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In recent decades, natural hazards have increasingly threatened lives, livelihoods, and economies, with annual losses totalling billions of dollars globally. According to the Insurance Information Institute (III) and the Zebra, USA, natural disaster losses reached $74.4 billion in 2020, and an average of 6,800 natural disasters occur each year, claiming around 1.35 million lives. Hydrological and geological hazards, in particular, have significant societal and environmental impacts, making them critical areas of research. Understanding and mitigating these hazards is vital for developing legal mechanisms related to environmental restoration, societal improvements, and sustainable development. Modern technologies and earth observation data play a crucial role in disaster monitoring, prediction, modelling, and management. Recent advancements in geoinformation science have introduced multi-source data for natural hazards research. In addition, cutting-edge methods such as machine learning, deep learning, and big data science offer powerful tools for in-depth studies of natural hazards through remote sensing and geoinformatics. This book, Advanced GIScience in Hydro-Geological Hazards, presents up-to-date contributions on applying advanced GIScience to research various hydro-geological hazards, including floods, landslides, tropical cyclones, soil erosion, coastal erosion, riverbank erosion, coastal area vulnerability, drought, wetlands shrinking etc. It also explores multi-hazard studies using SAR, GNSS, and other innovative methods. The chapters focus on integrating artificial intelligence, machine learning techniques, and remote sensing to enhance preparedness, response, and resilience against these hazards. Targeting a broad audience of academics, scientists, students, environmentalists, government agencies, disaster planners, and GIS experts, this book aims to showcase the latest advancements in GIScience for assessing and managing hydro-geological hazards. It offers strategies for disaster risk reduction and capacity building, providing readers with the knowledge needed to address pressing environmental challenges. more...

This book provides comprehensive and in-depth explanations of all topics related to quantitative remote sensing and its applications in terrestrial, biospheric, hydrospheric, and atmospheric studies. It elucidates how to retrieve quantitative information on a wide range of environmental parameters from various remote sensing data at the highest accuracy possible and expounds how different aspects of the target of remote sensing can be quantified using diverse analytical methods and level of accuracy. Written in an easy-to-follow language, logically organized, and with step-by-step examples, the book assists readers to deepen their understanding of the theory and cutting-edge research on quantitative remote sensing. Features Explains how to retrieve quantitative information on a wide range of environmental parameters from various tailored remote sensing data at the highest accuracy possible. Manifests the author's decades of teaching and research in quantitative remote sensing and approaches the subject from both theoretical and pragmatic perspectives, informed by the latest research outcomes. Includes practical and real-life examples to illustrate how the quantitative information on a target can be retrieved from a given type of remote sensing data. Focuses on the latest developments in the field of quantitative remote sensing. Introduces sufficient mathematical concepts to reveal how remotely sensed data are converted to quantitative information while providing quality assurance of the retrieved results. This is a suitable textbook for upper-level undergraduate or postgraduate students and serves as a handy and valuable reference for professionals working in monitoring the environment. By reading this book, readers gain a sound understanding of how to retrieve quantitative information on the environment from diverse remote sensing data using the most appropriate cutting-edge methods and software. more...

This book includes a collection of extended papers based on presentations given during the SimHydro 2023 conference, held in EDF Lab Chatou, France, with the support of Société Hydrotechnique de France (SHF), the Association Française de Mécanique (AFM), the Environmental and Water Resources Institute (EWRI), and the International Association for Hydro-Environment Engineering and Research (IAHR). SimHydro conferences, since 2010, have created a regular forum where major actors of the hydroinformatics domain and stakeholders meet, share, and debate about needs, innovations, and implementations of models and their inputs for decision making. For this new edition, the general theme of the conference is focused on “New modelling paradigms for water issues”. The papers address some of the key challenges faced by the water modelling community regarding processes to simulate such as water services, extreme events (floods, droughts, etc.), and hydrological cycle at catchment scale and to assess the added value of emerging concepts and methods such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Digital Twins that are gaining interests. It addresses the interests of practitioners, stakeholders, researchers, and engineers active in this field. This book represents Volume 2 of a two-volume book series. more...

This book includes a collection of extended papers based on presentations given during the SimHydro 2023 conference, held in EDF Lab Chatou, France, with the support of Société Hydrotechnique de France (SHF), the Association Française de Mécanique (AFM), the Environmental and Water Resources Institute (EWRI), and the International Association for Hydro-Environment Engineering and Research (IAHR). SimHydro conferences, since 2010, have created a regular forum where major actors of the hydroinformatics domain and stakeholders meet, share, and debate about needs, innovations, and implementations of models and their inputs for decision making. For this new edition, the general theme of the conference is focused on “New modelling paradigms for water issues”. The papers address some of the key challenges faced by the water modelling community regarding processes to simulate such as water services, extreme events (floods, droughts, etc.), and hydrological cycle at catchment scale and to assess the added value of emerging concepts and methods such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Digital Twins that are gaining interests. It addresses the interests of practitioners, stakeholders, researchers, and engineers active in this field. This book represents Volume 1 of a two-volume book series. more...

The objective of this publication is to provide insight into advancing remote sensing techniques dealing with floods, droughts, landslides, earthquakes, permafrost-related hazards, glacial lake outburst floods, forest fires, droughts, tropical cyclones, climate resilience and COVID-19. This publication will incorporate the latest technologies and techniques to illustrate disaster monitoring for acquiring information and dissemination of technological results and outcomes for the betterment of society. This publication would be of immense importance for earth scientists, policymakers and professionals working in the field of disaster risk reduction. more...

