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Latin America has extensive microbial diversity and is endemic for a wide array of infectious agents including dengue, chikungunya, malaria and tuberculosis. In 2014, the WHO cited 93 public health events of potential international concern in the Latin American region where over half (47 events) were caused specifically by chikungunya and other zoonotic pathogens, causing geographically widespread impact affecting 27 countries and territories. Arena, alpha and flaviviruses are RNA viruses, many of which are endemic in South America, are diverse in nature, and can adapt easily to new hosts, creating zoonotic threats. Since more than 70% of emerging diseases are caused by zoonotic agents, it is of great importance to enhance the capacity for detection and diagnosis in the areas where they are most likely to emerge. COVID-19 provided an opportunity to reinforce public health capacities, improve reporting transparency, and enhance regional coordination. Limited but consistent research has been carried out in the region to address the viral threats that account for a significant portion of health concerns. This book describes relevant examples of these achievements and discusses ongoing limitations in the region.

The chapters making up this volume are based on the presentations given by their authors at the NATO Advanced Research Workshop (ARW), also entitled'The Microbiology of Atmospheric Trace Gases: Sources, Sinks and Global Change Processes', held between 13-18 May 1995 at II Ciocco, Castelvecchio Pascoli, Tuscany, Italy. Four reports of Working Group discussions on aspects of trace gas microbiology and climate change are also included in the volume, prepared by rapporteurs designated at the ARW. All the papers here presented have been subjected to peer review by at least two referees and corrections and amendments made where necessary before their acceptance for pUblication in this volume. The ARW was set up to address a wide range of issues relating to atmospheric trace gas microbiology and the organizing group was aware of the burgeoning of studies on gas metabolism and on global effects of atmospheric trace gases over the past two decades. This research effort has led to a number of specialist and generalist meetings including the triennial series of symposia on the metabolism of one-carbon compounds, colloquia concerned with dimethyl sulfide and its precursor, DMSP, through to the Intergovernmental Panels on Climate Change, which have addressed the impact of increasing levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and chlorofluorocarbons on global climate. Over recent years methane and nitrous oxide showed rates of increase in the atmosphere of 40-48 and 3-4. 5 Tg/year, respectively.

The Advanced Study Institute Ice Physics in the Natural and Endangered Environ­ ment was held at Acquafredda di Maratea, Italy, from September 7 to 19, 1997. The ASI was designed to study the broad range of ice science and technology, and it brought together an appropriately interdisciplinary group of lecturers and students to study the many facets of the subject. The talks and poster presentations explored how basic molecular physics of ice have important environmental consequences, and, con­ versely, how natural phenomena present new questions for fundamental study. The of lectures discusses these linkages, in order that overall unity of following sunimary the subject and this volume can be perceived. Not all of the lecturers and participants were able to contribute a written piece, but their active involvement was crucial to the success of the Institute and thereby influenced the content of the volume. We began the Institute by retracing the history of the search for a microscopic un­ derstanding of melting. Our motivation was straightforward. Nearly every phenome­ non involving ice in the environment is influenced by the change of phase from solid to liquid or vice-versa. Hence, a sufficiently deep physical picture of the melting tran­ sition enriches our appreciation of a vast array of geophysical and technical problems.

Presented here are authoritative and up-to-date assessments of the homogenous and heterogenous chemical and physical processes occuring in the troposphere and stratosphere, especially during the'ozone hole'event. The book begins with an overview of atmospheric chemistry, followed by reviews of relevant homogenous reactions in the gas phase and the microphysics and physical chemistry of heterogenous processes that occur on, or in aerosols, rain and ice. Low temperature laboratory studies are compared with related fieldwork measurements, particularly in relation to the formation and composition of polar stratospheric clouds. Also discussed are measurements in glacial ice. Finally chemical modelling of the troposphere and stratosphere, including heterogenous processes, is reviewed.

This unique volume summarizes and integrates more than a decade of atmospheric chemistry research, carried out under the auspices of the International Global Atmospheric Chemistry (IGAC) Project of the International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme (IGBP). It is part of a series being written by each of the IGBP core projects. During the period under consideration, great progress has been made in the science, computing, modelling and observational techniques; methods have also improved. Suggestions for the highest priority research for the next decade are made. The volume was written by leaders in the field of atmospheric chemistry research, and includes important information regarding impacts on the environment reinforced by solid scientific results.

During the last few decades anthropogenic activities in the industrially advanced countries have outcompeted nature in changing the global environment. This is best illustrated for example by the polluted lakes in Scandinavia and Canada, associated with acid deposition from fossil fuel combustion. One of the major challenges mankind is confronted with in the field of energy consumption is undoubtedly to ensure sustainability - a goal that requires improved management of natural resources and a substantial reduction of the noxious emissions which are dangerous to health and the environment. The threat of global climate change due to pollutant emissions causes se­ rious concern to many nations, and reaching an international consensus is likely to take some time. Carbon dioxide emissions have slowed only marginally in industrialized countries during the last few years, but have increased significantly in most developing countries due to increases in energy demand and the increasing use of fossil fuels, which remain the most readily available energy sources today. Unfortunately, far from learning lessons from the negative experiences of developed countries, many developing countries are taking the same path to development which has turned out to result in serious environmental consequences.

Zum Gesamtwerk: Die drei Bände des Werkes'Handbuch der Umweltveränderungen und Ökotoxikologie', jeweils in zwei Teilbände unterteilt, dokumentieren und bewerten die Entstehung und Verbreitung von Belastungen der Medien Luft, Boden und Wasser mit stofflichen Verunreinigungen, radioaktiven Substanzen und erhöhter UV-Strahlung und die dadurch bedingten Wirkungen auf die Atmosphäre sowie terrestrische und aquatische Systeme.Die beiden Bände'Atmosphäre'behandeln die Emissionen der wichtigsten anthropogenen und biogenen Luftspurenstoffe. Namhafte Fachwissenschaftler der Atmosphärenchemie und der Meteorologie beschreiben die chemisch-physikalischen Vorgänge in der Troposphäre, die Immission- und Depositionsverhältnisse sowie die Prozesse des Ozonabbaus in der Stratosphäre und dessen Bedeutung für die UV-Strahlung. Die möglichen Folgen ansteigender Gehalte von Treibhausgasen für das Stadt-, Regional- und Globalklima werden ausführlich dargestellt.