This volume brings together papers from geotechnical and civil engineers, biologists, ecologists and foresters. They discuss current problems in slope stability research and how to address them using ground bio- and eco-engineering techniques. Coverage presents studies by scientists and practitioners on slope instability, erosion, soil hydrology, mountain ecology, land use and restoration and how to mitigate these problems using vegetation.

Land in the tropics and sub tropics occupy approximately 40 percent of the Earth's surface and is currently home to a a large portion of the world's population. This book provides a detail ed scientific account of the current state and condition of land change in the Tropics. The main themes of tropical land change science include not only extensification and intensifi cation, butal so diversification and co mpetition for land; resilience of land systems; the multiple roles of institutions, markets, societies, and individu als; andth e effects of decisions made at manifold spatial, temporal, and organizational scales in influencing land change. These themes together with issues such as frontier settleme nt, dynamics of plant invasions and other changes in environmental qualitya ssociated with alternate land uses clearly demonstrate the importanceof an integrateda nd interdisciplinary understanding of socio economic and human systems aswell as environ mental systems. This book takes such a coupled approach to human and natural systems and investigates land change as anexe mplar oft he funda mental interdependence of society, economy, and environment. Development of methodologies required for achieving a more integrated and interdisciplinary understanding of land change in coupled natural and human systems are an important effort in the international land change sci ence community. This book addresses and explores manyof t hese meth odologies, provi ding detailed case studies that demonstrate the importance of strong methodologies.

In this book we undertake one of the first global-scale comparisons of the relationships between tropical plants and frugivorous animal communities, comparing sites within and across continents. In total, 12 primary contributors, including noted plant and animal ecologists, present newly-analyzed long-term datasets on the floristics and phenological rhythms of their study sites, identifying important seed dispersers and key plant taxa that sustain animal communities in Africa, Madagascar, Australasia, and the Neotropics.

The 34th European Marine Biology Symposium was held in Ponta Delgada, The Azores, between 13th and 17th September 1999. It was organised by the University of the Azores in association with the Municipal Museum of Funchal (Madeira), and the Plymouth Environment Research Centre (University of Plymouth, UK). The selected topics, dictated by the position of the Azores in the Atlantic Ocean, were: `Ecology and Evolution on Island Shores', `The Open Ocean', and `The Deep Ocean'. Each topic was introduced by a recognised expert of international reputation and these keynote reviews provide authoritative summaries of the current status of these very important topics in marine biology. The 35 papers which make up this volume bring new ideas and concepts relating to the functioning of marine systems extending from the intertidal, through the pelagic realm down to the deep sea. The book covers many aspects of the biology of marine organisms and will have wide interest to all those interested in the life of the world's oceans.

Plants have developed very sophisticated mechanisms to combat pathogens and pestsusingtheleastamountofreservedorgeneratedenergypossible. Theydothis by activating major defense mechanisms after recognition of the organisms that are considered to be detrimental to their survival; therefore they have been able to exist on Earth longer than any other higher organisms. It has been known for the past century that plants carry genetic information for inherited resistance against many pathogenic organisms including fungi, bacteria, and viruses, and that the relationship between pathogenic organisms and hosts plants are rather complex and in some cases time dependent. This genetic information has been the basis for breeding for resistance that has been employed by plant breeders to develop better-yielding disease resistant varieties, some of which are still being cultivated. Single gene resistance is one type of resistance which has been extensively studied by many research groups all around the world using biotechnological methodologies that have been the subject of many books and journal articles; therefore, it is beyond the scope of this book. This type of resistance is very effective, although it can be overcome by the pressure of pathogenic organisms since it depends on interaction of a single elicitor molecule from the pathogen with a single receptor site in the host.

