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Resolving Ecosystem Complexity (Monographs in Population Biology #47)
Par Oswald J. Schmitz. 2010
An ecosystem's complexity develops from the vast numbers of species interacting in ecological communities. The nature of these interactions, in…
turn, depends on environmental context. How do these components together influence an ecosystem's behavior as a whole? Can ecologists resolve an ecosystem's complexity in order to predict its response to disturbances? Resolving Ecosystem Complexity develops a framework for anticipating the ways environmental context determines the functioning of ecosystems. Oswald Schmitz addresses the critical questions of contemporary ecology: How should an ecosystem be conceptualized to blend its biotic and biophysical components? How should evolutionary ecological principles be used to derive an operational understanding of complex, adaptive ecosystems? How should the relationship between the functional biotic diversity of ecosystems and their properties be understood? Schmitz begins with the universal concept that ecosystems are comprised of species that consume resources and which are then resources for other consumers. From this, he deduces a fundamental rule or evolutionary ecological mechanism for explaining context dependency: individuals within a species trade off foraging gains against the risk of being consumed by predators. Through empirical examples, Schmitz illustrates how species use evolutionary ecological strategies to negotiate a predator-eat-predator world, and he suggests that the implications of species trade-offs are critical to making ecology a predictive science. Bridging the traditional divides between individuals, populations, and communities in ecology, Resolving Ecosystem Complexity builds a systematic foundation for thinking about natural systems.The major subdisciplines of ecology--population ecology, community ecology, ecosystem ecology, and evolutionary ecology--have diverged increasingly in recent decades. What is…
critically needed today is an integrated, real-world approach to ecology that reflects the interdependency of biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. From Populations to Ecosystems proposes an innovative theoretical synthesis that will enable us to advance our fundamental understanding of ecological systems and help us to respond to today's emerging global ecological crisis. Michel Loreau begins by explaining how the principles of population dynamics and ecosystem functioning can be merged. He then addresses key issues in the study of biodiversity and ecosystems, such as functional complementarity, food webs, stability and complexity, material cycling, and metacommunities. Loreau describes the most recent theoretical advances that link the properties of individual populations to the aggregate properties of communities, and the properties of functional groups or trophic levels to the functioning of whole ecosystems, placing special emphasis on the relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. Finally, he turns his attention to the controversial issue of the evolution of entire ecosystems and their properties, laying the theoretical foundations for a genuine evolutionary ecosystem ecology. From Populations to Ecosystems points the way to a much-needed synthesis in ecology, one that offers a fuller understanding of ecosystem processes in the natural world.50 Hikes with Kids Colorado (50 Hikes with Kids)
Par Wendy Gorton, Kristin Tillack. 2023
Discover the 50 most kid-friendly hikes in Colorado with this book featuring maps and scavenger hunts of items to find…
along each trail—plus fun extras that will foster a curiosity about the region's flora, fauna, and geology! Handcrafted for caregivers who want to spark a love of nature, 50 Hikes with Kids: Colorado highlights the most kid-friendly hikes in the Centennial State. These hikes are perfect for little legs—they are all under five miles and have an elevation gain of 900 feet of less. Some are even accessible by stroller. Every entry includes the essential details: easy-to-read, trustworthy directions; a detailed map; hike length and elevation gain; natural history factoids to keep kids engaged. Full-color photographs show scavenger hunt items kids are guaranteed to see along the trail.Creative Design and Innovation: How to Produce Successful Products and Buildings
Par Robin Roy. 2024
Using many real-world examples and cases, this book identifies key factors and processes that have contributed to the creation of…
