Sea otters are good indicators of ocean health. In addition, they are a keystone species, offering a stabilizing effect on ecosystem, controlling sea urchin populations that would otherwise inflict damage to kelp forest ecosystems. The kelp forest ecosystem is crucial for marine organisms and contains coastal erosion. With the concerns about the imperiled status of sea otter populations in California, Aleutian Archipelago and coastal areas of Russia and Japan, the last several years have shown growth of interest culturally and politically in the status and preservation of sea otter populations. Sea Otter Conservation brings together the vast knowledge of well-respected leaders in the field, offering insight into the more than 100 years of conservation and research that have resulted in recovery from near extinction. This publication assesses the issues influencing prospects for continued conservation and recovery of the sea otter populations and provides insight into how to handle future global changes.

The tradition of Chinese wooden architecture dates back to ancient times. The construction solutions developed in this country over the centuries enchant with their refined character, while the historical wooden structures delight future generations with their dignity and aesthetic excellence. China`s wooden architecture, deeply rooted in its spiritual and religious traditions, is undoubtedly the pinnacle of this type of building in Asian culture. At the same time, it is a testimony to the national identity and reflects the specificity of the country`s material heritage. The accelerated social and economic changes in China and the constantly advancing globalization of the world have contributed to this country's assimilation of Western concepts related to the protection of cultural heritage. The issue of authenticity in the preservation of wooden built heritage proved particularly problematic. This book brings closer the theoretical understanding and practical application of the idea of authenticity from Chinese perspective. To do this, the issue of living heritage and the reception and understanding of traditional Chinese wooden architecture and its preservation as a direct materialization of Chinese religious and philosophical traditions is discussed. The above topics are treated within the cyclic concept of time, i.e. in terms of progress and repetition, with preservation being understood as a religious practice. Finally, trends in the preservation of wooden heritage in present-day China are mentioned, including new attempts to interpret the tradition and the reinvention of the tradition of wooden building. The book aims to contribute to the understanding of the protection of wooden architectural heritage in China from a new perspective, and will be of particular interest to academics and professionals interested in or involved in the preservation of built wooden heritage. '(...) a highly valuable contribution to the field of wooden architecture protection and preservation', Xiaoming Zhu (Tongji University, Shanghai, China) This book '(...) successfully explains the inheritance characteristics of Chinese wooden architectures from the perspective of cultural philosophy for a wide audience (...)', Yasufumi Uekita, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan

This is a book by people who have had to make decisions which affect the environment in which we all live, decisions which sometimes affect the quality of life of millions. It is not an academic disquisition on how to approach decision-making. Most of the chapters are written by scientists who have had to take action or make recommendations on environmental matters in situations where the data are incomplete or choices hedged by factors beyond scientific resolution; the result is that they have had to resolve dilemmas about the proper way forward in the matter. My brief to the authors was to describe issues with which they had been personally concerned, rather than simply select from the vast range of envir- mental problems 'out there'. The only exception to this was Andrew Brennan (Chapter 1), who is a professional philosopher; I asked him to say something about the processes and errors indulged by environmental decision-makers. There is some overlap between chapters, but this is not extensive. I have made no attempt to eliminate it, because the aim has been to present personal points of view, not a systematic account of environmental problems. Similarly, there are important topics which are not covered. Indeed, a critic would complain that a book on environmental dilemmas which does not deal directly with the crucial divide between development and conservation is almost wholly irrelevant; from one point of view, it could be condemned as fiddling while Rome burns.

Agendas and Sustainability considers the processes used for devising global environment and development agendas and provides practical suggestions for their future development and influence. A collaboration of the latest research from the Stockholm Environment Institute and the Earth Council, the book presents similarities and differences in problem definition, objectives, principles, priorities and actions across eleven of the major agendas put forward for environment and development after Rio. Points of divergence and areas of common ground are investigated for over 30 environment and development-related topics, such as biodiversity, consumption patterns, trade, urbanization, population, education, deforestation and water resources.

