The application of fractals and fractal geometry in soil science has become increasingly important over the last few years. This self-contained and timely book was designed to provide detailed and comprehensive information on the current status of the application of fractal geometry in soil science, and on prospects for its future use. With a detailed and specific introductory chapter, particular attention is paid to comparing and contrasting "fractal" and "fragmentation" concepts. Some uses of fractals, such as to quantify the retention and transport properties of soils, to describe the intricate geometry of pore surfaces and macropore networks, or to elucidate the rooting patterns of various plants, are discussed. Applications of fractals in soil science are both relatively recent and in constant evolution. This book reflects accurately existing trends, by allowing sharp differences among the viewpoints expressed in contributed chapters to be presented to the reader in one self-contained volume.

The material in this book is based upon a two-day workshop on solid state physical sensors for biomedical applications held in Huron, Ohio, December 8-9, 1977. The individual sections of the book are based upon presentations made by the authors at the workshop. Each presentation was transcribed and given to the authors for revision. Also, transcribed, are the discussions had following each presentation.

This comprehensive work integrates knowledge from physics, chemistry, biology, mathematics, geology, engineering, and several other fields. Its purpose is to provide solution methods, techniques of parameter estimation, and tools for solving the complex problems of mathematical modeling. The main topics presented include fundamentals of mathematical modeling of migration processes; analytical, numerical, and inverse solutions to migration problems; and techniques of parameter estimation and monitoring of migration processes. The book is perfect for anyone involved in the areas of hydrogeology, soil science, environmental engineering, subsurface cleanup, water sciences, agronomy, land development, and civil engineering. It provides professionals with a survey of the methodology of migration model building, the mathematical tools for solving these models, and the technique of parameter estimation in laboratories and in the field. Consultants will appreciate the book's multidisciplinary theoretical background and first approximations for a broad variety of migration data. Professors and students gain an integrated survey of subsurface solute and heat transport, storage, transformation, and exchange processes in both theoretical and practical applications, complete with example problems and solutions.

Environmental Geochemistry: Site Characterization, Data Analysis and Case Histories, Second Edition, reviews the role of geochemistry in the environment and details state-of-the-art applications of these principles in the field, specifically in pollution and remediation situations. Chapters cover both philosophy and procedures, as well as applications, in an array of issues in environmental geochemistry including health problems related to environment pollution, waste disposal and data base management. This updated edition also includes illustrations of specific case histories of site characterization and remediation of brownfield sites.

Processes and Ore Deposits of Ultramafic-Mafic Magmas through Space and Time focuses on the fundamental processes that control the formation of ore deposits from ultramafic-mafic magmas, covering chromite, platinum-group element (PGE), Ni-sulfides and Ti-V-bearing magnetite. The exploration, exploitation and use of these magmatic ores are important aspects of geology and directly linked to the global economy. Magmatic ores form from ultramafic-mafic magmas and crystallize at high-temperature after emplacement into crustal magma chambers, and are genetically linked to the evolution of the parental magmas through space and time. This book features recent developments in the field of magmatic ore deposits, and is an essential resource for both industry professionals and those in academia.

This book is aimed directly at students of geography, particularly those who lack confidence in manipulating numbers. The aim is not to teach the mathematics behind statistical tests, but to focus on the logic, so that students can choose the most appropriate tests, apply them in the most convenient way and make sense of the results. Introductory chapters explain how to use statistical methods and then the tests are arranged according to the type of data that they require. Diagrams are used to guide students toward the most appropriate tests. The focus is on nonparametric methods that make very few assumptions and are appropriate for the kinds of data that many students will collect. Parametric methods, including Student's t-tests, correlation and regression are also covered. Although aimed directly at geography students at senior undergraduate and graduate level, this book provides an accessible introduction to a wide range of statistical methods and will be of value to students and researchers in allied disciplines including Earth and environmental science, and the social sciences.

Biogeochemistry of Trace Metals is a compendium of the most recent information available on the effects of trace metals in soil quality and its potential threat on the transfer of these contaminants to consumers. Most of the chapters in the book were presented as papers during the First International Conference on the Biogeochemistry of Trace Elements (formerly Metals in Soils, Plants, Waters, and Animals) held in Orlando, Florida in May, 1990. Topics discussed include background levels of metals in soils and/or plants (covering western Europe; temperate, humid Europe; and the People's Republic of China); metal cycling and transfer in the food chain in agroecosystems; uptake and accumulation of metals by bacteria, fungi, and invertebrates; mechanistic aspects of metals; the microbial aspects of soil selenium losses; and manganese sorption on soil constituents.

