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Dieses Buch berichtet über ein ebenso spannendes wie aktuelles Thema an der Schnittstelle zwischen naturwissenschaftlicher Grundlagenforschung und globaler gesellschaftlicher Herausforderung: die Biodiversität. Drei Ebenen kommen hier zusammen: die Vielfalt der Arten in einem Lebensraum, die Vielfalt der Ökosysteme und Lebensräume selbst und die Vielfalt der Gene in den Lebewesen. Der Autor ist Biologe und war selbst in der Biodiversitätsforschung tätig. Er nimmt Sie mit auf eine aufregende Entdeckungsreise durch diese mannigfach vernetzte Welt. In leicht verständlicher Sprache und mit vielen anschaulichen Beispielen erklärt er komplexe Zusammenhänge und Hintergründe. Wie ist Biodiversität definiert, und mit welchen Techniken wird sie erfasst? Wie ist die immense Artenvielfalt auf der Erde entstanden, und wie entwickelt sie sich weiter? Welchen Nutzen hat die Biodiversität auf den verschiedenen Ebenen? In welchem Maße ist die Vielfalt der Arten und Lebensräume heute bedroht, und wie kann man diesem Trend entgegenwirken? Solche und ähnliche Fragen beantwortet dieses Buch, in dessen breitem Themenbogen sich die Vielfalt seines Gegenstands widerspiegelt. Die 2. Auflage des Buches berücksichtigt dabei neuste Erkenntnisse aus der Forschung und neue Entwicklungen zum Rückgang der biologischen Vielfalt. Aber auch von den zahlreichen Bemühungen, dem Verlust entgegenzuwirken, ist die Rede. Die Erfolgsgeschichten des Naturschutzes geben Anlass zur Hoffnung. Biodiversität ist faszinierend und wertvoll – tauchen Sie ein in die faszinierende Welt der biologischen Vielfalt!

Biodiversity is declining at an alarming rate due to anthropogenic activities around the world. This book is the second volume in the new series Biodiversity Hotspots of the World, which highlights the 36 hotspot regions of the world, regions that have been designated as reaping maximum benefit from preservation efforts. This series is our humble attempt to document these hotspots as a conservation and preservation measure.The concise volumes in this series focus on the most interesting and important properties of these hotspots, covering physiography and climatology; vegetation and forest types; amphibian and reptile biodiversity; genetic diversity of crops, plants, fishes, butterflies, insects, birds, mammals, angiosperms, and gymnosperms; and much more. And of course, the unique threats and conservation efforts for the areas are addressed as well.The Himalayan Mountains are the highest mountain range in the world and include Mount Everest as well as eight other highest peaks of the world. While it is difficult to document the biodiversity of this inhospitable terrain, we do know that out of the 9,000 different species of plants recorded in the area, 3,500 plants are endemic to the Eastern Himalaya region. Anthropogenic activities including deforestation, fragmentation of habitats, pollution, high population, climate change, and poaching of wildlife pose serious threats to the biodiversity of the region. The highlands have exceptionally rich biodiversity, high endemism, and over 160 globally threatened species, including the densest population of Bengal tigers and the three largest herbivores on the continent: the Asian elephant, greater one-horned rhinoceros, and wild water buffalo. The region boasts the world's richest counts of alpine flora within its temperate broad-leaved forests, with a total of 10,000 species of plants.This volume, Biodiversity Hotspot of the Himalayas, as well as the other volumes in this series, will be essential resources for researchers and practitioners in the fields of conservation biology, ecology, and evolution as the series concisely records the existing biodiversity of these hotspots of the world.

Dieses Fachbuch wurde im Hinblick auf die Neufassungen zahlreicher Umweltgesetze aktualisiert. Zu nennen ist insbesondere die Änderung des Wasserhaushaltsgesetz (WHG). Des Weiteren ist der Stand der Arbeiten im Rahmen der Umsetzung der EG-Wasserrahmenrichtlinie fortgeschrieben. Hierbei sind die Erfahrungen mit den Maßnahmenprogrammen dargestellt. Insgesamt wird ein geschlossenes Bild für Planung und Durchführung naturnaher Maßnahmen an unseren Fließgewässern vorgestellt. Umfassende Hinweise zur aktuellen rechtlichen Situation, zum Planungsablauf und auf neue Aspekte bei der Gewässerunterhaltung sind ebenso enthalten wie hydrologische, hydraulische und sedimentologische Grundlagen. Technik und Ökologie sind in diesem Werk über den naturnahen Wasserbau gleichwertige Partner. Es wendet sich in fachübergreifender Blickweise an die in Wasserwirtschafts- und Naturschutzverwaltungen sowie in Planungsbüros tätigen Ingenieure, Landespfleger und Biologen sowie an alle, die für Ausbau und Unterhaltung von Fließgewässern zuständig oder daran interessiert sind.

This book covers the various ways in which rivers discharge water and sediment load, which is characteristic of the current situation caused by both human activity and the natural riverine environment. The knowledge of river inclinations and flow patterns points to more river ecosystem management and current multifaceted conditions. Technology advancements in river watershed studies have demonstrated the difference between natural river systems and human-influenced hydrological environments and surface processes. Lastly, the relationship between river systems and modern activity is impacted by climate change which is also discussed in this volume. This edited book is organized into four parts, each discussing a different aspect of modern river science for watershed management, including GIS and hydrogeological applications, rainfall-runoff modeling that is up to date, hydrological processes, artificial intelligence, and GIS. Moreover, it provides a wealth of information about watershed management, particularly for researchers and experts in the hydrogeological field. It covers advanced applications of river morphometric dynamics conditions, flood risk assessment, sediment load discharge, and their flux measurements, as well as field-oriented aspects of the river environment and GIS. The book can be used to update current river science studies and to expand scientific understanding for projects related to studies. The edited book is primarily intended for postgraduate students, researchers, and experts and practitioners in the fields of hydrology, field hydrogeology (water resource exploration), dam studies, and groundwater potential investigation. It is also intended for young researchers, scholars, and practitioners working in the field of water resource exploration.

