of secondary metabolites with potential applications in agri-forestry. This book is intended for biotechnologists, biologists, bioengineers, biochemists, microbiologists, food technologists, enzymologists, and related researchers.

This book provides an overview of the complex challenges and opportunities related to forest-based rural development in the tropics and subtropics. Applying a socio-ecological perspective, the book traces the changing paradigms of forestry in rural development throughout history, summarizes the major aspects of the rural development challenge in forest areas and documents innovative approaches in fields such as land utilization, technology and organizational development, rural advisory services, financing mechanisms, participative planning and forest governance. It brings together scholars and practitioners dealing with the topics from various theoretical and practical angles. Calling for an approach that carefully balances market forces with government intervention, the book shows that forests in rural areas have the potential to provide a solid foundation for a green global economy.

The grove, a grouping of trees, intentionally cultivated or found growing wild, has a long diverse history entwined with human settlement, rural practices and the culture and politics of cities. A grove can be a memorial, a place of learning, a site of poetic retreat and philosophy or political encampment, a public park or theatre, a place of hidden pleasures, a symbol of a vanished forest ecology, or a place of gods or other spirits. Yet groves are largely absent from our contemporary vocabulary and rarely included in today's landscape practice, whether urban or rural. Groves are both literal and metaphorical manifestations, ways of defining spaces and ecologies in our cultural life. Since they can add meaning to urban forms and ecologies and contribute meaningfully to the significance of place, critical examination is long overdue. The editors have taken care to ensure that the text is accessible to the general reader as well as specialists.

This collection features four peer-reviewed reviews on restoring degraded forests. The first chapter reviews the restoration of tropical forests, focusing specifically on forest landscape restoration (FLR). It addresses the importance of implementing FLR and provides two detailed case studies to demonstrate this. The chapter concludes with a discussion on the challenges and opportunities in taking FLR forwards. The second chapter considers the importance of exploiting the genetics of tropical tree species for the restoration of tropical forests. The chapter identifies and reviews the available methods to measure genetic diversity and suitability for future plantation establishment, including field trials and molecular markers. The third chapter provides an overview of ecosystem services delivered by tropical agroforestry systems (AFS). The chapter reviews practical approaches for trade-off analysis between ecosystem services and plant biodiversity for better design (or redesign), as well as the sustainable management of AFS. The final chapter discusses how measuring, monitoring and managing the environmental impact of plantation operations are key components in sustainable palm oil production. The chapter examines the operational impacts of oil palm cultivation on biodiversity, as well as how oil palm production can be balanced to ensure forest conservation.

Dr Samuel Johnson, that famous eighteenth century lexicographer, said of oats 'A grain which in England is generally given to horses but in Scotland supports the people'. And presumably it was a Scotsman who riposted 'But what people and what horses ' That exchange encapsulates much of the history and role of oats - a cereal, once important as human food in parts of northern Europe but latterly used mainly as animal feed, especially favoured for horses. Although no longer a major food anywhere, oats still have a special and favoured niche in the cuisine of people living in the cooler and wetter regions of some parts of northern Europe. However, there is currently a resurgence of interest in the crop, because there is now considerable scientific evidence to support the view of Scotsmen who never doubted its dietary value. This book - very much an international effort, carefully orchestrated by Robert Welch - traces the origin, history and scientific progress which forms a sound basis for any further crop improvement and for broadening the utilization and marketing of oat products. Should rational consider ations lead to an increase in the importance of this cereal, I, for one, would be glad since I believe the rural landscape is the poorer for the increased rarity of golden fields of rippling oats which I used to be involved in harvesting."

The forests of West Africa are complex, beautiful and under continued threat of over exploitation. This monograph, in its second edition, remains the only comprehensive source of information on economically important forest insects in West Africa. Many pest insects discussed in this book have the potential to greatly alter the utilization of these valuable tropical forests. Several key pests such as mahogany shoot borer, odum gallfly and pests of endangered tree species like Pericopsis, are extensively discussed. This comprehensive treatise of insects includes information on the general forest cover types and insects of utilitarian value. The book will be a great value to foresters, forest entomologists, researchers, conservation biologists and others with a basic biological interest in West African forests.

Features: Provide a state of the art description of the physiological, biochemical and molecular status of the understanding of abiotic stress in plants. Courses taught in universities from basics to advanced level in field of plant physiology, molecular genetics and bioinformatics this book will be used. Focuses on climatic extremes and their management for plant protection and production which is great threat to future generation and food security. Understanding of new techniques pointed out in this book will open the possibility of genetic engineering in crop plants with the concomitant improved stress tolerance. Addressing factors that are threatening future food production and providing potential solutions of these factors. Written by a diverse faction of internationally famed scholars, this book adds new horizons in the field of abiotic stress tolerance.

