Agricultural drones are expected to revolutionize the way we conduct agronomic procedures and maintain natural vegetation on earth. This book explores the increasing importance of the role of aerial robots in managing agricultural farms and natural resources. Agricultural Drones: A Peaceful Pursuit provides a wealth of information on drone usage in agriculture. The book discusses the advanced sensors and imaging capabilities of drones that give farmers new ways to increase yields and reduce crop damage. An introductory chapter provides historical data, with details about various models of drones as well as the most recent and popular agricultural drones in usage. The book goes onto look at such topics as the use of drones for soil fertility, production agronomy, irrigation, weed control, pest and disease control, grain yield forecasting, and economic advantages from drone use. This timely and useful volume will be a valuable resource for faculty, agricultural extension officers, and farmers and farm consultancy agencies. This book would also serve as an excellent textbook for students in agriculture, engineering, geography, etc. Key features: * outlines the advantages of using drones in agriculture, such as for the management of soil fertility, the study of natural resources and vegetation, the maintenance of adequate irrigation, and the control of weeds and pests * covers the economic advantages of using drones in agriculture * examines the regulatory aspects of agricultural drones * provides actual examples of drone usage in agriculture

This new volume, Health Benefits of Secondary Phytocompounds from Plant and Marine Sources, looks at a selection of important issues and research topics on phytochemicals in plant-based therapeutics, covering bioactive compounds from both plant and marine sources. Natural products and their bioactive compounds are increasingly utilized in preventive and therapeutic medication, as pharmaceutical supplements, as well as in functional foods and nutraceuticals, all of which have potentially positive effects on health and have preventive and curative properties for various diseases and health conditions. The first section of the book, on Bioactive Compounds from Plant Sources, describes the concept of extraction of bioactive molecules from plant sources, both conventional and modern extraction techniques, available sources, biochemistry, structural composition, and potential biological activities. Advanced extraction techniques, such as enzyme-assisted, microwave-assisted, ultrasound-assisted, pressurized liquid extraction, and super critical extraction techniques, are described in detail.

This book is the first of the 3-volume Innovative Approaches in Diagnosis and Management of Crop Diseases, which provides an abundance of new research and information on major diseases of various crops along with new techniques and technology for the detection of plant pathogens along with appropriate management strategies. Divided into three volumes and with chapters written by renowned and expert scientists working in different areas of plant pathology, the volumes cover important diseases of crops incited by bacteria, fungi, viruses, viroids, phytoplasma, and nematodes. It addresses these disease challenges to commercial field and horticultural crops and their management. Chapters cover recent advances in diagnosis and detection of diseases of rice, wheat, pulses, guava, aonla, cucurbits, ginger, sesame, cotton, pigeonpea, field pea, small millets, maize, and cruciferous vegetables as well as ornamental plants. Innovative Approaches in Diagnosis and Management of Crop Diseases: Volume 1 focuses on the Mollicute class of bacteria. It looks at the detection, diagnosis, and management of phytoplasma diseases and viroids, CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing in plants for virus resistance, next-generation sequencing technologies, and more. Key features: Presents diverse research of leading plant pathologists on detection, diagnosis, and management of crop diseases Shares innovative and emerging techniques for diagnosis and management of major plant diseases Covers a vast array of important crops and their diseases Volume 2 looks specifically at the diseases of field and horticultural crops, while Volume 3 reviews the advances in the use of nanomolecules and biocontrol agents. Diagnosis and management of biotic stresses play a pivotal role in efficient agriculture production, and together, these volumes of Innovative Approaches in Diagnosis and Management of Crop Diseases provide reviews of crucial research to effectively advance the detection, diagnosis, and management of crop diseases.

