Young Peoples Story of the Creation
This book is an inspirational science book with biblical content for both young adults and mature readers who want an insight into the general background on the science of creation of the planets and, specifically, of planet Earth and the life on it. Starting with a brief discussion of the visible universe, the galaxies, including our own Milky Way galaxy of which our Sun is one of the stars, two full chapters are devoted to our solar system, the Sun, and the nine planets. Our knowledge of each planet as obtained from American and Russian space probes is presented in detail, ruling out the possibility of life anywhere in the vast expanse of the universe except on the planet Earth. Then two full chapters is presented on the detailed discussion of all physical features of our own spaceship, Mother Earth-the home of presently over seven billion children of Adam and Eve, which had been the abode of our long-gone ancestors for millions of years. Various theories on the formation of Earth and the planets are presented. Most importantly, about half of the book is devoted to the science of life on Earth, including various theories about the origin of life. Finally, a great deal of discussion is devoted to Darwin's theory of evolution (1859), which had been proven to be speculative and erroneous by many scientists-a conclusion verified by this writer.
Young Peoples Story of the Creation
This book is an inspirational science book with biblical content for both young adults and mature readers who want an insight into the general background on the science of creation of the planets and, specifically, of planet Earth and the life on it. Starting with a brief discussion of the visible universe, the galaxies, including our own Milky Way galaxy of which our Sun is one of the stars, two full chapters are devoted to our solar system, the Sun, and the nine planets. Our knowledge of each planet as obtained from American and Russian space probes is presented in detail, ruling out the possibility of life anywhere in the vast expanse of the universe except on the planet Earth. Then two full chapters is presented on the detailed discussion of all physical features of our own spaceship, Mother Earth-the home of presently over seven billion children of Adam and Eve, which had been the abode of our long-gone ancestors for millions of years. Various theories on the formation of Earth and the planets are presented. Most importantly, about half of the book is devoted to the science of life on Earth, including various theories about the origin of life. Finally, a great deal of discussion is devoted to Darwin's theory of evolution (1859), which had been proven to be speculative and erroneous by many scientists-a conclusion verified by this writer.
Remote Sensing of Above-Ground Biomass
Above ground biomass has been listed by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change as one of the five most prominent, visible, and dynamic terrestrial carbon pools. The increased awareness of the impacts of climate change has seen a burgeoning need to consistently assess carbon stocks to combat carbon sequestration. An accurate estimation of carbon stocks and an understanding of the carbon sources and sinks can aid the improvement and accuracy of carbon flux models, an important pre-requisite of climate change impact projections. Based on 15 research topics, this book demonstrates the role of remote sensing in quantifying above ground biomass (forest, grass, woodlands) across varying spatial and temporal scales. The innovative application areas of the book include algorithm development and implementation, accuracy assessment, scaling issues (local-regional-global biomass mapping), and the integration of microwaves (i.e. LiDAR), along with optical sensors, forest biomass mapping, rangeland productivity and abundance (grass biomass, density, cover), bush encroachment biomass, and seasonal and long-term biomass monitoring.
Arid Land Systems
Understanding deserts and drylands is essential, as arid landscapes cover >40% of the Earth and are home to two billion people. Today's problematic environment-human interaction needs contemporary knowledge to address dryland complexity. Physical dimensions in arid zones--land systems, climate and hazards, ecology--are linked with social processes that directly impact drylands, such as land management, livelihoods, and development. The challenges require integrated research that identifies systemic drivers across global arid regions. Measurement and monitoring, field investigation, remote sensing, and data analysis are effective tools to investigate natural dynamics. Equally, inquiry into how policy and practice affect landscape sustainability is key to mitigating detrimental activity in deserts. Relations between socio-economic forces and degradation, agro-pastoral rangeland use, drought and disaster and resource extraction reflect land interactions. Contemporary themes of food security, conflict, and conservation are interlinked in arid environments.This book unifies desert science, arid environments, and dryland development. The chapters identify land dynamics, address system risks and delineate human functions through original research in arid zones. Mixed methodologies highlight the vital links between social and environmental science in global deserts. The book engages with today's topical themes and presents novel analyses of arid land systems and societies.
Environmental Fate of Emerging Organic Micro-Contaminants
The toxicity and fate of pharmaceuticals and other emerging micro-organic contaminants in the natural and built environments have been the focus of much research over the last twenty years. Particular focus has recently centred on the fate of antimicrobial chemicals, including antibiotics and antifungals. The occurrence of such chemicals in the environment is thought to contribute to the selection of resistance in exposed microorganisms. This Special Issue (SI) brings together a broad range of recent advances in the field of emerging micro-organic contaminants, ranging from medicinal contaminants to industrial chemicals in the environment. Notably, these range from chemical extraction and large-scale analysis to adverse effects on non-target aquatic organisms and potential risk to humans via contaminated foodstuffs. Additionally, this Special Issue also presents novel contaminant treatment/degradation methods of both physical and biological nature.