Producing maps that depict the real world accurately has been a major concern of cartographers for centuries. This is especially true today as escalating access to geospatial data and the subsequent increase in user-generated content provided by Web 2.0 have significantly altered the typical processes used to produce, distribute, and use geospatial data. Focusing on users and decisions as well as the data, Spatial Data Quality: From Process to Decisions provides an up-to-date overview of scientific progress in this core sub-discipline of the Geographic Information Sciences. Presenting results from a number of current research projects in spatial data quality (SDQ) - from the assessment of data accuracy to legal aspects relating to the quality of geographic information - this reference reflects the changes in practice in response to the rapid technological developments over the past decade. An impressive panel of internationally recognized expert contributors focuses on the relationship between the quality of geographic data and the quality of decisions based on such data. Structured for easy reference, the first section of the book discusses conceptual approaches to SDQ, the second presents a number of applications of spatial data quality methods, the third looks at SDQ issues for remote sensing data, and the final section presents papers that consider the interface between the law and SDQ. In addition to the main chapters presented in each section, a number of shorter notes present on-going and recent research projects investigating various aspects of spatial data quality.

This book presents the statistical analysis of compositional data using the log-ratio approach. It includes a wide range of classical and robust statistical methods adapted for compositional data analysis, such as supervised and unsupervised methods like PCA, correlation analysis, classification and regression. In addition, it considers special data structures like high-dimensional compositions and compositional tables. The methodology introduced is also frequently compared to methods which ignore the specific nature of compositional data. It focuses on practical aspects of compositional data analysis rather than on detailed theoretical derivations, thus issues like graphical visualization and preprocessing (treatment of missing values, zeros, outliers and similar artifacts) form an important part of the book. Since it is primarily intended for researchers and students from applied fields like geochemistry, chemometrics, biology and natural sciences, economics, and social sciences, all the proposed methods are accompanied by worked-out examples in R using the package robCompositions.

Concerns regarding heavy metal contamination in terrestrial ecosystems have prompted increasing efforts on limiting their bioavailability in the root zone. The complexity of the hydrologic system gives rise to the need for understanding the fate and transport of trace elements in the soil-water-plant environment. Dynamics and Bioavailability of Heavy Metals in the Rootzone provides a multidisciplinary approach with emphasis on geohydrology, plant and soil science, and environmental chemistry. The primary focus of this book is on different approaches that describe the dynamics of heavy metals in the soil system. These approaches are key to providing direct information on the concentration of heavy metals and hence on their transport, toxicity, and bioavailability. The book includes chapters covering equilibrium and kinetic models of heavy metal interactions as well as non-equilibrium transport models. It also discusses chemical processes controlling soil solution concentrations and modeling of heavy metals adsorption. Addressing the biological component of heavy metal dynamics, this work examines rhizosphere microorganisms and phytoremediation. Colloid-associated transport, which can result in groundwater contamination, is discussed in relation to reclaimed mine sites. The authors also present an overview of recent advancements in the biogeochemistry of trace elements and their environmental implications. Additional chapters include examination of various natural environments including runoff waters at the watershed scale, heavy metal transformation in wetlands, dynamics of trace metals in frequently flooded soils, and effects on crops in biosolid-amended soils. Reliable assessment of potential risks resulting from the transport of trace elements in the soil environment requires the examination of complex chemical and biological interactions due to the heterogeneous nature of soils. This text describes the current state of the art in this field and explores innovative experimental and theoretical/modeling approaches that will enhance this knowledge. The book provides a coherent presentation of recent advances in techniques, modeling, and dynamics and bioavailability of heavy metals in the root zone.

In recent years, the focus in hydrogeologic investigations has expanded to include aquifer sustainability as part of resource evaluations. While there are other books on the subject, Field Hydrogeology: A Guide for Site Investigations and Report Preparation provides the first integrated presentation of the American Society of Testing Materials (ASTM) standards, US Geological Survey (USGS), and US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) field techniques. It also includes access to a website containing software for designing aquifer tests and aquifer-recharge experiments. Written by an author with more than 50 years of experience in hydrology and geology, this reference treats the subject from a field standpoint. Useful as a field guide or textbook, it contains standard methods for planning and undertaking hydrogeologic investigations. It incorporates case studies, contains a glossary of field-hydrogeology technical terms, and provides a detailed list of ASTM standards and key hydrologic Web sites. The guide is based on ASTM standards as well as EPA and US Department of Interior field technical manuals. The text covers hydrogeologic fundamentals, conceptual models, planning an investigation, surface investigations, subsurface investigations, field inventory, stream flow measurements, water quality measurements, and report preparation. This revised and updated Second Edition also includes new material on the history of hydrogeology, field safety, aquifers, groundwater quality, hydrogeologic maps, and federal regulations. It gives students and seasoned professionals a vast array of clearly written descriptive materials and an extensive source of references available at their fingertips. What's New in This Second Edition: New chapter on the history of hydrogeology New chapter on groundwater development and management, including US federal regulations and transboundary aquifers New material on field safety, groundwater quality and testing, and construction of hydrogeologic cross section and maps New international case studies New THEIS computer model to design aquifer tests Updated information on latest principles and techniques

