Download or read book Ecology and productivity of an African wetland system written by Gerard A. Ellenbroek and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2012-12-06 with total page 278 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Three and a half years of field study in Zambia and another three years of processing the data and writing up the results and conclusions preceded the publication of this book. During this period many people have assisted me with the collection of field data in Zambia and, after repatriation, with the processing of these data in the Netherlands. The research work carried out in Zambia was initiated by the Kafue Basin Research Committee of the University of Zambia. The members of this Committee felt the need to gather quantitative ecological data to enforce their position in the struggle for the water rights on the Kafue Flats. It was hoped that a study of the productivity of the grasslands on the floodplain and adjacent areas would confirm the expected high rates of primary production and the relation of these to the natural flooding pattern. These results would then serve as a base for the nature conservationist, the agriculturalist and the local people to challenge the demands of the Zambia Electricity Company, that presently governs the artificial flooding pattern. The methods attained to collect the data on productivity and vegetation structure are very time consuming.
Download or read book Resource Ecology written by Herbert H.T. Prins and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2008-01-21 with total page 320 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This multi-author book deals with ‘resource ecology’, which is the ecology of trophic interactions between consumers and their resources. All the chapters were subjected to intense group discussions; comments and critiques were subsequently used for writing new versions, which were peer-reviewed. Each chapter is followed by a comment. This makes the book ideal for teaching and course work, because it highlights the fact that ecology is a living and active research field.
Download or read book The ecology and management of African wetland vegetation written by Patrick Denny and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2012-12-06 with total page 355 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Interest in the biology of African 'wetlands' was initiated in the last century with the hypothesis that Lake Tanganyika was once part of a Jurassic sea, and was furthered by Cunnington's expedition at the beginning of this century which proved that it was not. In the late 1920's, ecological studies, encouraged by the growing importance of inland fisheries, were started hy British, French and Belgian biologists. Some twenty years later several government limnological research centres and fishery departments were established in tropical Africa, and scientific progress was accelerated. Scientific collaboration between the regions south of the Sahara was started formally in 1951 by the Scientific Council for Africa and stimulated by the International Biological Programme (1964-74) with its emphasis on biological productivity. Some of its interests were takcn on by SCOPE which recently selected continental wetlands as a Special Project; hence this book. The five authors, with-Patrick Denny as editor, have made a very valuable contribution both to science and to thc management of Africa's natural rcsourccs: thcy have filled a gap in the synthesis of knowledge about Africa's environments which is long overdue. The term 'wetland' is used today in several different contexts. For this purpose, it excludes the seas and large open inland waters. which are too deep for rooted plants, but includes the huge areas of floodplains and dambos which may change seasonally from standing water to very dry lands.
Download or read book Wetlands of the World I Inventory Ecology and Management written by Dennis F. Whigham and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2013-03-09 with total page 786 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The impetus for this volume was the 2nd International Wetlands Conference which was held in June, 1984 at Trebon, Czechoslovakia. An overview of the worlds wetlands was one of the themes of the conference and it was decided that a useful follow-up would be a publication on the same topic. The initial goal was to cover as many of the worlds wetlands as possible in one volume and to have an emphasis on wetland ecology, biota, classification, and management. Individuals who made presentations at the Trebon confer ence were asked to prepare chapters and the editors also solicited other contributions. For a variety of reasons, the initial goal has been difficult to reach, especially coverage of the entire globe, and it has been necessary to publish the contributions in more than one volume. Volume 1 represents the com pletion of the first phase of the project and it covers most of the Western Hemisphere, Australia, most of Africa, the Indian subcontinent, the Mediter ranean region, and Papua New Guinea. Volume 2 will contain chapters on Western Europe, Northern Europe, Central Europe, most of northern and It is our hope that Volume western Asia, the Middle East, and Indonesia. 2 will appear in the near future and, if possible, a third volume will be published if authors can be secured to cover areas such as the Far East, other parts of the Indo-Pacific region, and New Zealand.
