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Books in Ecology and conservation

This portfolio encompasses ecosystem dynamics, biodiversity, habitat preservation, and sustainable management practices. Supporting ecologists, conservationists, and policymakers, it features innovative research, case studies, and effective strategies to protect natural resources and promote ecological resilience. Addressing global challenges such as habitat loss and species extinction, these resources provide valuable insights for sustainable development and environmental stewardship.

  • Mountain Biodiversity

    Pattern, Process and Challenges to our World's High-Altitude Areas
    • 1st Edition
    • Robert Marchant
    • English
    Mountain Biodiversity: Pattern, Process and Challenges to our World's High-Altitude Areas explores the highly biodiverse, culturally rich, and often threatened mountain regions that comprise a quarter of the world's continental land surface. These complex areas play a fundamental role in shaping continental-scale climates and have long been recognized as globally important centers of biodiversity. Mountains cover only 25% of global continental land surface yet are home to more than 85% of the world’s amphibians, birds, and mammals, many of which are entirely restricted to mountains. Despite their importance as stores of biodiversity and drivers of global sustainability, high altitude areas are particularly vulnerable to climate change and human interventions.Writte... by a leading expert in tropical mountain ecology, this book explores the processes that define the world's high-altitude areas in an easily digestible manner. Early chapters characterize high-altitude areas according to topography, fire regime, and climate. Dr. Marchant collates palaeoecological, archaeological, and historical insights to synthesize the intersection between mountain societies, ecosystems, and climate. Middle chapters examine the relationship between mountain climates and insect, bird, and mammalian biodiversity. Final chapters describe the future of land use, climate, and biodiversity, and explore opportunities to combine insights from different disciplines to enable pathways for more sustainable futures in sustainable mountain development.High-alt... regions are not adequately protected, and many mountain ranges remain completely unprotected. The status of these important storehouses of biodiversity is under increasing threat via population growth, climatic extremes, and land use change. High-Altitude Biodiversity will present current biodiversity across the world's mountains and use this information to identify priorities for new ways to understand, value, protect, and conserve high altitude areas. By taking a novel interdisciplinary approach that combines temporally and spatially diverse datasets from high altitude areas around the world, this can be used to inform future development.
  • The Manila Clam Ruditapes Philippinarum

    Science and Significance of a Globalised Species
    • 1st Edition
    • John Humphreys
    • English
    The Manila Clam Ruditapes Philippinarum: Science and Significance of a Globalised Species is an indispensable volume in the Estuarine and Coastal Science" book series offering the only comprehensive account of the Manila clam, covering its journey from its native range in China, Japan, and Korea to its exploitation and establishment in the USA, Canada, Europe, and the Mediterranean. By examining the science and global spread of this successful species, the book addresses broader issues of biological globalization and the exploitation of nature, posing significant questions and challenges for conservation policy and sustainable development in the Anthropocene era. Authored by Prof. John Humphreys, ECSA's President-Elect, this book draws on a multidisciplinary range of literature to cover essential information in the areas of aquaculture and marine biology.
  • Water Security for Ecosystems

    Metrics and Pathways for a Sustainable Future
    • 1st Edition
    • Amit Kumar + 3 more
    • English
    Water Security for Ecosystems: Metrics and Pathways for a Sustainable Future explores the mechanisms to support sustainable management of aquatic resources in the context of rising global water demand, global change, and population growth. By identifying resource consumption indicators such as fishing load capacity and virtual water trade, this book sets a clear framework for assessing the ecological footprint of extractive industries. It then proposes pathways to establish largescale water security via integrated aquatic resource management, water-efficient technologies, and sustainable policy intervention.Written by a renowned team of water resource managers, early chapters in this book define ecological footprints and explore the global policies, industries, and climate forces driving water insecurity. Central chapters explore novel and innovative water conservation techniques, advances in water resource management, and emerging technologies for sustainable water use. Final chapters explore global water policies and the role of international cooperation and propose a roadmap for minimizing aquatic ecological footprints.Water Security for Ecosystems acknowledges the increased strain placed on global aquatic ecosystems due to unsustainable water use, extractive fisheries and agricultural practices, pollution, and inefficient governance. Addressing these challenges will necessitate a multidisciplinary approach centered on sustainable water management, strengthened transboundary water governance, responsible consumption policies, and global investment to reduce our aquatic ecological footprint. By integrating science, policy, and community engagement in multidisciplinary management recommendations, this book positions itself as an essential resource for water resource managers, researchers, and policymakers alike.
  • Biotic Interactions across Gradients and Scales