Wetlands for Water Pollution Control is the third edition of the reputable reference guide by Miklas Scholz- formerly known as Wetland Systems to Control Urban Runoff. The book covers broad water and environmental engineering aspects relevant for the drainage and treatment of storm water and wastewater, providing a descriptive overview of complex'black box'treatment systems and general design issues involved. The fundamental science and engineering principles will be explained to address the student and professional market. Standard and novel design recommendations for predominantly constructed wetlands and related sustainable drainage systems will also be provided to account for the interests of the professional engineers and environmental scientists. Latest research findings in wastewater treatment and runoff control will be discussed to attract academics and senior consultants who should recommend the proposed textbook to final year and postgraduate students, and graduate engineers, respectively. - Includes twelve new chapters with a broad overview of water and environmental engineering aspects relevant for the drainage and treatment of stormwater and wastewater - Contains case study topics covering wetlands, including natural wetlands and constructed treatment wetlands, sustainable water management, including sustainable drainage systems, and specific applications such as wetlands treating hydrocarbon, greywater, and piggery dye wastewater - Captures the latest findings in wastewater treatment, with chapters focusing on practical applications and field studies

Studying environmental changes to the seas and oceans through a variety of perspectives and disciplines, this pioneering book outlines the challenges of researching marine environmental issues.With no linear cause-and-effect relationship between marine environmental changes and the often human-induced stressors which produce them, the changes to our seas and oceans are complex and uncertain, arising from multiple and interconnected issues. Bringing together academic expertise from different fields of study, this innovative book engages with stakeholders and branches of local ecological knowledge to address marine changes, outlining how they must be studied from multiple perspectives rather than a single academic discipline to reach effective solutions. Discussing marine interdisciplinarity in action, the book features international case studies from diverse fields across the ocean sciences, humanities and social sciences that explore art and science collaborations in practice.Showcasing the practical challenges and opportunities of such research, this will prove an invigorating read for students and scholars across such subject areas as environmental governance and regulation, marine and ocean sciences, sustainability studies and climate change. Its findings will also be of use to policymakers and practitioners concerned with marine changes across the world.

This volume is the second (II) of four under the main themes of Digitizing Agriculture and Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). The four volumes cover rapidly developing processes including Sensors (I), Data (II), Decision (III), and Actions (IV). Volumes are related to ‘digital transformation” within agricultural production and provision systems, and in the context of Smart Farming Technology and Knowledge-based Agriculture. Content spans broadly from data mining and visualization to big data analytics and decision making, alongside with the sustainability aspects stemming from the digital transformation of farming. The four volumes comprise the outcome of the 12th EFITA Congress, also incorporating chapters that originated from select presentations of the Congress. The first part of this book (II) focuses on data technologies in relation to agriculture and presents three key points in data management, namely, data collection, data fusion, and their uses in machine learning and artificial intelligent technologies. Part 2 is devoted to the integration of these technologies in agricultural production processes by presenting specific applications in the domain. Part 3 examines the added value of data management within agricultural products value chain.The book provides an exceptional reference for those researching and working in or adjacent to agricultural production, including engineers in machine learning and AI, operations management, decision analysis, information analysis, to name just a few. Specific advances covered in the volume: Big data management from heterogenous sources Data mining within large data setsData fusion and visualizationIoT based management systemsData Knowledge Management for converting data into valuable informationMetadata and data standards for expanding knowledge through different data platformsAI - based image processing for agricultural systemsData - based agricultural businessMachine learning application in agricultural products value chain

Water is the elixir of life and is crucial for sustainable development. Earlier, it was considered to be a limitless or at least a fully renewable natural resource. During the past 20 years, however, there has been tremendous pressure on this precious natural resource mainly due to rapid urbanization, industrialization and the increase in the human population. Together, these have resulted in increasing demand for irrigation, industrial, and household purposes to meet supply-chain requirements. Keeping in mind the scarcity of available water resources in the near future and its impending threats, it has become imperative on the part of scientists in hydrology and allied disciplines such as geography, landscape planning, sustainability science etc. Regional planners and supply chain management experts also must be involved in studying the spatial and temporal nature of the growing demand for water and the future availability for its judicial use and sustainable management. A primary intent of the book is to provide comprehensive scientific knowledge base on water resource management and sustainability. It covers geo-engineering and scientific problems, case studies, and sustainable solutions in the water resources management domain. Additionally and of equal importance, the chapters of the book provide in-depth coverage on water resource vulnerability, water quality, wastewater treatment, application of remote sensing and geographical information systems hydrological modeling and harvesting, climate variability and runoff, sediment discharge and irrigation planning, community participation in water governance, internet of things and machine learning applications for sustainable water resources management. This practical, state-of-the-art reference book is a valuable resource for students, researchers, scientists, policymakers, spatio-temporal designers of water resource systems, various stake holders interested in hydro-climatology and sustainable water resources management.

Environmental Management - Pollution, Habitat, Ecology, and Sustainability includes sixteen chapters that discuss pressing environmental issues in diverse locations around the world. Chapters discuss methods, technologies, analyses, and actions that may enlighten and enable decision-makers and managers in their quests for control of environmental problems. The authors present the facts and the challenges behind the assorted issues and offer new perspectives for contending with natural, social, economic, and political aspects of management.

Crop plants growing under field conditions are constantly exposed to various abiotic and biotic stress factors leading to decreased yield and quality of produce. In order to achieve sustainable development in agriculture and to increase agricultural production for feeding an increasing global population, it is necessary to use ecologically compatible and environmentally friendly strategies to decrease the adverse effects of stresses on the plant. Selenium is one of the critical elements from the biological contexts because it is essential for human health; however, it becomes toxic at high concentrations. It has been widely reported that selenium can promote plant growth and alleviate various stresses as well as increase the quantity and quality of the yield of many plant species. Nonetheless, at high concentrations, selenium causes phytotoxicity. In the last decade, nanotechnology has emerged as a prominent tool for enhancing agricultural productivity. The production and applicationsof nanoparticles (NPs) have greatly increased in many industries, such as energy production, healthcare, agriculture, and environmental protection. The application of NPs has attracted interest for their potential to alleviate abiotic and biotic stresses in a more rapid, cost-effective, and more sustainable way than conventional treatment technologies. Recently, research related to selenium-NPs-mediated abiotic stresses and nutritional improvements in plants has received considerable interest by the scientific community. While significant progress was made in selenium biochemistry in relation to stress tolerance, an in-depth understanding of the molecular mechanisms associated with the selenium- and nano-selenium-mediated stress tolerance and bio-fortification in plants is still lacking. Gaining a better knowledge of the regulatory and molecular mechanisms that control selenium uptake, assimilation, and tolerance in plants is therefore vital and necessary to develop modern crop varieties that are more resilient to environmental stress. This book provides a comprehensive overview of the latest understanding of the physiological, biochemical, and molecular basis of selenium- and nano-selenium-mediated environmental stress tolerance and crop quality improvements in plants. It helps researchers to develop strategies to enhance crop productivity under stressful conditions and to better utilize natural resources to ensure future food security and to reduce environmental contamination. Finally, this book is a valuable resource for promoting future research into plant stress tolerance, and a reference book for researchers working on developing plants tolerant to abiotic and biotic stressors as well as bio-fortification and phytoremediation.

