This book gives a broad and well-integrated overview of recent major scientific results in wetland science and their applications in natural resource management. After an introduction into the field, 12 chapters contributed by internationally known experts summarize the state of the art on a multitude of topics. The coverage is divided into three sections: Functioning of Plants and Animals in Wetlands; Conservation and Management of Wetlands; and Wetland Restoration and Creation.

In the name of agriculture, urban growth, and disease control, humans have drained, filled, or otherwise destroyed nearly 87 percent of the world's wetlands over the past three centuries. Unintended consequences include biodiversity loss, poor water quality, and the erosion of cultural sites, and only in the past few decades have wetlands been widely recognized as worth preserving. Emily O'Gorman asks, What has counted as a wetland, for whom, and with what consequences? Using the Murray-Darling Basin-a massive river system in eastern Australia that includes over 30,000 wetland areas-as a case study and drawing on archival research and original interviews, O'Gorman examines how people and animals have shaped wetlands from the late nineteenth century to today. She illuminates deeper dynamics by relating how Aboriginal peoples acted then and now as custodians of the landscape, despite the policies of the Australian government; how the movements of water birds affected farmers; and how mosquitoes have defied efforts to fully understand, let alone control, them. Situating the region's history within global environmental humanities conversations, O'Gorman argues that we need to understand wetlands as socioecological landscapes in order to create new kinds of relationships with and futures for these places.

As a continent of extreme, rare and complex environments, Australia has produced a startling group of ecological pioneers. Australian thinkers and innovators have made some truly original contributions to ecological thought. This study traces the emergence of ecological awareness in Australia. By constructing a social history with chapters focusing on different fields in the arts, sciences, politics and public life, Martin Mulligan and Stuart Hill are able to bring to life the work of significant individuals.

The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) will not only be Africa's largest dam, but it is also essential for future cooperation and development in the Nile River Basin and East African region. This book, after setting out basin-level legal and policy successes and failures of managing and sharing Nile waters, articulates the opportunities and challenges surrounding the GERD through multiple disciplinary lenses. It sets out its possibilities as a basis for a new era of cooperation, its regional and global implications, the benefits of cooperation and coordination in dam filling, and the need for participatory and transparent decision making. By applying law, political science and hydrology to sharing water resources in general and to large-scale dam building, filling and operating in particular, it offers concrete qualitative and quantitative options that are essential to promote cooperation and coordination in utilising and preserving Nile waters. The book incorporates the economic dimension and draws on recent developments including: the signing of a legally binding contract by Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan to carry out an impact assessment study; the possibility that the GERD might be partially operational very soon, the completion of transmission lines from GERD to Addis Ababa; and the announcement of Sudan to commence construction of transmission lines from GERD to its main cities. The implications of these are assessed and lessons learned for transboundary water cooperation and conflict management.

These three volumes present an original exploration of all aspects of water--social, cultural, political, religious, historical, economic and technological--from ancient times until the present day. Among the varied themes, the contributors examine the changing histories of water as a private or common good, the politics of water at local, urban, national and international level, water in cities, great river plans, dams, river biographies, and cultural constructions of water--images of water in religion, myth, literature and art. With empirical and ethnographic case studies from around the world the three volumes together represent one of the most complete and up to date accounts of the central role of water in the history and development of humanity.

These three volumes present an original exploration of all aspects of water--social, cultural, political, religious, historical, economic and technological--from ancient times until the present day. Among the varied themes, the contributors examine the changing histories of water as a private or common good, the politics of water at local, urban, national and international level, water in cities, great river plans, dams, river biographies, and cultural constructions of water--images of water in religion, myth, literature and art. With empirical and ethnographic case studies from around the world the three volumes together represent one of the most complete and up to date accounts of the central role of water in the history and development of humanity.