successful new products, buildings, and innovations, or resulted in some failures. Such factors include the creativity of individuals and groups, their sources of inspiration, the processes of creative design and innovation, and the characteristics of the products, buildings, and innovations themselves. Much has been written about creativity and innovation, but what helps to foster creativity, enable creative ideas to be translated into practical designs, and ensure those new products or buildings succeed as innovations on the market or in use? This book discusses these elements through the author’s origination and analysis of examples and case studies ranging from the revolutionary innovation of the smartphone, through radical innovations in domestic appliances and sustainable housing, to creative designs of contemporary jewellery. The broad range of examples and cases include product and fashion design, filmmaking and fine art, as well as industrial design, engineering, and architecture, offering lessons for creatives, designers, and innovators from many subject backgrounds. Analysis of the different factors, successes, and failures are presented in text boxes throughout the book to allow readers to easily understand the key lessons from each example or case, with numerous colour visuals, diagrams, and charts for illustration. This book is a must-read for a broad audience interested in creativity, design, and innovation, including practitioners in design, engineering, architecture, and product management, and students and instructors of those subjects.Sustainability of Southern African Ecosystems under Global Change: Science for Management and Policy Interventions (Ecological Studies #248)
Par Graham P. von Maltitz, Guy F. Midgley, Jennifer Veitch, Christian Brümmer, Reimund P. Rötter, Finn A. Viehberg, Maik Veste. 2024
This open access book about the sustainability of marine and terrestrial ecosystems in southern Africa provides a synthesis of the…
research program Science Partnerships for the Adaptation to Complex Earth System Processes (SPACES II, 2018-2022). It addresses the scientific, social, and economic issues related to climate change, its potential impacts on the various ecosystems, adaptations, and management interventions for enhancing systems resilience in Southern Africa. It is written by numerous scientists from African states and Germany and summarizes the latest research findings, which are of great relevance for a better understanding of climate change impacts, adaptations, and vulnerabilities as well as for developing management options and policy options to reduce the associated risks. This is crucial considering that the projected African population increase is exceptional. Furthermore, climate change is assumed to hit southern Africa extremely hard with a significant increase in extreme events and the frequency of severe droughts, heat waves, and flooding. Southern Africa hosts a high variety of ecosystems, which belongs to important biodiversity hotspots for unique flora and fauna. The surrounding oceans form, in turn, a bottle neck within the ocean’s global thermohaline circulation, act as a still poorly understood carbon sink and source and play an important role for fisheries as they are highly productive. Considering these important aspects, the book is an important interdisciplinary contribution to the scientific literature and will find a wide readership.The book is aimed at students, teachers, and scientists in the fields of terrestrial and marine ecology, environmental, nature and landscape planning, agriculture, environmental and resource management, biodiversity, and nature conservation, as well as scientists and representatives in specialised authorities and associations, nature conservationists, and policy makers of related disciplines.Cosmopolitical Ecologies Across Asia: Places and Practices of Power in Changing Environments (ISSN)
Par Riamsara Kuyakanon, Hildegard Diemberger, David Sneath. 2022
Cosmopolitical Ecologies Across Asia offers a unique insight into the non-human and spiritual dimensions of environmental management in a changing…
world.This volume presents a comparative, place-based exploration of landscapes across Asia and the entities, practices and knowledges that inhabit them. Rather than treating sacred mountains, terrains and water sources as self-contained, esoteric religious phenomena, the authors consider them within critical 'cosmopolitical ecologies' framings in which non-human entities are engaged as actors in the socio-political arena. The chapters include case studies of healing springs recognized by governments, and sacred mountains that are addressed by heads of states and Communist Party cadres, or that speak to the faithful through spirit mediums in a politics of re-enchantment. Contributors explore the diverse ways in which non-human entities such as forest spirits, reindeer, mountains and Buddhist Masters of the Land are engaged by humans to navigate environmental change and address a range of ecological threats from large-scale mining to climate change. Cosmopolitical ecologies approaches encompass the healing power of topography as well as transformative intimacies with other-than-human beings such as sparrows within an Islamic eco-theological poetic setting. In this light the book observes dynamic and creative processes of cosmological innovation including the repurposing of ritual to address challenges such as the Covid-19 epidemic.This book will be of great interest to students and scholars of environment and society across disciplinary perspectives in general, and to anthropologists, human geographers, political ecologists, indigenous studies, area studies, environmental sciences and environmental humanities scholars in particular.The Introduction to this book is freely available as a downloadable Open Access PDF at http://www.taylorfrancis.com under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives (CC-BY-NC-ND) 4.0 license.Local Responses to Mine Closure in South Africa: Dependencies and Social Disruption (Routledge Studies of the Extractive Industries and Sustainable Development)
