This collection features four peer-reviewed reviews on proximal sensors in agriculture. The first chapter addresses the use of proximal sensors to evaluate crop health and performance throughout the growing season. The chapter reviews the evolution of crop sensors, as well as the issues and limitations facing further development, including the need to develop sensors equipped with the ability to detect stresses other than nitrogen. The second chapter reviews recent advances in using proximal sensors to detect crop health status in horticultural crops. The chapter considers the application of sensors to detect micro-environmental parameters linked to pathogen lifecycles which can then be utilised to predict disease risk. The third chapter reviews advances in using proximal spectroscopic sensors to assess soil health. It assesses principles and technologies, key properties measured, advantages and disadvantages together with applications in improving soil management. The final chapter discusses advances in the use of proximal sensor fusion and multi-sensor platforms for improved crop management. The chapter considers the combination of remote sensing from satellites and weather station data as the basis for crop growth models and explores the benefits of utilising a selection of tools to investigate yield prediction.

This book examines the changing roles and functions of the soybean throughout world history and discusses how this reflects the complex processes of agrofood globalization. The book uses a historical lens to analyse the processes and features that brought us to the current global configuration of soy. From its origins as a peasant food in ancient China, today the protein-rich soybean is by far the most cultivated biotech crop on Earth, used to make a huge variety of food and industrial products, including animal feed, tofu, cooking oil, soy sauce, biodiesel and soap. While there is a burgeoning amount of literature on how the contemporary global soy web affects large tracts of our planet’s social and ecological systems, little attention has been given to the questions of how we got here and what alternative roles the soybean has played in the past. This book fills this gap and demonstrates that it is impossible to properly comprehend the contemporary global soybean chain, or the wider agrofood system of which it is a part, without looking at both their long and short historical development. However, a history of the soybean and its changing roles within equally changing agrofood systems is inexorably a history about globalization. Not only does this book map out where soybeans are produced, but also who governs, wields power and accumulates capital in the entire commodity chain from production to consumption, as well as identifying the institutional context the global commodity chain operates within. The book concludes by considering the soybean’s future role in a desirable agrofood system which improves human health, culture and livelihoods, and the provision of ecosystem services. This book is essential reading for students and scholars interested in agriculture and food systems, global commodity chains, globalization, environmental history, economic history and social-ecological systems.

This book discusses how to use the wastewaters, liquid biowastes and soils unfit for agriculture to economically viable aquaculture practices; and putting the emphasis on, aquaculture posology, the science of quantification and administration of doses in aquatic health and aquaculture management. Broadly, aquaculture practices come across three types of problems each; in the context of water quality, and fin fish and shell fish diseases; and preventive, curative and noncurative diseases in fin fish and shell fish. Note: T&F does not sell or distribute the Hardback in India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

This volume presents select papers presented at the 7th International Conference on Recent Advances in Geotechnical Earthquake Engineering and Soil Dynamics. The papers discuss advances in the fields of soil dynamics and geotechnical earthquake engineering. A strong emphasis is placed on connecting academic research and field practice, with many examples, case studies, best practices, and discussions on performance based design. This volume will be of interest to researchers and practicing engineers alike.

This book provides case studies on cultivating alternative crops and presents new cropping systems in many regions of the world. It focusses on new emerging research topics aiming to study all aspects of adaptation under several stresses including agricultural, environmental, biological and socioeconomic issues. The book also provides operational and practical solutions for scientists, producers, technology developers and managers to succeed the cultivation of new alternative crops and, consequently, to achieve food security. Many regions in the world are suffering from water scarcity, soil and water salinization and climate change. These conditions make it difficult to achieve food security by cultivating conventional crops. A renaissance of interest for producing alternative crops under water scarcity and water salinization has been, therefore, implemented primarily among small-scale producers, researchers and academics. The use of alternative crops (quinoa, amaranth, legume crops, halophytes, ...etc.) may provide some environmental benefits such as valorization of salt-affected soils, reduced pesticide application, enhanced soil and water quality and promotion of wildlife diversity. This also may provide some economic benefits such as providing the opportunity for producers to take advantage of new markets and premium prices, spreading the economic risk and strengthening local economies and communities. Furthermore, alternative crops are often rich in proteins and minerals, and even some of them are Gluten free (quinoa). This reflects their importance to achieve food security in quantity and quality scale. The year 2013 was exceptional for alternative crops as it was the international year of quinoa celebrated by Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). This reflects the importance of research conducted on quinoa and other alternative crops in many regions of the world.

