Landscapes of the past have always held an inherent fascination for ge ologists because, like terrestrial sediments, they formed in our environment, not offshore on the sea floor and not deep in the subsurface. So, a walk across an ancient karst surface is truly a step back in time on a surface formed open to the air, long before humans populated the globe. Ancient karst, with its associated subterranean features, is also of great scientific interest because it not only records past exposure of parts of the earth's crust, but preserves information about ancient climate and the movement of waters in paleoaquifers. Because some paleokarst terranes are locally hosts for hydrocarbons and base metals in amounts large enough to be economic, buried and exhumed paleokarst is also of inordinate practical importance. This volume had its origins in a symposium entitled "Paleokarst Systems and Unconformities-Characteristics and Significance," which was orga nized and convened by us at the 1985 midyear meeting of the Society of Economic Paleontologists and Mineralogists on the campus of the Colorado School of Mines in Golden, Colorado. The symposium had its roots in our studies over the last decade, both separately and jointly, of a number of major and minor unconformities and of the diverse, and often spectacular paleokarst features associated with these unconformities."

Amazonian soils are almost universally thought of as extremely forbidding. However, it is now clear that complex societies with large, sedentary populations were present for over a millennium before European contact. Associated with these are tracts of anomalously fertile, dark soils termed terra preta or dark earths. These soils are presently an important agricultural resource within Amazonia and provide a model for developing long-term future sustainability of food production in tropical environments. The late Dutch soil scientist Wim Sombroek (1934-2003) was instrumental in bringing the significance of these soils to the attention of the world over four decades ago.

Wim saw not only the possibilities of improving the lives of small holders throughout the world with simple carbon based soil technologies, but was an early proponent of the positive synergies also achieved in regards to carbon sequestration and global climatic change abatement. Wim s vision was to form a multidisciplinary group whose members maintained the ideal of open collaboration toward the attainment of shared goals. Always encouraged and often shaped by Wim, this free association of international scholars termed the Terra Preta Nova Group came together in 2001 and has flourished. This effort has been defined by enormous productivity. Wim who is never far from any of our minds and hearts, would have loved to share the great experience of seeing the fruits of his vision as demonstrated in this volume."

The soil water retention curve, the saturated hydraulic conductivity and the unsaturated hydraulic conductivity function are basic soil hydraulic functions and parameters. Ample apprehension of the soil hydraulic functions and parameters is required for a successful formulation of the principles leading to sustainable soil management, agricultural production and environmental protection. From these, all the other parameters, required in the solution of the practical tasks, are derived. The basic soil hydraulic functions are strongly dependent upon the soil porous system. The development of models is characteristic by the gradual transition from the simplest concepts up to the sophisticated approaches, which should correspond to the visual reality studied by soil micromorphology. 2 Soil Porous System and Soil Micromorphometry 2.1 An Overview on the Quantification of the Soil Porous System Quanti? cation of the soil porous system consists of classi? cation of soil pores, ch- acterization of the soil pores shapes and the estimation of the pore size distribution function. When the hydraulic functions of the soil pores are considered, the following laws of hydrostatics and hydrodynamics are applied as best ? tting to the classi? cation criteria of the size of the pores (Kutilek and Nielsen 1994, p. 20, Kutilek 2004): A. Submicroscopic pores that are so small that they preclude clusters of water molecules from forming ? uid particles or continuous water ? ow paths.

1 2 J. H. SCHROEDER and B. H. PURSER 1 Introduction A symposium convened during the Vth International Coral Reef Congress in Papeete, Tahiti, 1985, encouraged the editors to assemble this volume of case studies by participating and, especially, by nonparticipating scientists. An attempt was made to include case studies from various regions and geological periods, carried out on various scales from regional to ultrastructural. We hope to present an overall view of reef diagenesis. Although the volume focuses on reef diagenesis, fields also to be considered are biology, paleontology, and sedimentary facies distribution, as they provide the context and, to some extent, encompass the determinants of diagenetic processes. The scope has been limited to reef diagenesis because we feel that reefs have relatively clearly defined geometries, which facilitate the evaluation of diagenetic trends and the definition of diagenetic models. On the other hand, their many different components make reefs somewhat more complex than other deposits, and this creates difficulties in deciphering diagenetic histories; the study of reefs, therefore, is not the simplest manner of solving the many problems relating to carbonate diagenesis. An additional reason for evaluating reef diagenesis is the reservoir potential of these carbonate bodies. To illustrate the point, in the recent collection of 35 case studies of carbonate reservoirs (Roehl and Choquette 1985), reefs were involved in 15. The emphasis on porosity development in many studies of the present volume is therefore not of mere academic interest.