In a case study of urban biodiversity, Erik Kiviat and Kristi MacDonald present two decades of data and assessment of the habitats and biota of the Meadowlands. Urban Biodiversity: The Natural History of the New Jersey Meadowlands documents the mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, butterflies, bees, dragonflies, seed plants, mosses, and lichens of the Meadowlands region and their patterns of occurrence. The work records the natural history of an urban-industrial region, helping decision- makers foster the biodiversity that thrives in cities and giving planners tools to reduce the biological degradation that occurs with urbanization.For more info, please visit this link: https://www.hudsonia.org/nj-meadowlands

This book provides essential information and recent findings on hydro-environmental issues in the Lower Danube River, particularly its hydrological and hydromorphological processes; physico-chemical features; climate and water-related hazards; and not only the biodiversity and quality but also the sustainable management and governance of its hydro-environment. Accordingly, it presents a broad range of scientific information on the lower sector of the second-longest river in Europe, which holds major economic importance and has been severely impacted by human pressures, especially since the second part of the last century. The engineering works (e.g. dams, reservoirs, levees, channelization, etc.) on the Danube and its tributaries, despite their benefits to society, have altered its flow and significantly reduced its sediment load, with consequences for hydromorphological processes and aquatic ecosystems. These ecosystems have also been affected by pollutionfrom various sources. To promote sustainable management of the Danube River and its watershed, several strategies and measures have been developed by a number of institutions, from the European level to the national and regional levels (commissions, national authorities, non-governmental organizations, etc.). Compared to the upper and middle sectors of the Danube, the lower sector has received less attention in the international scientific literature in terms of hydro-environmental issues. The book fills this gap and provides current and original insights and findings from recent studies conducted by scientists from three countries drained by the Lower Danube River and its tributaries: Bulgaria, Romania and Serbia. This unique book will be of great scientific interest to professional engineers, policy planners and policymakers in the three countries mentioned above, helping them to implement their own sustainable development plans. It also offers a valuable resource for graduate students, researchers and stakeholders.

Faced with the growing demand for nature in cities, informal greenspaces are gaining the interest of various stakeholders - residents, associations, public authorities - as well as scientists. This book provides a cross-sectorial overview of the advantages and disadvantages of urban wastelands in meeting this social demand of urban nature, spanning from the social sciences and urban planning to ecology and soil sciences. It shows the potential of urban wastelands with respect to city dwellers'well-being, environmental education, urban biodiversity and urban green networks as well as concerns regarding urban wastelands'in relation to conflicts, and urban marketing. The authors provide a global insight through case studies in nine countries, mainly located in Europe, Asia and America, thus offering a broad perspective.

The Bosco della Mesola represents one of the few remnants of coastal woodlands in Italy. A nature reserve was established in this area in 1977. No detailed checklists of the vascular flora of the nature reserve have been compiled since then. So, there was an urgent need to fill this gap. This book contains a critical updated checklist of the vascular flora in the Bosco della Mesola Nature Reserve. It also allows quantitative comparisons with a previous checklist dating back to the 1960s in order to detect temporal changes in the vascular flora over 60 years. We believe that this book represents a milestone for scientists and all people involved in nature conservation and management in this area and in similar territories in other countries. The readerships can also include high-school students and non-professional botany amateurs.

A comprehensive analysis of the various terrestrial natural landscapes and habitats within Japan, and the efforts to sustain and conserve them and sustain landscape services.In 2011, Conservation International designated the Japanese islands collectively as one of the world's biodiversity hotspots. They are rich in biodiversity, but also densely populated and so human impacts have led to many species being classed as endangered though few have become extinct during recent decades. Sugimura evaluates the effects of landscape changes, government policies and economy on the forest ecosystems and services of Japan. He then contemplates how a rich variety of wildlife species have been able to survive, albeit in limited numbers, despite the rapid expansion of Japanese economic activities in the 20th century. In addition, there appear to be correlations between uniqueness of biodiversity, types of landscape use and the attitudes of local communities towards natural landscapes.A vital introduction for international environmentalists, geographers and environmental scientists looking to understand Japan's unique ecosystems and their experiences with human activities.

This open access book describes the serious threat of invasive species to native ecosystems. Invasive species have caused and will continue to cause enormous ecological and economic damage with ever increasing world trade. This multi-disciplinary book, written by over 100 national experts, presents the latest research on a wide range of natural science and social science fields that explore the ecology, impacts, and practical tools for management of invasive species. It covers species of all taxonomic groups from insects and pathogens, to plants, vertebrates, and aquatic organisms that impact a diversity of habitats in forests, rangelands and grasslands of the United States. It is well-illustrated, provides summaries of the most important invasive species and issues impacting all regions of the country, and includes a comprehensive primary reference list for each topic. This scientific synthesis provides the cultural, economic, scientific and social context for addressing environmentalchallenges posed by invasive species and will be a valuable resource for scholars, policy makers, natural resource managers and practitioners.