This study, originally published in 1990, seeks to address several important policy questions associated with the ongoing depletion of forested wetlands. First, in the context of Environmental Impact Statements, should the estimated areas of impact of Federal flood-control and drainage projects on wetlands be limited to (minimal) construction impacts, or should they include impacts which occur when such projects cause private landowners to drain and clear their wetland holdings? A second crucial question is whether wetland depletion and conversion to agricultural cropland has been excessive. This title will be of interest to students of Environmental Economics and Policy.

This volume consists of twenty chapters addressing different aspects of the theme of fluvial processes and environmental change. The overall coverage is broad; scientifically, (from modelling to alluvial dating), geographically (from arid zone flash-flooding to glacial meltwaters) and in time (from contemporary process studies to the Quaternary). The introductory chapter sets the context, which is an attempt to show how studies of fluvial processes can help us in understanding and therefore predicting the impact of environmental change on our rivers, riverine resources and landscapes. Environmental change includes both climatic factors, however caused, and human impacts on river basins. The differentiation of these two factors is discussed in several chapters whilst others take a more holistic approach. Both climatic and human factors have, and will remain, to act together and so their interactions need to be understood. Fluvial Processes and Environmental Change is divided into five sections, commencing with the slope-catchment scale and proceeding to studies of channel response, then floodplain processes and floodplain response and finally two studies from glacierised basins. The volume originated as a two-day session of the British Geomorphological Research Group and contributors from Europe, the USA and Australia were included in order to provide a wide perspective on the topic. This book will be a valuable reference for postgraduates and researchers in fluvial geomorphology, hydrology, Quaternary science, geology and environmental science.

Invasive non-native species are a major threat to global biodiversity. Often introduced accidentally through international travel or trade, they invade and colonize new habitats, often with devastating consequences for the local flora and fauna. Their environmental impacts can range from damage to resource production (e.g. agriculture and forestry) and infrastructure (e.g. buildings, road and water supply), to human health. They consequently can have major economic impacts. It is a priority to prevent their introduction and spread, as well as to control them. Freshwater ecosystems are particularly at risk from invasions and are landscape corridors that facilitate the spread of invasives. This book reviews the current state of knowledge of the most notable global invasive freshwater species or groups, based on their severity of economic impact, geographic distribution outside of their native range, extent of research, and recognition of the ecological severity of the impact of the species by the IUCN. As well as some of the very well-known species, the book also covers some invasives that are emerging as serious threats. Examples covered include a range of aquatic and riparian plants, insects, molluscs, crustacea, fish, amphibians, reptiles and mammals, as well as some major pathogens of aquatic organisms. The book also includes overview chapters synthesizing the ecological impact of invasive species in fresh water and summarizing practical implications for the management of rivers and other freshwater habitats.

In the last two hundred years, the earth has increasingly become the private property of a few classes, races, transnational corporations, and nations. Repeated claims about the "tragedy of the commons" and the "crisis of capitalism" have done little to explain this concentration of land, encourage solution-building to solve resource depletion, or address our current socio-ecological crisis. The Commons in an Age of Uncertainty presents a new explanation, vision, and action plan based on the idea of commoning the land. The book argues that by commoning the land, rather than privatising it, we can develop the foundation for prosperity without destructive growth and address both local and global challenges. Making the land the most fundamental priority of all commons does not only give hope, it also opens the doors to a new world in which economy, environment, and society are decolonised and liberated.

This is an extraordinary 1997 collection of essays about landscape. With a lively and engaging style, George Seddon considers everything from creating a garden in Freemantle, to locating ancient plants while wandering in a far North Queensland rainforest to analysing the geological features on either side of the tram tracks in Collingwood. Yet while the book celebrates Australia, and covers many topics that seem familiar and everyday, it is challenging and provocative. Seddon is acutely aware of the moral and environmental aspects of history and is able to present local and regional history on a grand scale. Landprints reflects a lifetime devoted to questions about landscape: the ways we use and abuse the land, how Australian landscapes are different from European landscapes and how this land makes those who live on it uniquely, if ambiguously, Australian.