Par Sethulego Matebesi, Lochner Marais, Verna Nel. 2024
This book investigates mine closure and local responses in South Africa, linking dependencies and social disruption. Mine closure presents a…
major challenge to the mining industry and government policymakers globally, but particularly in the Global South. South Africa is experiencing notable numbers of mine closures, and this book explores the notion of social disruption, a concept often applied to describe the effects of mine growth on communities but often neglecting the impact of mine closures. The book begins with three theoretical chapters that discuss theory, closure cost frameworks and policy development in South Africa. It uses evolutionary governance theory to show how mining creates dependencies and how mining growth often blinds communities and governments to the likelihood of closure. Too easily, mining goes ahead with no concern for the possibility, or indeed inevitability, of eventual closure and how mining communities will cope. These impacts are showcased through eight place-based case studies from across South Africa, one focusing on mine workers, to demonstrate that mine closure causes significant social disruption. This book will be of interest to students and scholars researching the social impacts of mining and the extractive industries, social geography and sustainable development, as well as policymakers and practitioners working with mine closure and social impact assessments.Japanese Whaling and the People Behind It: A Look from Within (Routledge Contemporary Japan Series)
Par Nadzeya Shutava. 2024
This book explores the recent developments in global and Japanese whaling from the viewpoint of the members of the Japanese…
whaling community, a perspective that is largely neglected and misinterpreted. Japanese whaling has been one of the most contentious issues in global environmental governance in recent years, and Japan is often harshly criticized for its whaling programs. By distinguishing between the different whaling-related actors and their experiences, this book widens our understanding of why whaling programs continue to exist. Rich in ethnographic data, the book includes in-depth interviews with representatives of the Japanese whaling community, from government officials to fishermen, shedding light on what whaling represents, both historically and today. As an ethnographic study of a divisive and controversial subject, this book will appeal to a wide range of students and scholars, including, but not limited to, those interested in Japanese studies, anthropology, political science, and ocean resource management.Adoption of Emerging Information and Communication Technology for Sustainability
Par Ewa Ziemba, Jarosław. 2024
This book represents an important voice in the discourse on the adoption of emerging ICT for sustainability. It focuses on…
how emerging ICT acts as a crucial enabler of sustainability, offering new forward-looking approaches to this field. The book explores how emerging ICT adoption drives sustainability efforts in business and public organizations, promoting ecological, economic, social, cultural, and political sustainability. The book's theoretical discussions, conceptual approaches, empirical studies, diverse perspectives, and views make it a valuable and comprehensive reference work. Appealing to both researchers and practitioners, this book provides significant areas for research and practice related to the contribution of emerging ICT adoption to sustainability. It also suggests vital considerations for programming and building sustainable development-driven emerging ICT adoption. Readers will find answers to important contemporary questions, such as: What are the concepts, frameworks, models, and approaches to enhance sustainable development through the adoption of emerging ICT? How does the adoption of emerging ICT influence sustainability? How can emerging ICT be adopted to enhance sustainability? What are the current practices and successful cases of emerging ICT adoption for sustainability? What factors influence emerging ICT adoption to enhance sustainability?At Every Depth: Our Growing Knowledge of the Changing Oceans
Par Tessa Hill, Eric Simons. 2024
The world’s oceans are changing at a drastic pace. Beneath the waves and along the coasts, climate change and environmental…
