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Books > Earth & environment > Geography
Australia's varied grasslands have suffered massive losses and
changes since European settlement, and those changes continue under
increasingly intensive human pressures for development and
agricultural production. The values of native grasslands for
conservation of endemic native biodiversity, both flora and fauna,
have led to strong interests in the protection of remaining
fragments, especially near urban centres, and documentation of the
insects and other inhabitants of grasslands spanning tropical to
cool temperate parts of the country. Attention to conservation of
grassland insects in Australia is relatively recent, but it is
increasingly apparent that grasslands harbour many localised and
ecologically specialised endemic species. Their conservation
necessarily advances from very incomplete documentation, and draws
heavily on lessons from the far better-documented grasslands
elsewhere, most notably in the northern hemisphere, and undertaken
over far longer periods. From those cases, and the extensive
background to grassland management to harmonise conservation with
production and amenity values through honing use of processes such
as grazing, mowing and fire, the needs and priorities for Australia
can become clearer, together with needs for grassland restoration
at a variety of scales. This book is a broad overview of
conservation needs of grassland insects in Australia, drawing on
the background provided elsewhere in the world on the responses to
disturbances, and the ecological importance, of some key insect
groups (notably Orthoptera, Hemiptera and Lepidoptera) to suggest
how insect conservation in native, pastoral and urban grasslands
may be advanced. The substantial references given for each chapter
facilitate entry for non-entomologist grassland managers and
stewards to appreciate the diversity and importance of Australia's
grassland insects, their vulnerabilities to changes, and the
possibilities for conserving them and the wider ecological roles in
which they participate.
This handbook is unique in its consideration of social and cultural
contributions to sustainable oceans management. It is also unique
in its deconstruction of the hegemonic value attached to the oceans
and in its analysis of discourses regarding what national
governments in the Global South should prioritise in their oceans
management strategy. Offering a historical perspective from the
start, the handbook reflects on the confluence of (western)
scientific discourse and colonialism, and the impact of this on
indigenous conceptions of the oceans and on social identity. With
regard to the latter, the authors are mindful of the
nationalisation of island territories worldwide and the impact of
this process on regional collaboration, cultural exchange and the
valuation of the oceans. Focusing on global examples, the handbook
offers a nuanced, region relevant, contemporary conceptualisation
of blue heritage, discussing what will be required to achieve an
inclusive oceans economy by 2063, the end goal date of the African
Union's Agenda 2063. The analysis will be useful to established
academics in the field of ocean studies, policymakers and
practitioners engaged in research on the ocean economy, as well as
graduate scholars in the ocean sciences.
Governing Arctic Seas introduces the concept of ecopolitical
regions, using in-depth analyses of the Bering Strait and Barents
Sea Regions to demonstrate how integrating the natural sciences,
social sciences and Indigenous knowledge can reveal patterns,
trends and processes as the basis for informed decisionmaking. This
book draws on international, interdisciplinary and inclusive
(holistic) perspectives to analyze governance mechanisms, built
infrastructure and their coupling to achieve sustainability in
biophysical regions subject to shared authority. Governing Arctic
Seas is the first volume in a series of books on Informed
Decisionmaking for Sustainability that apply, train and refine
science diplomacy to address transboundary issues at scales ranging
from local to global. For nations and peoples as well as those
dealing with global concerns, this holistic process operates across
a 'continuum of urgencies' from security time scales (mitigating
risks of political, economic and cultural instabilities that are
immediate) to sustainability time scales (balancing economic
prosperity, environmental protection and societal well-being across
generations). Informed decisionmaking is the apex goal, starting
with questions that generate data as stages of research,
integrating decisionmaking institutions to employ evidence to
reveal options (without advocacy) that contribute to informed
decisions. The first volumes in the series focus on the Arctic,
revealing legal, economic, environmental and societal lessons with
accelerating knowledge co-production to achieve progress with
sustainability in this globally-relevant region that is undergoing
an environmental state change in the sea and on land. Across all
volumes, there is triangulation to integrate research, education
and leadership as well as science, technology and innovation to
elaborate the theory, methods and skills of informed decisionmaking
to build common interests for the benefit of all on Earth.
The Red Hills region of south Georgia and north Florida contains
one of the most biologically diverse ecosystems in North America,
with longleaf pine trees that are up to four hundred years old and
an understory of unparalleled plant life. At first glance, the
longleaf woodlands at plantations like Greenwood, outside
Thomasville, Georgia, seem undisturbed by market economics and
human activity, but Albert G. Way contends that this environment
was socially produced and that its story adds nuance to the broader
narrative of American conservation.
The Red Hills woodlands were thought of primarily as a healthful
refuge for northern industrialists in the early twentieth century.