Green Rage
Radical environmental groups throughout the world, militantly committed to defending the ecology, are growing in size and influence. In this country, activists engage in ecological civil disobedience and ecotage-- the sabotaging of equipment to prevent ecological damage-- in the struggle to preserve wilderness lands. These ecoteurs have gone beyond traditional conservation concerns to a new philosophy-- Deep Ecology, or biocentrism-- that calls into question not only the wisdom, but the legitimacy of humanity's domination of nature. In Green Rage, Christopher Manes has written a brilliant defense of radical environmentalism, challenging the ethics of modern industrial society and asserting the right of the natural world to blossom, evolve, and exist for its own sake.
The Last Harvest
This is John Burroughs' 1922 biography of Ralph Waldo Emerson, "The Last Harvest". It is a masterful piece of writing that provides a unique and profound insight into the life of American poet Last Harvest. This volume is highly recommended for those with an interest in the work and mind of Emerson, and it is not to be missed by fans of Burroughs' fantastic work. Contents include: "Emerson And His Journals", "Flies In Amber", "Another Word On Thoreau", "A Critical Glance Into Darwin", "What Makes A Poem?", "Short Studies In Contrasts", "Day By Day", "Gleanings", "Sundown Papers", and more. John Burroughs (1837 - 1921) was an American naturalist, essayist, and active member of the U.S. conservation movement. Burroughs' work was incredibly popular during his lifetime, and his legacy has lived on in the form of twelve U.S. Schools named after him, Burroughs Mountain, and the John Burroughs Association-which publicly recognizes well-written and illustrated natural history publications. Many vintage books such as this are becoming increasingly scarce and expensive. We are republishing this volume now in an affordable, modern, high-quality edition complete with a specially commissioned new biography of the author.
A Summary of the Proofs that Vaccination Does Not Prevent Small-pox but Really Increases It
This early work by Alfred Russel Wallace was originally published in 1904 and we are now republishing it with a brand new introductory biography. 'A Summary of the Proofs that Vaccination Does Not Prevent Small-pox but Really Increases it' is an article on the suggested dangers of large scale vaccination programs against one of the world's most deadly diseases. Alfred Russel Wallace was born on 8th January 1823 in the village of Llanbadoc, in Monmouthshire, Wales. Wallace was inspired by the travelling naturalists of the day and decided to begin his exploration career collecting specimens in the Amazon rainforest. He explored the Rio Negra for four years, making notes on the peoples and languages he encountered as well as the geography, flora, and fauna. While travelling, Wallace refined his thoughts about evolution and in 1858 he outlined his theory of natural selection in an article he sent to Charles Darwin. Wallace made a huge contribution to the natural sciences and he will continue to be remembered as one of the key figures in the development of evolutionary theory.
Into the Illusive World
Have you ever thought about what a dog smells as it stops to sniff at a tree? Or what a cat is watching as it stares intensely off into space? What about animals in the wild? What do they see, hear, smell, and feel? How do they perceive their surroundings? This is the illusive world. A world filled with fascinating stimuli that we are not equipped to detect. This is particularly true because we tend to rely so heavily on our eyes or ears. We are figuratively, and literally, blind to this part of the natural world. This part, which is full of stimuli we cannot perceive, encompasses the daily lives of so many animals. Beneath our feet are ants, moles, and spiders using vibrations to coordinate colonies and communicate danger. In the oceans, turtles, fish, and octopi are sensitive to magnetic and electric fields, as well as tasty morsels at the tips of their tentacles. In the skies, owls and raptors can see deep into a lake or pierce the night with highly sensitive eyes.This book brings together all these animals and their amazing sensory abilities in an exploration of how animals perceive their world. Within these pages are wonderful and exciting stories of organisms using their senses to perform sophisticated communication with nestmates, find hidden prey in the dark of night or murky of depths, and call to lovers both near and far. This book will open the door to this illusive world and will take you on a journey into the illusive world and see how different the world is when perceived through another animal's senses.