Mathematical modelling has become in recent years an essential tool for the prediction of environmental change and for the development of sustainable policies. Yet, many of the uncertainties associated with modelling efforts appear poorly understood by many, especially by policy makers. This book attempts for the first time to cover the full range of issues related to model uncertainties, from the subjectivity of setting up a conceptual model of a given system, all the way to communicating the nature of model uncertainties to non-scientists and accounting for model uncertainties in policy decisions. Theoretical chapters, providing background information on specific steps in the modelling process and in the adoption of models by end-users, are complemented by illustrative case studies dealing with soils and global climate change. All the chapters are authored by recognized experts in their respective disciplines, and provide a timely and uniquely comprehensive coverage of an important field.

1 Aufgaben, Wirkungsweise und Bedeutung von Lagerungen.- 1.1 Funktionsweise.- 1.2 Geschichtlicher Ruckblick.- 1.3 Lagerarten.- 2 Tribologische Grundlagen und Kenngroessen der Schmierstoffe.- 2.1 Reibung und Verschleiss.- 2.1.1 Reibungsarten.- 2.1.2 Reibungszustande.- 2.1.3 Stribeck-Kurve.- 2.2 Schmierstoffe.- 2.2.1 Aufgaben und Einteilung der Schmierstoffe.- 2.2.1.1 Aufgaben.- 2.2.1.2 Einteilung.- 2.2.2 Kenngroessen von Schmierstoffen.- 2.2.2.1 Viskositat und Dichte.- 2.2.2.2 Thermische Kenngroessen von Schmierstoffen.- 2.2.3 Viskositatsklassifikation der Schmieroele.- 2.2.3.1 ISO-Normoele.- 2.2.3.2 SAE-Klassifikation.- 2.2.3.3 Weitere Motorenoel-Klassifikationen.- 2.2.4 Additive fur Motorenoele.- 2.2.5 Prufung von Motorenoelen, Gebrauchtoel-Eigenschaften.- 2.2.5.1 Motorenoelprufung.- 2.2.5.2 Veranderung von Motorenoelen im Gebrauch.- 3 Schmiersysteme von Verbrennungsmotoren.- 3.1 Funktion und Bestandteile von Schmiersystemen.- 3.2 Schmierstoffpumpen.- 3.3 Schmierstoffilter und Filtersysteme.- 3.3.1 Anforderungen.- 3.3.2 Filterbauarten.- 3.4 Schmieroelkuhlung.- 3.5 Steuerungs- und Sicherheitsbauteile.- 3.6 Schmiersysteme unterschiedlicher Motorentypen.- 3.6.1 PKW-Motoren.- 3.6.2 LKW- und kleinere Industrie-Motoren.- 3.6.3 Mittelschnell laufende Motoren.- 3.6.4 Motorradmotoren und schnell laufende Zweitaktmotoren.- 4 Die Lagerung von Verbrennungsmotoren und ihre Belastung.- 4.1 Dynamisch beanspruchte Gleitlager.- 4.2 Lager des Kurbeltriebes.- 4.2.1 Kolbenbolzenlager.- 4.2.2 Pleuellager.- 4.2.3 Grundlager.- 4.2.4 Weitere Lagerstellen.- 4.3 Kraftezerlegung.- 4.3.1 Kolbenbolzenlager.- 4.3.2 Pleuellager.- 4.3.3 Grundlager.- 4.4 Berechnungsmethoden bei Mehrzylindermotoren.- 5 Hydrodynamische Berechnung von Verbrennungsmotoren-Gleitlagern.- 5.1 Theoretische Grundlagen.- 5.1.1 Druckaufbau durch Tangentialbewegung (Keildruck).- 5.1.2 Druckaufbau durch Radialbewegung (Verdrangungsdruck).- 5.2 Berechnung der Wellenverlagerungsbahn.- 5.2.1 Ausgangspunkt und Berechnungsverfahren.- 5.2.2 Verfahren der uberlagerten Tragkrafte.- 5.3 Berechnung der Reibungsleistung.- 5.4 Berechnung der OEldurchsatzmenge.- 5.5 Warmebilanz.- 5.6 Maximaler Schmierfilmdruck.- 5.7 Umwandlung der raumfesten in koerperfeste Koordinaten.- 5.7.1 Grundlager.- 5.7.2 Pleuellager.- 5.7.3 Kolbenbolzenlager.- 5.8 Winkelgeschwindigkeiten der Lager eines Kurbeltriebes.- 5.9 EDV-Paket zur Auslegung dynamisch beanspruchter Radialgleitlager.- 5.10 Elastohydrodynamische Lagerberechnung - EHD.- 5.10.1 Vorteile und Aussagefahigkeit der elastohydrodynamischen Berechnung.- 5.10.2 Theoretische Grundlagen der EHD-Berechnungsmethode.- 5.10.3 Vergleich der Berechnungs- und Messergebnisse.- 6 Auslegung von Verbrennungsmotorenlagerungen.- 6.1 Auslegungskenngroessen und ihre Optimierung.- 6.1.1 Betriebszustand (Lagerbelastung).- 6.1.2 Lagerabmessungen.- 6.1.3 Schmierstoff und Schmierung.- 6.2 Optimierung der Einflussgroessen - Optimalauslegung.- 6.2.1 Bedeutung und Moeglichkeiten.- 6.2.2 Beurteilungsgroessen fur eine Optimalauslegung, ubliche Grenzwerte.- 6.2.3 Einfluss des relativen Lagerspieles.- 6.2.4 Einfluss von OElzufuhrungstemperatur und -druck.- 6.2.5 Art und Lage der Schmierstoffzufuhrung.- 6.2.6 Steifigkeit von Kurbelwelle, Lager und lagerumgebenden Bauteilen.- 6.2.7 Einfluss der Kurbelwellengestaltung (Massenausgleich).- 6.3 Schlussfolgerungen fur die Lagerauslegung aus der Anwendung von EDV-Programmpaketen.- 7 Konstruktive Gestaltung von Lagern.- 7.1 Lagerbauarten und konstruktive Details.- 7.1.1 Lagerbuchsen.- 7.1.2 Dunnwandige Lagerschalen mit und ohne Anlaufring.- 7.1.3 Schmierstoffzufuhrungselemente.- 7.1.4 Axiallager.- 7.2 Lagerschalenpresssitz.- 7.3 Grobgestaltung - Ruckwirkung der Lagerumgebung auf die Lagerparameter.- 7.4 Feingestaltung von Lagern.- 7.4.1 Kleines Pleuelauge.- 7.4.2 Kolbenbolzenaugen.- 7.4.3 Grosses Pleuelauge.- 7.4.4 Grundlager und Anordnung der OElbohrungen in den Kurbelwellen.- 7.4.5 Nockenwellenlager.- 7.4.6 Ausgleichswellenlager