The study of animal movement has always been a key element in ecological science, because it is inherently linked to critical processes that scale from individuals to populations and communities to ecosystems. Rapid improvements in biotelemetry data collection and processing technology have given rise to a variety of statistical methods for characterizing animal movement. The book serves as a comprehensive reference for the types of statistical models used to study individual-based animal movement. Animal Movement is an essential reference for wildlife biologists, quantitative ecologists, and statisticians who seek a deeper understanding of modern animal movement models. A wide variety of modeling approaches are reconciled in the book using a consistent notation. Models are organized into groups based on how they treat the underlying spatio-temporal process of movement. Connections among approaches are highlighted to allow the reader to form a broader view of animal movement analysis and its associations with traditional spatial and temporal statistical modeling. After an initial overview examining the role that animal movement plays in ecology, a primer on spatial and temporal statistics provides a solid foundation for the remainder of the book. Each subsequent chapter outlines a fundamental type of statistical model utilized in the contemporary analysis of telemetry data for animal movement inference. Descriptions begin with basic traditional forms and sequentially build up to general classes of models in each category. Important background and technical details for each class of model are provided, including spatial point process models, discrete-time dynamic models, and continuous-time stochastic process models. The book also covers the essential elements for how to accommodate multiple sources of uncertainty, such as location error and latent behavior states. In addition to thorough descriptions of animal movement models, differences and connections are also emphasized to provide a broader perspective of approaches.

Despite the connections between soils and human health, there has not been a great amount of attention focused on this area when compared to many other fields of scientific and medical study. Soils and Human Health brings together authors from diverse fields with an interest in soils and human health, including soil science, geology, geography, biology, and anthropology to investigate this issue from a number of perspectives. The book includes a soil science primer chapter for readers from other fields, and discusses the ways the soil science community can contribute to improving our understanding of soils and human health. Features Discusses ways the soil science community can contribute to the improvement of soil health Approaches human health from a soils-focused perspective, covering the influence of soil conservation and contact with soil on human health Illustrates topics via case studies including arsenic in groundwater in Bangladesh; the use of Agent Orange in Vietnam; heavy metal contamination in Shipham, United Kingdom and Omaha, Nebraska, USA; and electronic waste recycling in China. In a scientific world where the trend has often been ever-increasing specialization and increasingly difficult communication between fields and subfields, the interdisciplinary nature of soils and human health studies presents a significant challenge going forward. Fields with an interest in soils and human health need to have increased cross-disciplinary communication and cooperation. This book is a step in the direction of accessibility and innovation, elucidating the state of knowledge in the meeting of soil and health sciences, and identifying places where more work is needed.

Biogeography represents one of the most complex and challenging aspects of macroevolutionary research, requiring input from both the earth and life sciences. Palaeogeographic reconstruction is frequently carried out by researchers with backgrounds in geology and palaeontology, who are less likely to be familiar with the latest biogeographic techniques: conversely, biogeographic methods are often devised by neontologists who may be less familiar with the fossil record, stratigraphy, and palaeogeography. Palaeogeography and Palaeobiogeography: Biodiversity in Space and Time bridges the gap between these two communities of researchers, who work on the same issues but typically use different types of data. The book covers a range of topics, and reflects some of the major overall questions in the field such as: Which approaches are best suited to reconstructing biogeographic histories under a range of circumstances? How do we maximize the use of organismal and earth sciences data to improve our understanding of events in earth history? How well do analytical techniques devised for researching the biogeography of extant organisms perform in the fossil record? Can alternative biodiversity metrics, particularly those based on morphological measurements, enhance our understanding of biogeographic patterns and processes? This book approaches palaeobiogeography with coverage of technological applications and detailed case studies. It spans a wide selection of overlapping and integrative disciplines, including evolutionary theory, vicariance biogeography, extinctions, and the philosophical aspects of palaeogeography. It also highlights new technological innovations and applications for research. Presenting a unique discussion of both palaeogeography and palaeobiogeography in one volume, this book focuses both historically and philosophically on the interface between geology, climate, and organismal distribution.