This profusely illustrated book gives an exhaustive account of the principal types of soils of our planet. The "progressive descent of weathering fronts" model, recognized and used by eminent international scientists is the guiding principle of choice to link the observations and to give the reader a synthetic and coherent view of the differentiation of soils. In each case, the introductory reminders summarize the physicochemical and mineralogical principles necessary for understanding the text. The nomenclatures rely systematically and simultaneously on the two most commonly used classifications: Soil Taxonomy and World Reference Base. This reference manual is aimed at students of the undergraduate and graduate courses, but is also intended for workers and scientists in this subject area (geologists, pedologists, agronomists, land-use planners, foresters, etc.) as well as for all those concerned with or interested in protection of the environment.

The Fertilizer Manual, 3rd Edition, is a new, fully updated, comprehensive reference on the technology of fertilizer production. The manual contains engineering flow diagrams and process requirements for all major fertilizer processes including ammonia, urea, phosphates, potassium products and many others. Environmental considerations are addressed clearly. Equally important, the manual includes chapters on fertilizer use, production and distribution economics, raw materials, and the status of the fertilizer industry with demand-supply projections. Professionals involved with any phase of fertilizer production, use, marketing, or distribution will find this book valuable.

Estuaries occur along many of the world s coastlines irrespective of geologic setting, energy regime, and depositional environment. They represent the interface between fluvial, coastal and marine environments and they contain the sedimentary record of geological changes among these systems. However, detailed case studies on the morphodynamics and sedimentary evolution of different estuarine environments are notably lacking.

This book focuses on the use of high-resolution geophysical techniques, field observations and modeling to investigate the morphodynamics of estuaries on both glaciated and non-glaciated coasts and on different time scales. Papers in this book offer a new approach to nearshore and estuary studies, with an emphasis on multidisciplinary techniques and data integration. Results of these studies have important implications for estuary resource management and shoreline stability. This book will be of interest to sedimentologists, coastal and Quaternary geologists, environmental scientists, and coastal managers."

The Second International Symposium on the East African Lakes was held from 10-15 January 2000 at Club Makokola on the southern shore of Lake Malawi. The symposium was organized by the International Decade for the East African Lakes (IDEAL), a research consortium of African, European and North American scientists interested in promoting the investigations of African Great Lakes as archives of environmental and climatic dynamics. Over one hundred African, European and North American scientists with special expertise in the tropical lakes participated in the symposium which featured compelling presentations on the limnology, climatology, palaeoclimatology and biodiversity of the East African Lakes. It is their papers that comprise this book. The large lakes of East Africa are important natural resources that are heavily utilized by their bordering countries for transportation, water supply, fisheries, waste disposal, recreation and tourism. The lakes are unique in many ways: they are sensitive to climatic change and their circulation dynamics, water-column chemistry and biological complexity differ significantly from large lakes at higher latitudes; they have long, continuous, high resolution records of past climatic change; and they have rich and diverse populations of endemic organisms. These unique properties and the significance of the palaeolimnological records demand and attract research interest from around the world.

Chemical fertilizers have had a significant impact on food production in the recent past, and are today an indispensable part of modern agriculture. On the other hand, the oil crisis of the 1970s and the current Middle East problems are constant reminders of the vulnerability of our fossil fuel dependent agriculture. There are vast areas of the developing world where N fertilizers are neither available nor affordable and, in most of these countries, balance of payment problems have resulted in the removal of N fertilizer subsidies. The external costs of environmental degradation and human health far exceed economic concerns. Input efficiency of N fertilizer is one of the lowest and, in turn, contributes substantially to environmental pollution. Nitrate in ground and surface waters and the threat to the stability of the ozone layer from gaseous oxides of nitrogen are major health and environmental concerns. The removal of large quantities of crop produce from the land also depletes soil of its native N reserves. Another concern is the decline in crop yields under continuous use of N fertilizers. These economic, environmental and production considerations dictate that biological alternatives which can augment, and in some cases replace, N fertilizers must be exploited. Long-term sustainability of agricultural systems must rely on the use and effective management of internal resources. The process of biological nitrogen fixation offers and economically attractive and ecologically sound means of reducing external nitrogen input and improving the quality and quantity of internal resources. In this book, we outline sustainability issues that dictate an increased use of biological nitrogen fixation and the constraints on its optimal use in agriculture.