Laboratory Earth
Laboratory Earth taps the relevant knowledge from physical, biological, and social sciences needed to study the planet holistically. This so-called Earth Systems Science fosters a new way to understand the Earth and our roles as inhabitants, with the purpose of building solutions to the bewildering global environment and overdevelopment.Educational, business, health, and governmental organizations often dissect the world into narrow but highly specialized disciplines--economics, ecology, cardiology, meteorology, glaciology, or political science, to name a few. But real world problems, like urban sprawl, public health, poverty, toxic waste, economic development, the ozone hole, or global warming, do not fit neatly into disciplinary boxes. However, author Stephen Schneider asserts that these contemporary issues must be viewed as systems of interconnected subelements. This is especially true for global environmental problems, since they arise from increasing numbers of people demanding higher standards of living and willing to use the cheapest available technologies to pursue these growth-oriented goals, even if the unintended byproducts include land degradation, toxic pollutants, species extinctions, or global climate change. To first understand and then solve such problems, we must learn to view the Earth and our socioeconomic engine as one integrated system.Schneider, who in the 1970s predicted global warming would become "demonstrable" by the turn of the century, chooses that debate to illustrate how this twenty-first century Earth Systems Science approach works, introducing us to the sharp controversies and highly visible debates among climatologists, ecologists, economists, industrialists, and political interests over the seriousness and solutions to the climate change crisis. He begins with a fascinating journey to the beginning of geologic time on Earth and traces from there the coevolution of climate and life over the next four billion years. Along the way we learn about the Gaia Hypothesis, the demise of the dinosaurs, and the likelihood of an impending ice age.Schneider traces our climatic history not only from the beginning and up to the twentieth century, but deep into the twenty-first as well. He depicts the next one hundred years as a potentially perilous period for climate and life--unless we citizens of Earth recognize and then work to control the unintended global scale experiment we are foisting on ourselves and all other life on "Laboratory Earth." This "lab" is not built of glass, wires, and tubes, but of insects, soils, air, oceans, birds, trees, and people. While no honest scientist can claim to have clairvoyant vision into the twenty-first century, Schneider optimistically demonstrates that enough is already known to command our attention and to insure that the juggernaut of human impacts on Earth doesn't turn into a gamble we can't afford to lose.
Membrane and Membrane Reactors Operations in Chemical Engineering
This Special Issue is aimed at highlighting the potentialities of membrane and membrane reactor operations in various sectors of chemical engineering, based on application of the process intensification strategy. In all of the contributions, the principles of process intensification were pursued during the adoption of membrane technology, demonstrating how it may lead to the development of redesigned processes that are more compact and efficient while also being more environmental friendly, energy saving, and amenable to integration with other green processes.This Special Issue comprises a number of experimental and theoretical studies dealing with the application of membrane and membrane reactor technology in various scientific fields of chemical engineering, such as membrane distillation for wastewater treatment, hydrogen production from reforming reactions via inorganic membrane and membrane photoassisted reactors, membrane desalination, gas/liquid phase membrane separation of CO2, and membrane filtration for the recovery of antioxidants from agricultural byproducts, contributing to valorization of the potentialities of membrane operations.
Mineral Surface Reactions at the Nanoscale
Reactions at mineral surfaces are central to all geochemical processes. As minerals comprise the rocks of the Earth, the processes occurring at the mineral-aqueous fluid interface control the evolution of the rocks and hence the structure of the crust of the Earth during processes such as metamorphism, metasomatism, and weathering. In recent years focus has been concentrated on mineral surface reactions made possible through the development of advanced analytical methods such as atomic force microscopy (AFM), advanced electron microscopies (SEM and TEM), phase shift interferometry, confocal Raman spectroscopy, and advanced synchrotron-based applications, to enable mineral surfaces to be imaged and analyzed at the nanoscale. Experiments are increasingly complemented by molecular simulations to confirm or predict the results of these studies. This has enabled new and exciting possibilities to elucidate the mechanisms that govern mineral-fluid reactions.In this Special Issue, "Mineral Surface Reactions at the Nanoscale", we present 12 contributions that highlight the role and importance of mineral surfaces in varying fields of research.
Thioredoxin and Glutaredoxin Systems
This Special Issue features recent data concerning thioredoxins and glutaredoxins from various biological systems, including bacteria, mammals, and plants. Four of the sixteen articles are review papers that deal with the regulation of development of the effect of hydrogen peroxide and the interactions between oxidants and reductants, the description of methionine sulfoxide reductases, detoxification enzymes that require thioredoxin or glutaredoxin, and the response of plants to cold stress, respectively. This is followed by eleven research articles that focus on a reductant of thioredoxin in bacteria, a thioredoxin reductase, and a variety of plant and bacterial thioredoxins, including the m, f, o, and h isoforms and their targets. Various parameters are studied, including genetic, structural, and physiological properties of these systems. The redox regulation of monodehydroascorbate reductase, aminolevulinic acid dehydratase, and cytosolic isocitrate dehydrogenase could have very important consequences in plant metabolism. Also, the properties of the mitochondrial o-type thioredoxins and their unexpected capacity to bind iron-sulfur center (ISC) structures open new developments concerning the redox mitochondrial function and possibly ISC assembly in mitochondria. The final paper discusses interesting biotechnological applications of thioredoxin for breadmaking.