A comprehensive handbook of analytical techniques in geochemistry which provides the student and the professional with an understanding of the wide spectrum of different analytical methods that can be applied to Earth and environmental materials, together with a critical appreciation of their relative merits and limitations.

The first "Big History" written from the perspective of a biologist Summarizes multiple perspectives of history Documents the unique conditions for the emergence of life Speculates on the future

This book introduces an integrated conceptual framework of the China Seismic Experimental Site (CSES), describes its scientific challenges and research priorities, and reports preliminary results coming out of observational infrastructure in seismology, tectonophysics, geodesy, geophysics and geochemistry. Preliminary community fault model, community velocity model, and community strain rate model in the CSES are described in this book. A multidisciplinary test observation system includes GNSS, seismic array, and deep drilling system under construct around middle segment of the Xiansuihe-Xiaojiang fault and other seismogenic faults in the CSES which are also introduced. This book introduces multidisciplinary topics and a wide spectrum of solid earth system to describe various disciplines, methods, and techniques through the CSES. This book presents a vision of the CSES that is dedicated to deepen the scientific understanding of continental earthquake preparation and occurrence and enhance the disaster resilience of the society. It aims at establishing a field laboratory of earthquake science, in which international and interdisciplinary cooperation could be fostered and supported. Contents of this book include the following: * History of Seismic Experiment Sites in the World. * Launching of CSES Project: Seismicity, Existed Earthquake Monitoring Networks, and Historical Seismic Disasters. * Seismotectonics and Geodynamics of the Eastern Margin of the Tibetan Plateau with Implication for the CSES. * Theoretical Framework of CSES in View of Natural Science and in view of Social Science. * Updated Earthquake Monitoring Network in China. * CSES Community Models of Geology, Structure, and Deformation. * Earthquake Forecasting Models. * CSES Products: Massive Data Procession and Distribution. * A Review of the Field Expedition of the June 17, 2019, Changning, Sichuan, M6.0 Earthquake. * Rupture Structure and Earthquake Risk of the South Longmenshan Fault Viewed by Guided Waves. * Seismic Risk Assessment. * Model of a Seismic Experimental Site with Application to the Comparative Study between CSES and ASES.

Using Geochemical Data brings together in one volume a wide range of ideas and methods currently used in geochemistry, providing a foundation of knowledge from which the reader can interpret, evaluate and present geochemical data.

Tuzo is the never-before-told story of one of Canada's most influential scientists and the discovery of plate tectonics, a pivotal development that forever altered how we think of our planet. In 1961, a Canadian geologist named John "Jock" Tuzo Wilson (1908-1993) jettisoned decades of strongly held opposition to theories of moving continents and embraced the idea that they drift across the surface of the Earth. Tuzo tells the fascinating life story of Tuzo Wilson, from his early forays as a teenaged geological assistant working on the remote Canadian Shield in the 1920s to his experiences as a civilian-soldier in the Second World War to his ultimate role as the venerated father of plate tectonics. Illuminating how science is done, this book blends Tuzo's life story with the development of the theory of plate tectonics, showing along the way how scientific theories are debated, rejected, and accepted. Gorgeously illustrated, Tuzo will appeal to anyone interested in the natural world around them.

Comprehensive presentation of six synthesis processes of mullite precursors, such as gelation, coprecipitation, diphasic gelation, codecomposition, and microcomposite processes, are shown. Comparison of phase evolution processes of spray pyrolysis, monophasic, polymeric, coprecipitated, diphasic precursors and composite mullite powders is established. Critical analysis of the results of DTA, XRD, IR, and MAS NMR of earlier researchers, as shown in Review part of the book, is included. Chemistry behind the hydrolysis reaction of different components in six synthesis processes of mullite precursors in achieving homogeneity is shown. Elaborate discussion of the characterization of Al-Si spinel and t-mullite based on studies of alkali leaching, TEM/EDS, QXRD, and lattice constant measurements is done. Remarkable of diagrams/graphics are included in each chapter.

Noble Gas Geochemistry gives a comprehensive description of the physical chemistry and cosmochemistry of noble gases, before leading on to applications for problem-solving in the earth and planetary sciences. There have been many developments in the use of the noble gases since publication of the first edition of this book in 1983. This second edition has been fully revised and updated. The book will be invaluable to graduate students and researchers in the earth and planetary sciences who use noble gas geochemistry techniques.