    • 1st Edition
    • Wesley Dáttilo + 1 more
    • English
    Biotic Interactions across Gradients and Scales is a valuable exploration of the intricate connections of the web of life. From foundational ecological principles to current macroecological perspectives, this book examines the various dimensions of biotic interactions across spatiotemporal gradients in terrestrial and aquatic environments. Its integrated approach is crucial to understanding the potential responses of ecological networks to unprecedented stressors, including climate change, anthropogenic impacts, and loss of connectivity and functional redundancy. Written by renowned subject matter experts from the global North and South, this book introduces the concept of biotic interactions before delving into the physical factors influencing ecological networks. Central chapters describe the tools, methods, and history of study of biotic interactions. Latter chapters explore such networks across aquatic and terrestrial domains, before concluding chapters discuss disruptive stressors and open science opportunities for future research endeavors. Case studies, boxed elements, and end chapter review questions ensure student mastery of content. Biotic Interactions across Gradients and Scales examines the complexity of biotic interactions in terms of eco-evolutionary dynamics and outlines the necessary tools for studying and integrating the current knowledge on the topic, thus helping to uncover insights into the causes and consequences of biotic interactions for the structure of biodiversity patterns. This is an indispensable resource for resource managers, conservationists, professors and students of ecology, evolution, and biodiversity conservation.
  • Wetlands in a Climate-Changing World

    • 1st Edition
    • Yuanchun Zou + 2 more
    • English
    Wetlands are vital ecosystems worldwide, possessing unique and irreplaceable natural resources and ecological functions. Unlike other terrestrial ecosystems, wetlands are more directly connected to and influenced by climate change. They help mitigate global warming by serving as CO2 sinks and organic carbon reservoirs, but they also contribute to warming by emitting CH4. Wetlands in a Climate-Changing World aims to clarify the understanding of natural wetland structures, processes, and functions in the context of a changing climate, drawing on real-life case studies to help the reader comprehend current knowledge related to wetland research under the background of climate change.
  • Mangrove Ecosystem Dynamics

    • 1st Edition
    • Daniel M Alongi
    • English
    Mangrove Ecosystem Dynamics presents a comprehensive account of the various functions of mangrove habitats, from spatial dynamics of intertidal ecosystems to nutrient and biogeochemical cycling in sediments, tidal and coastal waters, and dependent species. This process-oriented approach is necessary to further understand the role of these dynamic habitats in the coastal ocean, and as a next step towards developing adequate strategies for mangrove conservation, management, and sustainable use.Written by a leading expert in mangrove biology and tropical marine ecology, this book takes an energetics approach to summarize the latest developments and knowledge in the field of mangrove ecology. Initial chapters discuss the fundamentals of intertidal environments and the spatial and temporal dynamics of mangrove habitats. Latter chapters address recent advances in food web energetics in tidal waters, exploring benthic invertebrate, planktonic, fish, and arboreal food webs. Final sections detail decomposition of organic matter, nutrient cycling, and carbon sequestration.Mangro... Ecosystem Dynamics addresses rapidly emerging and vital issues of climate change, blue carbon, sustainable management and restoration, and the connectivity and interdependence between mangroves and other coastal habitats and species. This new work offers a comprehensive functional view of the current and future state of mangrove ecosystems that will greatly benefit coastal and marine biologists, resource managers, conservationists, and students alike.
  • From the Catchment to Coast in Japan

