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Books in Environmental sciences

The Environmental Sciences titles present critical research and insights into the complex interactions within natural ecosystems, climate systems, and human impacts on the environment. Covering areas such as biodiversity, sustainability, climate change, and resource management, these titles support scientific discovery and practical solutions for addressing today’s most pressing environmental challenges. This collection is essential for researchers, policymakers, and students dedicated to advancing environmental understanding and stewardship

  • Plutonium in the Environment

    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 1
    • A. Kudo
    • English
    The first volume of the new series, Radioactivity in the Environment, focuses on the environmental occurrence, the speciation, the behaviour, the fate, the applications and the health consequences of that much-feared and much-publicised element, plutonium. Featuring a collection of selected, peer-reviewed, up-to-date papers by leading researchers in the field, this work provides a state-of-the-art description of plutonium in the environment.This title helps to explain where present frontiers are drawn in our continuing efforts to understand the science of environmental plutonium and will help to place widespread concerns into perspective.As a whole this new book series on environmental radioactivity addresses, at academic research level, the key aspects of this socially important and complex interdisciplinary subject. Presented objectively and with the ultimate authority gained from the many contributions by the world's leading experts, the negative and positive consequences of having a radioactive world around us will be documented and given perspective.
  • Forest Fires

    Behavior and Ecological Effects
    • 1st Edition
    • Edward A. Johnson
    • English
    Even before the myth of Prometheus, fire played a crucial ecological role around the world. Numerous plant communities depend on fire to generate species diversity in both time and space. Without fire such ecosystems would become sterile monocultures. Recent efforts to prohibit fire in fire dependent communities have contributed to more intense and more damaging fires. For these reasons, foresters, ecologists, land managers, geographers, and environmental scientists are interested in the behavior and ecological effects of fires. This book will be the first to focus on the chemistry and physics of fire as it relates to the ways in which fire behaves and the impacts it has on ecosystem function. Leading international contributors have been recruited by the editors to prepare a didactic text/reference that will appeal to both advanced students and practicing professionals.
  • Genomic Regulatory Systems

    In Development and Evolution
    • 1st Edition
    • Eric H. Davidson
    • English
    The interaction between biology and evolution has been the subject of great interest in recent years. Because evolution is such a highly debated topic, a biologically oriented discussion will appeal not only to scientists and biologists but also to the interested lay person. This topic will always be a subject of controversy and therefore any breaking information regarding it is of great interest.The author is a recognized expert in the field of developmental biology and has been instrumental in elucidating the relationship between biology and evolution. The study of evolution is of interest to many different kinds of people and Genomic Regulatory Systems: In Development and Evolution is written at a level that is very easy to read and understand even for the nonscientist.
  • Muddy Coast Dynamics and Resource Management

    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 2
    • B.W. Flemming + 2 more
    • English
    Muddy coasts are land-sea transitional environments commonly found along low-energy shorelines which either receive large annual supplies of muddy sediments, or where unconsolidated muddy deposits are being eroded by wave action.In providing 21 case studies in different parts of the world this book provides an up-to-date review of the state of the art in muddy coast research. Issues dealing with hydrodynamics and suspended matter transport, erosion, deposition, and sediment budgets on tidal flats, primary production, nutrient fluxes and mineralization in lagoons are treated in a multi disciplinary manner. Most articles deal with issues which are of relevance with respect to global warming and future sea level rise.
  • Geological Disposal of Radioactive Wastes and Natural Analogues

    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 2
    • W. Miller + 4 more
    • English
    Many countries are currently exploring the option to dispose of highly radioactive solid wastes deep underground in purpose built, engineered repositories. A number of surface and shallow repositories for less radioactive wastes are already in operation. One of the challenges facing the nuclear industry is to demonstrate confidently that a repository will contain wastes for so long that any releases that might take place in the future will pose no significant health or environmental risk.One method for building confidence in the long-term future safety of a repository is to look at the physical and chemical processes which operate in natural and archaeological systems, and to draw appropriate parallels with the repository. For example, to understand why some uranium orebodies have remained isolated underground for billions of years. Such studies are called 'natural analogues'.This book investigates the concept of geological disposal and examines the wide range of natural analogues which have been studied. Lessons learnt from studies of archaeological and natural systems can be used to improve our capabilities for assessing the future safety of a radioactive waste repository.
  • Encyclopedia of Biodiversity