Groundwater Science, Third Edition covers physical and chemical aspects of groundwater science, with emphasis on applications in the hydrologic cycle and in water supply, including contamination, mining, and construction issues. This interdisciplinary text weaves important methods and applications from the disciplines of physics, chemistry, mathematics, geology, biology, and environmental science, introducing the mathematical modeling of groundwater flow and contaminant transport. This fully updated edition includes all new case studies, expanded ancillary materials (including software), and expanded problems. The book is a valuable resource for students and instructors in the geosciences, environmental sciences, and civil engineering with a focus on hydrology and hydrogeology.

This edited book is devoted to environmental risk management in gas industry impacted polar ecosystems of Russia, one of the hottest topics of modern environmental science. The contributions from experts cover topics that shed new light on the impacts of oil and natural gas production on arctic ecosystems in the country as well as biogeochemical engineering technologies to manage pollution in these areas. Readers will also discover new insights on potential ecological indicators for assessing geo-environmental risks of these impacted ecosystems, and climate modeling in polar areas. The book has interdisciplinary appeal, and specialists and practitioners in environmental sciences, ecology, biogeochemistry and those within the energy sector who are interested in understanding ecosystems affected by anthropogenic impacts in severe climatic conditions will find it particularly engaging. Through this book, readers will learn more about biogeochemical cycling through food chains and specific reactions of biota to environmental pollution in extreme environments through the lens of experts.

Agronomic crops have provided food, beverages, fodder, fuel, medicine and industrial raw materials since the beginning of human civilization. More recently, agronomic crops have been cultivated using scientific rather than traditional methods. However, in the current era of climate change, agronomic crops are suffering from different environmental stresses that result in substantial yield loss. To meet the food demands of the ever-increasing global population, new technologies and management practices are being adopted to boost yields and maintain productivity under both normal and adverse conditions. Further, in the context of sustainable agronomic crop production, scientists are adopting new approaches, such as varietal development, soil management, nutrient and water management, and pest management. Researchers have also made remarkable advances in developing stress tolerance in crops. However, the search for appropriate solutions for optimal production to meet the increasing food demand is still ongoing. Although there are several publications on the recent advances in these areas, there are few comprehensive resources available covering all of the recent topics. This timely book examines all aspects of production technologies, management practices and stress tolerance of agronomic crops.

This book presents a broad range of technologies for sustainable agrochemistry, e.g. semiochemicals for pest management, nanotechnology for release of eco-friendly agrochemicals, and green chemistry principles for agriculture. It provides a concise introduction to sustainable agrochemistry for a professional audience, and highlights the main scientific and technological approaches that can be applied to modern agrochemistry. It also discusses various available technologies for reducing the negative impacts of agrochemicals on the environment and human health.

This handbook is a reference guide for selecting and carrying out numerous methods of soil analysis. It is written in accordance with analytical standards and quality control approaches. It covers a large body of technical information including protocols, tables, formulae, spectrum models, chromatograms and additional analytical diagrams. The approaches are diverse, from the simplest tests to the most sophisticated determination methods.

This monograph is a fundamental study of watershed erosion and runoff processes. It utilizes decades of soil erosion data to take a comprehensive and balanced approach in covering various watershed erosion processes. While there are many works on soil erosion and conservation, this book fills the gaps in previously published research by focusing more on mass movement, gully erosion, soil piping/tunnel erosion, and the spatial interactions of different erosion processes. Additionally, the book examines erosion processes in extreme rainfall events, something typically absent in short-term studies but discussed in detail here as the book draws on 60 years of research and observations, including 30 years of the author's own investigations of erosion under a wide range of rainfall conditions. The book is divided into 3 parts, and is intended for soil erosion researchers and practitioners, and postgraduate students studying soil erosion and water conservation. Part 1 opens with a comprehensive and critical review of existing literature on soil erosion processes, discusses this book's place among existing literature, and examines the major erosion processes (rainwash, gully erosion, tunnel erosion, and mass movements) including their controlling factors and mechanisms. Part 2 explores the spatial interactions of these different erosion processes to provide a prerequisite for effective design of comprehensive soil erosion control measures in a watershed. Part 3 evaluates the relative significance of these erosion processes in sediment production, the effectiveness of comprehensive soil and water conservation programs, and the applications of watershed modelling in determining the impact of land-use changes on soil erosion and other ecological processes.