This book comprises the contributions of the African Association of Remote Sensing of the Environment (AARSE) international conference which is conducted biennially across Africa, alternately with the AfricaGIS conference. It is the premier forum in Africa for research on remote sensing technologies and geospatial information science, gathering leading scholars from the remote sensing and related communities. The 13th AARSE International Conference was held on October 24-28, 2022 in Kigali, Rwanda, to focus on Earth observations and geospatial science to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. The five-day event themed “Space and Geospatial Technologies for the Africa We Want” was organized by the African Association of Remote Sensing of the Environment (AARSE) and the Institut d'Enseignement Supérieur de Ruhengeri (Ines-Ruhengeri) in partnership with Rwanda Space Agency and Space in Africa. Furthermore, the conference was sponsored by GMES and Africa, the Regional Centre For Mapping Of Resources For Development (RCMRD), Airbus, European Space Agency (ESA), Digital Earth Africa, and INES-Ruhengeri and Rwanda Space Agency. The 13th Conference continues a long series of successful AARSE conferences which started in 1996, in Harare (Zimbabwe), and has been held in Abidjan (Cote D'Ivoire) in 1998, Cape Town (South Africa) in 2000, Abuja (Nigeria) in 2002, Nairobi (Kenya) in 2004, Cairo (Egypt) in 2006, Accra (Ghana) in 2008, Addis Abeba (Ethiopia) in 2010, El Jadida (Morocco) in 2012, Johannesburg (South Africa) in 2014, Kampala (Ouganda) in 2016, and in Alexandria (Egypt) in 2018. The book is mainly addressed to practitioners and experts from academia, politics, and industry. more...

The book offers a wide range of research topics that are addressed with the aim of contributing to the knowledge of geomorphological hazards in the Himalaya. It is emphasized the integration of climate-driven morphogenetic and tectonic processes in the Nepal Himalaya as a substantial phenomenon of active collisional orogeny. The extreme dynamics of landform evolution in the Himalayan terranes triggers severe natural hazards and risks. Interdisciplinary research of geomorphological processes and events related to natural hazards in the Nepal Himalaya follows general efforts to reduce geoenvironmental disasters. Visual documentation is of particular importance in the conception of the book, which is intended for specialized researchers as well as students. more...

This contributed volume offers a wide variety of cases exploring how humanity can adapt to a changing climate. The volume features a wide variety of contributions from geographers, primarily in India but with plenty of global cases to provide a broad comparative perspective. A primary goal of this book is to bridge the gap from conceptual and data-driven analysis of climate change and adaptation to practical planning approaches and strategies. The book compiles contributions that address human well-being and environmental effects related to climate change, including analysis and modelling of ecosystem services, socio-ecological research and sustainable governance of ecosystems. Results reported in this book are conducive to a better understanding of the climate emergency, climate-related impacts and adaptation and mitigation strategies. The cases here also provide researchers with new examples of applications of vulnerability assessment methods. The volume offers insights regardingvulnerable areas in India, an exploration of how some regions have coped with these issues, and a discussion of the impacts that public policy has had on vulnerability in the regions studied. The focus on vulnerability will assist decision-makers in and outside India in targeting policies aimed at poverty reduction in agricultural communities as well. Though the cases here primarily focus on India, the methodologies presented here are transferable to many other parts of the world. more...

This highly illustrated volume is a compendium of evidence and examples of change on Heard Island, a World Heritage Site near Antarctica and one of the most remote places on earth. Drawing on records from the past two centuries, as well as his own expeditions to the island in 1997 and 2016, the author provides visual evidence for the changes wrought by climate change, erosion, and environmental policy. Various phenomena not previously observed on Heard Island are documented, such as fluid dynamic instabilities and the destruction of the seawalls of a major lagoon. Based on the past, the author makes predictions about Heard Island for specific years in the future: 2031 (decade), 2051 (tricade), 2121 (century), 3021 (millennium), and 1,002,021 (millionium). The book serves as an important link between the past and future of Heard Island. more...

This book explores fluvial processes and their consequences on river dynamics in India. It discusses the integration of geomorphic, hydrologic, and socio-economic data with various policies and decisions regarding sustainable river basin management. The volume looks at the origin and development of streams, chronology of fluvial geomorphology, fluvial system concept, process–form interaction, river dynamics, channel migration, flow regime, channel types, and hydraulic and morphometric parameters; and explains how changing hydro-geomorphological dynamics have influenced land use patterns, nature of fluids, behaviour of floods, etc. It examines channel migration vulnerability and bank erosion hazard vulnerability of the Torsa River in the eastern region of India as a case study using channel migration zone and Bank Erosion Hazard Index models. The book presents a new research framework based on field surveys, scientific investigations, and analytical techniques and methods to interpret key geoinformatics data.With its extensive illustrations, this book will be useful to students, teachers, and researchers of geography, earth sciences, environmental geology, and environment and disaster management. It will also interest geographers, civil engineers, hydrologists, geomorphologists, planners, and other individuals and organizations working on fluvial processes and riverbank erosion problems globally. more...

Flood Risk Change: A Complexity Perspective focuses on the dynamic nature of flood risks and follows a systemic approach - including environmental, socioeconomic and socio-technical factors for modeling and managing flood risk change. Readers will gain a more complete picture of the topic for understanding the complexity of flood risk change, both from human and natural causes of flooding. The book includes a mix of theory (introduction to complex system science from the flood risk management perspective) and case studies. It features maps and figures focusing on the system components as well as on the dynamic interactions between the drivers of change. Researchers studying flood risk, environmental engineering, disaster risk reduction, and land use, as well as those in industry and responsible for policy, will find this an invaluable resource. - Comprehensive overview of key drivers of change, including both natural drivers and socioeconomic drivers - Presents different modeling frameworks and setups for considering complexity in flood risk analysis and management - Includes both theoretical research and practical applications as told through case studies more...