Coral reefs are an important tourism resource for many coastal and island destinations and generate a range of benefits to their local communities, including as a food source, income from tourism, employment and recreational opportunities. However, coral reefs are under increasing threat from climate change and related impacts such as coral bleaching and ocean acidification. Other anthropogenic stresses include over-fishing, anchor damage, coastal development, agricultural run-off, sedimentation and coral mining. This book adopts a multidisciplinary approach to review these issues as they relate to the sustainable management of coral reef tourism destinations. It incorporates coral reef science, management, conservation and tourism perspectives and takes a global perspective of coral reef tourism issues covering many of the world's most significant coral reef destinations. These include the Great Barrier Reef and Ningaloo Reef in Australia, the Red Sea, Pacific Islands, South East Asia, the Maldives, the Caribbean islands, Florida Keys and Brazil. Specific issues addressed include climate change, pollution threats, fishing, island tourism, scuba diving, marine wildlife, governance, sustainability, conservation and community resilience. The book also issues a call for more thoughtful development of coral reef experiences where the ecological needs of coral reefs are placed ahead of the economic desires of the tourism industry.

This book contains a selection of papers from the International Military Geology and Geography Conference, held at the U.S. Military Academy, West Point, New York in June 2003. Studies in Military Geography and Geology expands a series of recent publications originating from conferences and symposia on military geology that began in 1994. The 25 contributions address a broad range of military topics ranging from the strategic perspective, through analyses of historical battles at the operational and tactical levels, to the use of advanced technologies applied to present-day military problems.

British Plant Communities is the first systematic and comprehensive account of the vegetation types of Great Britain. It covers all natural, semi-natural and major artificial habitats in Great Britain (but not Northern Ireland), representing the fruits of fifteen years' research by leading plant ecologists. The book breaks new ground in wedding the rigorous interest in the classification of plant communities that has characterized continental phytosociology with the deep concern traditional in Britain to understand how vegetation works. The three volumes already published have been greeted with universal acclaim and the series has become firmly established as a framework for a wide variety of teaching, research and management activities in ecology, conservation and land-use planning. The present book covers aquatic and swamp vegetation and will be a useful reference for professionals in botany, ecology, conservation, and natural history.

British Plant Communities is the first systematic and comprehensive account of natural vegetation types of Great Britain. It covers all natural, semi-natural and major artificial habitats in Great Britain (excluding Northern Ireland), representing the fruits of fifteen years research by leading plant ecologists. Over 250 plant communities are described in the five volumes, with summaries of their vascular plants, bryophytes and lichens. There are full details in the text of the composition and structure of the vegetation, its relationships to habitat factors and its occurence in characteristic spatial patterns and successions. Numerous maps show the distribution of the communities through Britain and all the vegetation types are related to their closest equivalents in mainland Europe. For each major group of communities an introduction outlines the range of floristic variation and relates it to important environmental influences. A key provides the reader with a means of identifying vegetation types encountered in the field. There are indices to the communities and to their existing synonyms, and to all the plant species encountered in the survey. An extensive bibliography gives full details of the numerous literature references cited. British Plant Communities breaks new ground in wedding traditional Continental phytosociology with the deep concern in Britain to understand how vegetation works. It is intended as a working tool, offering a reliable framework for a wide variety of teaching, research, and management activities in ecology, conservation, and land use planning.

British Plant Communities is the first systematic and comprehensive account of the vegetation types of this country. It covers all natural, semi-natural and major artificial habitats in Great Britain (but not Northern Ireland), representing the fruits of fifteen years of research by leading plant ecologists. The book breaks new ground in wedding the rigorous interest in the classification of plant communities that has characterized Continental phytosociology with the deep concern traditional in Great Britain to understand how vegetation works. The published volumes have been greeted with universal acclaim, and the series has become firmly established as a framework for a wide variety of teaching, research and management activities in ecology, conservation and land-use planning.

