Global Ecology

1st Edition - April 16, 2010
Editor: Sven Erik Jørgensen
Language: English
Hardback ISBN:
9 7 8 - 0 - 4 4 4 - 5 3 6 2 6 - 6
Paperback ISBN:
9 7 8 - 0 - 4 4 4 - 6 3 8 3 0 - 4
eBook ISBN:
9 7 8 - 0 - 4 4 4 - 5 3 6 2 7 - 3

Global Ecology focuses on the perception of the biosphere or the ecosphere as a unified cooperative system with numerous synergistic effects, which describe the distinctive pr… Read more

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Global Ecology focuses on the perception of the biosphere or the ecosphere as a unified cooperative system with numerous synergistic effects, which describe the distinctive properties of this sphere. This book is subdivided into five parts dealing with diverse aspects in global ecology.

The first part of the book provides comprehensive description of the biosphere, including its unique characteristics and evolution. This part also describes various spheres in the biosphere, such as the hydrosphere, noosphere, and pedosphere as well as their composition. The next part focuses on the global cycles, including calcium, carbon, iron, microbial nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorus, sulfur, and water cycles. In addition, global balances and flows are explained. Presented in the third part are the results of the global cycles and flows as well as the patterns of the climatic factors and marine currents. There is also a part discussing the climate interactions, climatic changes, and its effect on the living organisms.

The book concludes by covering the application of stoichiometry in the biosphere and in ecosystems. The book offers a comprehensive view of global ecology and ecological stoichiometry, which will aid in the processes of global ecology.

Contents

List of Contributors

Preface

Part A: Global Ecology, The Biosphere and its Evolution

    Introduction

    Abiotic and Biotic Diversity in the Biosphere

    Anthropospheric and Antropogenic Impact on the Biosphere

    Astrobiology

    Biogeocoenosis as an Elementary Unit of Biogeochemical Work in the Biosphere

    Biosphere. Vernadsky’s Concept

    Deforestation

    Environmental and Biospheric Impacts of Nuclear War

    Evolution of Oceans

    Evolution of ‘Prey–Predator’ Systems

    Fungi and Their Role in the Biosphere

    Gaia Hypothesis

    Hydrosphere

    Noosphere

    Pedosphere

    Phenomenon of Life: General Aspects

    Structure and History of Life

Part B: Global Cycles, Balances and Flows

    Calcium Cycle

    Carbon Cycle

    Energy Balance

    Energy Flows in the Biosphere

    Entropy and Entropy Flows in the Biosphere

    Information and Information Flows in the Biosphere

    Iron Cycle

    Matter and Matter Flows in the Biosphere

    Microbial Cycles

    Nitrogen Cycle

    Oxygen Cycle

    Phosphorus Cycle

    Radiation Balance and Solar Radiation Spectrum

    Radionuclides: Their Biochemical Cycles and the Impacts on the Biosphere

    Sulphur Cycle

    Water Cycle

    Xenobiotics Cycles

Part C: Global Patterns and Processes

    Agriculture

    Material and Metal Ecology

    Methane in the Atmosphere

    Monitoring, Observations, and Remote Sensing – Global Dimensions

    Ocean Currents and Their Role in the Biosphere

    Precipitation Pattern

    Temperature Patterns

    Urbanization as a Global Process

    Weathering

Part D: Climate Change

    Climate Change 1: Short-Term Dynamics

    Climate Change 2: Long-Term Dynamics

    Climate Change 3: History and Current State

    Coevolution of the Biosphere and Climate

    Global Change Impacts on the Biosphere

Part E: Ecological Stoichiometry

    Ecological Stoichiometry: Overview

    Ecosystem Patterns and Processes

    Evolutionary and Biochemical Aspects

    Organisal Ecophysiology

    Population and Community Interactions

    Trace Elements

Index

Sven Erik Jørgensen

Sven Erik Jørgensen was the professor emeritus in environmental chemistry at the University of Copenhagen. He received a master of science in chemical engineering from the Danish Technical University (1958), a doctor of environmental engineering (Karlsruhe University) and a doctor of science in ecological modelling (Copenhagen University). He was the honourable doctor at Coimbra University, Portugal and at Dar es Salaam University (Tanzania). In 1975 he founded the journal Ecological Modelling and in 1978 the ISEM (International Society of Ecological Modelling). He has received several awards, the Ruder Boskovic Medal, the Prigogine Prize, the Pascal Medal, the Einstein professorship at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the Santa Chiara Prize for multidisciplinary teaching and the very prestigious Stockholm Water Prize. He has published 366 papers of which 275 were published in peer-reviewed international journals and he has edited or authored 76 books, of which several have been translated to other languages (Chinese, Russian, Spanish and Portuguese). He has authored a successful textbook in ecological modelling “Fundamentals of Ecological Modelling”, which was published as a fourth edition together with Brian Fath in 2011. It has been translated into Chinese and Russian (third edition). He authored a well received textbook in system ecology entitled “Introduction to Systems Ecology”. It was published as an English edition in 2012 and as a Chinese edition in 2013. He was editor in chief of the Encyclopedia of Ecology, published in 2008, and of the Encyclopedia of Environmental Management, published in December 2012. He has taught courses in ecological modelling in 32 different countries. He is the editorial board member of 18 international journals in the fields of ecology and environmental management. He was the president of ISEM and he also was elected member of the European Academy of Sciences, for which he was the chairman of the Section for Environmental Sciences.

Affiliations and expertise

Emeritus Professor, Copenhagen University, Denmark

Life Sciences

Physical Sciences & Engineering

Social Sciences & Humanities

Health

Global Ecology

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Sven Erik Jørgensen