This book covers the landscape, geography and environment of the Sierra Nevada in Spain. The Sierra Nevada hosted the last glaciers in southern Europe. Today, it is one of the most important centers of plant diversity in the western Mediterranean and one of the most outstanding in Europe. This massif has ideal conditions to analyze past environments as well as the effects of global change on ecosystems. This can be seen in the large number of projects that are being conducted within the umbrella of the Sierra Nevada Global Change Observatory. This book summarizes all the scientific knowledge available about this massif, from the geomorphological and ecological perspectives to the recent spatial adaptive management and Open Science initiatives. Focusing on the very sensitive mountain environment of Sierra Nevada, the book intends to be a reference for many people interested in mountain processes. The audience would include scientists from all disciplines, but it would also target on an audience beyond the academia (territorial managers, environmentalists, mountaineers, politicians, technicians, etc.). more...

This book highlights several opportunities that exist in satellite remote sensing of large-scale terrestrial hydrology. It lays bare the novel concept of remote sensing hydrology and demonstrates key applications of advance satellite technology and new methods in advancing our fundamental understanding of environmental systems. This includes, using state-of-the-art satellite hydrology missions like the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment and other multi-mission satellite systems as important tools that underpin water resources planning and accounting. This book discusses and demonstrates how the efficacy, simplicity, and sophistication in novel computing platforms for big earth observation data can help facilitate environmental monitoring and improve contemporary understanding of climate change impacts on freshwater resources. It also provides opportunities for practitioners and relevant government agencies to leverage satellite-based information in a transdisciplinary context to address several environmental issues affecting society. This book provides a general framework and highlights methods to help improve our understanding of hydrological processes and impact analysis from extreme events (e.g., droughts, floods) and climate change. more...

Our realisation of how profoundly glaciers and ice sheets respond to climate change and impact sea level and the environment has propelled their study to the forefront of Earth system science. Aspects of this multidisciplinary endeavour now constitute major areas of research. This book is named after the international summer school held annually in the beautiful alpine village of Karthaus, Northern Italy, and consists of twenty chapters based on lectures from the school. They cover theory, methods, and observations, and introduce readers to essential glaciological topics such as ice-flow dynamics, polar meteorology, mass balance, ice-core analysis, paleoclimatology, remote sensing and geophysical methods, glacial isostatic adjustment, modern and past glacial fluctuations, and ice sheet reconstruction. The chapters were written by thirty-four contributing authors who are leading international authorities in their fields. The book can be used as a graduate-level textbook for a university course, and as a valuable reference guide for practising glaciologists and climate scientists. more...

This book deals with issues and concerns for the human environment in the developing countries incorporating natural processes and systems, pollution removal technology, energy conservation, environmental impact assessment process, economics, culture, political structure and societal equity from a management point of view. Solutions to the emerging problems of the environment need a paradigmatic shift in approach from a process based model to a socio-political-economic model. Hence environmental management should involve equality and control over use of the finite natural resources and the balance between Earth's biocapacity and humanity's ecological footprint. Changes such as green technologies, human population stabilization and adoption of ecologically harmonious lifestyles are absolutely essential and will require redesigning of political institutions, policies and revisiting forgotten skills of sustainable practices of environmental management. These challenges should centreon environment governance using the concepts of common property, equity and security.This book is relevant for academics, professionals, administrators and policy makers who are concerned with various aspects of environment management and governance. more...

This book shows what role nature can play in a city and how this can make it a better place for people to live. People, planners, designers and politicians are working towards the development of green cities. Some cities are already promoted as green cities, while others are on their way to become one. But their goals are often unclear and can include different facets. Presenting contributions from world leading researchers in the field of urban ecology, the editors provide an interdisciplinary overview of best practices and challenges in creating green cities. They show examples of how to build up these cities from bits and pieces to districts and urban extensions. Each example concludes with a summary of the collected knowledge, the learning points and how this can be used in other places. The best practices are collected from around the world – Europe, America and Asia. Contributions cover a wide range of biophysical and cultural backgrounds within these three continents, including the Central, Southern and Eastern European region, as well as Latin and North America. The new dynamic urban development of Asia is illustrated by case studies from China and the Indian subcontinent. The reader will learn which role nature can play in green cities and what the basic requirements are in terms of culture, pre-existing nature conditions, existing urban surroundings, history, design and planning. more...

This open access book is a consolidation of lessons learnt and experiences gathered from our efforts to utilise Earth observation (EO) science and applications to address environmental challenges in the Hindu Kush Himalayan region. It includes a complete package of knowledge on service life cycles including multi-disciplinary topics and practically tested applications for the HKH. It comprises 19 chapters drawing from a decade's worth of experience gleaned over the course of our implementation of SERVIR-HKH – a joint initiative of NASA, USAID, and ICIMOD – to build capacity on using EO and geospatial technology for effective decision making in the region. The book highlights SERVIR's approaches to the design and delivery of information services – in agriculture and food security; land cover and land use change, and ecosystems; water resources and hydro-climatic disasters; and weather and climate services. It also touches upon multidisciplinary topics such as service planning; gender integration; user engagement; capacity building; communication; and monitoring, evaluation, and learning. We hope that this book will be a good reference document for professionals and practitioners working in remote sensing, geographic information systems, regional and spatial sciences, climate change, ecosystems, and environmental analysis. Furthermore, we are hopeful that policymakers, academics, and other informed audiences working in sustainable development and evaluation – beyond the wider SERVIR network and well as within it – will greatly benefit from what we share here on our applications, case studies, and documentation across cross-cutting topics. more...