Heavy metals are severe environmental pollutants, and many of them are toxic even at very low concentrations. With industrial development, soil pollution with heavy metal elements have dramatically increased. The uptake of heavy metals via plants that are exposed to contaminated soils is a risk for human health and a major hazard for the ecosystem as a whole, including soil microorganisms. On the other hand, plants may be used in the decontamination of soils.

The topics presented in this book include: sources of heavy metals contaminants in soils; plant species that can grow on contaminated soils; the phytoremediation of contaminated soils; tolerance, accumulation and detoxification mechanisms of zinc, copper, arsenic, cadmium and vanadium in plants; the critical role of sulfur metabolism in heavy metal tolerance; the role of aquatic macrophytes, plant growth-promoting bacteria, sugar crops and earthworms in detoxification; and heavy metal stabilization by promoting zeolite synthesis in soils.

Presenting an overview of agroecology within the framework of climate change, this book looks at the impact of our changing climate on crop production and agroecosystems, reporting on how plants will cope with these changes, and how we can mitigate these negative impacts to ensure food production for the growing population. It explores the ways that farmers can confront the challenges of climate change, with contributed chapters from around the world demonstrating the different challenges associated with differing climates. Examples are provided of the approaches being taken right now to expand the ecological, physiological, morphological, and productive potential of a range of crop types. Describes the effects and responses of the macro and micro levels of crops under the different components of climate change Reports on the adaptation and resilience of food production systems within the changing climate Covers how plants cope with the changing climate including physiological, biochemical, phenotype, and ecosystem responses Provides an in-depth discussion on the importance of agricultural education connected to climate change Giving readers a greater understanding of the mechanisms of plant resilience to climate change, this book provides new insights into improving the productivity of an individual crop species as well as bringing resistance and resiliency to the entire agroecosystem. It offers a strong foundation for changing research and education programs so that they build the resistance and resilience that will be needed for the uncertain climate future ahead.

The testing of unsaturated soils requires greater care and effort than that of saturated soils. Although unsaturated soil mechanics has been embraced by geotechnical engineering, engineering practice has not yet caught up as the characterization of unsaturated soils is difficult and time-consuming, and made harder still by a lack of standards. Laboratory Tests for Unsaturated Soils collates test procedures to cover all laboratory tests for characterising unsaturated soils. It covers the background, theory, test procedures, and interpretation of test results. Each test procedure is broken down into simple stages and described in detail. The pitfalls of each test and the interpretation of the test results are explained. Test data and calculation methods are given, along with many numerical examples to illustrate the methods of interpretation and to offer the presentation of typical results. The book is especially useful for students and researchers who are new to the field and provides a practical handbook for engineering applications.

This book highlights the use of Solidification/Stabilization (S/S) to treat lead-contaminated soils, which are widely present in China. It reveals the evolutionary mechanism of the structural characteristics of Pb contaminated soil during the S/S process. In addition, the book systematically analyzes laws influencing the S/S process and its internal mechanisms, and develops new models for the strength prediction and Pb leaching prediction of S/S monolith. The results can provide essential theoretical guidance and parameter-related support for the design of Pb-contamiated soil S/S remediation and recycling solutions.

Principles of Soil Management and Conservation comprehensively reviews the state-of-knowledge on soil erosion and management. It discusses in detail soil conservation topics in relation to soil productivity, environment quality, and agronomic production. It addresses the implications of soil erosion with emphasis on global hotspots and synthesizes available from developed and developing countries. It also critically reviews information on no-till management, organic farming, crop residue management for industrial uses, conservation buffers (e.g., grass buffers, agroforestry systems), and the problem of hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico and in other regions.

