Download or read book Behavioral Compensation in a Low Phosphorus Environment and the Benefits of High Density in an Invasive Snail written by Brenda Kay Hansen and published by . This book was released on 2013 with total page 30 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Potamopyrgus antipodarum is a world-wide invasive snail that has established populations in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE), where it negatively impacts native grazers. Effective control methods for this invader require an understanding of how it is affected by conspecific and heterospecific interactions and nutrient limitation. Herein, I addressed these questions in two chapters. The first chapter compared the feeding rate and feeding preference between P. antipodarum and a native snail, Fossaria, and how each of these species alter foraging behavior under high and low densities of conspecific and heterospecific interactors. While both species increased the rate at which they consumed low quality relative to high quality food, only Fossaria had an apparent preference for high quality food over low quality when given a choice. While Fossaria decreased the amount of time spent feeding when any interactor was present, P. antipodarum was more likely to feed with a high biomass of interactors present, and particularly with conspecifics. I pursued this question further in chapter two, asking if P. antipodarum benefits from high densities of conspecifics. Using three increasing levels of density (1, 5 and 15 animals), I found that P. antipodarum is more likely to feed and spends more time feeding with 15 conspecifics, compared to the control (no interactors) and lower density levels. As in chapter one, P. antipodarum density had no effect on food choice. My results provide further insight into the foraging behavior of the invasive P. antipodarum and its potential impacts on a native grazer. While Fossaria is likely affected negatively by the high densities of P. antipodarum through decreased feeding, they may mitigate some of those effects by selecting higher quality food.
Download or read book Foraging Differences Between the Native Snail Fossaria Sp and the Invasive New Zealand Mudsnail Potamopyrgus Antipodarum in Response to Phosphorus Limitation written by Brenda K. Hansen and published by . This book was released on 2016 with total page 10 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Animals require food adequate in quantity and quality to grow and reproduce. Therefore, environments limited in key nutrients may promote competitive interactions, with the organisms best equipped to exploit these resources gaining a competitive advantage. We compared the foraging behavior of the New Zealand mudsnail (Potamopyrgus antipodarum), a worldwide invader that can dominate secondary productivity to Fossaria (Bakerlymnaea) bulimoides which is native to western North America to determine whether either of these animals modify their behavior to compensate for nutrient limitation. We used the amount of dietary phosphorus (P) as a measure of food quality, because P is often a limiting resource in freshwater ecosystems. We compared the feeding rate and food preference of each snail species to food containing two levels of P. Because potential competitors can also affect foraging decisions, we conducted additional experiments comparing the effects of conspecifics and heterospecifics under low and high biomass. Consistent with predictions, both species increased feeding rate of low P food, and P. antipodarum consumed more food per unit mass than Fossaria. However, only Fossaria displayed a preference for high P food. The two snails also differed in their response to interacting snails. Fossaria significantly reduced foraging activity in the presence of both conspecifics and heterospecifics, while P. antipodarum spent more time feeding under high conspecific density. Although the presence of high densities of P. antipodarum may negatively impact Fossaria in its native habitat, Fossaria?s ability to locate and preferentially feed on higher quality resources may mitigate some of the impact, potentially facilitating coexistence between these two species.
Download or read book Livestock s Long Shadow written by Henning Steinfeld and published by Food & Agriculture Org.. This book was released on 2006 with total page 418 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "The assessment builds on the work of the Livestock, Environment and Development (LEAD) Initiative"--Pref.
Download or read book A Handbook of Global Freshwater Invasive Species written by Robert A. Francis and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2017-08-11 with total page 456 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Invasive non-native species are a major threat to global biodiversity. Often introduced accidentally through international travel or trade, they invade and colonize new habitats, often with devastating consequences for the local flora and fauna. Their environmental impacts can range from damage to resource production (e.g. agriculture and forestry) and infrastructure (e.g. buildings, road and water supply), to human health. They consequently can have major economic impacts. It is a priority to prevent their introduction and spread, as well as to control them. Freshwater ecosystems are particularly at risk from invasions and are landscape corridors that facilitate the spread of invasives. This book reviews the current state of knowledge of the most notable global invasive freshwater species or groups, based on their severity of economic impact, geographic distribution outside of their native range, extent of research, and recognition of the ecological severity of the impact of the species by the IUCN. As well as some of the very well-known species, the book also covers some invasives that are emerging as serious threats. Examples covered include a range of aquatic and riparian plants, insects, molluscs, crustacea, fish, amphibians, reptiles and mammals, as well as some major pathogens of aquatic organisms. The book also includes overview chapters synthesizing the ecological impact of invasive species in fresh water and summarizing practical implications for the management of rivers and other freshwater habitats.