We are at a watershed of history. The human race is now so numerous and its technological power so great that we are having an unprecedented impact on the biosphere, the entire planet. The need to control this impact is giving rise to a new kind of politics - the politics of the planet. The most urgent problem we face is that of climate change. This book gives a vigorous and candid account of how governments tentatively felt their way to the first international agreements on climate change and the ozone layer, how these work, and the long-term implications for global governance. It points to the roles that businesses and ordinary citizens can play, and the changes we can expect in our daily lives. This is an area in which politics, technology and economics meet. In this sweeping and energetic book, the author goes on to look at the major planetary issues that confront us now or that are close over the horizon, and the ethical issues of our relationship to our environment that they raise. Amid the dangers, he finds ground for hope. Anyone with an interest in the human condition as we spin further into the new century will find this an enlightening and rewarding book. Originally published in 2000

The role of local people in contemporary nature conservation practices is often poorly understood or neglected. This book, therefore, examines questions of local participation at the nature-society nexus within national parks in the transitional context of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). The post-1990 reconfiguration of conservation paradigms in this part of the world has re-opened various age-old debates about the protection and administration of natural heritage. Further complicating the situation has been the introduction of market-based principles, which has embedded the entire process in broader dynamics of neoliberalization and the capitalist space economy. Providing an integrated perspective on why, how and for whom nature conservation practices have been implemented in CEE, this book sheds further light upon the mechanisms through which such practices both redefine and are affected by the everyday life of people living in national parks. Offering a critical global review of the environmental motivations and power interests behind the creation of national parks, as well as a typology of the relations between local people and the dynamics of nature protection in them, this work challenges the dichotomy between developed and developing countries that pervades much of the academic literature on nature protection. Author Saska Petrova highlights the lessons that can be learnt by applying the experiences of local community participation in environmental management in CEE to other locations undergoing major systemic change in their environmental governance practices, such as the 'low carbon transition' that is currently unfolding at a global scale.