Treatment Marshes for Runoff and Polishing represents the most comprehensive and up-date-date resource for the design, construction, and operation of marsh treatment systems.This new edition represents a complete rewrite of the surface flow sections of previous editions of Treatment Wetlands. It is based on the performance hundreds of treatment marshes over the past 40 years. Treatment Marshes focuses on urban and agricultural runoff, river and lake water improvement, and highly treated municipal effluents.New information from the past dozen years is used to improve data interpretation and design concepts. Topics included in this book are Diversity of marsh vegetation Analyses of the human use of treatment marshes New concepts of underground processes and functions Spectrum of marsh values spanning mitigation, restoration, enhancement, and water quality improvement Improved methods for calculation of evapotranspiration and wetland water temperatures Hydraulics of surface and subsurface flows in marshes Analysis of long track records for deterministic and probabilistic behavior Consideration of integrated microbial and vegetative contaminant removals via mass balances Uptake and emission of gases Performance of urban and agricultural wetlands Design procedures for urban and agricultural wetlands Reduction of trace metals, pesticides, pharmaceuticals, endocrine disruptors, and trace organics Updated capital and O&M economics, and valuation of ancillary benefits An updated list of over 1900 references

Encyclopedia of Environmental Health, Second Edition, Six Volume Set presents the newest release in this fundamental reference that updates and broadens the umbrella of environmental health, especially social and environmental health for its readers. There is ongoing revolution in governance, policies and intervention strategies aimed at evolving changes in health disparities, disease burden, trans-boundary transport and health hazards. This new edition reflects these realities, mapping new directions in the field that include how to minimize threats and develop new scientific paradigms that address emerging local, national and global environmental concerns. - Represents a one-stop resource for scientifically reliable information on environmental health - Fills a critical gap, with information on one of the most rapidly growing scientific fields of our time - Provides comparative approaches to environmental health practice and research in different countries and regions of the world - Covers issues behind specific questions and describes the best available scientific methods for environmental risk assessment

Aquatic Monocotyledons of North America brings together information on the natural history, ecology and systematics of North American aquatic monocotyledons. The book is an overview of the biology of major aquatic species by compiling information from numerous sources that lie scattered among the primary literature, herbarium databases, and other reference sources. Information on more than 300 species in 87 genera of monocotyledons will be included. Recent phylogenetic analyses will be incorporated. Although focusing specifically on North America, the cosmopolitan distribution of many aquatic plants should make this an attractive text to people working virtually anywhere outside of the region as well.

Since the 1970s and particularly the works of Tüxen (1978) and Géhu & Rivas-Martínez (1981), dynamico-catenal phytosociology has facilitated the integration of vegetation dynamics by more precisely describing the trajectories of vegetation series. A national habitat mapping program (CarHAB), launched by France's Ministry of Ecology, aims to map the vegetation and vegetation series of metropolitan France at a scale of 1: 25,000 by 2025. In this context, Corsica has been selected as a pilot region, due to its unique characteristics regarding Mediterranean and alticole vegetation. This book describes in detail the vegetation series and geoseries (ecology, structure, dynamic trajectories, effects of anthropogenic factors on vegetation dynamics, catenal positioning in the landscape) of two Corsican sectors: Cap Corse and Biguglia pond. These two study sites were selected using two methods: • For Cap Corse, the typology and mapping are based on an inductive approach, which seeks to understand the dynamics of vegetation by drawing on the mature, substitutional, pioneering and anthropogenic associations likely to exist within a tessellar envelope. These various dynamic stages characterize “the vegetation series” (sigmetum or synassociation), the fundamental unit of symphytosociology (Géhu 2006; Biondi 2011). The aim of symphytosociology is, therefore, to define the vegetation series; in other words, it seeks to identify the repetitive combinations of syntaxa under homogeneous ecological conditions. • For Biguglia pond, the typology and mapping are based on a deductive approach, which combines (under SIG) the ecological descriptor maps with the vegetation mapping, in order to reveal the tesselas and the natural potential vegetation that underlies them. Thanks to the improvement of GIS techniques, this approach has been frequently used to characterize plant landscapes from vegetation to vegetation geoseries since the 2000s, with applications to the conservation management of natural and semi-natural environments.

Encyclopedia of the World's Biomes is a unique, five volume reference that provides a global synthesis of biomes, including the latest science. All of the book's chapters follow a common thematic order that spans biodiversity importance, principal anthropogenic stressors and trends, changing climatic conditions, and conservation strategies for maintaining biomes in an increasingly human-dominated world. This work is a one-stop shop that gives users access to up-to-date, informative articles that go deeper in content than any currently available publication. Offers students and researchers a one-stop shop for information currently only available in scattered or non-technical sources Authored and edited by top scientists in the field Concisely written to guide the reader though the topic Includes meaningful illustrations and suggests further reading for those needing more specific information

Where can you find mosses that change landscapes, salamanders with algae in their skin, and carnivorous plants containing whole ecosystems in their furled leaves? Where can you find swamp-trompers, wildlife watchers, marsh managers, and mud-mad scientists? In wetlands, those complex habitats that play such vital ecological roles. In Wading Right In, Catherine Owen Koning and Sharon M. Ashworth take us on a journey into wetlands through stories from the people who wade in the muck. Traveling alongside scientists, explorers, and kids with waders and nets, the authors uncover the inextricably entwined relationships between the water flows, natural chemistry, soils, flora, and fauna of our floodplain forests, fens, bogs, marshes, and mires. Tales of mighty efforts to protect rare orchids, restore salt marshes, and preserve sedge meadows become portals through which we visit major wetland types and discover their secrets, while also learning critical ecological lessons. The United States still loses wetlands at a rate of 13,800 acres per year. Such loss diminishes the water quality of our rivers and lakes, depletes our capacity for flood control, reduces our ability to mitigate climate change, and further impoverishes our biodiversity. Koning and Ashworth's stories captivate the imagination and inspire the emotional and intellectual connections we need to commit to protecting these magical and mysterious places.

This open access book, written by world experts in aquaponics and related technologies, provides the authoritative and comprehensive overview of the key aquaculture and hydroponic and other integrated systems, socio-economic and environmental aspects. Aquaponic systems, which combine aquaculture and vegetable food production offer alternative technology solutions for a world that is increasingly under stress through population growth, urbanisation, water shortages, land and soil degradation, environmental pollution, world hunger and climate change.