Biology Distribution and ecology Taphonomy and preservation Field sampling and coring Laboratory procedures Data analysis and interpretation Summary Acknowledgements References 9. Chrysophyte scales and cysts. B. A. Zeeb & J. P. Smol 203 Introduction Taxonomy and nomenclature Methods Paleolimnological applications Future research directions Summary Acknowledgements References 10. Ebridians. A. Korhola & J. P. Smol 225 Introduction Morphology, taxonomy and preservation in the sediments Methodological aspects Brief history of use of ebridians in palaeoecological research Indicator value and future research priorities Summary Acknowledgements References 11. Phytoliths. D. R. Piperno 235 Introduction and history Phytolith production and taxonomy Laboratory methods Applications of phytolith analysis in lake sediments Summary of the major results Other potential applications of phytoliths in lake sediments Summary Acknowledgments References x 12. Freshwater sponges. 253 T. M. Frost Introduction Sponge species and their distribution Sponge life history Sponge spicules Paleolimnological studies using freshwater sponges Techniques for assessing sponge spicules in sediments Future applications of sponges in paleolimnology Summary Acknowledgements References 13. Siliceous protozoan plates and scales. M. S. V. Douglas & J. P. Smol 265 Introduction History and taxonomy Ecology Paleoecological potential Laboratory methods Data presentation Paleolimnological applications Other related siliceous indicators Summary Acknowledgements References 14. Biogenic silica. D.J. Conley & C.L Schelske 281 Introduction and history Methods Applications Future directions Summary Acknowledgements References 15. Sedimentary pigments.

For this third volume of the series Soil Biology, internationally renowned scientists shed light on the significant roles of microbes in soil. Key topics covered include: bioerosion, humification, mineralization and soil aggregation; Interactions in the mycorrhizosphere; microbes and plant nutrient cycling; Microbes in soil surface or toxic metal polluted soils; Use of marker genes and isotopes in soil microbiology, and many more.

Origins of fallout radionuclides Sediment records of fallout radionuclides Simple dating models Vertical mixing Numerical techniques Radiometric techniques Discussion Summary Acknowledgements References 10. chronostratigraphic techniques in paleolimnology. Svante Bjorck & Barbara Wohlfarth 205 Introduction Methods and problems Radiocarbon-dating different fractions of the sediment as a chronostratigraphic tool Dating of long (old) stratigraphies High resolution dating and wiggle matching dating versus absolute dating techniques of lacustrine sediments Concluding remarks Summary Useful www addresses Acknowledgements References 11. Varve chronology techniques. Scott Lamoureux 247 Introduction Methods Summary and future directions Acknowledgements References 12. Luminescence dating. Olav B. Lian & D. J. Huntley 261 Introduction The mechanism responsible for luminescence Dating and estimation of the paleodose Thermoluminescence dating Optical dating Evaluating the environmental dose rate xi Sample collection and preparation What types of depositional environments are suitable for luminescence dating? What can lead to an inaccurate optical age? Summary Acknowledgements References 13. Electron spin resonance (ESR) dating in lacustrine environments. Bonnie A. B. Blackwell 283 Introduction Principles of ESR analysis Sample collection ESR analysis ESR microscopy and other new techniques Applications and datable materials in limnological settings Summary Acknowledgements References 14. Use of paleomagnetism in studies of lake sediments. John King & John Peck 371 Introduction Recording fidelity of geomagnetic behavior by sediments Field and laboratory methods Holocene SV records Magnetostratigraphic studies of Neogene lake sediments Excursions, short events and relative paleointensity Conclusions Summary References 15. Amino acid racemization (AAR) dating and analysis in lacustrine environments."