This book addresses the various challenges in achieving sustainable groundwater development, management, and planning in semi-arid regions, with a focus on India, and discusses advanced remote sensing and GIS techniques for the estimation and management of groundwater resources. The book is timely as there is a need for a better understanding of the various tools and methods required to efficiently and sustainably meet the growing demand for clean surface and groundwater in developing countries, and how these tools can be combined with other strategies in a multi-disciplinary fashion to achieve this goal in water-scarce regions. To wit, the book combines remote sensing and GIS techniques, runoff modeling, aquifer mapping, land use and land cover analyses, evapotranspiration estimation, crop coefficients, and water policy approaches. This will be of use to academics, policymakers, social scientists, and professionals involved in the various aspects of sustainable groundwater development, planning, and management. more...

This book shows what role nature can play in a city and how this can make it a better place for people to live. People, planners, designers and politicians are working towards the development of green cities. Some cities are already promoted as green cities, while others are on their way to become one. But their goals are often unclear and can include different facets. Presenting contributions from world leading researchers in the field of urban ecology, the editors provide an interdisciplinary overview of best practices and challenges in creating green cities. They show examples of how to build up these cities from bits and pieces to districts and urban extensions. Each example concludes with a summary of the collected knowledge, the learning points and how this can be used in other places. The best practices are collected from around the world – Europe, Australia, America and Asia. The new dynamic urban development of Asia is illustrated by case studies from China and the Indian subcontinent. The reader will learn which role nature can play in green cities and what the basic requirements are in terms of culture, pre-existing nature conditions, existing urban surroundings, history, design and planning. more...

Dieses nahezu vollständig überarbeitete und um zwei gänzlich neue Kapitel erweiterte Werk ist weit mehr als nur eine 2. Auflage. Denn in den letzten 20 Jahren haben Herausgeber und Mitautoren viel Neues und Verblüffendes über das Mittelmeer erfahren. Eine neue Wissenschaft hat sich formiert, die multidisziplinäre Mediterranistik, die dank Historikern neue Einsichten zum Verständnis dieses Raums ermöglicht. Doch auch die Umweltforschung machte große Fortschritte und fördert Beunruhigendes an den Tag: Die negativen Veränderungen im Mittelmeer und im mediterranen Raum laufen heute in einer Geschwindigkeit ab, die es in der Erdgeschichte bisher wahrscheinlich noch nie gegeben hat. Dieses erweiterte Wissen hat Einzug in das Buch gefunden.Der Leser erhält einen weit gefassten Überblick über die Erdgeschichte der mediterranen Region, aber auch über die Rolle unserer Vorfahren darin, den Hominini. Das aktuelle Wissen zum mediterranen Raum ist hier zusammengefasst –von der Biodiversität bis zur wirtschaftlichen Nutzung der marinen Ressourcen, von den klimatischen Verhältnissen, den Wasserströmungen und Winden bis zu den komplexen Nahrungsnetzen und ökologischen Abhängigkeiten innerhalb der Pflanzen- und Tierwelt des Mittelmeeres. Die enorme Bandbreite der Themen soll Liebhabern der Mittelmeerregion ebenso entgegenkommen wie Meeresschützern, Tauchern, Forschern, Seglern und Reisenden – jedem, der über das Mittelmeer etwas wissen will. Hunderte von eigens für dieses Werk entwickelten Grafiken veranschaulichen die in zwölf Kapiteln besprochenen Phänomene, Prozesse und Konzepte. Zahlreiche Tabellen fassen die Ergebnisse umfangreicher Recherchen zusammen. Farblich hervorgehobene Exkurse beleuchten spannende Einzelaspekte der Natur- und Kulturgeschichte des Mittelmeeres. Eindrucksvolle Farbfotos der mediterranen Lebensräume und ihrer Lebewesen begleiten die informativen Texte. Die Fülle der in diesem Werk verarbeiteten Informationen, die Klarheit der Darstellung und die ansprechende Gestaltung machen Das Mittelmeer zu einem unentbehrlichen Nachschlagewerk und außergewöhnlichen Lesevergnügen zugleich. Der Rat der Autoren: „Tun Sie für die Umwelt mehr als Sie müssen!“ more...

This book presents a comprehensive and up-to-date overview of the soils of Sri Lanka. Including sections on the soil research history, climate, geology, geomorphology, major soil types, soil maps, soil properties, soil classification, soil fertility, land use and vegetation, soil management, soils and humans, soils and industry, and future soil issues, the book summarizes the current state of knowledge in a concise and highly reader-friendly way. more...

This book presents a comprehensive selection of applications employed in environmental remote sensing using optical and thermal infrared satellite-sensors aiming to map natural resources, crops, groundwater, surface water, aquatic ecosystem, land degradation, air quality, renewable energy, regional resources, and climate-related geophysical processes. The technologies presented in this book also include satellite images, space-borne radar sensors focusing on the most versatile one, data from synthetic aperture radar (SAR), scatterometers and radar altimeters in Egypt. This volume also presents a thorough explanation of the remote sensing role showing physical fundamentals of the climate change phenomenon including gas emissions, and the impact on resources concerning the sustainable development of Egypt. Besides, the book includes an analysis of oil pollution in both Mediterranean and Red Seas This book is intended for environmental policymakers working in Egypt as well as scientists working with remote sensing technologies in highly populated arid regions. more...