When notable wildlife biologist Herbert Stoddard arrived in 1924,
he began to recognize the area's ecological value. Stoddard was
with the federal government, but he drew on local knowledge to
craft his land management practices, to the point where a
distinctly southern, agrarian form of ecological conservation
emerged. This set of practices was in many respects progressive,
particularly in its approach to fire management and species
diversity, and much of it remains in effect today.
Using Stoddard as a window into this unique conservation
landscape, "Conserving Southern Longleaf" positions the Red Hills
as a valuable center for research into and understanding of
wildlife biology, fire ecology, and the environmental appreciation
of a region once dubbed simply the "pine barrens."
The book embarks on the tasks to systematically analyze the macro
background of the spatial patterns of China's urban development,
the theoretical foundations and framework, and its changing
trajectory. From a quantitative perspective, we attempt to evaluate
the rationale behind the spatial patterns of China's urban
development and systematically simulate the various scenarios. From
the simulation results, we propose the optimizing goals,
priorities, models, and strategies for the spatial patterns of
China's urban development. The work in this book attempts to
provide constructive suggestions and potential strategies to
support the effort to optimize the spatial patterns of China's
urban development. It would be a valuable reference for planning
departments, development and reform committees, and science and
technology administrative departments at various governmental
levels. It could also be a valuable addition to graduate students
of urban planning, urban development, urban geography and relevant
disciplines.
In this sequel to Kingston, Jamaica: Urban Development and Social
Change, 1692 to 1962 (1975) Colin Clarke investigates the role of
class, colour, race, and culture in the changing social
stratification and spatial patterning of Kingston, Jamaica since
independence in 1962. He also assesses the strains - created by the
doubling of the population - on labour and housing markets, which
are themselves important ingredients in urban social
stratification. Special attention is also given to colour, class,
and race segregation, to the formation of the Kingston ghetto, to
the role of politics in the creation of zones of violence and drug
trading in downtown Kingston, and to the contribution of the arts
to the evolution of national culture. A special feature is the
inclusion of multiple maps produced and compiled using GIS
(geographical information systems). The book concludes with a
comparison with the post-colonial urban problems of South Africa
and Brazil, and an evalution of the de-colonization of Kingston.
An annual collection of studies of individuals who have made major
contributions to the development of geography and geographical
thought. Subjects are drawn from all periods and from all parts of
the world, and include famous names as well as those less well
known: explorers, independent thinkers and scholars. Each paper
describes the geographer's education, life and work and discusses
their influence and spread of academic ideas. Each study includes a
select bibliography and brief chronology. The work includes a
general index and a cumulative index of geographers listed in
volumes published to date.
From an early age, Brice H. Goldsborough exhibited an unending
curiosity about the world around him; he was interested in almost
anything mechanical, was inquisitive about weather patterns, and
yearned to know more about aerodynamics. This lifelong quest for
information led him to found Pioneer Instrument Company in New York
in 1919, a firm that eventually became one of the world's largest
producers of reliable aviation instruments. In this biography,
author Robert Dye, Goldsborough's great-nephew, tells the story of
a man who became an expert in meteorology, navigation, and aircraft
instrument design and changed the course of aviation history. Based
on personal letters, articles, and news clippings, "A Pioneer in
Aviation" follows Goldsborough's life as a teen, his time in the
navy studying electricity, and his accomplishments, such as
establishing China's first offshore radio station and supervising
the construction of Haiti's first radio station. Detailing one of
aviation's unsung heroes, "A Pioneer in Aviation" shows the man who
designed, built, and installed the instrument panel for "The Spirit
of St. Louis" and flew with Charles Lindbergh during September 1927
and how he came to be associated with other great names in aviation
history such as Glenn Curtiss, Clyde Cessna, Walter Beech, and Igor
Sikorsky.
Even before the myth of Prometheus, fire played a crucial
ecological role around the world. Numerous plant communities depend
on fire to generate species diversity in both time and space.
Without fire such ecosystems would become sterile monocultures.
Recent efforts to prohibit fire in fire dependent communities have
contributed to more intense and more damaging fires. For these
reasons, foresters, ecologists, land managers, geographers, and
environmental scientists are interested in the behavior and
ecological effects of fires. This book will be the first to focus
on the chemistry and physics of fire as it relates to the ways in
which fire behaves and the impacts it has on ecosystem function.
Leading international contributors have been recruited by the
editors to prepare a didactic text/reference that will appeal to
both advanced students and practicing professionals.
Europeans' romanticist imaginings of people from the South Pacific
have been around since the Enlightenment and have been
significantly informed by the accounts of voyages to Tahiti by
people such as Louis Bougainville. This book shows that the overtly
promiscuous behavior that the French perceived as hospitality on
the part of the Tahitians in 1768 was actually a defensive ploy,
and that our contemporary image of sex and sexuality in Pacific
Island societies is influenced by a fantasy based on this French
misperception. This volume takes a very detailed look at
traditional Tahitian culture and society and provides a realistic
description of what happened on Tahiti when Europeans encountered
the people who lived there. Bolyanatz provides a very readable
history of South Pacific exploration and Enlightenment thinking.
