Skip to main content
Elsevier

Books in Agricultural and biological sciences

The Agricultural and Biological Sciences collection advances science-based knowledge for the improvement of animal and plant life and for secure food systems that produce nutritious, novel, sustainable foods with minimal environmental impact. Food Science titles include not only those products from agriculture but all other aspects from food production to nutrition, health and safety, chemistry to security, policy, law and regulation. Biological Sciences address animal behaviour and biodiversity, organismal and evolutionary biology, entomology, marine biology and aquaculture, plant science and forestry.

  • Pest Control Strategies

    • 1st Edition
    • Edward H. Smith
    • English
    Pest Control Strategies is a compilation of papers presented at the symposium held at Cornell University in June 1977. It covers various aspects and issues on pest control. It also discusses the risks and benefits of using pesticides on human health as well as on the economy and environment. Composed of four parts, the book provides an overview of the various alternative pest control techniques and identifies possible solutions on crop pest problems. Part 1 discusses the role of the U.S. Department of Agriculture in the integrated pest management programs and policy. The following part discusses the complexity of pest management in terms of socioeconomic and legal aspects. Part 3 presents the different case studies about pest management. These case studies include the potentials for research and implementation of integrated pest management on deciduous tree-fruits and other agricultural crops. The last part of this collection describes the current status, needs, and future developments of integrated pest management. This book will be relevant to extension leaders, educators, government officials, and agriculturists as well as to students, teachers, and researchers who are interested in the integrated pest management program.

  • Plant Peroxisomes

    • 1st Edition
    • Anthony H.C. Huang
    • English
    Plant Peroxisomes deals with the biogenesis of plant peroxisomes and its relevance to the proposed model for peroxisome biogenesis in germinated seeds. The book is divided into seven chapters that discuss the history, cytochemistry, morphology, properties, isolation, metabolism, enzymology, and ontogeny of plant peroxisomes. The book first explains how advances in electron microscopy and cell fractionation studies have led to the detection of peroxisome. The subsequent chapters discuss the types and metabolic functions of plant peroxisomes and the cytochemical procedures for establishing the localization of specific enzymes and for analyzing peroxisome distribution in nonflowering plants, algae, and fungi. A chapter presents methods of peroxisome isolation from various tissues and the physical and chemical properties of the isolated organelles. Considerable chapters are devoted to the metabolic functions, enzymatic activities, development of their form, and biochemistry of peroxisomes. Several key enzymes of the glycolate pathway of photorespiration found in leaf peroxisomes are presented. A discussion on the physiology of plant peroxisomes is provided. This book will be of value to professional scientists and graduate students concerned with plant metabolism and development.

  • Biochemistry and Physiology of Protozoa

    • 2nd Edition
    • M Levendowsky
    • English
    Biochemistry and Physiology of Protozoa, Second Edition, Volume 1 is organized into 13 chapters, beginning with a discussion on fine structure and phytogeny of phytoflagellates. This book discusses the structural features of protozoan cytochromes. Subsequent chapters explain sterol and carotenoid distributions in various groups, phycobiliproteins in cryptomonads, halotolerance in Dunaliella, physiology of coccolithophorids, the ameboflagellates, and bioluminescence of phytoflagellates. This edition also describes the most severe and best known of the toxins, saxitoxin, produced by species of Gonyaulax. Lastly, the physiological ecology of red tide flagellates is explained.

  • Handbook of Flexible Manufacturing Systems

    • 1st Edition
    • Nand K. Jha
    • English
    This handbook is a compilation of the current practical knowledge of flexible manufacturing systems (FMS). FMS allow manufacturing plants of all sizes to reduce their inventory while increasing their ability to meet consumer demands. By controlling automatic guided vehicles, robots, and machine tools with one central computer, products can now be produced in a variety of styles and models all at the same time. FMS are designed to adapt quickly and economically to changes in requirements and to unpredictable events. This guide explains how to effectively employ these useful new systems.

  • Agriculture in Dry Lands

    Principles and Practice
    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 26
    • I. Arnon
    • English
    Throughout history, man has, by over-use, consistently reduced the productive capacity of dry lands. This degradation of one-third of the land area of the globe is, unfortunately, increasing. In recent years, world interest has turned to the problems of pollution of the environment and the impending food shortage as world population grows explosively. Thus the attention of international and other agricultural bodies has turned to the need for preserving and developing more effectively the agricultural potential of these areas.This book provides a comprehensive review of present knowledge of the agriculture of dry lands, with special emphasis on measures for conserving their natural resources. Management practices are described which aim at optimizing productivity of rainfed and irrigated agriculture without adverse effects on sustainability. Land use in the dry regions, and its evolution throughout history is described and analysed, and the lessons to be learnt from destructive technologies are stressed. In particular, current proposals for an alternative agriculture are discussed and their justification is questioned. This is a generalist work, which specialists can also find interesting, not only in their own discipline but as a concise way of acquainting themselves with the state-of-the-art in associated fields. Increasing specialisation with each discipline using its own vocabulary leads inevitably to communication problems, and the need for multi-disciplinary teams makes inter-discipline communication indispensible.