The impetus for this volume was the 2nd International Wetlands Conference which was held in June, 1984 at Trebon, Czechoslovakia. An overview of the worlds wetlands was one of the themes of the conference and it was decided that a useful follow-up would be a publication on the same topic. The initial goal was to cover as many of the worlds wetlands as possible in one volume and to have an emphasis on wetland ecology, biota, classification, and management. Individuals who made presentations at the Trebon confer ence were asked to prepare chapters and the editors also solicited other contributions. For a variety of reasons, the initial goal has been difficult to reach, especially coverage of the entire globe, and it has been necessary to publish the contributions in more than one volume. Volume 1 represents the com pletion of the first phase of the project and it covers most of the Western Hemisphere, Australia, most of Africa, the Indian subcontinent, the Mediter ranean region, and Papua New Guinea. Volume 2 will contain chapters on Western Europe, Northern Europe, Central Europe, most of northern and It is our hope that Volume western Asia, the Middle East, and Indonesia. 2 will appear in the near future and, if possible, a third volume will be published if authors can be secured to cover areas such as the Far East, other parts of the Indo-Pacific region, and New Zealand."

Post-agricultural studies have been central to the development of both the science of plant ecology and ecology in general. The study of old field succession allows us to observe the development of the structure and function of communities, as well as understand the role of history and initial conditions in that process. Understanding old field succession can help the public address important scientific and social issues, such as deforestation and forest regeneration, forest restoration, sustainability of agriculture, maintenance of biodiversity, and impacts of global climate change on forest dynamics.

Post-Agricultural Succession in the Neotropics draws implications from scientific studies for the wise management of old field ecosystems in the neotropics, where conversion of land to cropping systems is the most common kind of disturbance and many landscapes are defined by areas recovering from agriculture. Written for researchers, professionals, and students of ecology, the book provides a background in old field ecosystems and proposes restoration strategies and a trajectory for future research. Farmers and decision makers can also benefit from new farming methodologies and management strategies that are proposed.

About the Editor:

Dr. Randall W. Myster is a Researcher at the Institute for Tropical Ecosystem Studies at the University of Puerto Rico.

More than a decade has passed since Professor Gisela Jahn completed Volume 12 of the Handbook of Vegetation Science, dealing with the application of vegetation science in forestry, mostly European forestry. The volume was well received by the critics with the exception that they wanted a more diversified demonstration of forestry-related vegetation science work and a wider representation of forest types from different continents. The topics covered in this volume, 12/1, widen the scope of vegetation science work in forestry over the phytosociological work which was the main focus in the Handbook as perceived by Dr Tuxen. Section 1. Overview T. Kira: Forest Ecosystems of East and Southeast Asia in a Global Perspective; E.O. Box: Climatic Relations of the Forests of East and Southeast Asia; K. Iwatsuki: Species Diversity in East Asia in Global Perspective. The remaining contributions are divided into the following sections: Evergreen Forest Region; Summergreen Forest Region; Montane/Boreal Region; Tropical Forest Region. "

Glutathione is a thiol-containing tripeptide, which appears to be present in nearly all living organisms and which is involved in many important metabolic and physiological processes. The present volume focuses on the biological significance of glutathione in plants. The biochemistry and the metabolism of glutathione are reviewed, and its role in sulphur and selenium metabolism in plants is discussed. The significance of glutathione and of glutathione-related enzymes in the adaptation to natural stress, heavy metals, xenobiotics, air pollution, and in plant-pathogen and plant-animal interactions are evaluated. The main aim of this second volume in the series Plant Ecophysiology is to raise the interest of advanced students and junior researchers in the role of glutathione in plants and to supply basic and comprehensive information for scientists already working on related topics.