The Water Research Institute at the Technion (Israel Institute of Technology) is proud to have initiated and sponsored the International Workshop "Soil and Aquifer Pollution: Non-Aqueous Phase Liquids - Contamination and Recla- tion," held May 13th-15th, 1996, on the Technion campus in Haifa. Groundwater contamination is one of the pressing issues facing Israel and other countries which depend on groundwater for water supply. In Israel, 60% of the water supply comes from groundwater, most of it from two large aquifers. The Coastal Aquifer underlies the area where the largest concentration of human activity already takes place, and where much of future development is expected to occur. It is a phreatic sandstone aquifer, vulnerable to pollution from activities at the surface. The Mountain Aquifer is recharged in the higher terrain to the east, and flows, first in a phreatic zone, then confined, westward and underneath the Coastal Aquifer. This limestone aquifer has higher permeabilities and flow velo- ties, so pollution can reach the groundwater quite readily. Smaller local aquifers are also important components in the national water system. While measures are taken to protect these aquifers from pollution, there are locations where contamination has already occurred. Furthermore, accidental pollution may not be totally avoided in the future. Therefore, understanding the processes of groundwater contamination, recommending the proper measures for preventing it, and determining the best means for reclamation once pollution has occurred, are of great practical importance. Non-aqueous phase liquids (NAPLs) are among the most significant contaminants.

Provides an introduction to petroleum exploration methods, referring to both geophysical and geochemical techniques and the logistics of various drilling techniques and well logging methods for oil and gas exploration. The second part of the book focuses on using these methods for petroleum exploration within the context of northern Africa. The geology of northern Africa is described and computerized lithographic correlation charts are presented and applied to petroleum exploration targets from the region.

Peatlands are fascinating ecosystems. They are Boudewijn Beltman, Jon den Held, Harm Piek, inhabited by a wealth of especially adapted plant Drs. Niek van Heijst, Drs. Hermien van Sloch- species, such as peat mosses, insectivorous teren and Dr. Taeke Stol, who participated in plants, and nitrogen-fixing shrubs. They also the early stages of the process. The help of Drs. have a 'memory' often going back thousands of G. J. Baayens in the correction of chapter 5 is years, recorded in the layers of plant remains gratefully acknowledged. accumulated underneath the present plant cover. Chapters 6 and 7 have been supported by the Many peatlands are relatively low-productive foundation 'Oecologia Trajectina', Utrecht, by and species-rich, and show vegetational gradients supplying grants made available by the 'Prins related to water chemistry. Bernhard Fonds', Amsterdam and the 'Beij- Peatlands have long been recognized for many erinck-Popping Fonds', Amsterdam. I am indeb- values. The most conspicuous values appreciated ted to Marjolein Smithuizen and Dick Smit of for the Dutch mires were probably the great the Illustration division of the faculty of Biology, potential of the large nutrient stores in peat soils University of Utrecht, for the large number of for agricultural purposes, and the high calorific drawings they produced for the book. Gerrie value of peat when used as a fuel. These values Bransen helped with the printing of the final have led to large-scale exploitation and destruc- versions of the various chapters.

Signi?cant technological advances have been few and far between in the past approximately one hundred years of soil survey activities. Perhaps one of the most innovative techniques in the history of soil survey was the introduction of aerial photographs as base maps for ?eld mapping, which replaced the conventional base map laboriously prepared by planetable and alidade. Such a relatively simple idea by today's standards revolutionized soil surveys by vastly increasing the accuracy and ef?ciently. Yet, even this innovative approach did not gain universal acceptance immediately and was hampered by a lack of aerial coverage of the world, funds to cover the costs, and in some cases a reluctance by some soil mappers and cartog- phers to change. Digital Soil Mapping (DSM), which is already being used and tested by groups of dedicated and innovative pedologists, is perhaps the next great advancement in delivering soil survey information. However, like many new technologies, it too has yet to gain universal acceptance and is hampered by ignorance on the part of some pedologists and other scientists. DSM is a spatial soil information system created by numerical models that - count for the spatial and temporal variations of soil properties based on soil - formation and related environmental variables (Lagacheric and McBratney, 2007).

This book is a textbook for Urban/Community Forestry courses and a handbook for Shade Tree Commissions, tree wardens, State and National Forestry Services, and professional societies. It is the most complete text in this field because it addresses both culture and management, and the chapters have been written by experts who are active practitioners. The book provides observations and examples relevant to every urban center in the U.S. and elsewhere.