The safety of agri-food supply chains remains under constant threat from risks such as food adulteration, malicious contamination, microbiological and chemical hazards, as well as the presence of foreign bodies in food products. Developing smart agri-food supply chains: Using technology to improve safety and quality provides an authoritative assessment of recent developments to improve safety and quality at key points in the agri-food supply chain. This collection provides a comprehensive coverage of the methods used in tracking and traceability (including detecting genetically-modified organisms in food products), ways of assessing product integrity, dealing with malicious contamination as well as quality assessment and ensuring transparency in supply chains. Edited by Professor Louise Manning, Royal Agricultural University, UK, Developing smart agri-food supply chains: Using technology to improve safety and quality will be a standard reference for those researching food safety, agri-food logistics and supply chains in universities or other research centres, as well as government and commercial agencies responsible for safety and quality monitoring of agri-food supply chains. It will also be a key reference for supply chain actors, from farmers to food processors and retailers.

Nanomaterials in the Battle Against Pathogens and Disease Vectors presents an overview of the use of nanotechnology to mitigate pathogens of concern, and is the first book to discuss applications of nanotechnology in the fight against all three major domains of disease-causing pathogens. Bacteria, viruses, and parasites constitute the list of emerging and re-emerging pathogens of high priority. Nanotechnology has proven to be a groundbreaking success in the elimination, targeted toxicity, precise immunogenicity, diagnosis, and imaging of these major pathogens and disease vectors. This text discusses basic concepts and advanced applications for bacteria, viruses, and parasites. It describes the use of metallic and non-metallic nanoparticles and nanotoxicity, as well as presents future applications of nanotechnology in biological applications. This work is ideal for engineers and scientists across the interdisciplinary fields of materials science, biomedical engineering, biotechnology, and others concerned with mitigating the risk and effect of pathogens.

This collection calls for improved technical communication for the public through an embodied, situated understanding of environmental risk that promotes social justice. In addition to providing a series of chapters about recent issues on risk communication, this volume offers a diverse look at methodological practices for students, researchers, and practitioners looking to address embodied aspects of crisis and risk that incorporate UX, storytelling, and dynamic text. It includes chapters that bring embodiment to the forefront of risk communication, highlighting the cycle of content creation, dissemination, public response and decision making, continuing iterations of educational efforts, and recovery, toward increasing adaptive capacity as a whole. In addition, this work directs necessary attention to overcoming perceptual difficulties, memory lapses, definitional differences, access issues, and pedagogical problems in the communication of risks to diverse publics. This collection is essential reading for scholars and can be used as a supplemental text or casebook for courses in technical communication, environmental communication, risk and crisis communication, science communication, and public health.

This collection calls for improved technical communication for the public through an embodied, situated understanding of environmental risk that promotes social justice. In addition to providing a series of chapters about recent issues on risk communication, this volume offers a diverse look at methodological practices for students, researchers, and practitioners looking to address embodied aspects of crisis and risk that incorporate UX, storytelling, and dynamic text. It includes chapters that bring embodiment to the forefront of risk communication, highlighting the cycle of content creation, dissemination, public response and decision making, continuing iterations of educational efforts, and recovery, toward increasing adaptive capacity as a whole. In addition, this work directs necessary attention to overcoming perceptual difficulties, memory lapses, definitional differences, access issues, and pedagogical problems in the communication of risks to diverse publics. This collection is essential reading for scholars and can be used as a supplemental text or casebook for courses in technical communication, environmental communication, risk and crisis communication, science communication, and public health.

1) Scope of this book is to explore and present the modern computational engineering techniques and applications in the agriculture development. Recent technologies such as cloud computing, IoT, Big data, Machine learning are focused here for smart agricultural engineering. This book provides practical and use case oriented approaches for Agro IoT systems. 2) This filed is emerging and hence the proposed book, will remain in demand for at least next 10 years, until there is an impressive advancement in technology. 3) This proposed book covers Automated Agriculture & Use of drones and robotics, hardware innovations to support cost effective agriculture, which are not covered in existing publications.

Sandy beaches are the most abundant coastal environments worldwide, which have an undeniable and unique ecological value. Presently, they are amongst the most endangered ecosystems in the biosphere, mainly due to the influence of several human activities. In this book, renowned scientists from around the world describe key attributes of sandy beaches and highlight the problems which impact them. Specific tools encompassing the physical environment and the biota are pointed out, at different levels of ecological organization. The book also covers suitable management, conservation programmes and respective actions, where ecologic, economic and social dimensions are comprehensively integrated.

