This is the first ever European-wide overview of biodiversity in alpine areas. The volume draws together taxonomic, ecological, historical, functional and climatic studies to develop a holistic understanding of biodiversity at and above the treeline. The main themes are: plant, vegetation and animal diversity, altitude gradients and spatial patterns, long-term changes and the effects of herbivores on diversity. These themes are introduced by a geo-biological scene setting and by a novel characterisation of alpine bio-climate. The comparisons of current and long-term observations and data emphasise the historical tradition of alpine biodiversity research in Europe. Analyses of taxonomic and assembly data at the continent-wide scale provide insight into pattern and its historical and ecological causes.  

This book presents the first assessment of the high-elevation flora of the Central Caucasus with a community ecology emphasis. Following a geostatistical-climatological description of the region (in comparison to the European Alps), it describes the montane, alpine and nival plant assemblages on the basis of an ecological approach that combines moisture, soils and local habitat peculiarities. Highlights include the famous giant herb communities in treeless parts of the upper montane belt, the various facets of alpine turf, and the unique assemblages and settings in the nival region. Further chapters address potential niche conservation between the Caucasus and the Alps, as well as a compilation of plant species habitat preferences (indicator values) that applies to a concept developed for the Alps. Richly illustrated and featuring extensive quantitative data on species abundance, the book offers a unique guide to the plant species diversity of this prominent mountain range, and a valuable resource for comparative ecology and biodiversity assessments of warm temperate mountain systems.

One of the central research themes in ecology is evaluating the extent to which biological richness is necessary to sustain the Earth's system and the functioning of individual ecosystems. In this volume, for the first time, the relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem processes in forests is thoroughly explored. The text examines the multiple effects of tree diversity on productivity and growth, biogeochemical cycles, animals, pests, and disturbances. Further, the importance of diversity at different scales, ranging from stand management to global issues, is considered. The authors provide both extensive reviews of the existing literature and own datasets. The volume is ideally suited for researchers and practitioners involved in ecosystem management and the sustainable use of forest resources.

Friederike Hauffe (1801-1829) suffered throughout her short lifetime from severe spasms and nervous fevers, and in her semi-conscious state she allegedly saw spectres and spoke and wrote predictions in an unknown, 'innate' language. When physically well, Hauffe could communicate with spectres of the dead, and created a complex diagram of circles to explain the nervous energy of a person and its changes throughout the year. The flow of consciousness and one's waking state in the spirit world, or 'sun sphere', was individual and seasonal. After continued illness, she was finally taken into the care of Dr Justinus Kerner for the last few years of her life. His use of magnetic treatment apparently gave her some relief, and she was able to use her 'spiritual sight' to aid others. Kerner's 1829 account of her life, depicting a woman with unusual psychic gifts, was published in English translation in 1845.

One of the central research themes in ecology is evaluating the extent to which biological richness is necessary to sustain the Earth's system and the functioning of individual ecosystems. In this volume, for the first time, the relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem processes in forests is thoroughly explored. The text examines the multiple effects of tree diversity on productivity and growth, biogeochemical cycles, animals, pests, and disturbances. Further, the importance of diversity at different scales, ranging from stand management to global issues, is considered. The authors provide both extensive reviews of the existing literature and own datasets. The volume is ideally suited for researchers and practitioners involved in ecosystem management and the sustainable use of forest resources.

As human populations expand and have increasing access to technol ogy, two general environmental concerns have arisen. First, human pop ulations are having increasing impact on the earth system, such that we are altering the biospheric carbon pools, basic processes of elemental cycling and the climate system of the earth. Because of time lags and feedbacks, these processes are not easily reversed. These alterations are occurring now more rapidly than at any time in the last several million years. Secondly, human activities are causing changes in the earth's biota that lead to species extinctions at a rate and magnitude rivaling those of past geologic extinction events. Although environmental change is potentially reversible at some time scales, the loss of species is irrevo cable. Changes in diversity at other scales are also cause for concern. Habitat fragmentation and declines in population sizes alter genetic di versity. Loss or introduction of new functional groups, such as nitro gen fixers or rodents onto islands can strongly alter ecosystem processes. Changes in landscape diversity through habitat modification and frag mentation alter the nature of processes within and among vegetation patches. Although both ecological changes altering the earth system and the loss of biotic diversity have been major sources of concern in recent years, these concerns have been largely independent, with little concern for the environmental causes the ecosystem consequences of changes in biodiversity. These two processes are clearly interrelated. Changes in ecological systems cause changes in diversity."

This book presents the first assessment of the high-elevation flora of the Central Caucasus with a community ecology emphasis. Following a geostatistical-climatological description of the region (in comparison to the European Alps), it describes the montane, alpine and nival plant assemblages on the basis of an ecological approach that combines moisture, soils and local habitat peculiarities. Highlights include the famous giant herb communities in treeless parts of the upper montane belt, the various facets of alpine turf, and the unique assemblages and settings in the nival region. Further chapters address potential niche conservation between the Caucasus and the Alps, as well as a compilation of plant species habitat preferences (indicator values) that applies to a concept developed for the Alps. Richly illustrated and featuring extensive quantitative data on species abundance, the book offers a unique guide to the plant species diversity of this prominent mountain range, and a valuable resource for comparative ecology and biodiversity assessments of warm temperate mountain systems.