These proceedings of the Smart and Sustainable Cities Conference (SSC) in Moscow from May 23 to 26, 2018 addresses important questions regarding the global trend of urbanization. What are the environmental consequences of megacities'expansion? What smart solutions can make life in cities safe, comfortable and environmentally friendly? It is projected that 70% of the global population will live in cities by 2050, and as such the book describes how this rapid urbanization will alter the face of the world. Focusing on solutions for the environmental problems of modern megapolises, it discusses advanced approaches and smart technologies to monitor, model and assess the environmental consequences and risks. The contributors present examples of successful sustainable urban development, including management and design of green infrastructure, waste management, run-off purification and remediation of urban soils. The SSC conference and its proceedings offer a valuable contribution to sustainable urban development, and are of interest to the scientific and research community, municipal services, environmental protection agencies, landscape architects, civil engineers, policy makers and other stakeholders in urban management and greenery.

This book is an open access publication.Forest ecosystems in Central Europe are changing as a result of anthropogenic influences and changing climate conditions. As such, a large-scale monitoring programme was undertaken in order to understand the influence of site modification, deposition of air pollutants, and climate. This book presents the scientific findings of this study for Germany, including the major challenges with regard to the future preservation and management of forest ecosystems under environmental change. In addition, it addresses a number of central questions: what are the main factors affecting forest stands and soil integrity? How, and how rapidly, are forest ecosystems changing? How diverse are the changes across Germany? What will be the main risks in sustainable forest management in the future? And how can policy support the development and maintenance of adaptive and resilient forests that provide essential ecosystem services, today and in the future? Helping readers understand the importance of soils and related ecosystem processes for future sustainable forestry, and sharing essential findings on environmental change and related changes in forest status and dynamics, the book is a valuable resource for researchers and policymakers interested in science-based decisions.

The heavily-revised Practical Handbook of Marine Science, Fourth Edition continues its tradition as a state-of-the-art reference that updates the field of marine science to meet the interdisciplinary research needs of physical oceanographers, marine biologists, marine chemists, and marine geologists. This edition adds an entirely new section devoted to Climate Change and Climate Change Effects. It also adds new sections on Estuaries, Beaches, Barrier Islands, Shellfish, Macroalgae, Food Chains, Food Webs, Trophic Dynamics, System Productivity, Physical-Chemical-Biological Alteration, and Coastal Resource Management.The Handbook assembles an extensive international collection of marine science data throughout, with approximately 1,000 tables and illustrations. It provides comprehensive coverage of anthropogenic impacts in estuarine and marine ecosystems from local, regional, and global perspectives.Maintaining its user-friendly, multi-sectional format, this comprehensive resource will also be of value to undergraduate and graduate students, research scientists, administrators, and other professionals who deal with the management of marine resources. Now published in full color, the new edition offers extensive illustrative and tabular reference material covering all the major disciplines related to the sea.

Encyclopedia of Ecology, Second Edition, Four Volume Set continues the acclaimed work of the previous edition published in 2008. It covers all scales of biological organization, from organisms, to populations, to communities and ecosystems. Laboratory, field, simulation modelling, and theoretical approaches are presented to show how living systems sustain structure and function in space and time. New areas of focus include micro- and macro scales, molecular and genetic ecology, and global ecology (e.g., climate change, earth transformations, ecosystem services, and the food-water-energy nexus) are included. In addition, new, international experts in ecology contribute on a variety of topics. - Offers the most broad-ranging and comprehensive resource available in the field of ecology - Provides foundational content and suggests further reading - Incorporates the expertise of over 500 outstanding investigators in the field of ecology, including top young scientists with both research and teaching experience - Includes multimedia resources, such as an Interactive Map Viewer and links to a CSDMS (Community Surface Dynamics Modeling System), an open-source platform for modelers to share and link models dealing with earth system processes

This book presents selected articles from the International Conference on Asian and Pacific Coasts (APAC 2019), an event intended to promote academic and technical exchange on coastal related studies, including coastal engineering and coastal environmental problems, among Asian and Pacific countries/regions. APAC is jointly supported by the Chinese Ocean Engineering Society (COES), the Coastal Engineering Committee of the Japan Society of Civil Engineers (JSCE), and the Korean Society of Coastal and Ocean Engineers (KSCOE).APAC is jointly supported by the Chinese Ocean Engineering Society (COES), the Coastal Engineering Committee of the Japan Society of Civil Engineers (JSCE), and the Korean Society of Coastal and Ocean Engineers (KSCOE).

Ecosystem Service Potentials and Their Indicators in Postglacial Landscapes: Assessment and Mapping provides valuable guidance for anyone involved with ecosystem service potential monitoring, use and management—from landscape ecologists and environmental managers, to policymakers and environmental economists. The book highlights effective measurement tools for evaluating the overall potential of ecosystem services from multiple perspectives. Beginning with an introduction to ecosystem services and the theoretical assumptions and objectives associated with their assessment, the book goes on to outline interdisciplinary methods of evaluation and analysis that are fully supported and illustrated throughout using an insightful case study focused on Wigry National Park. A range of different spatial reference units are also discussed, followed by chapters on both analytical and synthetic approaches to identifying service supply potential. In addition, the use of services and the impact of these uses on the assessment of potential is included, along with a discussion of the future shape of ecosystem service assessment. - Outlines a transdisciplinary, holistic approach to assessing the overall potential of ecosystems and landscapes to support different ecosystem services - Proposes a range of direct, indirect, simple and complex measurement indicators for multifaceted estimation and mapping - Presents tools and guidelines to help shape effective decision-making processes in nature conservation and environmental planning

This monograph summarizes the environmental issues concerning the channel and the floodplain of the Drava River. It describes the diverse forms of human impact (river regulation, damming and reservoirs, dredging etc.) and the environmental changes of hydrological regime, sediment transport, biodiversity etc. involved. The transboundary nature of the river is emphasized and the resulting problems are outlined. Special attention is devoted to the evolution and present condition of the floodplain (drainage pattern, oxbow lakes and their vegetation). The possible solutions to environmental problems are illustrated by a review of ongoing and planned rehabilitation measures. The book is amply illustrated with maps, cross/sections, diagrams and photographs. The international team of authors (representing all countries crossed by the Drava River: Austria, Slovenia, Croatia and Hungary) approach the topic from different aspects.Thus, the reader is provided with a comprehensive picture of this, up until now, little studied European river.