Download or read book Managing California s Water written by Ellen Hanak and published by Public Policy Instit. of CA. This book was released on 2011 with total page 500 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Edible Insects written by Arnold van Huis and published by Bright Sparks. This book was released on 2013 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Edible insects have always been a part of human diets, but in some societies there remains a degree of disdain and disgust for their consumption. Although the majority of consumed insects are gathered in forest habitats, mass-rearing systems are being developed in many countries. Insects offer a significant opportunity to merge traditional knowledge and modern science to improve human food security worldwide. This publication describes the contribution of insects to food security and examines future prospects for raising insects at a commercial scale to improve food and feed production, diversify diets, and support livelihoods in both developing and developed countries. It shows the many traditional and potential new uses of insects for direct human consumption and the opportunities for and constraints to farming them for food and feed. It examines the body of research on issues such as insect nutrition and food safety, the use of insects as animal feed, and the processing and preservation of insects and their products. It highlights the need to develop a regulatory framework to govern the use of insects for food security. And it presents case studies and examples from around the world. Edible insects are a promising alternative to the conventional production of meat, either for direct human consumption or for indirect use as feedstock. To fully realise this potential, much work needs to be done by a wide range of stakeholders. This publication will boost awareness of the many valuable roles that insects play in sustaining nature and human life, and it will stimulate debate on the expansion of the use of insects as food and feed.
Download or read book Invasive Species in the Pacific written by Greg Sherley and published by . This book was released on 2000 with total page 208 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Turning the Tide written by C. R. Veitch and published by IUCN. This book was released on 2002 with total page 428 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Includes papers and abstracts dealing with eradication of invasive species in Alaska, Australia, Baker Island, California, Christmas Island, Enderby and Rose Islands, Galapagos Islands, Hawaii, Howland Island, Japan, Jarvis Island, Laysan Island, Lord Howe Island, Mauritius, Mexico, Nauru, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, Northern Mariana Islands, Saint-Paul Island, Seychelles, West Indies.
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 Biogeochemistry of Wetlands written by K. Ramesh Reddy and published by CRC Press. This book was released on 2022-09-10 with total page 926 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The globally important nature of wetland ecosystems has led to their increased protection and restoration as well as their use in engineered systems. Underpinning the beneficial functions of wetlands are a unique suite of physical, chemical, and biological processes that regulate elemental cycling in soils and the water column. This book provides an in-depth coverage of these wetland biogeochemical processes related to the cycling of macroelements including carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur, secondary and trace elements, and toxic organic compounds. In this synthesis, the authors combine more than 100 years of experience studying wetlands and biogeochemistry to look inside the black box of elemental transformations in wetland ecosystems. This new edition is updated throughout to include more topics and provide an integrated view of the coupled nature of biogeochemical cycles in wetland systems. The influence of the elemental cycles is discussed at a range of scales in the context of environmental change including climate, sea level rise, and water quality. Frequent examples of key methods and major case studies are also included to help the reader extend the basic theories for application in their own system. Some of the major topics discussed are: Flooded soil and sediment characteristics Aerobic-anaerobic interfaces Redox chemistry in flooded soil and sediment systems Anaerobic microbial metabolism Plant adaptations to reducing conditions Regulators of organic matter decomposition and accretion Major nutrient sources and sinks Greenhouse gas production and emission Elemental flux processes Remediation of contaminated soils and sediments Coupled C-N-P-S processes Consequences of environmental change in wetlands# The book provides the foundation for a basic understanding of key biogeochemical processes and its applications to solve real world problems. It is detailed, but also assists the reader with box inserts, artfully designed diagrams, and summary tables all supported by numerous current references. This book is an excellent resource for senior undergraduates and graduate students studying ecosystem biogeochemistry with a focus in wetlands and aquatic systems.
Download or read book Responding to Oil Spills in the U S Arctic Marine Environment written by National Research Council and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2014-08-01 with total page 343 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: U.S. Arctic waters north of the Bering Strait and west of the Canadian border encompass a vast area that is usually ice covered for much of the year, but is increasingly experiencing longer periods and larger areas of open water due to climate change. Sparsely inhabited with a wide variety of ecosystems found nowhere else, this region is vulnerable to damage from human activities. As oil and gas, shipping, and tourism activities increase, the possibilities of an oil spill also increase. How can we best prepare to respond to such an event in this challenging environment? Responding to Oil Spills in the U.S. Arctic Marine Environment reviews the current state of the science regarding oil spill response and environmental assessment in the Arctic region north of the Bering Strait, with emphasis on the potential impacts in U.S. waters. This report describes the unique ecosystems and environment of the Arctic and makes recommendations to provide an effective response effort in these challenging conditions. According to Responding to Oil Spills in the U.S. Arctic Marine Environment, a full range of proven oil spill response technologies is needed in order to minimize the impacts on people and sensitive ecosystems. This report identifies key oil spill research priorities, critical data and monitoring needs, mitigation strategies, and important operational and logistical issues. The Arctic acts as an integrating, regulating, and mediating component of the physical, atmospheric and cryospheric systems that govern life on Earth. Not only does the Arctic serve as regulator of many of the Earth's large-scale systems and processes, but it is also an area where choices made have substantial impact on life and choices everywhere on planet Earth. This report's recommendations will assist environmentalists, industry, state and local policymakers, and anyone interested in the future of this special region to preserve and protect it from damaging oil spills.