Peroxiredoxin 6 as a Unique Member of the Peroxiredoxin Family
The peroxiredoxin family was discovered approximately 30 years ago and is now recognized as one of the most important families of enzymes related to antioxidant defense and cellular signaling. Peroxiredoxin 6 shares the basic enzymatic functions that characterize this family, but also exhibits several unique and crucial activities. These include the ability to reduce phospholipid hydroperoxides, phospholipase A2 activity, and an acyl transferase activity that is important in phospholipid remodeling. This book describes the available models for investigating the unique functions of PRDX6 and its role in normal physiological function, as well its roles in the pathophysiology of diseases including cancer, diseases of the eye, and male fertility.
Summary and Analysis of the Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History
So much to read, so little time? This brief overview of The Sixth Extinction tells you what you need to know--before or after you read Elizabeth Kolbert's book. Crafted and edited with care, Worth Books set the standard for quality and give you the tools you need to be a well-informed reader. This short summary and analysis of The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History by Elizabeth Kolbert includes: Historical contextChapter-by-chapter overviewsDetailed timeline of key eventsImportant quotesFascinating triviaGlossary of termsSupporting material to enhance your understanding of the original work About The Sixth Extinction by Elizabeth Kolbert: Our planet has endured five events of mass extinction, from centuries of catastrophic heating and cooling to the asteroid that fell to earth and ended the Cretaceous Period. We are currently facing the sixth extinction, and this time the human species is to blame. Elizabeth Kolbert travels the world and meets with scientists who are grappling with the ecological outcomes of human activity. Her Pulitzer Prize-winning modern science classic tells the stories of thirteen different species that have already disappeared or are on the brink of extinction as a result of human activity. A captivating blend of research and historical anecdotes enlightens readers about the unintentional consequences of our behaviors, from climate change and global warming to invasive species and overexploitation. The summary and analysis in this book are intended to complement your reading experience and bring you closer to a great work of nonfiction.
Evolution, Composition and Regulation of Supernumerary B Chromosomes
Supernumerary B chromosomes (Bs) are dispensable genetic elements found in thousands of species of plants and animals, and some fungi. Since their discovery more than a century ago, they have been a source of puzzlement, as they only occur in some members of a population and are absent from others. When they do occur, they are often harmful, and in the absence of "selfishness", based on mechanisms of mitotic and meiotic drive, there appears to be no obvious reason for their existence. Cytogeneticists have long wrestled with questions about the biological existence of these enigmatic elements, including their lack of any adaptive properties, apparent absence of functional genes, their origin, sequence organization, and co-evolution as nuclear parasites. Emerging new technologies are now enabling researchers to step up a gear, to look enthusiastically beyond the previous limits of the horizon, and to uncover the secrets of these "silent" chromosomes. This book provides a comprehensive guide to theoretical advancements in the field of B chromosome research in both animal and plant systems.
Google Earth Engine Applications
In a rapidly changing world, there is an ever-increasing need to monitor the Earth's resources and manage it sustainably for future generations. Earth observation from satellites is critical to provide information required for informed and timely decision making in this regard. Satellite-based earth observation has advanced rapidly over the last 50 years, and there is a plethora of satellite sensors imaging the Earth at finer spatial and spectral resolutions as well as high temporal resolutions. The amount of data available for any single location on the Earth is now at the petabyte-scale. An ever-increasing capacity and computing power is needed to handle such large datasets. The Google Earth Engine (GEE) is a cloud-based computing platform that was established by Google to support such data processing. This facility allows for the storage, processing and analysis of spatial data using centralized high-power computing resources, allowing scientists, researchers, hobbyists and anyone else interested in such fields to mine this data and understand the changes occurring on the Earth's surface. This book presents research that applies the Google Earth Engine in mining, storing, retrieving and processing spatial data for a variety of applications that include vegetation monitoring, cropland mapping, ecosystem assessment, and gross primary productivity, among others. Datasets used range from coarse spatial resolution data, such as MODIS, to medium resolution datasets (Worldview -2), and the studies cover the entire globe at varying spatial and temporal scales.
The Wizard and the Prophet
From the bestselling, award-winning author of 1491 and 1493--an incisive portrait of the two little-known twentieth-century scientists, Norman Borlaug and William Vogt, whose diametrically opposed views shaped our ideas about the environment, laying the groundwork for how people in the twenty-first century will choose to live in tomorrow's world. In forty years, Earth's population will reach ten billion. Can our world support that? What kind of world will it be? Those answering these questions generally fall into two deeply divided groups--Wizards and Prophets, as Charles Mann calls them in this balanced, authoritative, nonpolemical new book. The Prophets, he explains, follow William Vogt, a founding environmentalist who believed that in using more than our planet has to give, our prosperity will lead us to ruin. Cut back! was his mantra. Otherwise everyone will lose! The Wizards are the heirs of Norman Borlaug, whose research, in effect, wrangled the world in service to our species to produce modern high-yield crops that then saved millions from starvation. Innovate! was Borlaug's cry. Only in that way can everyone win! Mann delves into these diverging viewpoints to assess the four great challenges humanity faces--food, water, energy, climate change--grounding each in historical context and weighing the options for the future. With our civilization on the line, the author's insightful analysis is an essential addition to the urgent conversation about how our children will fare on an increasingly crowded Earth.