Anthropologists know that conservation often disempowers already under-privileged groups, and that it also fails to protect environments. Through a series of ethnographic studies, this book argues that the real problem is not the disappearance of "pristine nature" or even the land-use practices of uneducated people. Rather, what we know about culturally determined patterns of consumption, production and unequal distribution, suggests that critical attention would be better turned on discourses of "primitiveness" and "pristine nature" so prevalent within conservation ideology, and on the historically formed power and exchange relationships that they help perpetuate.

First Published in 2004. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

This important and insightful book provides, for the first time, a broad presentation of ongoing research into public participation in landscape conservation, management and planning, following the 2000 European Landscape Convention which came into force in 2004. The book examines both the theory of participation and what lessons can be learnt from specific European examples. It explores in what manner and to what extent the provisions for participation in the European Landscape Convention have been followed up and implemented. It also presents and compares different experiences of participation in selected countries from northern, southern, eastern and western Europe, and provides a critical examination of public participation in practice. However, while the book's focus is necessarily on Europe, many of the conclusions drawn are of global relevance. The book provides a valuable reference for researchers and advanced students in landscape policies and management, as well as for professionals and others interested in land-use planning and environmental management.

A classic collection of the New Yorker's most urgent and groundbreaking reporting from the front lines of the climate emergency In 1989, just one year after climatologist James Hansen first came before a Senate committee and testified that the earth was now warmer than it had ever been in recorded history, thanks to humankind's heedless consumption of fossil fuels, New Yorker writer Bill McKibben published a deeply reported and considered piece on climate change and what it could mean for the planet. At the time, the piece was to some speculative to the point of alarmist; read now, McKibben's work is heroically prescient. Since then, the New Yorker has devoted enormous attention to climate change, describing the causes of the crisis, the political and ecological conditions we now find ourselves in, and the scenarios and solutions we face. The Fragile Earth tells the story of climate change - its past, present, and future - taking readers from Greenland to the Great Plains, and into both laboratories and rain forests. It features some of the best writing on global warming from the last three decades, including Bill McKibben's seminal essay 'The End of Nature,' the first piece to popularize both the science and politics of climate change for a general audience, and the Pulitzer Prize-winning work of Elizabeth Kolbert, as well as Kathryn Schulz, Dexter Filkins, Jonathan Franzen, Ian Frazier, Eric Klinenberg, and others. The result, in its range, depth, and passion, promises to bring light, and sometimes heat, to the great emergency of our age.

The first protocol to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) was adopted in Kyoto in 1997 and entered into force in February 2005. It is a unique international law instrument which sets legally binding targets for the reduction of emissions of greenhouse gases which contribute to climate change. The targets are unprecedented in an environmental agreement and will involve substantial financial commitment in virtually all industrialized country parties to the protocol. The Kyoto Protocol is also the first international agreement to include economic instruments which are designed to involve private sector entities and assist parties to meet their targets. These economic instruments, known as the Kyoto or flexible mechanisms, are Joint Implementation (JI), the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), and International Emissions Trading. The Kyoto Protocol defined these mechanisms but did not set out the details necessary for their operation. After protracted negotiations, detailed rules were finalized at the Seventh Session of the UNFCCC Conference of the Parties held in Marrakech in 2001. The Marrakech Accords run to almost 250 pages but still leave many important practical issues unaddressed. As the 2008-2012 commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol draws close more and more projects under CDM and JI are being developed to take advantage of the Kyoto mechanisms and the key issues and problems are now becoming more apparent. Drawing on the emerging body of expertise in this complex area, this book conveys a knowledge of what is becoming known as 'Carbon Finance'. It thereby aims to contribute to the development of the market for carbon emission reductions - one of the objectives of the Kyoto mechanisms.