Download or read book Wetland Ecology and Management Case Studies written by Dennis F. Whigham and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2012-12-06 with total page 178 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book contains papers on the topics of brought together wetland SCientists from all wetland ecology and management, most of continents and provided an opportunity to exchange valuable information on a variety of which were presented at the 2nd International Wetlands Conference in Trebon, Czechoslovakia aspects on the ecology and management of wetlands. (13-22 June 1984). The conference, hosted by the Hydrobotany Department of the Institute of Botany, was organized by the Czechoslovak This volume contains papers that represent aspects of wetland management. Like most Academy of Sciences and the International ecological topics, the papers clearly Wetlands Working Group of the International Association of Ecology (INTECOL) with demonstrate that the science of wetland management is not evenly developed around the cooperation from the SCOPE (SCientific Committee on Problems of the Environment) world. In some areas, wetlands have not even Working Group on Ecosystem Dynamics in been adequately described and there is little Freshwater Wetlands and Shallow Water Bodies, information about the impacts that man is UNESCO Man and the Biosphere (MAB) having on them. In other areas, information on Program, International Society for Ecological wetland ecology and management has developed Modelling, and the International Society for to the point where regulations and laws provide Limnology (SIL). Partial sponsorship for the some protection against development. It is our conference and these proceedings was provided hope this collection of papers will demonstrate by UNESCO (Contract SCjRPj204. 079.
Download or read book The Status and Distribution of Freshwater Biodiversity in Southern Africa written by Will Darwall and published by IUCN. This book was released on 2009 with total page 131 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: CD ROM to accompany this book available from Library Office.
Download or read book Wetland Ecosystems written by William J. Mitsch and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2009-04-13 with total page 309 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: New focused text introduces readers to wetland ecosystems and systems approaches to studying wetlands With its comprehensive coverage of wetland science, management, and restoration, Mitsch and Gosselink's Wetlands has been the premier reference on wetlands for more than two decades. Now, the coverage of specific wetland ecosystem types from earlier editions of this acclaimed work has been updated, revised, and supplemented with additional content in order to create this new text focusing exclusively on wetland ecosystems. This book now complements Wetlands, Fourth Edition. Following an introduction to ecosystems in general and wetland ecosystems in particular, Wetland Ecosystems examines the major types of wetlands found throughout the world: coastal wetlands, freshwater marshes and forested swamps, and peatlands. The final chapter reviews three fundamental systems approaches to studying wetlands: mesocosms, full-scale experimental ecosystems, and mathematical modeling. This new text features: Updated descriptions of the hydrology, biogeochemistry, and biology of the main types of wetlands found in the world New content introducing general ecosystems, wetland ecosystems, whole ecosystem and mesocosm experiments with wetlands, and systems ecology and modeling A detailed description of the ecosystem services provided by wetlands A broad international scope, including many examples of wetlands located outside North America Two new coauthors offering new perspectives and additional insights into the latest ecosystem and modeling techniques An abundance of illustrations helps readers understand how different biological communities and the abiotic environment in wetland ecosystems interact and function. Tables and text boxes provide at-a-glance summaries of key information. Lastly, each chapter concludes with a list of recommended readings. This text has been designed as an introduction for students and professionals in wetland ecology and management, general ecology, environmental science, and natural resource management.
Download or read book The Biology of Freshwater Wetlands written by Arnold G. van der Valk and published by OUP Oxford. This book was released on 2012-02-09 with total page 296 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Global wetlands exhibit significant differences in both hydrology and species composition and range from moss-dominated arctic peatlands to seasonally-flooded tropical floodplains. They are increasingly recognized for the important services that they provide to both the environment and human society such as wildlife and fish production, nutrient filtering, and carbon sequestration. A combination of low oxygen levels and dense plant canopies present particular challenges for organisms living in this aquatic habitat. This concise textbook discusses the universal environmental and biological features of wetland habitats, with an emphasis on wetland plants and animals and their adaptations. It also describes the functional features of wetlands - primary production, litter decomposition, food webs, and nutrient cycling - and their significance locally and globally. The future of wetlands is examined, including the potential threats of global climate change and invasive species, as well as their restoration and creation. This new edition maintains the structure and style of the first, but is fully updated throughout with new chapters on invasive species, restoration/creation, global climate change, and the value of wetlands.
