Download or read book Alien Species in North America and Hawaii Impacts on Natural Ecosystems written by George W. Cox and published by Turtleback. This book was released on 1999-09-01 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The world is in the midst of ecological an explosion with devastating implications. Thousands of species of microbes, plants, and animals are being introduced, both deliberately and inadvertently, to new land areas, seas, and fresh-waters.Alien Species in North America and Hawaii provides a comprehensive overview of the invasive species phenomenon, examining the threats posed and the damage that has already been done. It offers a framework for understanding the problem and provides a detailed examination of species and regions. Specific chapters examine: -- North American invaders and their threats -- how exotic species are dispersed to new regions -- patterns of exotic invasions, with separate chapters covering each of the ten most seriously invaded regions and ecosystems -- patterns of invasiveness exhibited by major groups of exotics -- the theory of invasive capability of alien species and the resistance of communities to invasion -- management and public policy issuesAlien Species in North America and Hawaii offers for the first time an assessment and synthesis of the problem of invasive species in North American and Hawaiian ecosystems. Scientists, conservation professsionals, policymakers, and anyone involved with the study and control of invasive species will find the book an essential guide and reference.
Download or read book Alien Species in North America and Hawaii written by George W. Cox and published by . This book was released on 1999-09 with total page 408 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The world is in the midst of an ecological explosion with devastating implications. Thousands of species of microbes, plants, and animals are being introduced, both deliberately and inadvertently, to new land areas, seas, and freshwaters. In many regions, these new colonists are running wild, disrupting the dynamics of ecosystems, pushing native species toward extinction, and causing billions of dollars in direct economic damages.Alien Species in North America and Hawaii provides a comprehensive overview of the invasive species phenomenon, examining the threats posed and the damage that has already been done to ecosystems across North America and Hawaii. George W. Cox considers both the biological theory underlying invasions and the potential and actual effects on ecosystems and human activities. His book offers a framework for understanding the problem and provides a detailed examination of species and regions. Specific chapters examine: North American invaders and their threats how exotic species are dispersed to new regions how physical and biotic features influence the establishment and spread of invasives patterns of exotic invasions, with separate chapters covering each of the ten most seriously invaded regions and ecosystems patterns of invasiveness exhibited by major groups of exotics the theory of invasive capability of alien species and the resistance of communities to invasion theoretical aspects of ecosystem impacts of invaders and the evolutionary interaction of invaders and natives management and public policy issuesAlien Species in North America and Hawaii offers for the first time an assessment and synthesis of the problem of invasive species in North American and Hawaiian ecosystems. Scientists, conservation professionals, policymakers, and anyone involved with the study and control of invasive species will find the book an essential guide and reference to one of the most serious and widespread threats to global biodiversity.
Download or read book Alien Species and Evolution written by George W. Cox and published by Island Press. This book was released on 2013-04-10 with total page 393 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In Alien Species and Evolution, biologist George W. Cox reviews and synthesizes emerging information on the evolutionary changes that occur in plants, animals, and microbial organisms when they colonize new geographical areas, and on the evolutionary responses of the native species with which alien species interact. The book is broad in scope, exploring information across a wide variety of taxonomic groups, trophic levels, and geographic areas. It examines theoretical topics related to rapid evolutionary change and supports the emerging concept that species introduced to new physical and biotic environments are particularly prone to rapid evolution. The author draws on examples from all parts of the world and all major ecosystem types, and the variety of examples used gives considerable insight into the patterns of evolution that are likely to result from the massive introduction of species to new geographic regions that is currently occurring around the globe. Alien Species and Evolution is the only state-of-the-art review and synthesis available of this critically important topic, and is an essential work for anyone concerned with the new science of invasion biology or the threats posed by invasive species.