Darwin Comes to Town
From evolutionary biologist Menno Schilthuizen, a book that will make you see yourself and the world around you in an entirely new way *Carrion crows in the Japanese city of Sendai have learned to use passing traffic to crack nuts. *Lizards in Puerto Rico are evolving feet that better grip surfaces like concrete. *Europe's urban blackbirds sing at a higher pitch than their rural cousins, to be heard over the din of traffic. How is this happening? Menno Schilthuizen is one of a growing number of "urban ecologists" studying how our manmade environments are accelerating and changing the evolution of the animals and plants around us. In Darwin Comes to Town, he takes us around the world for an up-close look at just how stunningly flexible and swift-moving natural selection can be. With human populations growing, we're having an increasing impact on global ecosystems, and nowhere do these impacts overlap as much as they do in cities. The urban environment is about as extreme as it gets, and the wild animals and plants that live side-by-side with us need to adapt to a whole suite of challenging conditions: they must manage in the city's hotter climate (the "urban heat island"); they need to be able to live either in the semidesert of the tall, rocky, and cavernous structures we call buildings or in the pocket-like oases of city parks (which pose their own dangers, including smog and free-rangingdogs and cats); traffic causes continuous noise, a mist of fine dust particles, and barriers to movement for any animal that cannot fly or burrow; food sources are mainly human-derived. And yet, as Schilthuizen shows, the wildlife sharing these spaces with us is not just surviving, but evolving ways of thriving. Darwin Comes toTown draws on eye-popping examples of adaptation to share a stunning vision of urban evolution in which humans and wildlife co-exist in a unique harmony. It reveals that evolution can happen far more rapidly than Darwin dreamed, while providing a glimmer of hope that our race toward over population might not take the rest of nature down with us.
Introduction to Light Microscopy
This book offers a beginner's guide to using light microscopes. It begins with a brief introduction to the physics of optics, which will give the reader a basic grasp of the behaviors of light. In turn, each part of the microscope is explained using clear and simple English, together withdetailed photographs and diagrams. The reader will learn the function, care and correct use of each part. A troubleshooting section also helps resolve some of the most common issues encountered in light microscopy. Most people have a general idea of how to use a microscope, but many never get the full benefit, because they receive no training. With easy-to-follow steps and detailed images, this guide will help everyone achieve the best results, and be confident using their microscope. This book is intended for anyone using a light microscope, such as university students, people in lab environments, hobbyists, educators who teach science to young children, and anyonewith a general interest in these valuable tools.
Advances in Quantitative Remote Sensing in China-In Memory of Prof. Xiaowen Li
Quantitative land remote sensing has recently advanced dramatically, particularly in China. It has been largely driven by vast governmental investment, the availability of a huge amount of Chinese satellite data, geospatial information requirements for addressing pressing environmental issues and other societal benefits. Many individuals have also fostered and made great contributions to its development, and Prof. Xiaowen Li was one of these leading figures. This book is published in memory of Prof. Li. The papers collected in this book cover topics from surface reflectance simulation, inversion algorithm and estimation of variables, to applications in optical, thermal, Lidar and microwave remote sensing. The wide range of variables include directional reflectance, chlorophyll fluorescence, aerosol optical depth, incident solar radiation, albedo, surface temperature, upward longwave radiation, leaf area index, fractional vegetation cover, forest biomass, precipitation, evapotranspiration, freeze/thaw snow cover, vegetation productivity, phenology and biodiversity indicators. They clearly reflect the current level of research in this area. This book constitutes an excellent reference suitable for upper-level undergraduate students, graduate students and professionals in remote sensing.
Advances in Quantitative Remote Sensing in China-In Memory of Prof. Xiaowen Li
Quantitative land remote sensing has recently advanced dramatically, particularly in China. It has been largely driven by vast governmental investment, the availability of a huge amount of Chinese satellite data, geospatial information requirements for addressing pressing environmental issues and other societal benefits. Many individuals have also fostered and made great contributions to its development, and Prof. Xiaowen Li was one of these leading figures. This book is published in memory of Prof. Li. The papers collected in this book cover topics from surface reflectance simulation, inversion algorithm and estimation of variables, to applications in optical, thermal, Lidar and microwave remote sensing. The wide range of variables include directional reflectance, chlorophyll fluorescence, aerosol optical depth, incident solar radiation, albedo, surface temperature, upward longwave radiation, leaf area index, fractional vegetation cover, forest biomass, precipitation, evapotranspiration, freeze/thaw snow cover, vegetation productivity, phenology and biodiversity indicators. They clearly reflect the current level of research in this area. This book constitutes an excellent reference suitable for upper-level undergraduate students, graduate students and professionals in remote sensing.