Monoculture farming works against nature, takes more energy and inputs, and produces concentrated and often toxic wastes. Over time, resources are depleted and yields decline. Polyculture farming systems are integrated, diverse systems which are more resilient and mimic nature. So-called wastes become resources. Ecosystems are restored and balanced. Once established, very little effort is needed to maintain the systems. In this professionally produced video Mark Shepard takes viewers on a video tour of his Wisconsin farm and conducts a full-scale introductory presentation on his unique combination of permaculture, silvaculture, agroforestry and eco-farming. Understand biomes and how to choose appropriate crop-producing perennials for your region. See real-world examples of traditional and innovative modified keyline water management principles. Experience transitional strategies firsthand to move from annual commodity crops to perennials which benefit the entire farm ecosystem.

The proposed book provides an assessment of an important yet controversial policy initiated by the Indian government and governments of several other developing countries. Marketing reforms, it is claimed, can be a crucial answer to solving the problem of rural poverty in agrarian economies where large sections of populace are engaged in low paying agriculture. On a wider front, these reforms could help in providing growth impetus to an economy and even the global economy at large. Yet, the subject of liberalizing agricultural markets is also part of a broad and perhaps a bitter political debate between national and sub-national policy makers and academic discourses in India and other countries. A clearer understanding and a possible resolution of the issues involved will be decidedly useful. The experience of India, one of the largest and most agriculture-dominated economies, will undoubtedly provide valuable lessons not only for steering the domestic economic policy but also for other countries to set their own policy agenda. The book attempts to capture the evolving reality in a large and diverse country and presents an objective evaluation to enable aspiring investors and those in policy making, food business and civil society to make more informed assessment and decision."

Bringing together a wealth of knowledge, Environmental Management Handbook, Second Edition, gives a comprehensive overview of environmental problems, their sources, their assessment, and their solutions. Through in-depth entries and a topical table of contents, readers will quickly find answers to questions about environmental problems and their corresponding management issues. This six-volume set is a reimagining of the award-winning Encyclopedia of Environmental Management, published in 2013, and features insights from more than 400 contributors, all experts in their field. The experience, evidence, methods, and models used in studying environmental management are presented here in six stand-alone volumes, arranged along the major environmental systems. Features The first handbook that demonstrates the key processes and provisions for enhancing environmental management Addresses new and cutting-edge topics on ecosystem services, resilience, sustainability, food-energy-water nexus, socio-ecological systems, and more Provides an excellent basic knowledge on environmental systems, explains how these systems function, and offers strategies on how to best manage them Includes the most important problems and solutions facing environmental management today In this sixth volume, Managing Human and Social Systems, the reader is introduced to the general concepts and processes of all the environmental tools and their application to human and social systems. It explains how these systems function and provides strategies on how to best manage them. It serves as an excellent resource for finding basic knowledge on the human and social systems and includes important problems and solutions that environmental managers face today. This book practically demonstrates the key processes, methods, and models used in studying environmental management.

The Puget Sound is a complex fjord-estuary system in Washington State that is connected to the Pacific Ocean by the Juan de Fuca Strait and surrounded by several large population centers. The watershed is enormous, covering nearly 43,000 square kilometers with thousands of rivers and streams. Geological forces, volcanos, Ice Ages, and changes in sea levels make the Sound a biologically dynamic and fascinating environment, as well as a productive ecosystem. Human activity has also influenced the Sound. Humans built several major cities, such as Seattle and Tacoma, have dramatically affected the Puget Sound. This book describes the natural history and evolution of Puget Sound over the last 100 million years through the present and into the future. Key Features Summarizes a complex geological, geographical, and ecological history Reviews how the Puget Sound has changed and will likely change in the future Examines the different roles of various drivers of the Sound's ecosystem function Includes the role of humans-both first people and modern populations. Explores Puget Sound as an example of general bay ecological and environmental issues

Originally published in 1915, The Natural Theology of Evolution looks at the concept of natural theology, examining the argument for the existence of God based on reason and ordinary experiences of nature. The book looks at natural theology in light of Darwin's theory of evolution, and how this important discovery affected belief in intelligent design. The book argues that the discovery of evolution, far from diminishing the existence of God, provides stronger proof for an intelligently designed earth and therefore the existence of God. This book provides a unique and interesting take on the debates surrounding evolution in the late 19th and early 20th century. It will be of interest to philosophers, historians of religion and natural historians alike.