Dieses Fachbuch wurdeim Hinblick auf die Neufassungen zahlreicher Umweltgesetze aktualisiert. Zu nennen istinsbesondere die Änderung des Wasserhaushaltsgesetz (WHG). Des Weiterenist der Stand der Arbeiten im Rahmen der Umsetzung der EG-Wasserrahmenrichtlinie fortgeschrieben. Hierbeisind die Erfahrungen mit den Maßnahmenprogrammen dargestellt.Insgesamt wird ein geschlossenes Bild für Planung und Durchführung naturnaher Maßnahmen an unserenFließgewässern vorgestellt. Umfassende Hinweise zur aktuellen rechtlichen Situation, zum Planungsablauf und auf neue Aspektebei der Gewässerunterhaltung sind ebenso enthalten wie hydrologische, hydraulische und sedimentologische Grundlagen. Technik und Ökologie sind in diesem Werk über den naturnahen Wasserbau gleichwertige Partner. Es wendet sich in fachübergreifender Blickweise an die in Wasserwirtschafts- und Naturschutzverwaltungen sowie in Planungsbüros tätigen Ingenieure, Landespfleger und Biologen sowie an alle, die für Ausbau und Unterhaltung von Fließgewässern zuständig oder daran interessiert sind.

This book represents the proceedings of the firstGreat Lakes Costal Wetlands Colloquium (November 5-7, 1984; East Lansing, Michigan). The theme wasNatural and Manipulated Water Levels in Great Lakes Wetlands. This material constitutes both Great Lakes wetlands and the state of understanding about them. It is intended to provide fisheries and wildlife biologists, ecologists, aquatic resource managers and planners and environmental scientists information about the coastal wetlands in regard to eight priority areas. The colloquium and publication of the proceedings were cosponsored by Sea Grant Program and Environment Canada.

In this compilation, the authors begin by investigating the particularities of the Chilean water framework zooming on a case study, the “SuizAgua project” launched by the Fundación Chile. This project was aimed at achieving a compromise between the State, the civil society and the enterprises to overcome conflicts on water management. The SuizAgua project as developed by the Fundación Chile is illustrated as a solution to the conflicts pervading the Chilean debate on water. In the following chapter, the authors present a study with the objective of evaluating spatial displacements of sea turtle nesting sites on beaches where restorative and protective actions have been taken using physical barriers. Changes in nesting behavior and nesting location are also assessed. Following this, the authors provide field and laboratory data from multiannual studies on the phototactic behavior of zooplankton organisms collected in freshwater and marine ecosystems of Greece using chemical light and improvised light trap designs. The results reveal that chemical light aids in attracting and capturing aquatic organisms. Light traps also have the advantage of being low cost, having passive sampling and retaining living specimens. This book also includes a study carried out by the Italian association for geographical explorations La Venta, lasting up to summer 2017. The goal of this study was to define the carrying capacity of The Puerto Princesa Underground River (PPUR); review cave exploration and multidisciplinary studies such as biology, paleontology, and hydrogeology; and search for alternative caves to aid in managing the increasing tourism and limiting the impact on the natural environment of the PPUR and its surrounding areas. In the following work, dark pixel and atmospheric correction concepts using Landsat images were used to develop algorithms to generate spatial distribution maps for estimated ambient PM2.5, PM10 and SO2 concentrations over selected areas of Saskatchewan, Canada. Results show that the dark pixel concept works well for water surfaces while the atmospheric correction concept can be effectively applied for any surface with known spectral reflectance. The authors discuss the flora of the Mladezhki Halm, which have been quite isolated from anthropogenic activity. Today, some of these include autochthonous species as Pistacia terebinthus, Celtis australis, Fraxinus ornus, Ulmus minor, Robinia pseudoacacia, Quercus robur, and Ziziphus jujube. In the following chapter, a modified ADM1-model was used to simulate the transformation of a mixture of complex substrates to biogas in a biogas plant fed with manure and food waste as substrates.ADM1-model. The general structure of the ADM1 was not modified except for changes in the disintegration and hydrolysis of the anaerobic process. Since complex substrates degrade only slowly, the disintegration was described by a Contois-kinetics, while considering disintegration to be the time limiting step of the anaerobic process.

Understand the current concept of wetland and methods for identifying, describing, classifying, and delineating wetlands in the United States with Wetland Indicators - capturing the current state of science's role in wetland recognition and mapping.Environmental scientists and others involved with wetland regulations can strengthen their knowledge about wetlands, and the use of various indicators, to support their decisions on difficult wetland determinations. Professor Tiner primarily focuses on plants, soils, and other signs of wetland hydrology in the soil, or on the surface of wetlands in his discussion of Wetland Indicators.Practicing - and aspiring - wetland delineators alike will appreciate Wetland Indicators'critical insight into the development and significance of hydrophytic vegetation, hydric soils, and other factors. FeaturesColor images throughout illustrate wetland indicators. Incorporates analysis and coverage of the latest Army Corps of Engineers delineation manual. Provides over 60 tables, including extensive tables of U.S. wetland plant communities and examples for determining hydrophytic vegetation.

The book extends the knowledge on wetland ecosystem services based on the new research. The information combines the achievements gained in carbon sequestration, nutrient accumulation, macrophyte decomposition, wastewater treatment, global warming mitigation in constructed as well as natural wetlands across the globe. The book presents up-to-date results of ongoing research and the content of the book could be used by wetland scientists, researchers, engineers, designers, regulators, decision-makers, universities teachers, landscape engineers and landscape planners as well as by water authorities, water regulatory offices or wastewater treatment research institutions.

This book is a part of the Sabkha Ecosystems series which was designed to provide information on sabkha ecosystems of different regions and to add to the collective knowledge available about saline ecosystems. The comprehensive coverage assists the reader gaining a thorough understanding of sabkha geology, hydrology, geomorphology, zoology, botany, ecology and ecosystem functioning, as well as sabkha conservation, utilization and development. Volume I focused on The Arabian Peninsula and Adjacent Countries, volume II was based on describing saline ecosystems of West and Central Asia, volume III referred to Africa and Southern Europe, while volume IV focused on Cash Crop Halophyte and Biodiversity Conservation. The present volume V focuses on Americans.