Introduction To The Economics Of Water Resources
A concise treatment of water-resource economics. Based upon political economy perspectives, it draws upon a range of case-studies - Third- World, developed world, and former communist countries - to cover many issues. There is guidance on
Ecologies of the Early Garden City
This is a study of the inaugural decade (1903-1913) of the first Garden City at Letchworth, in Hertfordshire, employing theories derived from landscape ecology and assemblage theory. The early Garden City movement, as represented by the writings of Ebenezer Howard--particularly his book Tomorrow: A Peaceful Path to Real Reform (1898)--was a concerted attempt to redefine many urban practices. The Garden City strove to unite town and country through the garden, it emerged as a direct response to what were perceived to be the evils of the large industrial cities of the nineteenth century. The field of landscape ecology provides a structural method for examining the behavior of landscapes, by focusing on flow, patch, and boundary systems. These are examined in the urban context, along with the broad topic of agency. Ecological factors are complemented by Gilles Deleuze and F矇lix Guattari's concept of "assemblage," with its emphasis on territorial, cultural, and formal factors. This provides the material for a study of the theories of Ebenezer Howard and the early history of Letchworth Garden City. This includes exploring the central role of gardens, farms, and the greenbelt in the Garden City model, along with agents such as the gardener, farmer, and manager. The Garden City also pioneered modern town-planning, and contributed in such areas as planned neighborhoods, housing design, streetscape composition, architectural controls, controlled growth, urban zoning, greenspace organization, and regional responsiveness.
River and Lake Ice Processes - Impacts of Freshwater Ice on Aquatic Ecosystems in a Changing Globe
Most freshwater aquatic ecosystems have focused on open-water conditions, during spring, summer, and autumn. Studies in winter during ice-covered conditions are sparse due to the logistic difficulties of sampling during freezing weather and the assumption that these ecosystems are biologically inactive during winter. There is growing evidence, however, that ice conditions can have strong impacts on the flora, fauna, and water quality of freshwater systems, dependent on the severity and duration of the winter season. The magnitude of winter conditions and the duration of the ice-covered period can also set the stage of the biological succession of flora, fauna and water-quality constituents in the subsequent spring and summer seasons (e.g., higher probability of early algal blooms with earlier ice-off dates). Climate change and changes in the type and degree of anthropogenic impacts will also influence the ice regime and hence the ecosystems of northern freshwater systems. This Special Issue provides a venue to report new findings in field-based and modelling research to highlight the importance of the ice regime and ice-induced hydraulic regime of rivers and lakes on their aquatic ecosystems.
Environmental Impacts of Waste Paper Recycling
Public concern for the conservation of natural resources and a general awareness of the environmental consequences of waste disposal is reflected in current legislation aimed at reducing waste. Recycling is commonly cited as one of the preferred methods of waste reduction and this book summarizes a recent study of paper recycling in Europe, which investigated the entire production and disposal process using a life-cycle methodology. The results of the study underline the economic and environmental advantages of paper recycling, but more controversially, they also show how, under certain conditions, the renewable character and the high energy content of paper seem to make energy recovery more attractive than recycling.
What the Eyes Don`t See
A NEW YORK TIMES NOTABLE BOOK - The dramatic story of the Flint water crisis, by a relentless physician who stood up to power. "Stirring . . . [a] blueprint for all those who believe . . . that 'the world . . . should be full of people raising their voices.'"--The New York Times "Revealing, with the gripping intrigue of a Grisham thriller."--O: The Oprah Magazine Here is the inspiring story of how Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha, alongside a team of researchers, parents, friends, and community leaders, discovered that the children of Flint, Michigan, were being exposed to lead in their tap water--and then battled her own government and a brutal backlash to expose that truth to the world. Paced like a scientific thriller, What the Eyes Don't See reveals how misguided austerity policies, broken democracy, and callous bureaucratic indifference placed an entire city at risk. And at the center of the story is Dr. Mona herself--an immigrant, doctor, scientist, and mother whose family's activist roots inspired her pursuit of justice. What the Eyes Don't See is a riveting account of a shameful disaster that became a tale of hope, the story of a city on the ropes that came together to fight for justice, self-determination, and the right to build a better world for their--and all of our--children. Praise for What the Eyes Don't See "It is one thing to point out a problem. It is another thing altogether to step up and work to fix it. Mona Hanna-Attisha is a true American hero."--Erin Brockovich "A clarion call to live a life of purpose."--The Washington Post "Gripping . . . entertaining . . . Her book has power precisely because she takes the events she recounts so personally. . . . Moral outrage present on every page."--The New York Times Book Review "Personal and emotional. . . She vividly describes the effects of lead poisoning on her young patients. . . . She is at her best when recounting the detective work she undertook after a tip-off about lead levels from a friend. . . . ‛Flint will not be defined by this crisis, ' vows Ms. Hanna-Attisha."--The Economist "Flint is a public health disaster. But it was Dr. Mona, this caring, tough pediatrican turned detective, who cracked the case."--Rachel Maddow
Experimental and Thermodynamical Modeling of Ore- Forming Processes in Magmatic and Hydrothermal Systems
This special issue book includes 10 original research papers that discuss and solve some problems of ore-forming processes in magmatic and hydrothermal systems. Some of these papers in the issue deal with experimental and thermodynamical modeling, while the others are devoted to analytical geochemistry, geochronology and genesis of some ore occurrences.I hope that these papers will be useful for scientists who work on the fundamental problems of ore-forming processes and the genesis of ore deposits, and will provide new ideas for future research.