In the last half century, because of the raising world population and because of the many environmental issues posed by the industrialization, the amount of arable land per person has declined from 0.32 ha in 1961-1963 to 0.21 ha in 1997-1999 and is expected to drop further to 0.16 ha by 2030 and therefore is a severe menace to food security (FAO 2006). At the same time, about 12 million ha of irrigated land in the developing world has lost its productivity due to waterlogging and salinity. Waterlogging is a major problem for plant cultivation in many regions of the world. The reasons are in part due to climatic change that leads to the increased number of precipitations of great intensity, in part to land degradation. Considering India alone, the total area suffering from waterlogging is estimated to be about 3.3 million ha (Bhattacharya 1992), the major causes of waterlogging include super- ous irrigation supplies, seepage losses from canal, impeded sub-surface drainage, and lack of proper land development. In addition, many irrigated areas are s- jected to yield decline because of waterlogging due to inadequate drainage systems. Worldwide, it has been estimated that at least one-tenth of the irrigated cropland suffers from waterlogging.

ing damage ranged from odor. to general visual appearance. Attributes of seedling quality are categorized as either to cutting buds. to scraping bark to detect dead cambium. performance attributes (RGP. frost hardiness. stress resistance) One nursery reported using frost hardiness as an indicator of or material attributes (bud dormancy. water relations. nutrition. when to begin fall lifting. but none reported using it as an morphology). Performance attributes are assessed by placing indicator of seedling quality before shipping stock to customers. samples of seedlings into specified controlled environments and evaluating their responses. Although some effective short 23.4.3 Stress resistance cut procedures are being developed. performance tests tend Only three nurseries measure stress resistance. They use to be time consuming; however, they produce results on whole the services of Oregon State University and the test methods plant responses which are often closely correlated with field described in 23.2.3. One nursery reported that results of stress performance. Material attributes. on the other hand. reflect tests did not agree well with results of RGP tests and that RGP only individual aspects of seedling makeup and are often correlated better with seedling survival in the field. Most stress poorly correlated with performance. tests are conducted for reforestation personnel rather than for Bud dormancy status seems to be correlated. at least nurseries."

Many terms often used to describe old-growth forests imply that these forests are less vigorous, less productive and less stable than younger forests. But research in the last two decades has yielded results that challenge the view of old-growth forests being in decline. Given the importance of forests in battling climate change and the fact that old-growth forests are shrinking at a rate of 0.5% per year, these new results have come not a moment too soon.

This book is the first ever to focus on the ecosystem functioning of old-growth forests. It is an exhaustive compendium of information that contains original work conducted by the authors. In addition, it is truly global in scope as it studies boreal forests in Canada, temperate old-growth forests in Europe and the Americas, and global tropical forests. Written in part to affect future policy, this eminently readable book is as useful for the scientist and student as it is for the politician and politically-interested layman.

The world continues to depend heavily upon a relatively minor range of crops for food, fuel, fibre and industrial use while many potentially good economically acceptable alternatives exist. This book, which is the first in a new series looking at underutilized crops, provides thorough details of those crops which research has suggested may be worthy of further and greater commercial development and exploitation, suggesting potential alternatives to existing widely-exploited crops.

Provides a comprehensive overview of community forestry, including case studies from across all continents Covers future challenges, major impediments and suggested solutions Addresses key environmental issues, such as climate change and conservation

This collection features five peer-reviewed literature reviews on sustainable forest management. The first chapter discusses the varying definitions of sustainable forest management (SFM) in tropical landscapes, as well as the trade-offs associated with SFM. The chapter also reviews the spatial scales of assessing SFM and explores expanding the scope of SFM from individual strands to forested landscapes. The second chapter provides a comprehensive review of the current research undertaken in sustainable forestry. It considers the concept and evolution of sustainable forestry and the challenges which arise as a result of implementing SFM practices. The third chapter reviews the role and impact of forest certification schemes in the achievement of SFM. The chapter summarises the wealth of research available on the development of forest certification and how individual elements can be optimised to further improve the model. The fourth chapter discusses the recent history and implementation challenges of SFM across the Congo Basin, including logging concessions, land zones and the processes and institutions required to implement effective SFM policies. The final chapter analyses the potential trade-offs between ecosystem services and biodiversity in the southern Patagonian forests. The chapter explores the implementation of SFM as a strategy to mitigate these trade-offs at a landscape level.