degradation have spurred the most radical transformations in human history. In response, the people who know the ocean most intimately are taking action for the sake of our shared future. Community scientists track species in California tidepools. Researchers dive into the waters around Sydney to replant kelp forests. Scientists and First Nations communities collaborate to restore clam gardens in the Pacific Northwest.In At Every Depth, the oceanographer Tessa Hill and the science journalist Eric Simons profile these and other efforts to understand and protect marine environments, taking readers to habitats from shallow tidepools to the deep sea. They delve into the many human connections to the ocean—how people live with and make their living from the waters—journeying to places as far-flung as coral reefs, the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, and the Arctic and Antarctic poles. At Every Depth shares the stories of people from all walks of life, including scientists, coastal community members, Indigenous people, shellfish farmers, and fisheries workers. It brings together varied viewpoints, showing how scientists’ research and local and Indigenous knowledge can complement each other to inform a more sustainable future. Poignantly written and grounded in science, this book offers a narrative perspective on the changing oceans, letting us see how our relationships to the oceans are changing too.Wild Wasatch Front: Explore the Amazing Nature in and around Salt Lake City (Wild Series)
Par Natural History Museum of Utah. 2024
A vibrant, informative guide to the unexpected nature in Salt Lake City and the surrounding area. Set out on a…
field trip with the experts from the Natural History Museum of Utah. In this book, you&’ll learn about over 100 local species, both plants and animals. Be on the lookout for painted turtles in Ogden, spot pelicans soaring over Provo, and identify pavement mushrooms in Salt Lake City. Equal parts field guide and trip planner, Wild Wasatch Front reveals the unexpected nature thriving in parks, beside urban streams, along local trails… and maybe even in your own backyard.Eel Science (Fisheries Science Series)
Par Katsumi Tsukamoto, Mari Kuroki, Soichi Watanabe. 2023
This book is a compilation of eel research and fish migration studies for more than 40 years showing the research…
history and recent advances in eel studies. Dr. Katsumi Tsukamoto, the esteemed editor of this book, has been actively involved in eel research as one of the leading scientists in the world for a long time, and he and his team successfully collected the fertilized eggs and spawn-condition adult eels from the wild for the first time in the world. This book compiles the essentials of the scientific findings obtained by the editor and his colleagues and reviews the latest references of eel science. Knowledge and information in the book such as a spawning area survey, research on artificial production of glass eels, the discovery of a new species, etc. will attract the reader’s interest, as these are written based on the authors’ experiences. Readers can obtain a comprehensive understanding of eels from various aspects of eel science including the cultural and socio-economic importance of eels and valuable scientific information using state-of-the-art approaches. The book also endeavors to contribute to the conservation of eel species, some of which have been classified as endangered by the IUCN and to promoting harmonious coexistence between humans and nature.Tropical Peatland Eco-evaluation
Par Mitsuru Osaki, Nobuyuki Tsuji, Tsuyoshi Kato, Albertus Sulaiman. 2023
This book focuses on eco-evaluation system monitoring and sensing, carbon-water modeling, mapping, and disaster prediction. It is the 3rd book…
on tropical peatland issues, following 1st "Tropical Peatland Ecosystem" and 2nd "Tropical Peatland Eco-management" publications. Tropical peatland is also a wetland, mangrove, and rainforest. With this nature, two major key elements of tropical peatland are water and forest. This book introduces the relationship and interaction among water, oxygen, and nutrients as well as aspects of the forest as the driving force of carbon stock and the carbon cycle. Eco-evaluation system is key to conserving, managing, and restoring tropical peatlands, however comprehensive system for Eco-evaluation in the Tropics is not yet established. This book reviews and proposes Eco-evaluation methods in the Tropics Ecosystem, focusing mainly on the peatland ecosystem and others, covering Social Capital such as Credit, Bonds, National Accounting, etc.Water & Wastewater Infrastructure: Energy Efficiency and Sustainability
Par Frank R. Spellman. 2013
A critical aspect of sustainability associated with water and wastewater systems is to maintain and manage infrastructure in the most…
efficient and economical manner while complying with environmental regulations and keeping rates at acceptable levels. Given the high cost of fuel, our growing population, and the associated increase in energy needs,Environmental Preservation and the Grey Cliffs Conflict: Negotiating Common Narratives, Values, and Ethos