Atlas of Material Worlds is a highly designed narrative atlas illustrating the agency of nonliving materials with unique, ubiquitous, and often hidden influence on our daily lives. Employing new materialism as a jumping-off point, it examines the increasingly blurry lines between the organic and inorganic, engaging the following questions: What roles do nonliving materials play? Might a closer examination of those roles reveal an undeniable agency we have long overlooked or disregarded? If so, does this material agency change our understanding of the social structures, ecologies, economies, cosmologies, technologies, and landscapes that surround us? And, perhaps most importantly, why does material agency matter? This is the story of the world's driest nonpolar desert, pink flamingos, and cerulean blue lithium ponds; industrial shipping logistics, pudding-like jiggling substrates, and monuments of mud; galactic bodies, radioactive sheep, and the yellowcake of uranium. Put simply, this book dares readers to see the world anew, from material up. Atlas of Material Worlds offers this new relationship to our host environment in a time of mounting crises-accelerating climate change, ballooning socioeconomic inequality, and rising toxic nationalism-uniquely telling materialist stories for practitioners and students in landscape, architecture, and other built environment disciplines.

The authors have done an outstanding job of compiling decades of data collected by their own field reconnaissance and other geoscientists... This represents a significant contribution to the understanding of the development of the Florida carbonate platform, and it will assist other disciplines as they strive for better understanding of our groundwater resources, aquifer characterizations, paleoenvironmental interpretations, and historical/educational geology programs. Walt Schmidt, Florida State Geologist & Chief, Florida Geological Survey, USA (praise for the first edition) Painting a complete picture of the history of the Everglades, Ancient Seas of Southern Florida: The Geology and Paleontology of the Everglades Region, Second Edition provides an overview of the geology, paleontology, and paleoceanography of the region. It emphasizes the upper 300m of the geologic framework of the area and gives insight into the local stratigraphy, geomorphology, lithology, and historical geology. Designed to be a field guide as well as a reference, the book is illustrated in full color with brand new photographs of exposed geologic sections, stratotype localities, collection sites, and details of interesting fossil beds. In this book, the authors illustrate almost 800 of the most important and diagnostic stratigraphic index fossils found in these beds, including over 50 species of corals and almost 700 species of mollusks, along with echinoderms, crustaceans, echinoids, petrified wood, and aquatic vertebrates. A new edition of The Geology of the Everglades and Adjacent Areas, it contains larger images of fossil shells, corals, and echinoderms and includes new updated geological data and concepts, as well as an expanded iconography of stratigraphic index fossils. Based on the data gleaned from these fossils, it also offers a series of geomorphological visualizations, showing the possible appearances of the Florida Peninsula during the times when it was covered by tropical seas, from the Oligocene to the late Pleistocene. This second edition provides a new perspective on both the historical geology of southern Florida and the evolution of one of America's most beautiful natural treasures, the Everglades.

"Bacterial Biogeochemistry, Third Edition" focuses on bacterial metabolism and its relevance to the environment, including the decomposition of soil, food chains, nitrogen fixation, assimilation and reduction of carbon nitrogen and sulfur, and microbial symbiosis. The scope of the new edition has broadened to provide a historical perspective, and covers in greater depth topics such as bioenergetic processes, characteristics of microbial communities, spatial heterogeneity, transport mechanisms, microbial biofilms, extreme environments and evolution of biogeochemical cycles.
Provides up-to-date coverage with an enlarged scope, a new historical perspective, and coverage in greater depth of topics of special interestCovers interactions between microbial processes, atmospheric composition and the earth's greenhouse propertiesCompletely rewritten to incorporate all the advances and discoveries of the last 20 years such as applications in the exploration for ore deposits and oil and in remediation of environmental pollution

Atlas of Material Worlds is a highly designed narrative atlas illustrating the agency of nonliving materials with unique, ubiquitous, and often hidden influence on our daily lives. Employing new materialism as a jumping-off point, it examines the increasingly blurry lines between the organic and inorganic, engaging the following questions: What roles do nonliving materials play? Might a closer examination of those roles reveal an undeniable agency we have long overlooked or disregarded? If so, does this material agency change our understanding of the social structures, ecologies, economies, cosmologies, technologies, and landscapes that surround us? And, perhaps most importantly, why does material agency matter? This is the story of the world's driest nonpolar desert, pink flamingos, and cerulean blue lithium ponds; industrial shipping logistics, pudding-like jiggling substrates, and monuments of mud; galactic bodies, radioactive sheep, and the yellowcake of uranium. Put simply, this book dares readers to see the world anew, from material up. Atlas of Material Worlds offers this new relationship to our host environment in a time of mounting crises-accelerating climate change, ballooning socioeconomic inequality, and rising toxic nationalism-uniquely telling materialist stories for practitioners and students in landscape, architecture, and other built environment disciplines.