This volume focuses on the tree, as a cultural and biological form, and examines the concept of folk value and its implications for biocultural conservation. Folk value refers to the value of the more-than-human living world to cultural cohesion and survival, as opposed to individual well-being. This field of value, comprising cosmological, aesthetic, eco-erotic, sentimental, mnemonic value and much more, serves as powerful motivation for the local performance of environmental care. The motivation to maintain and conserve ecology for the purpose of cultural survival will be the central focus of this book, as the conditions of the Anthropocene urgently require the identification, understanding and support of enduring, self-perpetuating biocultural associations. The geographical scope is broad with chapters discussing different tree species from the Americas and the Caribbean, East Asia, Eurasia and Australia and Africa. By focusing on the tree, one of the most reliably cross-culturally-valued and cross-culturally-recognized biological forms, and one which invariably defines expansive landscapes, this work illuminates how folk value binds the survival of more-than-human life forms with the survival of specific peoples in the era of biocultural loss, the Anthropocene. As such, this collection of cross-cultural cases of tree folk value represents a low hanging fruit for the larger project of exploring the power of cultural value of the more-than-human living world. This book will be of great interest to students and scholars of conservation, biodiversity, biocultural studies and environmental anthropology.

The existence and competition of trees and shrubs to sustain and put forth growth under varied environmental conditions is dependent on the interactions that occur between the plant metabolic processes and the prevailing environmental conditions. In order to understand the productivity of trees and shrubs, it is a prerequisite to know the experimental techniques of these vital processes. This volume provides a comprehensive presentation of this topic. The first part of this book deals with various aspects of experimental ecophysiology and recent research results of studies on plant pigments, epicuticular wax, leaf nutrients, carbon fixation, all supported by literature. The second part of the volume describes various laboratory techniques such as diffusion, imbibition, calorimetry, atomic absorption, mineral nutrition, nutrition analysis of forage, litterfall chemistry, nutrient cycle, etc. The third and fourth parts deal with advances in the techniques in the development of ecophysiology. The book will serve as an important handbook and resource for students, faculty and teachers, technicians, and researchers and scientists involved in forest science dealing with ecophysiology and biochemistry of woody and crop plants.

In recent years slugs have become increasingly important, partly because several species are agricultural and horticultural pests and partly because theyhave proved to be useful experimental animals, particularly in the field of neurophysiology. Most of the early works which included slugs were essentially taxonomic but the book byTaylor (1902-1907) contained a great deal of biological information about slugs, some of which is still relevant today. The publication of the book by Runham and Hunter (1970) represented a milestone in slug research, providing a comprehensive survey of current knowledge about slugs. The book by Godan (1983) on snailsand slugswas mainly concerned with theeconomic importanceof theseanimals. The purpose of the present book is to present a review of current knowledgeofthebiologyandecologyofslugs, togetherwith theirstatusand control as pests. Although relatively little is known about the biology and ecology of tropical slugs and most information is taken from work on European slugs, the European pest species have become widely distributed throughout temperate regions and this book should be of interest world wide. It is written as a source of information for people seeking to control slug pests and, also, for those wishing to use slugs for research or teaching purposes. The book is intended particularly to provide a starting point for those beginning research on slugs and an extensive bibliography has been provided.

Agricultural systems have developed from a research tool in agricultural biology to a discipline that encompasses the whole of the food chain and into institutional and extended education. In this book the current state of agricultural systems is summed up by 14 figures who each deal with their particular specialities. The definitive summaries are now available in book form having been prepared for a conference to commemorate the retirement of a pioneer of agricultural systems, Colin Spedding. The first section deals with the techniques used to develop understanding of plants, animals and the interactions between the two. The book then goes on to discuss systems covering research allocation of the enterprise and farm level, the development of food markets, agricultural strategy formation and insititutional and extension education. Following on from the present state of development each contributor tries to predict the direction which the subject will take in the future.

This collection features five peer-reviewed literature reviews on using crops as biofuel. The first chapter reviews the key issues and challenges faced when expanding sugarcane cultivation for bioenergy, primarily, competition with food crops, loss of biodiversity, water, air and soil pollution, as well as a potential increase in pest problems. The second chapter describes current technologies and constraints of biodiesel production, including the need for a consistent supply of feedstock to ensure a sustainable biodiesel industry. The chapter also examines life cycle assessment (LCA) of canola/rapeseed biodiesel production. The third chapter addresses the sustainability of biofuels derived from palm oil and discusses the impact of their production on our ecosystems. The chapter also reviews the economics of biofuel and the levels of governmental support needed for sustainable production. The fourth chapter examines the potential of varying grassland types for biomass production. It details the options for use of grassland biomass, citing its suitability for combustion, pyrolysis, biorefining and for use in bioenergy applications. The final chapter reviews best agronomic practices for increasing overall biomass output in the face of pressing environmental changes. It also utilises the LCA framework to review strategies for crop improvement, such as crop rotations.