Par Kristin D. Pickering. 2024
Based on a qualitative, ethnographic, observational case study approach, Environmental Preservation and the Grey Cliffs Conflictpresents an analysis of the conflict…
negotiation between the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and a local community that struggled to address a deteriorating Corps-managed recreational lake area in Tennessee known as “Grey Cliffs.” Viewing the dispute from the perspective of a new member of the community and a specialist in technical communication and professional writing, Kristin Pickering provides a unique perspective on this communication process. Though environmental degradation and unauthorized use threatened the Grey Cliffs recreational lake area to the point that the Corps considered closure, community members valued it highly and wanted to keep it open. The community near this damaged and crime-ridden area needed help rejuvenating its landscape and image, but the Corps and community were sharply divided on how to maintain this beloved geographic space because of the stakeholders’ different cultural backgrounds and values, as well as the narratives used to discuss them. By co-constructing and aligning narratives, values, and ethos over time—a difficult and lengthy process—the Corps and community succeeded, and Grey Cliffs remains open to all. Focusing on field notes, participant interviews, and analysis of various texts created throughout the conflict, Pickering applies rhetorical analysis and a grounded theory approach to regulation, identity, sustainability, and community values to analyze this communication process. Illustrating the positive change that can occur when governmental organizations and rural communities work together to construct shared values and engage in a rhetoric of relationship that preserves the environment, Environmental Preservation and the Grey Cliffs Conflict provides key recommendations for resolving environmental conflicts within local communities, especially for those working in technical and professional communication, organizational communication, environmental science, and public policy.Tree-spotting: A Simple Guide to Britain's Trees
Par Nell Bennett, Ros Bennett. 2022
A beautifully illustrated guide to the marvellous and varied world of trees, and a fascinating introduction to the hidden secrets…
of 52 British species. Botanist and ecologist Ros Bennett has spent a lifetime helping people understand and identify plants and always hoped her daughter Nell would grow up to share her love of the natural world.During Nell's childhood years they spent much time exploring the local woods together. Here, Nell discovered the visual and tactile beauty of trees.In Tree-spotting, Ros and Nell have combined their backgrounds and talents to show you – through Ros's extensive experience and Nell's exquisite illustrations – how to identify 52 British trees simply and confidently.A beautiful and captivating insight into the wonderful world of trees, Tree-spotting burrows down into the history and hidden secrets of each species. It explores how our relationship with trees can be very personal, and will bring you closer to the natural world around you.Wildlife Habitat Management: Concepts and Applications in Forestry, Second Edition
Par Brenda C. McComb. 2016
Shortlisted for the 2018 TWS Wildlife Publication Awards in the authored book categoryIn recent years, conflicts between ecological conservation and…
economic growth forced a reassessment of the motivations and goals of wildlife and forestry management. Focus shifted from game and commodity management to biodiversity conservation and ecological foreBiopesticides Handbook
Par Leo M. L. Nollet, Hamir Singh Rathore. 2015
The need to feed an ever-growing global population combined with increasing demand for sustainable agricultural practices has generated a significant…
rise in demand for biopesticides. By responding concurrently to the interests of farming, forestry, and industrial sectors, biopesticides offer a considerable potential for utilization in sustainableInsects and Sustainability of Ecosystem Services (Social Environmental Sustainability)
Par Timothy D. Schowalter. 2013
With few exceptions, insects are perceived in industrialized countries as undesirable pests. In reality, relatively few insects interfere with us…
or our resources. Most have benign or positive effects on ecosystem services, and many represent useful resources in non-industrialized countries. Challenging traditional perceptions of the value of insecPetroleum Economics and Engineering
Par Hussein K. Abdel-Aal, Mohammed A. Alsahlawi. 2014
This book explains how to apply economic analysis to the evaluation of engineering challenges in the petroleum industry. Discussion progresses…
from an introduction to the industry, through principles and techniques of engineering economics, to the application of economic methods. Packed with real-world examples and case studies demonstrating how to