Download or read book Hydrology and Water Resources of Africa written by M. Shahin and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2006-04-11 with total page 674 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Africa, the cradle of many old civilizations, is the second largest world continent, and the homeland of nearly one-eighth of the world population. Despite Africa’s richness in natural resources, the average income per person, after excluding a few countries, is the lowest all over the world, and the percentage of inhabitants infected with contagious diseases is the highest. Development of Africa to help accommodate the ever-increasing population and secure a reasonable living standard to all inhabitants, though an enormous challenge is extremely necessary. Water is the artery of life, without it all living creatures on earth cannot survive. As such, a thorough knowledge of the meteorological and hydrological processes influencing the yield and quality of the water resources, surface and subsurface, and their distribution and variability in time and space is unavoidable for the overall development of any part of the world. It is highly probable that the said knowledge is at present a top priority to Africa, a continent that has been for so long-and probably still-devastated by the endless ambitions of colonial powers not to forget the corruption and destruction practiced by the internal powers, at least in some countries. The present book “Hydrology and Water Resources of Africa” is written with the aim of bringing together in one volume a fair amount of knowledge any professional involved in hydrology and water resources of Africa needs to know.
Download or read book Aquatic Ecosystems written by Nicholas V. C. Polunin and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2008-09-11 with total page 941 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Concern about future supplies of fresh water to society, to meet the full range of human needs, now comes very high on the priority list of global societal issues. An overarching issue, which this book addresses, is whether global climate change is a dominant driver of change in the structure and function of all natural water-based ecosystems, or whether direct human population growth and accelerated consumption are playing an equal or greater role. This book divides the whole aquatic realm into 21 ecosystems, from those on land (both saline and fresh water) to those of the open and deep oceans. It draws on the understanding of leading ecologists to summarize the state and likely condition by the year 2025 of each of the ecosystems. Written for academic researchers and environmental professionals, the aim is to put the climate change debate into a broader context as a basis for conservation science and planning.
Download or read book Sustaining the World s Wetlands written by Richard Smardon and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2009-06-13 with total page 340 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Wetlands throughout the world, including those described in this book are among the most sensitive and vulnerable ecosystems. They are critical habitats to the world’s migratory birds and a broad range of endangered mammal, reptile, amphibian, and plant species. They provide a broad range of flood storage, pollution control, water supply, ecotourism functions to indigenous peoples and country populations as a whole. They are also at the center of severe land and water use conflicts. These are conflicts between counties where wetland resources or the water supplies required for such resources involve more than one country. These are conflicts in use such as conflicts between habitat protection and charcoal production in mangroves. These are conflicts between groups of peoples such as indigenous peoples and hydropower advocates. Many wetlands have already been destroyed by water extractions, dams, levees, channelization, and fills. Others have been degraded by water pollution, overfishing and overhunting, timber harvest, and a host of other activities. This book describes these conflicts and international policies and institutions developed to protect and manage wetland resources. Most of the broader literature and other books on wetlands focuses on wildlife. Wildlife is described in the case studies, which follow. But, Richard Smardon provides us with more. He traces the history of conflicts and the development of policies and insti- tions to protect and manage wetland resources.