Download or read book Ecology of Biological Invasions of North America and Hawaii written by Harold A. Mooney and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2012-12-06 with total page 330 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The diversity of the earth's climates superimposed upon a complex configuration of physical features has provided the conditions for the evolution of a remarkable array of living things which are linked together into complex ecosystems. The kinds of organisms comprising the ecosystems of the world, and the nature of their interactions, have constantly changed through time due to coevolutionary interactions along with the effects of a continually changing physical environ ment. In recent evolutionary time there has been a dramatic and ever-accelerating rate of change in the configuration of these ecosystems because of the increasing influence of human beings. These changes range from subtle modifications caused by anthropogenically induced alterations in atmospheric properties to the total destruction of ecosystems. Many of these modifications have provided the fuel, food, and fiber which have allowed the expansion of human populations. Unfortunately, there have been many unanticipated changes which accompanied these modifications which have had effects detrimental to human welfare in cluding substantial changes in water and air quality. For example, the use of high-sulfur coal to produce energy in parts of North America is altering the properties of freshwater lakes and forests because of acidification.
Download or read book Nature Out of Place written by Jason Van Driesche and published by Island Press. This book was released on 2013-04-10 with total page 385 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Though the forests are still green and the lakes full of water, an unending stream of invasions is changing many ecosystems around the world from productive, tightly integrated webs of native species to loose assemblages of stressed native species and aggressive invaders. The earth is becoming what author David Quammen has called a "planet of weeds." Nature Out of Place brings this devastating but overlooked crisis to the forefront of public consciousness by offering a fascinating exploration of its causes and consequences, along with a thoughtful and practical consideration of what can be done about it. The father and son team of Jason and Roy Van Driesche offer a unique combination of narratives that highlight specific locations and problems along with comprehensive explanations of the underlying scientific and policy issues. Chapters examine Hawaii, where introduced feral pigs are destroying the islands' native forests; zebra mussel invasion in the rivers of Ohio; the decades-long effort to eradicate an invasive weed on the Great Plains; and a story about the restoration of both ecological and human history in an urban natural area. In-depth background chapters explain topics ranging from how ecosystems become diverse, to the characteristics of effective invaders, to procedures and policies that can help prevent future invasions. The book ends with a number of specific suggestions for ways that individuals can help reduce the impacts of invasive species, and offers resources for further information. By bringing the problem of invasive species to life for readers at all levels, Nature Out of Place will play an essential role in the vital effort to raise public awareness of this ongoing ecological crisis.
Download or read book Freshwater Biodiversity written by David Dudgeon and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2020-05-21 with total page 517 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Growing human populations and higher demands for water impose increasing impacts and stresses upon freshwater biodiversity. Their combined effects have made these animals more endangered than their terrestrial and marine counterparts. Overuse and contamination of water, overexploitation and overfishing, introduction of alien species, and alteration of natural flow regimes have led to a 'great thinning' and declines in abundance of freshwater animals, a 'great shrinking' in body size with reductions in large species, and a 'great mixing' whereby the spread of introduced species has tended to homogenize previously dissimilar communities in different parts of the world. Climate change and warming temperatures will alter global water availability, and exacerbate the other threat factors. What conservation action is needed to halt or reverse these trends, and preserve freshwater biodiversity in a rapidly changing world? This book offers the tools and approaches that can be deployed to help conserve freshwater biodiversity.
Download or read book Ecology of Biological Invasions of North America and Hawaii written by Herbert G. Baker and published by Springer. This book was released on 1986-10-10 with total page 352 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: With contributions by numerous experts
Download or read book Invasive Species in Forests and Rangelands of the United States written by Therese M. Poland and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2021-02-01 with total page 455 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This open access book describes the serious threat of invasive species to native ecosystems. Invasive species have caused and will continue to cause enormous ecological and economic damage with ever increasing world trade. This multi-disciplinary book, written by over 100 national experts, presents the latest research on a wide range of natural science and social science fields that explore the ecology, impacts, and practical tools for management of invasive species. It covers species of all taxonomic groups from insects and pathogens, to plants, vertebrates, and aquatic organisms that impact a diversity of habitats in forests, rangelands and grasslands of the United States. It is well-illustrated, provides summaries of the most important invasive species and issues impacting all regions of the country, and includes a comprehensive primary reference list for each topic. This scientific synthesis provides the cultural, economic, scientific and social context for addressing environmental challenges posed by invasive species and will be a valuable resource for scholars, policy makers, natural resource managers and practitioners.