The book collects a selection of the papers presented at the meeting held in the context of the Joint Programme on the Links between Biological and Cultural Diversity (JP-BiCuD). Recognizing the inextricable link between biological and cultural diversity, the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (SCBD) joined forces, and in 2010 launched the Joint Programme on the Links between Biological and Cultural Diversity (JP-BiCuD). The first meeting for the implementation of the JP-BiCuD was held in Florence (Italy) in April 2014 and produced the UNESCO-sCBD Florence Declaration, which highlights the concept of biocultural diversity. The European rural territory is predominantly a biocultural, multi-functional landscape, providing a crucial and effective space for integration of biological and cultural diversity, suggesting the need to revise some of the current strategies for the assessment and management of biodiversity.

This book mainly focuses on ecological approaches for preventing and controlling non-point source (NPS) pollution on the basis of forestry measures. In addition to the effects of ecological control, it introduces readers to the characteristics of NPS pollution in Taihu Lake watershed, water eutrophication evaluation methods, and potential countermeasures. Given the crucial role of surface runoff and soil erosion in producing water pollution, the book presents forestry measures to combat them, such as the creation of public welfare forests, urban forestry, planting techniques for hedgerows on slope land, the establishment of shelter belts, nitrogen and phosphorus absorption by hydrophytes, and sustainable management for wetlands. Moreover, the results are supplemented by a wealth of numerical calculations, tables, figures and photographs. The book offers a valuable guide for researchers, educators and professionals working in the areas of water environment, water security andecological construction.Prof. Jianfeng Zhang works at the Institute of Subtropical Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Fuyang, China.

This book looks at the global importance of mountain systems, emphasizing their ecological and socio-economic role in light of climate change and globalization. With a special focus on the Himalayas, it also examines the Czech–German–Austrian mountain borderland, the Alps, the Andes, the highland regions of Malaysia, and the Arctic. The contributors, specialists in their fields, all use an integrative approach that develops and argues the concept of mountain regions as a global common good. Readers also discover that mountain systems and mountain communities are often marginalized and left behind by the process of globalization. Case studies throughout detail the effects of climate change and global warming on both nature and local/regional societies, such as declining water supplies, a shifting vegetation line, and other important issues facing not only mountains but also the vast regions depending on them. In addition, the comprehensive coverageoffers authenticated viewpoints from some of the most eminent explorers of Tibet in the nineteenth century. More than 50 percent of the global human population draws benefits directly or indirectly from mountain resources and services. This book provides practitioners, researchers, students, and other interested readers with a compelling look at the global importance of this imposing, yet sensitive ecosystem.

This work is a scientific monograph that examines the flora and vegetation of natural mineral wetlands in comparison to mineral wetlands affected by bitumen exploitation. The work is of broad relevance because (a) wetland loss and degradation is a global problem; (b) the continued global increase in fossil fuel exploitation is resulting in widespread damage; and (c) bitumen (tar sands, oil sands) exploitation is a rapidly growing and destructive set of activities. The core of the work is a meta-analysis of 417 vegetation plots. Analyses of change over time and chemical and physical attributes of water and soil are presented for the subset of plots with sufficient data. The purpose of the work is to demonstrate that: (1) There are marked differences between natural and industrially-affected wetlands. (2) Industrially-affected mineral wetlands differ from natural wetlands in their vegetation assemblages, their depressed vegetation and species diversity, and their abundance of exotic weeds. (3) Successful post-bitumen mining wetland reclamation has not been accomplished and may not be attainable within the foreseeable future given the ecological and physical conditions of the industrial wetlands, current reclamation practices, and lax regulatory standards. In regard to government policy and industrial practices, it finds that they are responsible for reclamation failure on a grand scale.

This book covers studies on the systematics of plant taxa and will include general vegetational aspects and ecological characteristics of plant life at altitudes above 1000 m. from different parts of the world. This volume also addresses how upcoming climate change scenarios will impact high altitude plant life. It presents case studies from the most important mountainous areas like the Himalayas, Caucasus and South America covering the countries like Malaysia, Sri Lanka, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Kirghizia, Georgia, Russia,Turkey, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Americas. The book will serve as an invaluable resource source undergraduates, graduate students, and researchers.

Following a description of the various sources and factors influencing the contents of heavy metal pollution in post-catastrophic and agricultural soils, subsequent chapters examine soil enzymes and eggs as bio-monitors, lead adsorption, the effects of arsenic on microbial diversity, and the effects of Mediterranean grasslands on abandoned mines. A third section focuses on the adaptation strategies used by plants and bacteria, such as Pinus sylvestris in industrial areas, and the rhizosphere in contaminated tropical soils and soil treated with sewage sludge. Further topics addressed include strategies of bioremediation, e.g. using transgenic plants as tools for soil remediation.This new volume on heavy metals in soil will be of interest to researchers and scholars in microbial and plant biotechnology, agriculture, the environmental sciences and soil ecology.

Over the last decade, the field of plant ecology has significantly developed and expanded, especially in research concerning the herbaceous layer and ground vegetation of forests. This revised second edition of The Herbaceous Layer in Forests of Eastern North America accounts for that growth, presenting research that approaches the ecology of the herb layer of forests from a variety of disciplines, perspectives, and levels of ecological organization. The book synthesizes the research of top ecologists on herbaceous layer structure, composition, and dynamics of a variety of forest ecosystem types in eastern North America. The 2003 first edition of The Herbaceous Layer in Forests of Eastern North America was praised for containing the most extensive listing of herb-layer literature in existence. This second edition brings this material up to date, revised to include current research, data, and concepts. The book incorporates quantitative data to support analyses that were previously unavailable during the publication of the first edition. Also featured are eight entirely new chapters, with six of these focused on the response of the herbaceous layer to a wide variety of natural and anthropogenic disturbances. Building on the over 1,200 references and sources of the first edition, the second edition of The Herbaceous Layer in Forests of Eastern North America, with well over 2,500 references, is an invaluable resource for plant ecologists, forest ecologists, conservationists, and forest managers.

