Environmental Ecology

Preface


1 Introduction


1.1 The Scope of This Book


1.2 Growth of the Human Population


1.3 The Ecological Effects of Stress


2 Air Pollution


2.1 Introduction


2.2 Emission, Transformation, and Toxicity of Air Pollutants


2.3 Air Pollution and Human Health


2.4 Case Studies of the Ecological Effects of Toxic Gases


2.5 Carbon Dioxide, Climate Change, and Plant Growth


3 Toxic Elements


3.1 Introduction


3.2 Background Concentration in the Environment


3.3 Toxicity


3.4 Naturally Occurring Contamination and Its Ecological Effects


3.5 Anthropogenic Sources of Toxic Elements


4 Acidification


4.1 Introduction


4.2 Deposition of Acidifying Substances from the Atmosphere


4.3 Chemical Changes within the Watershed


4.4 Biological Effects of Acidification


4.5 Reclamation of Acidified Water Bodies


5 Forest Decline


5.1 Introduction


5.2 The Nature of Forest Decline


5.3 Case Studies of Forest Decline


6 Oil Pollution


6.1 Introduction


6.2 Characteristics of Petroleum and Its Refined Products


6.3 Oil Pollution


6.4 Biological Effects of Hydrocarbons


6.5 Ecological Effects of Oil Pollution


7 Eutrophication of Fresh Water


7.1 Introduction


7.2 Causes of Eutrophication


7.3 Case Studies of Eutrophication


8 pesticides


8.1 Introduction


8.2 Classification of Pesticides by Their Use and Chemical Characteristics


8.3 Environmental Impacts of Pesticide Use


9 Harvesting of Forests


9.1 Introduction


9.2 Consequences of Forest Harvesting for Site Fertility


9.3 Leaching of Nutrients from Disturbed Forest Watersheds


9.4 Soil Erosion Resulting from Disturbance


9.5 Hydrologic Effects of the Disturbance of Watersheds


9.6 Forest Harvesting and Wildlife


10 Loss of Species Richness


10.1 Introduction


10.2 Species Richness of the Biosphere


10.3 Rationalization for the Preservation of Species


10.4 Extinction as a Natural Process


10.5 Anthropogenic Losses of Species Richness


10.6 Back from the Brink-A Few Conservation Success Stories


11 Ecological Effects of Warfare


11.1 Introduction


11.2 Destruction by Conventional Warfare


11.3 Chemical Weapons in Warfare


11.4 Effects of Nuclear Warfare


12 Effects of Stress on Ecosystem Structure and Function


12.1 Introduction


12.2 Ecological Effects of Long-Term Chronic Stress


12.3 Ecological Effects of the Advent of Stress


12.4 The Alleviation of Stress

Glossary

Bibliography

Biological Index

Chemical Index

Geographical Index

Subject Index