Download or read book Invasiveness Ranking System for Non native Plants of Alaska written by and published by . This book was released on 2008 with total page 220 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Describes a ranking system used to evaluate the potential invasiveness and impacts of 113 non-native plants to natural areas in Alaska. Species are ranked by a series of questions in four broad categories: ecosystem impacts, biological attributes, distribution, and control measures. Also included is a climate screening procedure to evaluate the potential for establishment in three ecogeographic regions of Alaska [Juneau, Fairbanks, Nome].
Download or read book Living in the Lamblight written by Hans Boersma and published by Regent College Publishing. This book was released on 2001-01-08 with total page 232 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In recent decades many fundamental Christian assumptions about the nature of God and the world have come under attack. No longer can one assume even in many church circles that historic Christian beliefs about the Trinity and providence are generally accepted or understood. Scientific knowledge and new technologies have also presented challenges for the church. How, for example, should Christians understand the ecological crisis? And how should the opening chapters of Genesis be understood in an age of genetic research and evolutionary science? This collection of essays attempts to chart a faithful path for postmodern Christians, exploring the foundational ideas and concepts of a Christian worldview and suggesting their implications for Christian living today.Contributors: Hans Boersma John Cooper Marva J. Dawn Michael W. Goheen Christopher D. Marshall Arnold E. Sikkema John G. Stackhouse, Jr. Rikki E. Watts John R. Wood
Download or read book Planning for Biodiversity written by Linda Breggin and published by Environmental Law Institute. This book was released on 2003 with total page 112 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Encountering ETI written by John Hart and published by Lutterworth Press. This book was released on 2015-03-26 with total page 388 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 'Encountering ETI' weaves together scientific knowledge and spiritual faith in a cosmic context. It explores consequences of Contact between terrestrial intelligent life (TI) and extraterrestrial intelligent life (ETI). Humans will face cosmic displacement if there are other complex, technologically advanced intelligent beings in the universe; our economic structures and religious beliefs might need substantial revision. On Earth or in space, humans could encounter benevolent ETI (solicitous ofour striving for maturity as a species) or malevolent ETI (seeking our land and goods to benefit themselves, claiming that their 'superior civilization' gives them the right) - or meet both types of species. Earth Encounters of the Third Kind described by witnesses (including Native American elders) suggest that both may have arrived already: some have been accused of shutting down US and USSR ICBM missiles to promote peace; others of mutilating cattle or abducting people, perhaps to acquire physiological data on biota for scientific study or for other, unknown purposes. Scifi movies such as Avatar and novels like The Martian Chronicles describe humans as malevolent ETI aliens: we do to others what we fear others will do to us. A shared and evolving spiritual materiality could enable humanity to overcome cosmic displacement, and guide TI and ETI in a common quest for meaning and wellbeing on cosmic common ground.
Download or read book Encyclopedia of Biological Invasions written by Dr. Daniel Simberloff and published by Univ of California Press. This book was released on 2011-01-02 with total page 1580 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This pioneering encyclopedia illuminates a topic at the forefront of global ecology—biological invasions, or organisms that come to live in the wrong place. Written by leading scientists from around the world, Encyclopedia of Biological Invasions addresses all aspects of this subject at a global level—including invasions by animals, plants, fungi, and bacteria—in succinct, alphabetically arranged articles. Scientifically uncompromising, yet clearly written and free of jargon, the volume encompasses fields of study including biology, demography, geography, ecology, evolution, sociology, and natural history. Featuring many cross-references, suggestions for further reading, illustrations, an appendix of the world’s worst 100 invasive species, a glossary, and more, this is an essential reference for anyone who needs up-to-date information on this important topic. Encyclopedia of Biological Invasions features articles on: • Well-known invasive species such the zebra mussel, chestnut blight, cheatgrass, gypsy moth, Nile perch, giant African snail, and Norway rat • Regions with especially large numbers of introduced species including the Great Lakes, Mediterranean Sea, Hawaiian Islands, Australia, and New Zealand. • Conservation, ecological, economic, and human and animal health impacts of invasions around the world • The processes and pathways involved in invasion • Management of introduced species
Download or read book Weed Science written by Thomas J. Monaco and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2002-01-16 with total page 690 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The updated edition of the classic, fundamental book on weed science Weed Science provides a detailed examination of the principles of integrated weed management with important details on how chemical herbicides work and should be used. This revised Fourth Edition addresses recent developments affecting weed science. These include the increased use of conservation-tillage systems, environmental concerns about the runoff of agrochemicals, soil conservation, crop biotechnology, resistance of weeds and crops to herbicides, weed control in nonagricultural settings and concerns regarding invasive plants, wetland restoration, and the need for a vastly improved understanding of weed ecology. Current management practices are covered along with guidance for selecting herbicides and using them effectively. To serve as a more efficient reference, herbicides are cross-listed by chemical and brand name and grouped by mechanism of action and physiological effect rather than chemical structure. In addition, an introduction to organic chemistry has been added to familiarize readers with organic herbicides. Also included are guidelines on weed-control practices for specific crops or situations, such as small grains, row crops, horticultural crops, lawns and turf, range land, brush, and aquatic plant life. Generously supplemented with 300 drawings, photographs, and tables, Weed Science is an essential book for students taking an introductory course in weed science, as well as a reference for agricultural advisors, county agents, extension specialists, and professionals throughout the agrochemical industry.