Download or read book The Ecology of Areas with Serpentinized Rocks written by B.A. Roberts and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2012-12-06 with total page 425 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book The Contested Floodplain written by Tobias Haller and published by Rowman & Littlefield. This book was released on 2013 with total page 577 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Contested Floodplain tells the story of institutional changes in the management of common pool resources (pasture, wildlife, and fisheries) among Ila and Balundwe agro-pastoralists and Batwa fishermen in the Kafue Flats, in southern Zambia. It explains how and why a once rich floodplain area, managed under local common property regimes, becomes a poor man's place and a degraded resource area. Based on social anthropological field research, the book explains how well working institutions in the past, regulating communal access to resources, have turned into state property and open access or privatization. As a basis for analysis, the author uses Elinor Ostrom's design principles for well working institutions and the approach of the New Institutionalism by Jean Ensminger. The latter approach focuses on external factors and change in relative prices. It explains how local actors face changing bargaining power and use different ideologies to legitimize and shape resource use regulations. The study focuses on the historic developments taking place since pre-colonial and colonial times up to today. Haller shows how the commons had been well regulated by local institutions in the past, often embedded in religious belief systems. He then explains the transformation from common property to state property since colonial times. When the state is unable to provide well functioning institutions due to a lack in financial income, it contributes to de facto open access and degradation of the commons. The Zambian copper-based economy has faced crisis since 1975, and many Zambians have to look for economic alternatives and find ways to profit from the lack of state control (a paradox of the present-absent state). And while the state is absent, external actors use the ideology of citizenship to justify free use of resources during conflicts with local people. Also within Zambian communities, floodplain resources are highly contested, which is illustrated through conflicts over a proposed irrigation scheme in the area. The different actors and interest groups use ideologies such as citizenship vs. being indigenous, ethnic identity vs. class conflict, and modernity vs traditional way of life to legitimize land claims.
Download or read book The Vegetation and Physiography of Sumatra written by Yves Laumonier and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 1997-02-28 with total page 308 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Audience: An extremely important, landmark study of Malaysian vegetation, of interest to students and professionals in plant science, tropical botany, ecology, biogeography, climatology, physical geography, and remote sensing as applied to vegetation science.
Download or read book Heathlands written by R. Aerts and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2013-03-14 with total page 228 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Increased atmospheric nitrogen deposition and changes in the management of heathlands have caused a significant change in the species composition of the NW-European heathlands. This change from ericaceous towards gramineous dominance is analysed in detail in Heathlands: Patterns and Processes in a Changing Environment. Special emphasis is put on the effects of increased atmospheric nutrient input on nutrient cycling, competition between plant species and plant--herbivore interactions. The possibilities for the long-term conservation of heathlands are discussed by considering regeneration from seed and the usefulness of mathematical management models. The book provides a synthesis of pure and applied plant ecology. It is vital reading for plant ecologists, biological conservationists, heathland managers and government decision makers.
Download or read book Alpine Ecosystems in the Northwest Caucasus written by Vladimir G. Onipchenko and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2013-03-20 with total page 421 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Plant geographical description of the area, syntaxonomy, spatial patterns, floristic richness, structure of plant communities in relation to soil properties and herbivore influence were described for a mountain region that is difficult to access. Seasonal, inter-annual, and long-term dynamics of vegetation are discussed on the base of long-term observations as well as pollen and phytolith analyses. Population biology of alpine plants is studied by combination of field observations and mathematical modelling. Plant population strategies and soil seed banks are described for alpine plants from several communities. Results of long-term ecological experiments (plant reciprocal transplantations, dominant removals, light limitation) showed the significance of competition and facilitation for community organization. Structure of soil algal and fungal communities is represented as well as mycorrhiza of alpine plants. Main animal groups (wild) history and modern nature conservation problems are discussed.
Download or read book Miombo Ecology and Management written by E. N. Chidumayo and published by Intermediate Technology Publications. This book was released on 1997 with total page 188 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Miombo forest occurs in a swathe across central and southern Africa. Traditionally shifting cultivators have farmed in miombo, and allowed it to regenerate, but increasingly the demands for land and for fuelwood have resulted in deforestation. This book provides comprehensive details of the climate, environment, ecology and species characteristic of Miombo, and describes methods for assessing the timber and other resources, through inventories, in order to use the forest sustainably.