Sacred Ground
When I visit national parks today, I see places of divinity in peril where catastrophic changes are happening at rapid-fire speed on a grand scale, where millions of years of evolution are being trifled with casually rather like an accidental splitting of atoms. I find myself wondering a lot lately when we will hear the irreversible boom, the moment we recognize our own death, the flash we see when we realize what we've done can't be taken back. In short, America's national parks are facing cataclysmic change. Much of that change, which is occurring on an ecosystem level, is perpetrated by our rapidly changing climate. What's unique about our changing climate today is that the speed of change has accelerated to a startling degree. During the retreating ice age of twenty thousand to ten thousand years ago, temperatures soared about 9 degrees Fahrenheit in a ten-thousand-year stretch, exhibiting a seemingly rapid yet natural shift in climate. By comparison, the climatic changes unfurling on earth now are happening about thirty times faster-leaving wildlife, plants, butterflies, krill, and migrating birds scrambling to adjust. It is this very speed and ferocity of change that has scientists gravely concerned, for it is anything but natural. Though I am concerned about the changes happening in our natural world, the biggest losers in the climate change travesty that is unfolding all around us will likely be ourselves. Species that cannot adjust or evolve will be shaken off this planet like a cloud of irritating fleas so energy systems can rebalance, restoring harmony to God's creation. Saving ourselves, along with our most sacred landscapes, will require action. We are the generation that can become the hope and light of the world but to save these unique ecosystems, we must lower our carbon dioxide emissions now.
The Global Environment
All serious environmental threats are now international in scope and more than one thousand international environmental agreements already exist. Yet the prospects for international cooperation leading to the management of impacts on the planet remain grim. The Global Environment meets the need for an authoritative assessment of the state of international environmental institutions, laws and policies at the end of the 20th century. The book examines disagreements over the meaning of sustainable development, problems inherent in implementing environmental policies and the conflict over the exclusion of developing countries from the Kyoto Protocol. It discusses the profound trade-offs that may be required, the role of international financial interests in promoting incompatible forms of development and analyses international environmental institutions, law and policy and sustainable development.
The Cow With Ear Tag #1389
To translate the journey from a living cow to a glass of milk into tangible terms, Kathryn Gillespie set out to follow the moments in the life cycles of individual animals-animals like the cow with ear tag #1389. She explores how the seemingly benign practice of raising animals for milk is just one link in a chain that affects livestock across the agricultural spectrum. Gillespie takes readers to farms, auction yards, slaughterhouses, and even rendering plants to show how living cows become food. The result is an empathetic look at cows and our relationship with them, one that makes both their lives and their suffering real.
Growing a Revolution
For centuries, agricultural practices have eroded the soil that farming depends on, stripping it of the organic matter vital to its productivity. Now conventional agriculture is threatening disaster for the world's growing population. In Growing a Revolution, geologist David R. Montgomery travels the world, meeting farmers at the forefront of an agricultural movement to restore soil health. From Kansas to Ghana, he sees why adopting the three tenets of conservation agriculture--ditching the plow, planting cover crops, and growing a diversity of crops--is the solution. When farmers restore fertility to the land, this helps feed the world, cool the planet, reduce pollution, and return profitability to family farms.
Risk and Uncertainty Assessment for Natural Hazards
Assessment of risk and uncertainty is crucial for natural hazard risk management, facilitating risk communication and informing strategies to successfully mitigate our society's vulnerability to natural disasters. Written by some of the world's leading experts, this book provides a state-of-the-art overview of risk and uncertainty assessment in natural hazards. It presents the core statistical concepts using clearly defined terminology applicable across all types of natural hazards and addresses the full range of sources of uncertainty, the role of expert judgement and the practice of uncertainty elicitation. The core of the book provides detailed coverage of all the main hazard types and concluding chapters address the wider societal context of risk management. This is an invaluable compendium for academic researchers and professionals working in the fields of natural hazards science, risk assessment and management and environmental science and will be of interest to anyone involved in natural hazards policy.