Download or read book Iguana Invasion written by Virginia Aronson and published by Rowman & Littlefield. This book was released on 2010-03-24 with total page 172 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Burmese Pythons are crawling across Florida from Lake Okeechobee to Key Largo. Hundreds of thousands of Green Iguanas relax along canals and on pool decks around the southern part of the state. And other non-native animals like seven-foot Nile Monitor Lizards and poop-tossing Rhesus Monkeys are scaring Florida residents. How did all these animals get into our public parks, canals and lakes, undeveloped areas and suburban yards? The unfortunate truth is, kids and their parents are partly to blame. Parents are purchasing cute baby animals for their kids, then abandoning the unwanted adult pets in the Everglades and anywhere else they think the animals might survive on their own. Some species are indeed surviving—and they are breeding wildly, becoming nuisance species. This book provides identification information for the most common exotic species and has the answers to these questions: What are these animals and how did they get here? What is a humane way to get rid of them? When should a trapper be called? Can I feed them? Are they dangerous? What is the effect of all these exotics on the environment? What can we do to help with the problem? Readers learn how to stay safe, be humane, and appreciate nature—and are encouraged NOT to purchase exotic animals as pets. Recommended by the National Association of Science Teachers
Download or read book Biological Diversity written by L. N. Petrov and published by Nova Publishers. This book was released on 2003 with total page 262 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: One of the cornerstones of life's wonders is the vast array of species filling the planet. From plants to animals to humans, there is no shortage of beings to provide 'spice of life' variety is said to be. Periodically, scientists announce the discovery of a 'new' form of life, so it seems as if Earth is capable of producing new species just to keep us on our toes. At times, the immense breadth of living things can even feel overwhelming, as one pauses to ponder how numerically insignificant humans are when compared to the insect population. Given the biological diversity of the planet, it is incumbent upon humans to safeguard the natural beauty of the environment. To that end, conservation takes on special importance, necessitating the balancing of industrial expansion with preserving the flora and fauna surrounding us. This book is an important tool in understanding and researching the many different life forms spanning the globe. Collected here is a substantial and carefully selected listing of relevant literature on biological diversity and its conservation. Following this bibliography are author, title, and subject indexes to allow for further access to this information. The sheer bulk of the works about biological diversity can be so intimidating that a book such as this one becomes useful in sorting through the resources about the importance of life's variety.
Download or read book The Hawaiian Honeycreepers written by H. Douglas Pratt and published by OUP Oxford. This book was released on 2005-05-12 with total page 361 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Hawaiian Honeycreepers are typified by nectar feeding, their bright colouration, and canary-like songs. They are considered one of the finest examples of adaptive radiation, even more diverse than Darwin's Galapagos finches, as a wide array of different species has evolved in all the different niches provided by the Hawaiian archipelago. The book will therefore be of interest to evolutionary biologists and ecologists, as well as professional ornithologists and amateur bird watchers. As with the other books in the Bird Family of the World series, the work is divided into two main sections. Part I is an overview of the Hawaiian Honeycreeper evolution and natural history and Part II comprises accounts of each species. The author has produced his own outstanding illustrations of these birds to accompany his text.