This book offers the scientific basis for the ample evaluation of badland management in India and some surrounding regions. It examines the processes operating in the headwaters and main channels of ephemeral rivers in lateritic environments of India. In particular, the book covers a range of vital topics in the areas of gully erosion and water to soil erosion at lateritic uplands regions of India and other regions in Asia. It explores the probable gully erosion modeling through Remote Sensing & GIS Techniques. It is divided into three units. Unit I deals with the introduction of badland, types of badland and the process of badland formation. Unit II is devoted to a description of quantitative measurements. Unit III deals with the control and management processes related to various issues from different regions. As such this book serves as a reference book for research activities in this area. It is an efficient guide for aspiring researchers in applied geography,explaining advanced techniques to help students recognize both simple and complex concepts. more...

This thoroughly revised and expanded edition of the much acclaimed Encyclopedia of Coastal Science edited by M. Schwarz (Springer 2005), presents an interdisciplinary approach that includes biology, ecology, engineering, geology, geomorphology, oceanography, remote sensing, technological advances, and anthropogenic impacts on coasts. Within its covers the Encyclopedia of Coastal Science, 2nd ed. brings together and coordinates many aspects of coastal and related sciences that are widely dispersed in the scientific literature.The broadly interdisciplinary subject matter of this volume features contributions by over 280 well-known international specialists in their respective fields and provides an abundance of figures in full-color with line drawings and photographs, and other illustrations such as satellite images. Not only does this volume offer a large number of new and revised entries, it also includes an illustrated glossary of coastal geomorphology, extensive bibliographic citations, and cross-references.It provides a comprehensive reference work for students, scientific and technical professionals as well as administrators, managers, and informed lay readers. Reviews from the first edition: Awarded for Excellence in Scholarly and Professional Publishing: “Honorable Mention”, in the category Single Volume/Science from the Association of American Publishers (AAP) 2005.'The contents and approach are interdisciplinary and, under a single cover, one finds subjects normally scattered throughout scientific literature.''The topics cover a broad spectrum, so does the geographic range of the contributors. … besides geomorphologists, biologists, ecologists, engineers, geographers, geologists, oceanographers and technologists will find information related to their respective fields …. Inclusion of appendices … is very useful.The illustrated glossary of geomorphology will prove very useful for many of us ….'Roger H. Charlier, Journal of Coastal Research, Volume 21, Issue 4, Page 866, July 2005.'It is an excellent work that should be included in any carefully selected list of best science reference books of the year'Summing Up: Highly recommended.'M.L. Larsgaard, Choice, Volume 43, Issue 6, Page 989, February 2006.'This volume is a comprehensive collection of articles covering all aspects of the subject: social and economic, engineering, coastal processes, habitats, erosion, geological features, research and observation.'...'As with similar works reviewed, I chose to read articles on familiar topics to see if they covered the expected, and some on unfamiliar topics to see if they could be readily understood. The book passed both tests, but the style is denser and more fact-filled than most of the encyclopedias I have reviewed.'John Goodier, Reference Reviews, Volume 20, Issue 2, pages 35-36, 2006 more...

This open access volume is the first comprehensive assessment of the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) region. It comprises important scientific research on the social, economic, and environmental pillars of sustainable mountain development and will serve as a basis for evidence-based decision-making to safeguard the environment and advance people's well-being. The compiled content is based on the collective knowledge of over 300 leading researchers, experts and policymakers, brought together by the Hindu Kush Himalayan Monitoring and Assessment Programme (HIMAP) under the coordination of the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD). This assessment was conducted between 2013 and 2017 as the first of a series of monitoring and assessment reports, under the guidance of the HIMAP Steering Committee: Eklabya Sharma (ICIMOD), Atiq Raman (Bangladesh), Yuba Raj Khatiwada (Nepal), Linxiu Zhang (China), Surendra Pratap Singh (India), Tandong Yao (China) and David Molden (ICIMOD and Chair of the HIMAP SC).This First HKH Assessment Report consists of 16 chapters, which comprehensively assess the current state of knowledge of the HKH region, increase the understanding of various drivers of change and their impacts, address critical data gaps and develop a set of evidence-based and actionable policy solutions and recommendations. These are linked to nine mountain priorities for the mountains and people of the HKH consistent with the Sustainable Development Goals. This book is a must-read for policy makers, academics and students interested in this important region and an essentially important resource for contributors to global assessments such as the IPCC reports. more...

This book gathers invited contributions from active researchers to provide an up-to-date overview of the geological setting of the Red Sea. It discusses aspects ranging from historical information to modern research in the Red Sea, and presents findings from rapidly advancing, emerging fields. This semi-enclosed young ocean basin provides a unique opportunity to study the development of passive continental margins in order to examine the current status of that region. In addition to studies on the Sea itself, it includes those from related fields on the littoral zone. The book is of interest to geoscientists and non-specialists alike. more...

This book on Turkish geomorphology offers location descriptions, based on their dynamics and evolution processes, including hydrology, tectonics, volcanism, slopes, coasts, ice/snow, and wind. It presents landforms as a result of evolution (Quaternary, Holocene, historic) and in relation to the elements determining and/or impacting this evolution (vegetation, soil, hydrology, geology, climate, sea level and human action) as well as the resulting landscapes. Richly illustrated with pictures from each site, including geomorphological maps and sections, it explains the risks associated with the geomorphological dynamics (on local and global scales), natural and/or cultural heritage (archaeology, prehistory, history, architectural specifications adapted to the landscape), as well as challenges for human society (endangered landscape, protection/conservation rules/statutes, posters/paintings.). more...