Environment, Energy and Sustainable Development brings together 242 peer-reviewed papers presented at the 2013 International Conference on Frontiers of Energy and Environment Engineering, held in Xiamen, China, November 28-29, 2013.The main objective of this proceedings set is to take the environment-energydevelopments discussion a step further. Vo

This book is written by internationally-famous biologists, ecologists, soil biologists and environmental scientists and managers who have been engaged in related fields for many years, which is the extension and supplement of the book: Shao HB(ed), Metal Contamination: Sources, Detection and Environmental Impact, NOVA Science Publishers, New York 2012, USA. This book consists of 13 chapters, four of which are review papers covering important aspects in regards to marshes ecology, plant abio-stress physiological and molecular mechanisms for sustainable marshes agriculture, heavy metals pollution status for water ecosystems and management in China, and the rest of which are research papers focusing on various topics, such as nitrogen and phosphorus release in coastal agricultural ecosystems in China; photosynthetic characterization of three dominant plant species in the Salt Marshes of the Yellow River Delta, China; A comparative study of salt resistance between two soybean species associated with osmotic and ionic stresses for cultivating soybean resources; Fluxes of CO2 and CH4 under different types of coastal salt marshes of the Yellow River Delta: Dynamic changes and driving factors across different seasons; A meta-analysis of the bacterial and archaeal diversity in wetland soils for sustainable management and the Alkali marshes of Central-Europe – Ecology, management and nature conservation. This is an excellent book on the processes and environmental factors that influence marsh soil in the ecosystem. The case studies of different ecosystems contribute to a better understanding of the marshes performance and will be useful to those planning to restore contaminated lands. The publication will also serve as a valuable reference textbook to soil biologists, ecologists, agricultural scientists, environmental scientists, managers and students who are interested in marshes environmental sciences and affairs.

This book delivers current state-of-the-science knowledge of tree ecophysiology, with particular emphasis on adaptation to a novel future physical and chemical environment. Unlike the focus of most books on the topic, this considers air chemistry changes (O3, NOx, and N deposition) in addition to elevated CO2 effects and its secondary effects of elevated temperature. The authors have addressed two systems essential for plant life: water handling capacity from the perspective of water transport; the coupling of xylem and phloem water potential and flow; water and nutrition uptake via likely changes in mycorrhizal relationships; control of water loss via stomata and its retention via cellular regulation; and within plant carbon dynamics from the perspective of environmental limitations to growth, allocation to defences, and changes in partitioning to respiration. The authors offer expert knowledge and insight to develop likely outcomes within the context of many unknowns. We offer this comprehensive analysis of tree responses and their capacity to respond to environmental changes to provide a better insight in understanding likelihood for survival, as well as planning for the future with long-lived, stationary organisms adapted to the past: trees.

At a time when more than half of the U.S. population lives within fifty miles of the coast, tidal wetlands are a critical and threatened natural resource. The purpose of this book is to introduce the world of tidal wetlands to students and professionals in the environmental fields and others with an interest in the subject. Illustrated with maps, photographs, and diagrams, this volume provides a clear account of the factors that make these habitats unique and vulnerable. It discusses their formation, the conditions affecting their plant and animal life, and the diversity of types across North America, as well as their history, use by wildlife and humans, current status, conservation, restoration, and likely future. The emphasis is on vegetated wetlands -- marshes and swamps -- with additional discussion of eelgrass meadows, rocky shores, beaches, and tidal flats. Ralph Tiner's previous field guides to coastal wetland plants in the Northeast and Southeast have been widely praised. Tidal Wetlands Primer joins Tiner's earlier publications as an authoritative and user-friendly guide that should appeal to anyone with a serious interest in coastal habitats.

The first book to focus exclusively on the subject, Geodiversity, Second Edition describes the interrelationships between geodiversity and biodiversity, the value of geodiversity to society, as well as current threats to its existence. Illustrated with global case studies throughout, the book examines traditional approaches to protecting geodiversity and the new management agenda now being implemented. The Second Edition of this successful textbook continues to build on the success of the first edition which is still the standard reference for the subject. Fully revised and updated throughout, the Second Edition now includes new material on geoparks, geotourism and implications of climate change for geoconservation. Reviews of previous edition:'Murray Gray's new book is the first widely available text to bring together and analyse some of these emerging ideas….The result is a book that should be in the library of every land manager and one that is likely to lead many practicing geoscientists and quaternarists to a new view of the importance of their field for nature conservation and environmental management..'—Journal of Quaternary Science, Vol.19, No.8, December 2004'It is strange that it is necessary to justify the importance of geodiversity…. Murray Gray does it with brilliance, not only to convince'non-believers', but giving inspiration to us that have worked in geoconservation for a long time.'—ProGEO News, 3 & 4, 2003'...The author provides a timely review of recent advances in the integration of geodiversity into wider conservation and planning strategies...'—Journal of Quaternary Science, Vol.19, No.8, December 2004'...the book is well-written and follows a clear and concise outline.'—Environmental Geology, Vol. 48, No. 2, July 2005

Sustainable development is the key for the survival in 21st century. The natural resources are finite and cannot be used with impunity because we are the custodian of these resources and have responsibility to pass these to the next generation. This monumental task requires several major commitments and most important of them is to arrest population explosion which has already reached seven billion. Natural resources like air to breath, food to eat, and water to drink, and fossil fuel to maintain this life style are being overexploited. Unrestrained consuming culture will accelerate undesired situation. This situation will have more dire consequences in resource limited ecosystems like dry lands. Given the severe scarcity of water, ever increasing population and soil salinization out of the box solutions for the provision of food and clean energy is required to spare meager fresh water resources for conventional agriculture. This volume contains a number of articles dealing with halophyte ecology, bio-geography, ecophysiology, hyper-saline soils, biofuels, biosaline agriculture, biosaline landscaping, climate change mitigation, and biodiversity. It also contains the communication of innovative ideas, such as the research into floating mangroves, seagrass terraces, as well as a World Halophyte Garden containing all known salt-tolerant plant species. It is hoped that the information provided will not only advance vegetation science, but that it will truly generate more interdisciplinarity, networking, awareness, and inspire farmers, and agricultural and landscaping stakeholders to seriously engage in halophyte cash crop production in coastal hyper-saline areas.