    • 1st Edition
    • Simon A Levin
    • English
    First used in 1980, "biodiversity" often describes the abundance, variety, and genetic constitution of native animals and plants, and has been linked with politics and environmental technology. Although the 1986 National forum on biodiversity brought issues of biodiversity to the fore, the inescapable need to know more about the diversity of life on Earth continues to remain unmet.In recent years, biodiversity has influenced important scientific considerations, international agreements, conventions, conservation initiatives, political debates, and socio-economic implications. Knowledge derived from the study of biodiversity will affect the quality of life enjoyed in the future by influencing decision-making processes and aiding new discoveries.The science of biodiversity has become the science of our future. Our awareness of the loss of biodiversity has brought a long overdue appreciation of the magnitude of our loss and a determination to develop the tools to protect our future. The Encyclopedia of Biodiversity brings together, for the first time, a study of the dimensions of diversity. It examination of the services biodiversity provides, and measures to protect it. Major themes of the work include the evolution of biodiversity, systems for classifying and defining biodiversity, ecological patterns and theories of biodiversity, and an assessment of contemporary patterns and trends in biodiversity.
  • The Character Concept in Evolutionary Biology

    • 1st Edition
    • Günter P. Wagner
    • English
    Almost all evolutionary biologists, indeed all biologists, use particular features to study life. These characteristics or features used by evolutionary biologists are used in a particular way to unravel a tangled evolutionary history, document the rate of evolutionary change, or as evidence of biodiversity. "Characters" are the "data" of evolutionary biology and they can be employed differently in research providing both opportunities and limitations. The Character Concept in Evolutionary Biology is about characters, their use, how different sorts of characters are limited, and what are appropriate methods for character analysis. Leading evolutionary biologists from around the world are contributors to this authoritative review of the "character concept." Because characters and the conception of characters are central to all studies of evolution, and because evolution is the central organizing principle of biology, this book will appeal to a wide cross-section of biologists.
  • Seas at the Millennium

    An Environmental Evaluation
    • 1st Edition
    • C. Sheppard
    • English
    This valuable work, published in September 2000, provides a comprehensive review of the environmental condition of the seas of the world, sea by sea and region by region. It focuses on all aspects of man's interactions with the seas and with their biological and physical systems. The three volumes of Seas at the Millennium: an Environmental Evaluation cover issues of global and regional importance such as: biological description of the coast and continental shelf waters; development and use of the coast; landfill and its effects; pollutant discharges over time; effects of over-fishing; management methods and techniques used to ensure continued ecosystem functioning.The relative importance of water-borne and airborne routes differ in different parts of the world, so routes and paths of pollutant movement in different areas will be examined and described in their local and global context. Each chapter is written by experts in the field. The regional chapters include: an historical overview of the area concerned in environmental terms; uses to which it has been put and to which it is put today; its current environmental status and major problems arising from human use of both the sea and its watershed; informed comment on major trends, problems and successes; and recommendations for the future. The global issues chapters cover major habitats and species groups, governmental, education and legal issues, fisheries effects, remote sensing, climate change and management.
  • A Manual for Wildlife Radio Tagging

    • 2nd Edition
    • Robert E. Kenward
    • English
    Retaining the introductory flavor of the now classic First Edition, this revision includes all the latest techniques in the field. New information on methods of radio tag harnessing, new sections on satellite tracking techniques and new types of data analysis are all included. Still the only comprehensive, up-to-date, introduction to this fundamental technique for wildlife and behavioral biologists.
  • Advances in Marine Biology

    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 39
    • English
    Volume 39 is a standard volume with reviews on three different topics: the effect of the Exxon Valdez oil spill on the Alaskan ecosystem, the reproduction and development of peracarida (abundant marine crustaceans), and remote sensing of the global light-fishing fleet.