This book uniquely addresses the global issues including carbon sequestration, net emissions of CO2, and erosion as a sink or source of C under different scenarios of soil management. It also deliberates the implications of the projected global warming on soil erosion and vice versa. The concern about global food security in relation to soil erosion and strategies for confronting the remaining problems in soil management and conservation are specifically addressed. This volume is suitable for both undergraduate and graduate students interested in understanding the principles of soil conservation and management. The book is also useful for practitioners, extension agents, soil conservationists, and policymakers as an important reference material."

Soil and crop sensing is a fundamental component and the first important step in precision agriculture. Unless the level of soil and crop variability is known, appropriate management decisions cannot be made and implemented. In the last few decades, various ground-based sensors have been developed to measure spatial variability in soil properties and nutrients, crop growth and yield, and pest conditions. Remote sensing as an important data collection tool has been increasingly used to map soil and crop growth variability as spatial, spectral and temporal resolutions of image data have improved significantly in recent years. While identifying spatial variability of soil and crop growth within fields is an important first step towards precision management, using that variability to formulate variable rate application plans of farming inputs such as fertilizers and pesticides is another essential step in precision agriculture.The purpose of this book is to present the historical, current and future developments of soil and crop sensing technologies with fundamentals and practical examples. The first chapter gives an overview of soil and crop sensing technologies for precision crop production. The next six chapters provide details on theories, methods, practical applications, as well as challenges and future research needs for all aspects of soil and crop sensing. The last two chapters show how soil and crop sensing technologies can be used for plant phenotyping and precision fertilization. The chapters are written by some of the world's leading experts who have contributed significantly to the developments of precision agriculture technologies, especially in the area of soil and crop sensing. They use their knowledge, experiences, and successful stories to present informative and up-to-date information on relevant topics. Therefore, this book is an invaluable addition to the literature and can be used as a reference by scientists, engineers, practitioners, and college students for the dissemination and advancement of precision agriculture technologies for practical applications.

Authored by world-class scientists and scholars, The Handbook of Natural Resources, Second Edition, is an excellent reference for understanding the consequences of changing natural resources to the degradation of ecological integrity and the sustainability of life. Based on the content of the bestselling and CHOICE-awarded Encyclopedia of Natural Resources, this new edition demonstrates the major challenges that the society is facing for the sustainability of all well-being on the planet Earth. The experience, evidence, methods, and models used in studying natural resources are presented in six stand-alone volumes, arranged along the main systems of land, water, and air. It reviews state-of-the-art knowledge, highlights advances made in different areas, and provides guidance for the appropriate use of remote sensing and geospatial data with field-based measurements in the study of natural resources. Volume 1, Terrestrial Ecosystems and Biodiversity, provides fundamental information on terrestrial ecosystems, approaches to monitoring, and impacts of climate change on natural vegetation and forests. New to this edition are discussions on biodiversity conservation, gross and net primary production, soil microbiology, land surface phenology, and decision support systems. This volume demonstrates the key processes, methods, and models used through many case studies from around the world. Written in an easy-to-reference manner, The Handbook of Natural Resources, Second Edition, as individual volumes or as a complete set, is an essential reading for anyone looking for a deeper understanding of the science and management of natural resources. Public and private libraries, educational and research institutions, scientists, scholars, and resource managers will benefit enormously from this set. Individual volumes and chapters can also be used in a wide variety of both graduate and undergraduate courses in environmental science and natural science at different levels and disciplines, such as biology, geography, earth system science, and ecology.

The subsistence agriculture of the pre-chemical era efficiently sustained the nitrogen status of soils by maintaining a balance between N loss and N gain from biological nitrogen fixation (BNF): the microbial conversion of atmospheric N to a form usable by plants. This was possible with less intensive cropping, adaptation of rational crop rotations and intercropping schemes, and the use of legumes as green manure. Modern agriculture concentrates on maximum output, however, overlooking input efficiency; It is not sustainable. Intensive monocropping, with no or inadequate crop rotations or green manuring, together with the excessive use of chemical N fertilizers, results in an imbalance between N gain and N loss. The losses are often larger than the gains, and soil N status declines. The challenge is to sustain soil N fertility in many different tropical and temperate farming systems operating at high productivity levels. This requires judicious integration of BNF components, maintaining a good balance between N losses and gains. In this book, papers on BNF in crop forage and tree legumes are augmented with discussions of integrated farming systems involving BNF, soil and N management, and recycling of legume residues. BNF by non-legumes are discussed, and attempts to transform cereals into nodulating plants are critically reviewed. Advances in the development of novel methodologies to understand symbiotic relations and to assess N2 fixation in the field are described, and means are presented to enhance BNF through plant and soil management or breeding and selection. Problems encountered in exploiting BNF under field conditions are examined, as are promising approaches to improving BNFexploitation.