Bringing together a wealth of knowledge, Environmental Management Handbook, Second Edition, gives a comprehensive overview of environmental problems, their sources, their assessment, and their solutions. Through in-depth entries and a topical table of contents, readers will quickly find answers to questions about environmental problems and their corresponding management issues. This six-volume set is a reimagining of the award-winning Encyclopedia of Environmental Management, published in 2013, and features insights from more than 500 contributors, all experts in their field. The experience, evidence, methods, and models used in studying environmental management are presented here in six stand-alone volumes, arranged along the major environmental systems. Features The first handbook that demonstrates the key processes and provisions for enhancing environmental management Addresses new and cutting-edge topics on ecosystem services, resilience, sustainability, food-energy-water nexus, socio-ecological systems, and more Provides an excellent basic knowledge on environmental systems, explains how these systems function, and offers strategies on how to best manage them Includes the most important problems and solutions facing environmental management today In this first volume, Managing Global Resources and Universal Processes, the reader is introduced to the general concepts and processes used in environmental management. As an excellent resource for finding basic knowledge on environmental systems, it reflects an extensive coverage of the field and includes the most important problems and solutions facing environmental management today. This book practically demonstrates the key processes, methods, and models used in studying environmental management.

This book represents the latest research on urban forestry in a Malaysian context. It demonstrates that urban forestry is concerned not only with environmental enhancement, but also other aspects, such as recreation, health and well-being, and government policies. This edited collection provides a comprehensive overview of urban forestry studies from various researchers in Malaysia, and includes rich historical perspectives of urban forestry in the country. It also tackles related issues in policy. The greening of urban Malaysia in the 1970s focused primarily on beautification and was primarily the province of horticulturists, landscapers, nursery workers, town planners, and architects, with negligible inputs from foresters, particularly urban foresters. Perhaps for that reason, the term "landscaping" has been used more widely than "urban forestry" by government and private institutions, politicians, stakeholders, academicians, and the public. Nevertheless, the authors show that the concept of urban forestry is not new for developing countries such as Malaysia, where urbanization is increasing at a rapid rate. The book unpacks this demographic shift from a predominantly rural to a principally urban society. As the only unified body of work on urban forestry and arboricultural studies in Malaysia, this volume presents an important interdisciplinary reference for students, researchers, and scholars in physical geography, forestry and urban forestry, arboriculture and landscape architecture, both in Malaysia, and in other developing urbanizing countries, particularly in Southeast Asia. It is also an important resource for those working in environmental policy and practice, excavating the vital connection between the environment and well-being.

Bringing together a wealth of knowledge, Environmental Management Handbook, Second Edition, gives a comprehensive overview of environmental problems, their sources, their assessment, and their solutions. Through in-depth entries and a topical table of contents, readers will quickly find answers to questions about environmental problems and their corresponding management issues. This six-volume set is a reimagining of the award-winning Encyclopedia of Environmental Management, published in 2013, and features insights from more than 400 contributors, all experts in their field. The experience, evidence, methods, and models used in studying environmental management are presented here in six stand-alone volumes, arranged along the major environmental systems. Features The first handbook that demonstrates the key processes and provisions for enhancing environmental management Addresses new and cutting-edge topics on ecosystem services, resilience, sustainability, food-energy-water nexus, socio-ecological systems, and more Provides an excellent basic knowledge on environmental systems, explains how these systems function, and offers strategies on how to best manage them Includes the most important problems and solutions facing environmental management today In this second volume, Managing Biological and Ecological Systems, the reader is introduced to the general concepts and processes of the biosphere and all its systems. This volume explains how these systems function and provides strategies on how to best manage them. It serves as an excellent resource for finding basic knowledge on the biosphere and ecological systems and includes important problems and solutions that environmental managers face today. This book practically demonstrates the key processes, methods, and models used in studying environmental management.

This book aims to provide a comprehensive analysis on social, economic, and political issues to understand why forests in the Demacratic People's Repblican of Korean have been so severely deforested. Deforestation and forest degradation issues in the DPRK has been highlighted as an important international political issue, which has been intervening with food security issues and energy issues, and it's hard to discover the way out. The DPRK provides a unique case to international community that illustrate why the forests issue is so complex, illuminating the issues of declining forest coverage that beset developing nations around the world. This book will interest political scientists, conservation ecologists, and journalists.