This book summarizes four decades of glacial-geomorphological field research in Central and High Asia in an attempt to draw a significant link between Quaternary science research and paleoclimatology. Based on the latest geomorphological findings, this study offers a large-scale reconstruction of the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) that in High Asia encompassed a total expanse of no less than three million km2, including the Central Tibetan plateau with 2.4 million km2. The author offers a complete reconstruction of the Late Glacial, Holocene, and Historical glacier advances as well as the successive Postglacial ablation stages extending to the present. Taken together, the findings presented here provide the first insights into a global-climatic impact of the Last Glacial Maximum in Central and High Asia with respect to the current interglacial stage. The comparative data analyses point to an inland glaciation at subtropical latitude covering an area larger than the Nordic inland glaciation in Greenland. These insights are facilitated by a methodological approach, unprecedented in modern Quaternary research, that combines high-quality panoramic photography with high-resolution satellite imagery. This combination of terrestrial and aerial perspectives enables scientists and readers alike to visualize the geomorphology of the landscape as a three-dimensional space. The author's successful union of digital big data resources with classical geomorphological analysis offers an exciting new template for future research in Quaternary science and related fields. more...

This book presents relevant and contemporary research on the remote sensing of landscapes, agriculture & forestry, geomorphology, coasts & oceans, natural hazards and wild habitats. It highlights the application of remote sensing in understanding natural processes and oceanic features, as well as in creating mapping inventories of water resources across different spatial and temporal scales. Recent advances in hyperspectral imaging and high spatial resolution offer promising techniques for exploring various aspects related to the fruitful and cost-effective monitoring of large-scale environments. In the field of forestry and agriculture, the book addresses topics such as terrain analysis, forest management, updating current forest inventories, and vegetation cover type discrimination. It also elaborates delineation of various geo-morphological features of the earth's surface and natural disasters, and includes a special section on the remote sensing of wild habitats. Readers working in interdisciplinary sectors engaged in remote-sensing-based research benefit from the techniques presented. more...

The classic reference work that provides annually updated information on the countries of the world.

The classic reference work that provides annually updated information on the countries of the world.

The classic reference work that provides annually updated information on the countries of the world.

The book presents the processes governing the dynamics of landscapes, soils and sediments, water and energy under different climatic regions using studies conducted in varied climatic zones including arid, semi-arid, humid and wet regions. The spatiotemporal availability of the processes and fluxes and their linkage to the environment, land, soil and water management are presented at various scales. Spatial scales including laboratory, field, watershed, river basin and regions are represented. The effect of tillage operations and land management on soil physical characteristics and soil moisture is discussed.The book has 35 chapters in seven sections: 1) Landscape and Land Cover Dynamics, 2) Rainfall-Runoff Processes, 3) Floods and Hydrological Processes 4) Groundwater Flow and Aquifer Management, 5) Sediment Dynamics and Soil Management, 6) Climate change impact on vegetation, sediment and water dynamics, and 7) Water and Watershed Management. more...

This book examines in detail the health of India's Haora River, which is of vital importance as the lifeline of Agartala, the Capital City of Tripura. From its source in the Baramura Hills, the river debouches onto the rolling plains of Chandrasadhubari. Thousands of people between Chandrasadhubari and the boundary of Bangladesh have settled along the riverbanks and are directly dependent on the river.Since the 1970s the ever-growing population of the Haora River basin has been exerting tremendous pressure on the river. Several anthropogenic activities affect the river, increasing sedimentation and pollution, and are leading the Haora River toward its dying phase. This book presents the problems related to the overall health of the Haora River and discusses some proposals for restoring the ecological balance and geo-political stability of this strategically important part of the country. more...

This extensive work explores the changing world of religions, faiths and practices. It discusses a broad range of issues and phenomena that are related to religion, including nature, ethics, secularization, gender and identity. Broadening the context, it studies the interrelation between religion and other fields, including education, business, economics and law. The book presents a vast array of examples to illustrate the changes that have taken place and have led to a new world map of religions.Beginning with an introduction of the concept of the “changing world religion map”, the book first focuses on nature, ethics and the environment. It examines humankind's eternal search for the sacred, and discusses the emergence of “green” religion as a theme that cuts across many faiths. Next, the book turns to the theme of the pilgrimage, illustrated by many examples from all parts of the world. In its discussion of the interrelation between religion and education, it looks at therole of missionary movements. It explains the relationship between religion, business, economics and law by means of a discussion of legal and moral frameworks, and the financial and business issues of religious organizations. The next part of the book explores the many “new faces” that are part of the religious landscape and culture of the Global North (Europe, Russia, Australia and New Zealand, the U.S. and Canada) and the Global South (Latin America, Africa and Asia). It does so by looking at specific population movements, diasporas, and the impact of globalization. The volume next turns to secularization as both a phenomenon occurring in the Global religious North, and as an emerging and distinguishing feature in the metropolitan, cosmopolitan and gateway cities and regions in the Global South. The final part of the book explores the changing world of religion in regards to gender and identity issues, the political/religious nexus, and the new worlds associated with the virtual technologies and visual media. more...