Anyone interested in the development of Enlightenment thought and
the way it has developed since the 18th century will enjoy this
book.
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Modern Germany
(Hardcover)
Wendell G Johnson, Katharina Barbe
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R3,209
R2,866
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Modern Germany explores life, society, and history in this
comprehensive thematic encyclopedia, spanning such topics as
geography, pop culture, the media, and gender. Germany and its
capital, Berlin, were the fulcrum of geopolitics in the twentieth
century. After the Second World War, Germany was a divided nation.
Many German citizens were born and educated and continued to work
in eastern Germany (the former German Democratic Republic). This
title in the Understanding Modern Nations series seeks to explain
contemporary life and traditional culture through thematic
encyclopedic entries. Themes in the book cover geography; history;
politics and government; economy; religion and thought; social
classes and ethnicity; gender, marriage, and sexuality; education;
language; etiquette; literature and drama; art and architecture;
music and dance; food; leisure and sports; and media and pop
culture. Within each theme, short topical entries cover a wide
array of key concepts and ideas, from LGBTQ issues in Germany to
linguistic dialects to the ever-famous Oktoberfest. Geared
specifically toward high school and undergraduate German students,
readers interested in history and travel will find this book
accessible and engaging. Provides examples of how the post-war
division of Germany continues to play a role in German society
Discusses German politics as well as the nation's role in the
European Union Contains contemporary, first-person accounts of
everyday life in Germany in a "Day in the Life" appendix
Illuminates the text through photos that illustrate key topics
Provides fun facts and anecdotal information in sidebars, helping
to engage readers
This book presents a comprehensive and innovative understanding of
the role of shallow coastal ecosystems in carbon cycling,
particularly marine carbon sequestration. Incorporating a series of
forward-looking chapters, the book combines thorough reviews of the
global literature and regional assessments-mainly around the
Indo-Pacific region and Japan-with global perspectives to provide a
thorough assessment of carbon cycling in shallow coastal systems.
It advocates the expansion of blue-carbon ecosystems (mangroves,
seagrass meadows, and salt marshes) into macroalgal beds, tidal
flats, coral reefs, and urbanized shallow waters, demonstrating the
potential of these ecosystems as new carbon sinks. Moreover, it
discusses not only topics that are currently the focus of
blue-carbon studies, i.e., sedimentary carbon stock and
accumulation rate, but also CO2 gas exchange between the atmosphere
and shallow coastal ecosystems, carbon storage in the water column
as refractory organic carbon, and off-site carbon storage.
Including highly original contributions, this comprehensive work
inspires research beyond the specific regions covered by the
chapters. The suite of new concepts and approaches is refreshing
and demonstrates that blue-carbon research is indeed a vibrant new
field of research, providing deep insights into neglected aspects
of carbon cycling in the marine environment. At the same time the
book provides guidance for policy makers to deliver benefits to
society, for example the inclusion of blue carbon as a carbon
offset scheme or the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) in
the Paris Agreement, and also for building resilience in coastal
socio-ecosystems through better management. This book is intended
for all those interested in the science and management of coastal
ecosystems.
Exploring some of the ways in which repair practices and
perceptions of brokenness vary culturally, Repair, Brokenness,
Breakthrough argues that repair is both a process and also a
consequence which is sought out-an attempt to extend the life of
things as well as an answer to failures, gaps, wrongdoings, and
leftovers. This volume develops an open-ended combination of
empirical and theoretical questions including: What does it mean to
claim that something is broken? At what point is something broken
repairable? What are the social relationships that take place
around repair? And how much tolerance for failure do our societies
have?
This book discusses the question of how a regional economy can
develop under the influence of an ageing and declining population,
and how regional development policies can help make labor markets
more resilient and more inclusive. As the greatest impacts of
demographic change and policy and fiscal challenges can be observed
at the local level, examples from European, North American and
Asian regions are combined to present a comprehensive, global range
of strategic solutions from different policy contexts. The book
shows how institutions, organizations and communities can enhance
their pathways for sustainable development through the intelligent
management of their demographic transition, and offers a synthesis
of valuable lessons and strategies.
Policing and ecological crises - and all the inequalities,
discrimination, and violence they entail - are pressing
contemporary problems. Ecological degradation, biodiversity loss,
and climate change threaten local communities and ecosystems, and,
cumulatively, the planet as a whole. Police brutality, wars,
paramilitarism, private security operations, and securitization
more widely impact people - especially people of colour - and
habitats. This edited collection explores their relationship, and
investigates the numerous ways in which police, security, and
military forces intersect with, reinforce, and facilitate
ecological and climate catastrophe. Employing a case study-based
approach, the book examines the relationships and entanglements
between policing and ecosystems, revealing the intimate connection
between political violence and ecological degradation.
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