    The Past, the Present, and the Future of Japanese Water Resources and Human Activities
    • 1st Edition
    • Takashi Asaeda + 3 more
    • English
    From the Catchment to Coast in Japan: The Past, the Present, and the Future of Japanese Water Resources and Human Activities addresses seven broad questions relating to water resource management in Japan: What water reforms have occurred in Japan over the past 100 years? What is the current condition of Japan related to regional and rural communities, major water-related assets, and salinity and water quality? How have the water reforms to date influenced policy and management? How do traditional and modern water resources differ from Western countries? What challenges face Japan over the next and beyond 30 years, particularly due to climate change?, and more.Other questions answered include: What are possible policy and management responses to climate change and other future challenges? What can be done to improve decision-making processes given the general lack of trust in the governments, agencies, and their current processes? What is the way ahead for policy and management reforms in Japan?, and much more.
  • Geomicrobiology of Río Tinto

    A Terrestrial Mars Analogue
    • 1st Edition
    • Ricardo Amils
    • English
    Geomicrobiology of Río Tinto: A Terrestrial Mars Analogue provides the most detailed biological and geological characterizations of one of Earth's best terrestrial Mars analogues. The acidic waters of Río Tinto and the high metal content of its sediments have given rise to a unique biodiversity. Understanding the geochemical and mineralogical conditions that have shaped the evolution of these extremophiles is essential to guiding the selection of sites for meaningful missions to Mars. Edited by a renowned astrobiologist with contributions from global experts with applied experience in Mars exploration missions, this book is systematically structured for a wide audience. Sections delve into the physical characteristics and biological diversity of Río Tinto, its suitability as a terrestrial Mars analogue, and the fundamentals and applications of geomicrobiology. Geomicrobiology of Río Tinto: A Terrestrial Mars Analogue provides its interdisciplinary audiences with the fundamentals to understand the paleontological record of the system, the diversity existing in its water column, the biological activities responsible for its extreme conditions, and their biotechnological applications and relevance to future exploration missions to the red planet. This is an essential read for astrobiologists, aquatic biologists, geomicrobiologists, paleontologists, and biotechnologists alike.
  • Restoration and Sustainable Development of Mine-Affected Soils and Degraded Lands

    Advances for Natural Resources Conservation and Land Sustainability
    • 1st Edition
    • Jaume Bech + 3 more
    • English
    Restoration and Sustainable Development of Mine-Affected Soils and Degraded Lands: Advances for Natural Resources Conservation and Land Sustainability delves into the latest advancements in sustainable post-mining land development. This comprehensive volume begins by assessing environmental legacies from mining activities, considering their impacts on different environmental spheres such as the pedosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere. It explores the interconnections between these spheres and the material fluxes that result from mining interventions, offering in-depth analysis for professionals in the field. The book also discusses the prediction and analysis of environmental benefits and challenges related to mine closures and the transition to renewable energy.It includes social and economic opportunities and obstacles of mine closure and the phasing out of coal, viewed from regional, national, and global standpoints. Management approaches are examined, considering environmental, socio-economic, and political challenges, drawing insights from successful experiences and lessons learned. Finally, the connection between soil and human health in mine-affected areas is analyzed, providing a valuable resource for mining engineers, soil scientists, and environmental resource managers.
  • Algae Classification and Species

    • 1st Edition
    • Pau Loke Show + 3 more
    • English
    Algae Classification and Species delivers a detailed overview of freshwater and marine algal diversity. It provides an essential introduction to the study of phycology with broad applications in diverse biological and biotechnological fields. Written and edited by a global team of experts in the field of phycology, this book is organized according to major algal taxa, including green, red, and brown macroalgae, benthic and planktonic algae, blue-green algae, diatoms, cyanobacteria, and microalgae. Chapters are structured to provide readers with a sweeping understanding of the breadth of marine algae, including their principal characteristics, evolution, phylogeny, distribution, preservation, and more.This book is designed to provide a complete, legible review of algal diversity. It is a valuable resource for researchers, biotechnologists, and students interested in developing their understanding of basic algal biology.