This book offers a unique collection of inter- and multidisciplinary studies on river systems. Rivers have been the prime source of sustenance since the advent of civilization and river systems often form the basis for agriculture, transport, water, and land for domestic, commercial, and industrial activities, fostering economic prosperity. A river basin is a basic geographical and climatological unit within which the vagaries of natural processes act and manifest themselves at different spatio-temporal scales. Even if compared side-by-side, no two river basins respond to natural processes in the same way and thus, it has long been recognized that each river basin is unique. Hence, any developmental activity or conservation effort has to be designed and implemented to match each unique river basin. With the burgeoning population and increasing dependency on natural resources, understanding and maintaining river systems has become increasingly important. This book provides a varied reference work on and unprecedented guidelines for conducting and implementing research on river basins, and for managing their ecological development. more...

A striking and famous feature of the English landscape, Dartmoor is a beautiful place, with a sense of wildness and mystery. This book provides a new perspective on an important aspect of Dartmoor's past. Its focus is transhumance: the seasonal transfer of grazing animals to different pastures. In the Middle Ages, intensive practical use was made of Dartmoor's resources. Its extensive moorlands provided summer pasture for thousands of cattle from the Devon lowlands, which flowed in a seasonal tide, up in the spring and down in the autumn. This book describes, for the first time, the social organisation and farming practices associated with this annual transfer of livestock. It also presents evidence for a previously unsuspected Anglo-Saxon pattern of transhumance in which lowland farmers spent the summers living with their cattle on the moor. Winner of the Devon Book of the Year Award 2013. more...

David Knighton's best-selling book looks at the wide range of forms developed by natural rivers and the processes responsible for that development. The book combines empirical and theoretical approaches, and provides a critical assessment of the many schools of thought which have emerged for dealing with adjustment in the fluvial system. It is fully illustrated throughout by a superb range of figures, photographs and tables.Starting with the network scale, the book examines the interaction of hillslopes, drainage networks and channels, and goes on to considerations of catchment hydrology and catchment denudation. Fluvial processes are analysed in detail, from the mechanics of flow to sediment transport and deposition. Detailing the major components of river channels, the book examines the nature of river adjustment, particularly with respect to equilibrium concepts, and concludes with a look at channel changes through time, affected by flood discharges, climatic change and human activities. more...

The book provides a comprehensive overview of the hydrology of the Nile River, especially the ecohydrological degradation and challenges the basin is facing, the impact of climate change on water availability and the transboundary water management issues. The book includes analysis and approaches that will help provide different insights into the hydrology of this complex basin, which covers 11 countries and is home to over 300 million people. The need for water-sharing agreements that reflect the current situations of riparian countries and are based on equitable water- sharing principles is stressed in many chapters. This book explores water resource availability and quality and their trends in the basin, soil erosion and watershed degradation at different scales, water and health, land use and climate change impact, transboundary issues and water management, dams, reservoirs and lakes. The link between watershed and river water quantity and quality is discussed pointing out the importance of watershed protection for better water resource management, water accessibility, institutional set-up and policy, water demand and management. The book also presents the water sharing sticking points in relation to historical treaties and the emerging water demands of the upstream riparian countries. The need for collaboration and identification of common ground to resolve the transboundary water management issues and secure a win-win is also indicated. more...

Introducing Human Geographies is the leading guide to human geography for undergraduate students, explaining new thinking on essential topics and discussing exciting developments in the field.This new edition has been thoroughly revised and updated and coverage is extended with new sections devoted to biogeographies, cartographies, mobilities, non-representational geographies, population geographies, public geographies and securities. Presented in three parts with 60 contributions written by expert international researchers, this text addresses the central ideas through which human geographers understand and shape their subject. Part I: Foundations engages students with key ideas that define human geography's subject matter and approaches, through critical analyses of dualisms such as local-global, society-space and human-nonhuman. Part II: Themes explores human geography's main sub-disciplines, with sections devoted to biogeographies, cartographies, cultural geographies, development geographies, economic geographies, environmental geographies, historical geographies, political geographies, population geographies, social geographies, urban and rural geographies. Finally, Part III: Horizons assesses the latest research in innovative areas, from mobilities and securities to non-representational geographies.This comprehensive, stimulating and cutting edge introduction to the field is richly illustrated throughout with full colour figures, maps and photos. These are available to download on the companion website, located at www.routledge.com/9781444135350. more...

Natural Resources in Afghanistan: Geographic and Geologic Perspectives on Centuries of Conflict details Afghanistan's physical geography — namely climate, soils, vegetation, water, hazards, and basic geologic background and terrain landforms — together with details of its rich natural resources, ethnic problems, and relevant past histories. The book couples these details with the challenges of environmental degradation and new environmental management and protection, all of which are considered finally in both pessimistic and optimistic modes. The reader comes away with a nuanced understanding of the issues that are likely to have great affect for this pivotal region of the world for decades to come. With an estimated $1-3 trillion dollars of ore in the ground, and multiple cross-reinforcing cancellations of big Asian power machinations (China, India, Iran, Pakistan), Afghanistan has an opportunity to gain more economic independence. At the same time, however, historic forces of negativity also pull it back toward the chaos and uncertainty that has defined the country and constrained its economic progress for decades. - Authored by the world's foremost expert on the geology and geomorphology of Afghanistan and its lucrative natural resources - Aids in the understanding of the physical environment, natural hazards, climate-change situations, and natural resources in one of the most geographically diverse and dangerous terrains in the world - Provides new concepts of resource-corridor development in a country with no indigenous expertise of its resources more...

As the world's population continues to expand, maintaining and indeed increasing agricultural productivity is more important than ever, though it is also more difficult than ever in the face of changing weather patterns that in some cases are leading to aridity and desertification. The absence of scientific soil inventories, especially in arid areas, leads to mistaken decisions about soil use that, in the end, reduce a region's capacity to feed its population, or to guarantee a clean water supply. Greater efficiency in soil use is possible when these resources are properly classified using international standards. Focusing on arid regions, this volume details soil classification from many countries. It is only once this information is properly assimilated by policymakers it becomes a foundation for informed decisions in land use planning for rational and sustainable uses. more...