The United Nations Conference on the Environment and Development (UNCED), held in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, spawned a multitude of pro grammes aimed at assessing, managing and conserving the earth's biological diversity. One important issue addressed at the conference was the mountain environment. A specific feature of high mountains is the so-called alpine zone, i. e. the treeless regions at the uppermost reaches. Though covering only a very small proportion of the land surface, the alpine zone contains a rela tively large number of plants, animals, fungi and microbes which are specifi cally adapted to cold environments. This zone contributes fundamentally to the planet's biodiversity and provides many resources for mountain dwelling as well as lowland people. However, rapid and largely man-made changes are affecting mountain ecosystems, such as soil erosion, losses of habitat and genetic diversity, and climate change, all of which have to be addressed. As stated in the European Community Biodiversity Strategy, "the global scale of biodiversity reduction or losses and the interdependence of different species and ecosystems across national borders demands concerted international action". Managing biodiversity in a rational and sustainable way needs basic knowledge on its qualitative and quantitative aspects at local, regional and global scales. This is particularly true for mountains, which are distributed throughout the world and are indeed hot spots of biodiversity in absolute terms as well as relative to the surrounding lowlands.

Seit 120 Jahren liegt die Starke des STRASBURGERs in der ausgewogenen Darstellung aller Teilgebiete der Pflanzenwissenschaften. In der vorliegenden 38. Auflage sind besonders die Teile Struktur und Entwicklung stark uberarbeitet worden. * Der Teil Struktur beschreibt den pflanzlichen Aufbau ausgehend von der Ebene der Zelle uber die Gewebe bis hin zur Ebene der Organe. Bei der Neufassung dieser Kapitel war es ein besonderes Anliegen, Struktur als Ausdruck von Funktion sichtbar zu machen. Neben einer Beschreibung der Formen wurde versucht, die Erklarung dieser Formen starker zu gewichten. Der Teil Genetik wurde neustrukturiert und aktualisiert. * Der Teil Genetik wurde neustrukturiert und aktualisiert. Insbesondere die Bereiche Epigenetik und Gentechnik wurden erweitert. Hier spielen Weiterentwicklungen der Gentechnik zur gezielten Genomveranderung eine Rolle. Die methodischen Hintergrunde werden im neuen Abschnitt Genomeditierung beschrieben. Der ebenfalls neu gestaltete Teil Entwicklung spiegelt die im Teil Strukturbehandelten Ebenen (Zelle, Gewebe, Organ, Organismus) wider, wobei das Werden dieser Ebenen im Mittelpunkt steht. Es werden zentrale Konzepte der Entwicklungsbiologie an Beispielen aus dem Pflanzenreich geschildert. In den anschliessenden Kapiteln geht es dann um die Steuerung dieser Vorgange durch Phytohormone und den Einfluss endogener und exogener regulatorischer Faktoren. * Im Teil Physiologie werden ausgehend von der Beschreibung grundlegender Transport- und Stoffwechselprozesse die Anpassung des pflanzlichen Stoffwechsels an entwicklungs- und umweltbedingte Veranderungen betrachtet. Die Abschnitte zum Primarstoffwechsel wurden erganzt und uberarbeitet und die ubrigen Teile aktualisiert. * Der evolutionare Prozess, die Phylogenie und Systematik der Pflanzen und anderer photoautotropher Eukaryoten sowie die Geschichte der Vegetation der Erde sind Inhalt des Teils Evolution und Systematik. * Im OEkologie-Teil wird die Pflanze in Beziehung zu den Lebensbedingungen am Wuchsort gesetzt. Pflanzliche Reaktionen auf Klima und Bodenfaktoren, Prozesse in Populationen und Artengemeinschaften sowie die grossen Vegetationszonen der Erde werden erklart. In dieser neu uberarbeiteten Auflage wurden einige Abbildungen und Textstellen hinzugefugt sowie die Literatur aktualisiert. Der Tradition dieses einzigartigen Standardwerkes entsprechend soll es Studierenden als vierfarbig bebildertes Lehrbuch und Dozenten aller bio-, umwelt- und agrarwissenschaftlichen Fachrichtungen als verlassliches Nachschlage- und Referenzwerk dienen.

Philippus Arabs war Kaiser des Roemischen Reiches von 244 bis 249 n.Chr. Nun liegt, auf der Grundlage der erhaltenen Quellen, zum ersten Mal eine Darstellung dieses aus der Provinz Arabia stammenden Herrschers vor. Der Autor widmet sich insbesondere der unruhigen innen- und aussenpolitischen Situation, der Herkunft und Familie des Kaisers, seiner Haltung zur Religion, vor allem zum Christentum. Schliesslich wird die Position des Kaisers in den Veranderungen und Reformen des 3. Jh. herausgearbeitet und aufgezeigt, wie sehr er sich in seinem Herrschaftsverstandnis an der Severischen Dynastie und an Marc Aurel orientierte. Die vorliegende Arbeit ist die erste Monographie zu Philippus Arabs; aufgrund der schlechten Quellenlage war das Interesse an den Kaisern dieser Periode bislang eher gering.

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