Originally published in 1986, Floods and Drainage advanced hazard - response theory as developed mainly by the White/Burton/Kates school of researchers in North America. Based on fifteen years of research, the book rejects conventional theory's emphasis on personal response to hazardous environments, suggesting that this seriously detracts from the institutional and political forces that are so important in the analysis of hazard responses and policies. The book also seeks to provide material of practical relevance to environmental managers and engineers, rather than to present just research results.

The Puget Sound is a complex fjord-estuary system in Washington State that is connected to the Pacific Ocean by the Juan de Fuca Strait and surrounded by several large population centers. The watershed is enormous, covering nearly 43,000 square kilometers with thousands of rivers and streams. Geological forces, volcanos, Ice Ages, and changes in sea levels make the Sound a biologically dynamic and fascinating environment, as well as a productive ecosystem. Human activity has also influenced the Sound. Humans built several major cities, such as Seattle and Tacoma, have dramatically affected the Puget Sound. This book describes the natural history and evolution of Puget Sound over the last 100 million years through the present and into the future. Key Features Summarizes a complex geological, geographical, and ecological history Reviews how the Puget Sound has changed and will likely change in the future Examines the different roles of various drivers of the Sound's ecosystem function Includes the role of humans-both first people and modern populations. Explores Puget Sound as an example of general bay ecological and environmental issues

Brings together recent innovations and practices of bio-based technologies for environmental Remediation Outlines major Bio-Based Technologies Contains both practical and theoretical latest and broad aspects of environment management through bio-based innovative technology.

Closed circuit trickle irrigation is a form of micro irrigation that increases energy and water efficiency by using closed circuit drip irrigation systems designs. Modifications are made to traditional micro irrigation methods to reduce some of the problems and constraints, such as low compressor water at the end of irrigation lines. This approach has proved successful for the irrigation of fruit trees and some vegetable and field crops. Closed circuits of drip irrigation systems require about half of the water needed by sprinkler or surface irrigation. Lower operating pressures and flow rates result in reduced energy costs, and a higher degree of water control is attainable as well. Plants can be supplied with more precise amounts of water, and disease and insect damage is reduced because plant foliage stays dry. Fertilizers can also be applied through this type of system, which can result in a reduction of fertilizer and fertilizer costs. This new volume in the Research Advances in Sustainable Micro Irrigation book series presents a diverse collection of research on closed circuit irrigational technology and design and provides studies of its use on such crops as wheat, maize, yellow corn, soybeans, rice, and snap peas. The book explores: * Soil moisture and salinity distributions under modified sprinkler irrigation * Performance of sprinkler irrigation * Design considerations for closed circuit drip irrigation systems * Performance of bubbler irrigation * Energy and water savings of drip irrigation systems * Automation of mini-sprinkler and drip irrigation systems * Water and fertilizer use efficiencies for drip irrigated maize * Evaluation of emitter clogging for drip irrigated systems This book will be valuable for those interested in irrigation planning and management, namely, researchers, scientists, educators, upper-level students, agricultural extension services, and others.

This book offers an overview of the key debates in the burgeoning anthropological literature on resource extraction. Resources play a crucial role in the contemporary economy and society, are required in the production of a vast range of consumer products and are at the core of geopolitical strategies and environmental concerns for the future of humanity. Scholars have widely debated the economic and sociological aspects of resource management in our societies, offering interesting and useful abstractions. However, anthropologists offer different and fresh perspectives - sometimes complementary and at other times alternative to these abstractions - based on field researches conducted in close contact with those actors (individuals as well as groups and institutions) that manipulate, anticipate, fight for, or resist the extractive processes in many creative ways. Thus, while addressing questions such as: "What characterizes the anthropology of resource extraction?", "What topics in the context of resource extraction have anthropologists studied?", and "What approaches and insights have emerged from this?", this book synthesizes and analyses a range of anthropological debates about the ways in which different actors extract, use, manage, and think about resources. This comprehensive volume will serve as a key reading for scholars and students within the social sciences working on resource extraction and those with an interest in natural resources, environment, capitalism, and globalization. It will also be a useful resource for practitioners within mining and development.