Geomorphology and Groundwater is an up--to--the--minute collection dealing with the overlap between geomorphology and hydrogeology. These two disciplines have much to offer each other in several fields such as river groundwater interactions, the location and evolution of aquifers, karst and landform evolution. There is increasing realisation that groundwater plays an important role in many geomorphological processes and of the utility of geomorphological techniques and ideas in the analysis of groundwater systems. The authors contributing to this volume are drawn from a wide variety of backgrounds and include research geomorphologists, engineers and consulting hydrogeologists. Much of the work reported here applies to or has immediate applications to such environmental problems as arid--zone water supply, groundwater pollution, wetland conservation, fisheries management and landscape protection. As such this book will be of value not only to researchers in the respective fields, but to all those interested in groundwater--related environmental issues.

This book begins with a brief account of the extraordinary sequence of events that led to emergence of grasslands as major vegetation formations that now occupy some of the driest and hottest and the highest and coldest on earth as well as vast steppes and prairies in more temperate climes. It is the story of grasses successfully competing with forests and woodlands, aided and abetted by grazing herbivores and by humans and their use of fire as a tool. It is a story of adaptation to changing climates and the changing biophysical environments. A major focus of the book is the Palaearctic biogeographic realm that extends over some 45 million km(2) and thus more than 1/3 of the terrestrial ice-free surface on Earth. It comprises extensive grasslands of different types and origin, which can be subdivided into (1) natural grasslands with (1a) steppes (climatogenic in dry climates), (1b) arctic-alpine grasslands (climatogenic in cold climates) and (1c) azonal and extrazonal grasslands (pedogenic and topogenic) as well as (2) secondary grasslands created and sustained by human activities, such as livestock grazing, mowing or burning. Grasslands of the Palaearctic do not only form a major basis for the agriculture of the region and thus its food supply, but are also crucial for other ecosystem services and host a supra proportional part of the realm's plant and animal diversity. To reflect that suitability of grasslands for biodiversity strongly depends on their state, we apply the term High Nature Value grassland to those natural grasslands that are not degraded (in good state) and those secondary grasslands that are not intensified (semi-natural). The situation in a variety of countries where grasslands are evolving under the influence of global climate change is also considered. Case studies are presented on Southern Africa, Eastern Africa, India, China, South America, North America and Australia. The concluding chapter examines a set of themes arising from the chapters that make up the bulk of this book. The following provide a focus: recent history of grassland biomes - brief recap of current thinking and recent trends with special reference to dry grasslands in the Palearctic regions; the current status of grasslands and germplasm resources (biodiversity) - an overview; management systems that ensure sustainability; how to recover degraded grasslands; socio-economic issues and considerations in grassland management; the impacts of environmental problems in grasslands such as future climate change and intensification and the problems/prospects facing pastoralists and other grassland-based livestock producers.

Destruction of tropical rain forests has increased exponentially in recent years, as have efforts to conserve them. However, information essential to these conservation programs--an understanding of the population dynamics of the community at risk--is often unavailable to the scientists and resource managers who need it most.
This volume helps fill the gap by presenting a comprehensive description and analysis of the animal community of the tropical rain forest at El Verde, Puerto Rico. Building on more than a decade of field research, the contributors weave the complex strands of information about the energy flow within the forest--who eats whom--into a powerful tool for understanding community dynamics known as a food web. This systematic approach to organizing the natural histories of the many species at El Verde also reveals basic patterns and processes common to all rain forests, making this book a valuable contribution for anyone concerned with studying and protecting these fragile ecosystems.

This book assesses how coastlines change and how they have evolved over the past few thousand years. It introduces some of the latest concepts in coastal morphodynamics, recognizing that coasts develop through co-adjustment of process and form. The authors examine particular types of coasts--deltas, estuaries, reefs, lagoons and polar coasts--in detail with conceptual models developed on the basis of well-studied examples. In addition to being a text for graduate-level students, this is a comprehensive source for geologists, engineers, environmental scientists, planners and coastal managers.