There is a growing need for appropriate management of aquatic plants in rivers and canals, lakes and reservoirs, and drainage channels and urban waterways. This management must be based on a sound knowledge of the ecology of freshwater plants, their distribution and the different forms of control available including chemical and physical, and biological and biomanipulation. This series of papers from over 20 different countries was generated from the tenth in the highly successful series of European Weed Research Society symposia on aquatic plant management, this being the tenth. It provides a valuable insight into the complexities involved in managing aquatic systems, discusses state-of-the-art control techniques and deals with patterns of regrowth and recovery post-management. Careful consideration is given to the use of chemicals, a practice which has come under scrutiny in recent years. Underpinning the development of such control techniques is a growing body of knowledge relating to the biology and ecology of water plants. The authorship of the papers represents the collective wisdom of leading scientists and experts from fisheries agencies, river authorities, nature conservation agencies, the agrochemical industry and both governmental and non-governmental organisations.

For more than 40 years I have been engaged in timberline research. Thus, one could suppose that writing this book should not have been too difficult. It was harder, however, than expected, and in the end I felt that more questions had arisen than could be answered within its pages. Perhaps it would have been easier to write the book 30 years ago and then leave the subject to mature. Lastly it was the late Prof. Heinz Ellenberg who had convinced me to portray a much needed and complete picture of what we know of the timberline with special respect to its great physiognomic, structural and ecological variety. The first version of this book was p- lished in the German language (Holtmeier, 2000). Nevertheless, I was very delighted when Prof. Martin Beniston encouraged me to prepare an English edition for the series 'Advances in Global Change Research', which guaranteed a wider circulation. Timberline is a worldwide and very heterogeneous phenomenon, which can only be presented by way of examples. My own field experience is necessarily limited to certain timberline areas, such as the Alps, northern Scandinavia, northern Finland and many high mountain ranges in the western United States and Canada. However, my own observations and the results of my and my previous collaborators research were essential for developing the concept of the book and became integrated into the picture of timberline that is presented in the following chapters.

Covering an area of over 130 million km2 spanning the Mediterranean, equator and tropics, the African continent features a spectacular geographic diversity. Consequently, it is characterised by extremely variable climatic, edaphic and ecological conditions, associated with a wide range of natural vegetation and wildlife, as well as human population density, crops and livestock.

In this book, Henry Le Houerou presents his bioclimatic and biogeographic classification of Africa. The extensive data provide the basis for comparisons between various African regions, and with regions on other continents such as Latin America or the Indian subcontinent. The results constitute a rational basis for national, regional and sub-regional rural development planning, and for agricultural research dealing with aspects such as plant and animal introductions, the extrapolation or interpolation of experimental or developmental findings, and ecosystems dynamics. Possible problems of applications are also examined."

Plant-animal interactions have become a focus of ecological research, with the processes of herbivory being of special interest. This volume examines the interactions of leaf-cutting ants with the rainforest vegetation on Barro Colorado Islands in Central America. It is the synthesis of field research on multiple scales extending over a period of several years. This work can serve as a model study summarizing and extending knowledge about herbivorous insect-plant relationships, and the resulting consequences on structural and functional features of tropical ecosystems. The text is an invaluable reference for researchers and land managers working in the fields of plant-animal interactions, herbivory, community ecology and biodiversity.

Adaptation and evolution of terrestrial plants depend, to a large extent, on their ability to acquire nutrients. This is a modern and integrative treatment of the mechanisms controlling plant nutrient uptake and how plants respond to changes in the environment. The following key topics are covered: soil nutrient bioavailability; root responses to variations in nutrient supply; nitrogen fixation; regulation of nutrient uptake by internal plant demand; root characteristics; kinetics of nutrient uptake; root architecture; life span; mycorrhizae; responses to climate change. This integrated view helps us to understand the mechanisms that govern present-day plant communities and is indispensable in models designed to predict the response of plants to a changing climate.

The main theme of the book is sustainable disease management in a European context. Some of the questions addressed are: How does society benefit from plant pathology research? How can new molecular approaches solve relevant problems in disease management? What other fields can we exploit in plant pathology research? What challenges are associated with free trade across the new borders? How can we contribute to solving problems of developing countries? How does plant pathology contribute to food quality and safety? How does globalization/internationalization affect teaching and extension in plant pathology?