This book documents how COVID-19 impacts gender, agriculture, and food systems across the globe with on-the-ground accounts and personal reflections from scholars, practitioners, and community members. During the coronavirus pandemic with many people under lockdown, continual agricultural production and access to food remain essential. Women provide much of the formal and informal work in agriculture and food production, distribution, and preparation often under precarious conditions. A cadre of scholars and practitioners from across the globe provide their timely observations on these issues as well as more personal reflections on its impact on their lives and work. Four major themes emerge from these accounts and are interwoven throughout: the pervasiveness of food insecurity, the ubiquity of women's care work, food justice, and policies and research that can that can result in a resilience that reimagines the future for greater gender and intersectional equality. We identify what lessons we can learn from this global pandemic about research and practices related to gender, food, and agricultural systems to strive for more equitable arrangements. This book will be of great interest to students, scholars and practitioners working on gender and food and agriculture during this global pandemic and beyond. The Open Access version of this book, available at www.taylorfrancis.com, has been made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives 4.0 license.

Africa's dire need to industrialize is universally acknowledged and it is evident that the continent's vast mineral resources can catalyze that industrialization. This requires the promotion of local beneficiation and value addition of minerals to yield materials on which modern Africa's industry and society can rely. This book is, therefore, about transforming Africa's comparative advantages in minerals into the continent's competitive edge regarding materials. Mineral beneficiation and value addition form the basis and provide opportunities for mineral-driven Africa's industrialization. The scope of the book is three-fold with inter-connected relationships: Information, Technical, and Policy oriented. It will be a useful reference material for mining undergraduate students on beneficiation and value addition of each of the minerals found in Africa. The book, while presenting a broad overview of beneficiation and value addition of Africa's minerals, provides crucial starting material for postgraduate research students and R&D institutions who wish to delve into more advanced methods of extraction and utilization of mineral-derived materials that are in Africa for the purpose of industrialization of the continent.

The industrialisation of China prompted the biggest commodity boom of modern times. Soaring prices gave rise to talk of a commodity super cycle and induced a wave of resource nationalism. The author, who was chief economist at two of the world's largest mining companies, describes how this resulted in a transformation of the global mining industry.

This book presents a comprehensive analysis of the legal and policy frameworks for marine fisheries management and examines the efficiency of the institutions responsible for the formulation, implementation and enforcement of marine fisheries laws and policies in Bangladesh. Sustainable management of marine fisheries is a complex, multi-dimensional and multi-stakeholder process that entails sustainable use of marine living resources and conservation of marine biodiversity. Offering a critical analysis to these frameworks that play a crucial role in the conservation and management of fish stocks in areas within and beyond national jurisdiction, this book examines inadequacies and implementation gaps in the legislative, policy and institutional frameworks that contribute to the unsustainable exploitation of marine fish stocks in Bangladesh. It recommends law and policy reform for conservation and sustainable management of marine fisheries in Bangladesh and the Bay of Bengal.

Originally published in 1951, Homo Faber is an examination of the scientific outlook on human mental evolution through the lens of parapsychology. The book aims to undermine what its terms, the 'scientific outlook' examining the human interpretation of the world, and the preconceived scientific concepts that reality does not extend beyond the realm that our senses reveal. The book expands upon this and moves to examine the broader human understanding of the entire cosmos, challenging the scientific conception that this can be grasped in principal by human intellect, arising from the chance combination of material particles. The book argues that the scientific outlook prevents humans from discovering in the Universe the meaning and purpose which are everywhere to be found if sought in the appropriate contemplative states of mind. This book provides a unique take on the examination of human psychology and the evolution of the brain from an alternative scientific stance. It will be of interest to anthropologists, historians and psychologists alike.