The Formation of Vegetable Mould Through the Action of Worms
Darwin had been intrigued by the earthworm for forty years, but it wasn't until 1881 that he produced the volume that would illuminate this "unsung creature which, in its untold millions, transformed the land as the coral polyps did the tropical sea." The volume, which focused on the fascinating behavior and ecology of the earthworm, sold thousands of copies in its first weeks.
Growing Community Forests
Canada is experiencing an unparalleled crisis involving forests and communities across the country. While municipalities, policy makers, and industry leaders acknowledge common challenges such as an overdependence on US markets, rising energy costs, and lack of diversification, no common set of solutions has been developed and implemented. Ongoing and at times contentious public debate has revealed an appetite and need for a fundamental rethinking of the relationships that link our communities, governments, industrial partners, and forests towards a more sustainable future. The creation of community forests is one path that promises to build resilience in forest communities and ecosystems. This model provides local control over common forest lands in order to activate resource development opportunities, benefits, and social responsibilities. Implementing community forestry in practice has proven to be a complex task, however: there are no road maps or well-developed and widely-tested models for community forestry in Canada. But in settings where community forests have taken hold, there is a rich and growing body of experience to draw on. The contributors to Growing Community Forests include leading researchers, practitioners, Indigenous representatives, government representatives, local advocates, and students who are actively engaged in sharing experiences, resources, and tools of significance to forest resource communities, policy makers, and industry.
Full House
After decades of steady growth, the world's food supply is no longer keeping up with population increases. Production of fish and grain per person has slowed to the point where feeding the 90 million being added each year is possible only by reducing consumption among those already here. These are the findings in this fourth volume in the Worldwatch Environmental Alert series from the Worldwatch Institute. The bottom line, according to Lester Brown and Hal Kane, is that the world's farmers can no longer be counted on to feed adequately the projected additions to our numbers. Achieving a humane balance between food and people now depends more on family planners than on farmers. This issue will increasingly preoccupy national leaders, reorder national priorities, and dominate international affairs. In this volume, the authors propose a global strategy to restore food security and a budget to implement it. Their global food security budget calls for stepped-up expenditures on both sides of the food/population equation. It includes investments not only to provide family planning services to all who want them, but also to eliminate the underlying causes of high fertility, such as female illiteracy. It also includes investments in an extensive reforestation and soil conservation effort, one that will arrest the deterioration of the agricultural resource base.
Tiny Taxonomy
Tiny Taxonomy offers a visually engaging collection of images and texts drawn from a series of contemporary garden installations, which highlight the role of individual plants in landscape architecture. Tiny Taxonomy showcases species that are in cultivation or in profusion, but rarely purposefully planted. A grouping of plants is categorized by common traits derived from an evolution towards feature miniaturization, generating another form of classification. Due to the diminutive size of their features, these plants are often over-looked and therefore tend to be under specified. It seems that as the world around us gains complexity and intricacy, our biological world is tending towards monotony. Tiny Taxonomy considers smallness a design opportunity, offering innumerable microcosmic considerations of the leaf form, flower structure, and physical habitat of individual plants.
Thoreau and the Language of Trees
Trees were central to Henry David Thoreau's creativity as a writer, his work as a naturalist, his thought, and his inner life. His portraits of them were so perfect, it was as if he could see the sap flowing beneath their bark. When Thoreau wrote that the poet loves the pine tree as his own shadow in the air, he was speaking about himself. In short, he spoke their language. In this original book, Richard Higgins explores Thoreau's deep connections to trees: his keen perception of them, the joy they gave him, the poetry he saw in them, his philosophical view of them, and how they fed his soul. His lively essays show that trees were a thread connecting all parts of Thoreau's being--heart, mind, and spirit. Included are one hundred excerpts from Thoreau's writings about trees, paired with over sixty of the author's photographs. Thoreau's words are as vivid now as they were in 1890, when an English naturalist wrote that he was unusually able to "to preserve the flashing forest colors in unfading light." Thoreau and the Language of Trees shows that Thoreau, with uncanny foresight, believed trees were essential to the preservation of the world.
Bee and Wasp Venoms Biological Characteristics and Therapeutic Application
Bee or wasp venom therapy is the therapeutic application of honeybee venom or wasp venom to the treatment of various diseases. Venoms from either honeybees or wasps are known to possess a wide variety of pharmaceutical properties. Recent studies using these venoms have demonstrated diverse mechanisms on a range of conditions. However, identification of a single constituent out of the venom, the possible mechanisms, and a justification of the route of application and formulation are essential in the future. Understanding the signalling pathways associated with the compound-mediated in vivo dynamics and further communication between cells at the molecular level will facilitate the development of new therapeutics.
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