Coastal East and Southeast Asia are characterized by wet growing seasons, and species-rich forest ecosystems develop throughout the latitudinal and altitudinal gradients. In this region, the Global Change Impacts on Terrestrial Ecosystems in Monsoon Asia (TEMA) project was carried out as a unique contribution to the international project Global Change and Terrestrial Ecosystems. TEMA aimed to integrate forest ecosystem processes, from leaf physiology to meteorological budget and prediction of long-term change of vegetation composition and architecture through demographic processes. Special attention was given to watershed processes, where forest ecosystem metabolism affects the properties and biogeochemical budgets of freshwater ecosystems, and where rivers, wetlands, and lakes are subject to direct and indirect effects of environmental change. This volume presents the scaling-up concept for better understanding of ecosystem functioning.

Riparian forests along streams and rivers are diverse in species, structure, and regeneration processes, and have important ecological functions in maintaining landscape and biodiversity. This book discusses riparian forests from subpolar to warm-temperate zones, covering headwater streams, braided rivers on alluvial fans, and low-gradient meandering rivers. It presents the dynamics and mechanisms that govern the coexistence of riparian tree species, tree demography, the response to water stress of trees, and the conservation of endangered species, and focuses on natural disturbances, life-history strategies, and the ecophysiology of trees. Because many riparian landscapes have been degraded and are disappearing at an alarming rate, the regeneration of the remaining riparian ecosystems is urgent. With contributions by more than 20 experts in diverse fields, this book offers useful information for the conservation, restoration, and rehabilitation of riparian ecosystems that remain in world streams and rivers.

Climate variability has major impacts in many parts of the world, including Australia. Developments in understanding of the El Nino - Southern Oscillation Phenomenon have introduced some skill in seasonal to inter-annual climate forecasting. Can this skill be harnessed to advantage? Or do we just continue to observe these impacts? How does a decision-maker managing an agricultural or natural ecosystem modify decisions in response to a skillful, but imprecise, seasonal climate forecast? Using Australian experience as a basis, this book focuses on these questions in pursuing means to better manage climate risks. The state of the science in climate forecasting is reviewed before considering detailed examples of applications to: farm scale agricultural decisions (such as management of cropping and grazing systems); regional and national scale agricultural decisions (such as commodity trading and government policy); and natural systems (such as water resources, pests and diseases, and natural fauna). Many of the examples highlight the participatory and inter-disciplinary approach required among decision-makers, resource systems scientists/analysts, and climate scientists to bring about the effective applications. The experiences discussed provide valuable insights beyond the geographical and disciplinary focus of this book. The book is ideally suited to professionals and postgraduate students in ecology, agricultural climatology, environmental planning, and climate science."

This book draws together the latest findings on the hydrological processes, community organization, and stress physiology of freshwater, tidally influenced land-margin forests of the southeastern United States. It describes the land use history that led to the restricted distribution of these wetlands, and provides descriptions of the hydrology, soils, biogeochemistry, and physiological ecology of these systems, highlighting the similarities shared among tidal freshwater forested wetlands.

This book, published in cooperation with WWF International, integrates the restoration of forest functions into landscape conservation plans. The contents represent the collective body of knowledge and experience of WWF and its many partners - collected here for the first time. This guide will serve as a first stop for practitioners and researchers in many organizations and regions, and as a key reference on the subject.