Download or read book Wetlands and Human Health written by C Max Finlayson and published by Springer. This book was released on 2015-08-03 with total page 271 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The book addresses the interactions between wetlands and human health and well-being. A key feature is the linking of ecology-health and the targeting of practitioners and researchers. The environmental health problems of the 21st Century cannot be addressed by the traditional tools of ecologists or epidemiologists working in their respective disciplinary silos; this is clear from the emergence and re-emergence of public health and human well-being problems such as cholera pandemics, mosquito borne disease, and episodic events and disasters (e.g. hurricanes). To tackle these problems requires genuine cross-disciplinary collaboration; a key finding of the recently concluded Millennium Ecosystem Assessment when looking at human well-being and ecosystem health. This book brings the disciplines of ecology and health sciences closer to such a synthesis for researchers, teachers and policy makers interested in or needing information to manage wetlands and human health and well-being issues.
Download or read book Groundwater Surface Water Interactions written by Habil. Jörg Lewandowski and published by MDPI. This book was released on 2020-12-10 with total page 438 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Recent years have seen a paradigm shift in our understanding of groundwater–surface water interactions: surface water and aquifers were long considered discrete, separate entities; they are now understood as integral components of a surface–subsurface continuum. This book provides an overview of current research advances and innovative approaches in groundwater–surface water interactions. The 20 research articles and 1 communication cover a wide range of thematic scopes, scales, and experimental and modelling methods across different disciplines (hydrology, aquatic ecology, biogeochemistry, and environmental pollution). The book identifies current knowledge gaps and reveals the challenges in establishing standardized measurement, observation, and assessment approaches. It includes current hot topcis with environmental and societal relevance such as eutrophication, retention of legacy, and emerging pollutants (e.g., pharmaceuticals and microplastics), urban water interfaces, and climate change impacts. The book demonstrates the relevance of processes at groundwater–surface water interfaces for (1) regional water balances and (2) quality and quantity of drinking water resources. As such, this book represents the long-awaited transfer of the above-mentioned paradigm shift in understanding of groundwater–surface water interactions from science to practice.
Download or read book Guidelines for Drinking water Quality written by World Health Organization and published by World Health Organization. This book was released on 1993 with total page 260 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume describes the methods used in the surveillance of drinking water quality in the light of the special problems of small-community supplies, particularly in developing countries, and outlines the strategies necessary to ensure that surveillance is effective.
Download or read book The Trophic Cascade in Lakes written by Stephen R. Carpenter and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 1996-07-13 with total page 404 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This 1993 book documents the importance of trophic cascades in aquatic ecology.
Download or read book Biodiversity and Human Health written by Francesca Grifo and published by Island Press. This book was released on 1997-02-01 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The implications of biodiversity loss for the global environment have been widely discussed, but only recently has attention been paid to its direct and serious effects on human health. Biodiversity loss affects the spread of human diseases, causes a loss of medical models, diminishes the supplies of raw materials for drug discovery and biotechnology, and threatens food production and water quality. Biodiversity and Human Health brings together leading thinkers on the global environment and biomedicine to explore the human health consequences of the loss of biological diversity. Based on a two-day conference sponsored by the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, and the Smithsonian Institution, the book opens a dialogue among experts from the fields of public health, biology, epidemiology, botany, ecology, demography, and pharmacology on this vital but often neglected concern. Contributors discuss the uses and significance of biodiversity to the practice of medicine today, and develop strategies for conservation of these critical resources. Topics examined include: the causes and consequences of biodiversity loss emerging infectious diseases and the loss of biodiversity the significance and use of both prescription and herbal biodiversity-derived remedies indigenous and local peoples and their health care systems sustainable use of biodiversity for medicine an agenda for the future In addition to the editors, contributors include Anthony Artuso, Byron Bailey, Jensa Bell, Bhaswati Bhattacharya, Michael Boyd, Mary S. Campbell, Eric Chivian, Paul Cox, Gordon Cragg, Andrew Dobson, Kate Duffy-Mazan, Robert Engelman, Paul Epstein, Alexandra S. Fairfield, John Grupenhoff, Daniel Janzen, Catherine A. Laughin, Katy Moran, Robert McCaleb, Thomas Mays, David Newman, Charles Peters, Walter Reid, and John Vandermeer. The book provides a common framework for physicians and biomedical researchers who wish to learn more about environmental concerns, and for members of the environmental community who desire a greater understanding of biomedical issues.
Download or read book Stream Corridor Restoration written by and published by National Technical Info Svc. This book was released on 1998 with total page 648 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This document is a cooperative effort among fifteen Federal agencies and partners to produce a common reference on stream corridor restoration. It responds to a growing national and international interest in restoring stream corridors.