Every year a landslide disaster occurs somewhere in Europe. Destructive events are fortunately infrequent but when they do occur they are often tragic in their effects. Europe is heavily populated and development is expanding into areas where natural events are more likely to happen. Landslide Recognition is written by specialists from several European institutions and is designed to portray the diagnostic features of landslides as they would appear in the field, on maps or in photographs. Brief descriptions are provided and some guidance is given in the area in which different landslide types might be expected. This book will assist planners, developers, engineers and earth scientists to recognise where a problem may exist and to diagnose what type of failure may occur. The correct investigations and remedial measures may then be applied.

Can we prevent the destruction of the world's tropical forests? In the fire-scarred hills of Costa Rica, award-winning science writer William Allen found a remarkable answer: we can not only prevent their destruction--we can bring them back to their former glory.

In Green Phoenix, Allen tells the gripping story of a large group of Costa Rican and American scientists and volunteers who set out to save the tropical forests in the northwestern section of the country. It was an area badly damaged by the fires of ranchers and small farmers; in many places a few strands of forest strung across a charred landscape. Despite the widely held belief that tropical forests, once lost, are lost forever, the team led by the dynamic Daniel Janzen from the University of Pennsylvania moved relentlessly ahead, taking a broad array of political, ecological, and social steps necessary for restoration. They began with 39 square miles and, by 2000, they had stitched together and revived some 463 square miles of land and another 290 of marine area. Today this region is known as the Guanacaste Conservation Area, a fabulously rich landscape of dry forest, cloud forest, and rain forest that gives life to some 235,000 species of plants and animals. It may be the greatest environmental success of our time, a prime example of how extensive devastation can be halted and reversed.

This is an inspiring story, and in recounting it, Allen writes with vivid power. He creates lasting images of pristine beaches and dense forest and captures the heroics and skill of the scientific teams, especially the larger-than-life personality of the maverick ecologist Daniel Janzen. It is a book everyone concerned about the environment will want to own.

Rainforests in Australia are found in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, the Northern Territory and Western Australia. This beautifully illustrated guide explores 51 wildlife watching sites in 22 bioregions around Australia, with over 500 colour photographs and 28 maps. Sites are generally open to the public, (some may require permits). Detailed descriptions of the key vertebrate and invertebrate species that can be found in the rainforests are given, to enable easy identification and as a tool for the reader to gain a deeper understanding of their habits and biology. Concise information on each site includes location descriptions, GPS coordinates, travel options and distances, relevant fees and permits, and an overview of some of the main tracks and trails.

Rift basins of Triassic-Jurassic age that are associated with the breakup of the Pangean supercontinent contain an extraordinary record of the physical and biological conditions during this important period of Earth history. Rather than studying the rift basins as local features, ongoing work reveals that the Triassic-Jurassic rifts should be considered in a broader context that spans the entire proto-Atlantic realm. The rift province, collectively called the central Atlantic margin system, spans more than 45 degrees of paleolatitude and records over 35 million years of Earth history. The central Atlantic margin basins are of broad appeal to researchers interested in topics as diverse as extensional tectonics, the global magnetostratigraphic timescale, the evolution of early mammals, the appearance and diversification of dinosaurs, rift to drift crustal dynamics, astronomical forcing of climate, and models for the formation and occurrence of economic minerals and fossil fuel deposits. This extensive two-volume work offers in-depth coverage of the North American components of the Central Atlantic Magmatic Province rifts by experts in the field.

In volume 1, leading researchers give thoroughly reviews and highlight recent advances in our understanding of the structural geology, tectonics, and volcanism of the Central Atlantic Magmatic Province.

The companion volume, "The Great Rift Valleys of Pangea in Eastern North America: Volume 2, Sedimentology, Stratigraphy, and Paleontology," 0-231-12676-X, covers such topics as sedimentary rocks, stratigraphic architecture, early dinosaur and reptile footprints, and vertebrate fossils of the Central Atlantic Magmatic Province. It is edited by Peter M. LeTourneau and Paul E. Olsen and is also available from Columbia University Press.