The association between plants and wind that first comes to mind might be plant damage from a strong wind such as a typhoon or monsoon. The winds this book will 1 discuss, however, are not this strong at all, but rather are only 2 m.s. or weaker, like a breeze that gently blows over a farming area. Such a breeze, in fact, instills vitality into plants and increases their growth rates. This book is an attempt to explain these beneficial effects on plants from a field perspective. One fundamental process necessary for plant growth is photosynthesis. Since it is a photochemical reaction, this synthesis has been studied with emphasis on light. Yet to shed light on dry-matter or carbohydrate production by plants, it is indispensable to pursue research not only into the mechanism of photosynthesis but also into photosynthetic production itself. I have observed various phenomena occurring in the production field, and have thereby realized it necessary to recognize photosynthesis as a phenomenon that carbon dioxide (C0 ) in the air diffuses into chloroplasts in the leaves, and to study 2 which environmental factors promote C0 diffusion into the leaves. 2 In this book, I am going to describe the effects of the natural environment on photosynthetic production, placing focus on the leaf boundary layer as an environmental factor for plant production."

The dictionary provides explanations of the meaning and origins of generic and specific names of grasses, one of the largest and economically most important plant families. There are about 15,000 entries which far exceeds in number those of any other dictionary in print. Most of the names published during the past 250 years are included. This work should be of value to a wide audience including ecologists, agronomists, and anthropologists.

Increasing evidence suggests that the composition and spatial configuration - the pattern - of forest landscapes affect many ecological processes, including the movement and persistence of particular species, the susceptibility and spread of disturbances such as fires or pest outbreaks, and the redistribution of matter and nutrients. Understanding these issues is key to the successful management of complex, multifunctional forest landscapes, and landscape ecology, based on a foundation of island bio-geography and meta-population dynamic theories, provides the rationale to deal with this pattern-to-process interaction at different spatial and temporal scales.

This carefully edited volume represents a stimulating addition to the international literature on landscape ecology and resource management. It provides key insights into some of the applicable landscape ecological theories that underlie forest management, with a specific focus on how forest management can benefit from landscape ecology, and how landscape ecology can be advanced by tackling challenging problems in forest (landscape) management. It also presents a series of case studies from Europe, Asia, North America, Africa and Australia exploring the issues of disturbance, diversity, management, and scale, and with a specific focus on how human intervention affects forest landscapes and, in turn, how landscapes influence humans and their culture.

An important reference for advanced students and researchers in landscape ecology, conservation biology, forest ecology, natural resource management and ecology across multiple scales, the book will also appeal to researchers and practitioners in reserve design, ecological restoration, forest management, landscape planning and landscape architecture.

Providing a quantitative assessment of threatened plant populations, that holds for varying management scenarios, has become an essential part of conservation planning. Here, renowned plant ecologists provide information on: major threats to plants, when and where to conduct a plant viability assessment (PVA), what type of PVA to conduct, what alternative options to PVA are available, what information is required for which kind of viability assessment, what attributes of the population in question should be considered, and what the limits of the PVA would be. As such, this volume can be used as a training tool for the environmental manager or a teaching aid for reviewing the current state of knowledge on plant population viability.

The findings presented in this volume represent a concerted effort to develop a more inclusive form of reindeer management for northernmost Europe. Our guiding principle has been to foster a new paradigm of participatory research. We wish to move beyond the historical reliance on western approaches to basic and applied science. These have been concerned prim- ily with interactions between herded animals and the various components of their biophysical environment, e. g., plants, insects, predators, climate, and others. In our view, sociocultural and economic drivers, along with herders' experience-based knowledge, gain equal currency in the effort to understand how management may mitigate against the negative aspects of the challenges modern herding faces, while also exploring concepts of sustainability from different perspectives (see also Jernsletten and Klokov 2002; Kankaanpaa et al. 2002; Ulvevadet and Klokov 2004). This broadening of the pool of disciplines and local, national, and int- national stakeholders in policy-relevant research invariably complicates v- tually all aspects of the research process. Multidisciplinary or, in our sense, transdisciplinary approaches also require extraordinary effort from all p- ticipants if they are to succeed. As such, those approaches should not be undertaken lightly, nor without personnel who possess appropriate expe- ence in cooperating with those of different disciplines and, preferably, also with relevant practitioners and public social and administrative institutions. In such settings the potential for misunderstandings is quite high."