Soil carbon sequestration can play a strategic role in controlling the increase of CO2 in the atmosphere and thereby help mitigate climatic change. There are scientific opportunities to increase the capacity of soils to store carbon and remove it from circulation for longer periods of time. The vast areas of degraded and desertified lands throughout the world offer great potential for the sequestration of very large quantities of carbon. If credits are to be bought and sold for carbon storage, quick and inexpensive instruments and methods will be needed to monitor and verify that carbon is actually being added and maintained in soils. Large-scale soil carbon sequestration projects pose economic and social problems that need to be explored. This book focuses on scientific and implementation issues that need to be addressed in order to advance the discipline of carbon sequestration from theory to reality. The main issues discussed in the book are broad and cover aspects of basic science, monitoring, and implementation. The opportunity to restore productivity of degraded lands through carbon sequestration is examined in detail. This book will be of special interest to professionals in agronomy, soil science, and climatology.

In response to low iron availability in the environment most microorganisms synthesize iron chelators, called siderophores. Bacteria and fungi produce a broad range of structurally diverse siderophores, which all show a very high affinity for ferric ions.

"Microbial Siderophores" presents an up-to-date overview of the chemistry, biology and biotechnology of these iron chelators. Following an introduction to the structure, functions and regulation of fungal siderophores, several chapters focus on siderophores of pseudomonads. Here, the technique of siderotyping, which has proved to be a rapid, accurate and inexpensive tool for pseudomonad characterization and identification, is described. Further, the biological significance of siderophores of symbiotic fungi and the possible role of siderophores in pathogenesis are discussed. In addition to methodological approaches, chapters on the biotechnological production of siderophores and their application in promoting human and plant health are included.

This book describes advances in this new, fast developing science, which seeks to decipher fundamental mechanisms ruling the behaviour in water, soils, atmosphere, food and living organisms of toxic metals, fossil fuels, pesticides and other organic pollutants. Sections on eco-toxicology, green chemistry, and analytical chemistry round out this thorough survey of conditions and analytical techniques in an emerging specialty.

The book reviews recent developments and research results on excavations and foundations found in and on soft soil deposits. It gives an overview of the material properties of soft soils and offers new foundation improvement techniques in road and railways. It also examines different types of foundations and stabilization methods. The book will serve both practicing and research engineers in the field of geotechnical engineering.

This book analyses the treatment of uncertainties within risk management and regulation for hazardous wastes, in five national case-studies. It is shown that, although institutional uncertainties vary between national political cultures, regulatory bureaucracies everywhere understate these more fundamental uncertainties (which are often structural conflicts, of different rationalities) and define them instead as marginal technical uncertainties or imprecision in risk-definitions. Close comparative analysis shows that technical regulatory standards depend upon their local institutional setting in systematic ways, so that conventional regulatory emphasis on technical precision or standardisation should be replaced by greater social negotiation, and educated public involvement and control. Readers will find the book valuable for its novel analytical approach especially in relation to public acceptance issues, and the argument for fresh practical approaches derived from this; in addition there is new information and analysis from the descriptive materials in case studies. Its main aim is to stimulate fresh thinking and approaches to an urgent problem.

"Heavy Metals: Problems and Solutions" is divided into three sections dealing with basic geochemical processes, remediation and case studies. The basic geochemical processes are discussed with respect to mobility in the environment and impact as well as methods to derive guidelines for heavy metals. Remediation focuses on currently available methods to treat contaminated sediments and soils. In addition, it considers the concept of geochemical engineering for remediation of large areas contaminated by metals. A number of case studies of polluted sediments and soils and their environmental impact highlight the principles discussed in the first two sections.

The series "Chemistry of Plant Protection" continues the handbook "Chemie der Pflanzenschutz- und Schadlingsbekampfungsmittel", edited by R. Wegler. This volume covers contributions in the fields of pesticide degradation, desiccation and defoliation, and the acetyl choline receptor in insects.

This is the story of tropical agricultural science and agricultural development in the 20th century, focusing on the African farmer and African farming methods. It describes successes as well as fads and failures, many based on the author 's first-hand observations during more than 40 years in tropical agronomy-related fields. Moving into the 21st century, the book explores the rise of computer modeling of crops and crop production.