Everything we use started life in the earth, as a rock or a mineral vein, a layer of an ancient seabed, or the remains of a long-extinct volcano. Humanity's ability to fashion nature to its own ends is by no means a new phenomenon. Silica-rich rocks have been flint-knapped by Stone Age people, transformed into stained glass in medieval times, and made into silicon chips for computers in the Digital Age. Our trick of turning rocks rich in malachite and chalcopyrite into copper has taken us from Bronze Age Minoan vases to the wiring that powers modern-day machinery. Today, we mine, quarry, pump, cut, blast and crush the Earth's resources at an unprecedented rate. We shift many times more rock, soil and sediment each year than the world's rivers and glaciers, wind and rain combined. Plastics alone now weigh twice as much as all the marine and terrestrial animals around the globe. We have become a dominant, even dangerous, force on the planet. In EXTRACTION TO EXTINCTION, David Howe traces our environmental impact through time to unearth how our obsession with endlessly producing and throwing away more and more stuff has pushed the planet to its limit. And he considers the question: what does the future look like for our depleted world?

A fascinating and nuanced exploration of why, how, and which birds migrate. Bird migration captivates the human imagination, yet for most of us, key aspects of the phenomenon remain a mystery. How do birds sense the ideal moment to take wing, and once the epic journey has begun, how do they find their distant destinations? Fresh insights about avian movements are still constantly emerging, powered by new tools like molecular genetics and transmitter miniaturization. In this book, renowned ornithologist and author John H. Rappole reveals intriguing results of recent scientific studies on migration, explaining their importance for birders, nature lovers, and researchers alike. Debunking misconceptions about the lives of birds that have persisted for thousands of years, Rappole explores unexpected causes and previously misunderstood aspects of the annual migration cycle. From the role of migrating birds in zoonotic disease transmission to climate change's impact on migration patterns, Rappole tackles crucial questions and ensures that readers come away with a new understanding of why and how birds migrate.

The dependence of present farming on artificial input of "chemical fertilizers" has caused numerous ecological tribulations associated with global warming and soil contamination. Moreover, there is an essential requirement for realistic agricultural practices on a comprehensive level. Accordingly, biofertilizers including microbes have been recommended as feasible environmentally sound solutions for agricultural practices which not only are natural, and cost-effective but also preserve soil environs and important biota of agricultural land. In addition, it enhances the nutrient quantity of soils organically. Microbial biofertilizers promote plant growth by escalating proficient absorption of nutrients for the plants and by providing an excellent disease-fighting mechanism.Agriculture, the backbone of human sustenance, has been put under tremendous pressure by the ever-increasing human population. Although various modern agro-techniques boosted agricultural production, the excessive use of synthetic fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides have proven extremely detrimental to agriculture as well as to the environment in which it is carried out. Besides this some faulty agricultural practices like monoculture and defective irrigation, further complicate the scenario by eliminating biodiversity, increasing the efflux of nutrients into the water bodies, the formation of algal blooms, eutrophication, damaging the water quality and lowering fish stocks. Biofertilizers are the organic compounds applied to crops for their sustainable growth and the sustainability of the environment as the microbiota associated with biofertilizers interact with the soil, roots and seeds to enhance soil fertility. Application of biofertilizers results in the increased mineral and water uptake, root development, vegetative growth and nitrogen fixation besides liberating growth-promoting substances and minerals that help the maintenance of soil fertility. They further act as antagonists and play a pivotal role in neutralising soil-borne plant pathogens and thus, help in the bio-control of diseases. Application of biofertilizers instead of synthetic fertilizers could be a promising technique to raise agricultural productivity without degrading environmental quality. The present book focuses on the latest research approaches and updates from the microbiota and their applications in the agriculture industry. We believe this book addresses various challenges and shed lights on the possible future of the sustainable agricultural system.

Today's celebrity conservationists, many of whom made their reputations through television and other visual media, play a major role in drawing public attention to an increasingly threatened world. This book, one of the first to address this contribution, focuses on five key figures: the English naturalist David Attenborough, the French marine adventurer Jacques-Yves Cousteau, the American primatologist Dian Fossey, the Canadian scientist-broadcaster-activist David Suzuki, and the Australian 'crocodile hunter' Steve Irwin. Some of the issues the author addresses include: What is the changing relationship between western conservation and celebrity? How has the spread of television helped shape and mediate this relationship? To what extent can celebrity conservation be seen as part of a global system in which conservation, like celebrity, is big business? The book critically examines the heroic status accorded to the five figures mentioned above, taking in the various discourses - around nature, science, nation, gender - through which they and their work have been presented to us. In doing so, it fills in the cultural, historical and ideological background behind contemporary celebrity conservationism as a popular expression of a chronically endangered world.