This open access book is the first comprehensive guideline for the beryllium-7 (Be-7) technique that can be applied to evaluate short-term patterns and budgets of soil redistribution in agricultural landscapes. While covering the fundamental and basic concepts of the approach, this book distinguishes itself from other publications by offering step-by-step instructions on how to use this isotopic technique effectively. It covers experimental design considerations and clear instruction is given on data processing. As accurate laboratory measurement is crucial to ensure successful use of Be-7 to investigate soil erosion, a full chapter is devoted to its specific determination by gamma spectrometry. This open access contribution further describes new developments in the Be-7 technique and includes a concluding chapter highlighting its potential benefits to support the implementation of area-wide soil conservation policy.

Provides exhaustive coverage of Biochar and its production and properties. Highlights use of biochar in pollution control and environment protection. Covers use of agricultural waste /waste biomass for dye decolorization and degradation. Explores synergistic approaches for contaminants removal for better insights into basic and advanced biotechnological applications. Describes how biochar treatment can be successfully applied for reuse of wastewater and contaminated soil eco-restoration and environment protection.

Gain a practical understanding of soil properties and the soil management techniques most important for the effective use of soils with SOIL SCIENCE AND MANAGEMENT, 6E. This non-technical, reader-friendly book details all aspects of effective soil usage, including management techniques, composition, fertility, erosion, conservation, and irrigation in this practical guide. This edition highlights horticultural uses of soil as well as the latest green methodologies in both agricultural and horticultural practice from the perspective of farmers, horticulturalists, environmentalists and others who are concerned about how soils work and how they can be used most effectively. This edition further examines nutrient management and best practices with the latest updates on legal issues and government programs that make it a useful resource now and invaluable reference for the future

In any ecosystem, plant and microbe interaction is inevitable. They not only co-exist but also support each other's survival and provide sustenance in stressful environments. Agro-ecosystems in many regions around the globe are affected by high temperatures, soil salinity/alkalinity, low pH and metal toxicity. High salinity and severe draught are other major constraints affecting agricultural practices and also plants in the wild. A major limiting factor affecting global agricultural productivity is environmental stresses. Apart from decreasing yield, they also have a devastating impact on plant growth. Plants battle with various kind of stresses with the help of symbiotic associations with the rhizospheric microbes. Naturally occuring plant-microbe interactions facilitate the survival of plants under these stressful conditions. The rhizosphere consists of several groups of microbes, plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) is one such group of microbes that assists plants in coping with multiple stresses and also promote plant growth. These efficient microbes support the stress physiology of the plants and can be extremely useful in solving agricultural as well food- security problems. This book provides a detailed, holistic description of plant and microbe interaction. It elucidates various mechanisms of nutrient management, stress tolerance and enhanced crop productivity in the rhizosphere, discussing The rhizospheric flora and its importance in enhancement of plant growth, nutrient content, yield of various crops and vegetables as well as soil fertility and health. Divided into two volumes, the book addresses fundamentals, applications as well as research trends and new prospects for agricultural sustainability. Volume 1: Stress Management and Agricultural Sustainability, includes chapters offering a broad overview of plant stress management with the help of microbes. It also highlights the contribution of enzymatic and molecular events occurring in the rhizosphere due to plant microbe interactions, which in turn help in the biological control of plant disease and pest attacks. Various examples of plant microbe interaction in rhizospheric soil are elaborated to facilitate the development of efficient indigenous microbial consortia to enhance food and nutritional security. Providing a comprehensive information source on microbes and their role in agricultural and soil sustainability, this timely research book is of particular interest to students, academics and researchers working in the fields of microbiology, soil microbiology, biotechnology, agronomy, and the plant protection sciences, as well as for policy makers in the area of food security and sustainable agriculture.