  • The Hormones V2

    Physiology, Chemistry and Applications
    • 1st Edition
    • Mohhamad Reza Kiani
    • English
    The Hormones: Physiology, Chemistry and Applications, Volume II covers the chemistry, physiology, and clinical applications of the mammalian endocrinology. This volume contains 10 chapters, and begins with discussions on the physiology and the role of ovarian hormones and androgens on vital processes. The subsequent chapters explore the biochemistry, physiology, and metabolism of specific secreted hormones, such as adrenal cortex, thyroid, and posterior pituitary hormones, and gonadotrophins. Other chapters deal also with the chemical control of nervous activity of acetylcholine, adrenaline, sympathin, and neurohormones. The concluding chapter focuses on the clinical applications of the covered hormones and their role in mammalian growth. This book is an invaluable source for mammalian endocrinologists, physiologists, biochemists, and researchers who are interested in mammalian development.

  • Biology of Plant Litter Decomposition V2

    • 1st Edition
    • C.H. Dickinson
    • English
    Biology of Plant Litter Decomposition, Volume II is organized into two parts. The first part focuses on the organisms involved in plant litter decomposition, particularly, their structure and function. The second part deals with the environmental conditions under which breakdown occurs over the whole global surface. This volume separately considers terrestrial, freshwater, and marine environments. Furthermore, it describes two anthropocentric aspects: agriculture, with an emphasis on the importance of the saprophytic activity of plant pathogenic fungi, and the increasingly important composting of urban waste. This book will be invaluable to science students and instructors, as well as to biologists, botanists, marine ecologists.

  • The Structural Basis of Membrane Function

    • 1st Edition
    • Youssef Hatafi
    • English
    The Structural Basis of Membrane Function is a documentation of an international symposium of the same title. This book serves as a collection of the significant articles pertaining to the field of membrane research. It is composed of seven parts, where the first and last parts are articles contributed by scientific authorities. The book generally discusses the membrane research and this study’s relevance to the society. Then, the book specifically looks into membrane features, including its structure, processes in it, functions, and types. Some of the specific topics included in the discussion of each part are phospholipases and monolayers used in studies of membrane structure; molecular aspects of active transport; and electron-transfer in energy-transducing membranes. The book also explains the two functions in common of biological membranes; synaptic receptor proteins; and liver microsomal membranes. The scope of this book is broad and helpful to many fields of scienec. It will be of great benefit to students, teachers, scientists, and researchers in the field of biochemistry, biology, molecular biology, chemistry, pharmacology, and cellular biology among others.

  • Laboratory Methods in Vesicular and Vectorial Transport

    • 1st Edition
    • Alan Tartakoff
    • English
    Laboratory Methods in Vesicular and Vectorial Transport describes the procedures used to study the mechanisms of vesicular transport along the secretory and endocytic paths, including electron microscopy, autoradiography, and methods associated with cyto- and immunocytochemistry, genetics, and biochemistry. It investigates vectorial transport to the cisternal space of the rough endoplasmic reticulum (ER), as well as protein translocation across the ER, strategies for gaining access to the cytoplasm, cell-free analysis of vesicle fusion, the structure of glycoproteins, and the use of cell systems for analysis of vesicular traffic. Organized into seven parts encompassing 20 chapters, this volume begins with an overview of protein topology in the ER and the use of cross-linking methods to probe the molecular environment of translocating polypeptide chains. It then discusses the reconstitution of secretory protein translocation from detergent-solubilize... rough microsomes; the use of anti-idiotype antibodies to characterize protein-protein interactions; the use of perforated cells to elucidate intracellular membrane transport; delivery of macromolecules into cells expressing a viral membrane fusion protein; and digitonin permeabilization procedures for studying endosome acidification and function. The reader is also introduced to reconstitution of intracellular vesicle fusion in a cell-free system after receptor-mediated endocytosis; immunoisolation using magnetic solid supports; endosome and lysosome purification by free-flow electrophoresis; remodeling of glycoprotein oligosaccharides after endocytosis; and replica plating of animal cells. This book will interest students, researchers, geneticists, biochemists, and cell biologists.

  • Microbial Ecology of Foods V1

    Factors Affecting Life and Death of Microorganisms
    • 1st Edition
    • English
    Microbial Ecology of Foods, Volume I: Factors Affecting Life and Death of Microorganisms presents valuable background information on the theoretical aspects of food microbiology. It is divided into 14 chapters that focus on the environmental factors affecting food microorganisms. These factors are temperature, irradiation, water activity, pH, acidity, organic acids, curing salts, antibiotics, gases, packaging, and cleaning systems. Each chapter explores the scientific principles of the specific environmental factor; methods of measurement; and effects on growth and viability of spoilage organisms and pathogens. The chapters also look into the control measures and interrelationships with the other factors. Some of the chapters deal with the effects of cell injury on survival and recovery of microorganisms in food and the metabolic aspects of mixed microbial populations. In each chapter, the reader has been directed to appropriate key publications for further study. This volume is particularly suitable as an undergraduate or postgraduate textbook for students who have had at least one course in general microbiology.

Related subjects