At the intersection of environmental science and human biology this book deals with dry ecosystems - aridity, droughts, wind and its influence on soils and regulation - the societies affected by these ecosystems, and the inventiveness of those living under these conditions. These environments are the basis of nomad existence, of irrigated agriculture and of the first civilisations dependent on streams. Changes in the modern epoch, the ever-increasing technology and demographic development show that environmental degradation and the socio-economic situation cannot be explained by just one factor. This book tries to answer the question whether long-lasting development is possible in dry environments. more...

Groundwater has long been one of the world's most important resources. It accounts for approximately 96% of all fresh water in the United States and supplies more than 50% of the population with potable water. Historically, this water source has generally been regarded as pristine. However, in recent years, contamination of ground water by industrial products has become a problem of growing concern. During the past four decades, the variety and quantity of organic chemicals produced in the U. S. has steadily increased. Currently, more than 40,000 different organic compounds are being manufactured, trans­ ported, used and eventually disposed of in the environment (Wilson, et!l (1981». Production and consumption of petroleum products has also risen in this same time period. Many of these industrial compounds are highly toxic and slightly water soluble. Thus, they pose a poten­ tial threat to large volumes of groundwater if they are somehow intro­ duced into the subsurface. Increased production of chemicals implies the increased risk of accidental spills or leakage to the soil, and indeed, the literature abounds with contamination case histories. 2 Incidences of petroleum contamination of groundwater have been documented by many authors. For example, see: Schwi11e (1967); Toms (1971); Guenther (1972); McKee, et!l (1912); Williams and Wilder (1971); Van100cke, et ~]- more...

This book is in response to the growing demand from academics and the general public for state-of-the-art research in permafrost science and, in particular, information about its impacts on infrastructure and ecosystems. It brings together research from diverse but highly complementary scientific disciplines to illuminate the main physical, chemical and biological processes occurring in permafrost systems and identifies the possible mechanisms controlling fluxes of energy and matter at various scales. Taken together, the 8 chapters of this book provide a comprehensive, up-to-date description and analysis of the basic geomorphological, physical, hydrological, chemical and biological aspects of permafrost-affected ecosystems, their interaction with other components of the landscape and their impact on human life and infrastructure. more...

The result of twenty-five years of research with different tribal groups in the Arabian peninsula, this study focuses on ethnographic descriptions of Arab tribal societies in five regions of the peninsula, with comparative material from others. Having become aware of the depth in time of Arab tribal structures, the authors have developed a view of Arabic tribal discourse where'tribe'is seen as essentially an identity that confers access to a social structure and its processes. more...

Mountains cover a quarter of the Earth's land surface and a quarter of the global population lives in or adjacent to these areas. The global importance of mountains is recognized particularly because they provide critical resources, such as water, food and wood; contain high levels of biological and cultural diversity; and are often places for tourism and recreation and/or of sacred significance. This major revision of Larry Price's book Mountains and Man (1981) is both timely and highly appropriate. The past three decades have been a period of remarkable progress in our understanding of mountains from an academic point of view. Of even greater importance is that society at large now realizes that mountains and the people who reside in them are not isolated from the mainstream of world affairs, but are vital if we are to achieve an environmentally sustainable future. Mountain Geography is a comprehensive resource that gives readers an in-depth understanding of the geographical processes occurring in the world's mountains and the overall impact of these regions on culture and society as a whole. The volume begins with an introduction to how mountains are defined, followed by a comprehensive treatment of their physical geography: origins, climatology, snow and ice, landforms and geomorphic processes, soils, vegetation, and wildlife. The concluding chapters provide an introduction to the human geography of mountains: attitudes toward mountains, people living in mountain regions and their livelihoods and interactions within dynamic environments, the diverse types of mountain agriculture, and the challenges of sustainable mountain development. more...

This book is an original and novel contribution to flood hazard assessment, climate change and land use change and is intended to serve both as an effective source of information and a valuable basis for priority setting and further technical, financial and political decisions regarding flood hazard assessment. The study area is located on the floodplain of the Ubaye River in the Barcelonnette area, part of the Alpes de Haute Provence in southeast France. The book offers a comparative overview of the major challenges faced when dealing with flood hazards. The research presented is intended to promote a deeper understanding of how climate change and land use change processes have evolved from past to present, and how they affect the flow regime of the Ubaye River based on sound and reproducible scientific arguments. The methodology implemented ranges from remote sensing interpretation to hydrodynamic modeling and includes the application of spatial and statistical modeling. The results of this research provide essential information for policymaking, decision-making support and flood hazard planning in the Barcelonnette area. more...

A profound knowledge of the past climate is vital for our understanding of global warming. The past 2000 years are both the period which is of most relevance to the next century and that for which there is the most evidence. High-resolution proxy records for this period are available from a variety of sources. Five sections consider dendroclimatology, ice cores, corals, historical records, lake varves, and other indicators. The final two sections cover the histories of various forcing factors and attempt to bring together records from a variety of sources and provide explanations. more...

River Morphology deals with the interaction between flowing waters in rivers and their environment. Based on the representation of basic flow parameters, the geometry, classification and historic development of rivers are treated. Any change in the environment, occurring naturally or caused by man, leads to very sensitive reactions in river flow and transport. Thus this synopsis of geoscientific studies and hydraulic engineering experience is presented to help develop the unterstanding of how to handle nature with care. more...