Australia and Canada have been at the forefront of efforts to operationalize integrated oceans and coastal management. Throughout the 1990s both countries devoted considerable effort to developing strategies to give effect to international ocean management obligations. This key book focuses on principles of marine environmental conservation and management, maritime regulation and enforcement, and regional maritime planning and implementation. With contributions from respected scholars, this informative book collectively assesses the obligations, compliance, implementation and trends in international ocean law, particularly in giving effect to an Oceans Policy, regional maritime planning, international oceans governance, and maritime security. This book will be of interest to all academics involved with maritime studies and international law.

After two successful meetings on the ecological implications of GM-crop cultivation in 2008 and 2010, the authors felt encouraged to carry out a follow-up conference in 2012. GMLS III highlights recent scientific developments in the analysis of risks in the agricultural use of genetically modified plants. While in some countries a GM-based agriculture has been largely established, other regions of the world continue cultivation of conventional varieties only. This acknowledges a persistent reservation of the public towards GMO products. The overall need of an emphasis in independent studies becomes continuously more obvious. Experts from Europe, United States, Ghana and Argentina report their scientific results and experience with ecological, socio-economical and administrative implications.

'A wonderfully personal evocation of the joys, hard work and meaning of creating a wood for wildlife, written with sensitivity and care. A delightful read.' Stephen Moss, author of The Robin: A Biography Over twenty years ago, Ruth Pavey bought four acres of scrub woodland above the Somerset Levels and set out to improve the lush haven for birds, insects and all manner of wildlife. Beneath the shade of the trees she spent two decades planting, she now reflects on the fate of her wood. As steward, she has witnessed nature's forces shifting and the abundance of species dwindling rapidly. When the rabbits suddenly vanished, she knew it was time to take a closer look at the undergrowth and what she could do to preserve the legacy of the wood for generations to come. Deeper Into the Wood recounts a year in the life of an amateur naturalist working with wildlife experts to interpret the language of the land. Ruth's hand-drawn illustrations accompany her lyrical prose, which demonstrates an appreciation for the local people and their history. This is one woman's story of inspiration, conservation, and a love of place. ***PRAISE FOR DEEPER INTO THE WOOD*** 'A rare treat of a book that warms as it informs and leads us deep into the character of one small pocket of England. Ruth Pavey writes with wit, passion and precious little sentimentality.' Tristan Gooley, author of The Secret World of Weather 'Wonderful... how love for a small woodland and respect for its local history can enhance wildlife and enrich the human spirit.' Nick Davies, author of Cuckoo: Cheating by Nature 'Ruth Pavey spins a delicate web between the many branches of her little Somerset wood. Her closely observed changes of wildlife and the changing seasons, echo a growing awareness and concern for life on Earth itself. The author's growth and metamorphosis into an amateur naturalist who has learnt to read the language of trees is profoundly inspirational.' Gabriel Hemery, author of The New Sylva 'Inquisitive and generous. Pavey shares the love of her wood, past and present, through a fascinating weave of its natural and cultural histories. This book is as companionable as it is interesting. Patrick Baker, author of The Unremembered Places

Access to genetic resources and Benefit Sharing (ABS) has been promoted under the Convention on Biological Diversity, with the aim of combining biodiversity conservation goals with economic development. However, as this book shows, since its inception in 1992, implementation has encountered multiple challenges and obstacles. This is particularly so in the marine environment, where interest in genetic resources for pharmaceuticals and nutrients has increased. This is partly because of the lack of clarity of terminology, but also because of the terms of the comprehensive law of the sea (UNCLOS) and transboundary issues of delineating ownership of marine resources. The author explains and compares relevant provisions and concepts under ABS and the law of the sea taking access, benefit sharing, monitoring, compliance, and dispute settlement into consideration. He also provides an overview of the implementation status of ABS-relevant measures in user states and identifies successful ABS transactions. A key unique feature of the book is to illustrate how biological databases can serve as the central scientific infrastructure to implement the global multilateral benefit sharing mechanism, proposed by the Nagoya Protocol. The research for this book was supported by both the Bremen International Graduate School for Marine Sciences (GLOMAR) and the International Research Training Group INTERCOAST - Integrated Coastal Zone and Shelf-Sea Research.