Download or read book Ecosystem Ecology and Geochemistry of Cuatro Cienegas written by Felipe García-Oliva and published by Springer. This book was released on 2018-10-12 with total page 167 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Carbon (C), Nitrogen (N) and Phosphorus (P) are three of the most important elements used to build living beings, and their uptake from the environment is consequently essential for all organisms. Photosynthesis is the process in which plants absorb atmospheric C as they grow and convert it to biomass. However, plants acquire N and P only when these are available in the soil solution, which makes these elements the most limiting nutrients in plant growth and productivity in most ecosystems. When plant residues and roots decompose, the C, N and P they contain is transformed primarily into soil organic matter (SOM) or C and N can release to the atmosphere. Recent interest on the global C, N and P cycles has focused attention on the different proportion of terrestrial C, N and P stored in different ecosystem pools. Cuatro Cienegas represents an exceptional place, since the plants are not the base of the food web, they are the microbial community, that recycle the elements essential for life. In this book we describe how this is an analog of early Earth.

Download or read book Ecosystem Ecology and Geochemistry of Cuatro Cienegas written by Felipe García-Oliva and published by . This book was released on 2018 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Carbon (C), Nitrogen (N) and Phosphorus (P) are three of the most important elements used to build living beings, and their uptake from the environment is consequently essential for all organisms. Photosynthesis is the process in which plants absorb atmospheric C as they grow and convert it to biomass. However, plants acquire N and P only when these are available in the soil solution, which makes these elements the most limiting nutrients in plant growth and productivity in most ecosystems. When plant residues and roots decompose, the C, N and P they contain is transformed primarily into soil organic matter (SOM) or C and N can release to the atmosphere. Recent interest on the global C, N and P cycles has focused attention on the different proportion of terrestrial C, N and P stored in different ecosystem pools. Cuatro Cienegas represents an exceptional place, since the plants are not the base of the food web, they are the microbial community, that recycle the elements essential for life. In this book we describe how this is an analog of early Earth.

Download or read book Cuatro Ci negas Ecology Natural History and Microbiology written by Valeria Souza and published by Springer. This book was released on 2018-10-02 with total page 134 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The aim of this first book is to introduce the readers of the series to why Cuatro Ciénegas Basin (CCB) is so unique, starting with the reason why astrobiologists became interested in this oasis in the first place; namely, the high diversity and abundance of stromatolites and microbial mats in continental waters to be found in the desert oasis. As NASA has long since discovered, the basin may offer the best analog of early Earth. In essence, CCB is a time machine that can take us far back and forth in time. In the respective chapters, the contributing authors explain the extraordinary microbial diversity of Cuatro Ciénegas Basin from various perspectives. In order to do so, they explain their journey as well as the different tools used to unravel the basin’s mysteries, such as: Why are there so many species in a place without food? How has life there survived the enormity of tectonic shifts through the ages, maintaining its ancient marine heritage?

Download or read book Animal Diversity and Biogeography of the Cuatro Ci negas Basin written by Fernando Álvarez and published by Springer. This book was released on 2019-05-09 with total page 231 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume investigates the contemporary fauna that inhabit the Cuatro Ciénegas Basin. Divided into 15 chapters, it addresses and describes their diversity, taxonomic and biogeogaphic affinities, and ecological characteristics. The Cuatro Ciénegas Valley is a unique oasis in the south-central region of the State of Coahuila, part of the Sonoran Desert, in Mexico. Several clues, specially derived from the study of the microbiota, suggest a very ancient origin of the valley and its permanence through time. This condition had promoted a high level of endemism and led to unique interactions between the resident species.

Download or read book Astrobiology and Cuatro Ci negas Basin as an Analog of Early Earth written by Valeria Souza and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2020-07-14 with total page 237 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Astrobiology not only investigates how early life took hold of our planet but also life on other planets – both in our Solar System and beyond – and their potential for habitability. The book take readers from the scars on planetary surfaces made by space rocks to the history of the Solar System narrated by those space rocks as well as exoplanets in other planetary systems. But the true question is how life arose here or elsewhere. Modern comparative genomics has revealed that Darwin was correct; a set of highly conserved genes and cellular functions indicate that all life is related by common ancestry. The Last Universal Common Ancestor or LUCA sits at the base of the Tree of Life. However, once that life took hold, it started to diversify and form complex microbial communities that are known as microbial mats and stromatolites. Due to their long evolutionary history and abundance on modern Earth, research on the biological, chemical and geological processes of stromatolite formation has provided important insights into the field of astrobiology. Many of these microbialite-containing ecosystems have been used as models for astrobiology, and NASA mission analogs including Shark Bay, Pavilion and Kelly Lakes. Modern microbialites represent natural laboratories to study primordial ecosystems and provide proxies for how life could evolve on other planets. However, few viral metagenomic studies (i.e., viromes) have been conducted in microbialites, which are not only an important part of the community but also mirror its biodiversity. This book focuses on particularly interesting sites such as Andean lake microbialites, a proxy of early life since they are characterized by very high UV light, while Alchichica and Bacalar lakes are characterized by high-salt and oligotrophic waters that nurture stromatolites. However, it is only the oasis of Cuatro Ciénegas Basin in México that stored past life in its marine sediments of the Sierra de San Marcos. This particular Sierra has a magmatic pouch that moves the deep aquifer to the surface in a cycle of sun drenched life and back to the depths of the magmatic life in an ancient cycle that now is broken by the overexploitation of the surface water as well as the deep aquifer in order to irrigate alfalfa in the desert. The anthropocene, the era of human folly, is killing this unique time machine and with it the memory of the planet.

Download or read book Conflicts Between Biodiversity Conservation and Humans written by Valeria Souza and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2022-01-03 with total page 201 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book takes readers on a journey through the history of water in the Coahuila desert. It starts by describing the beauty and mysteries of the landscape, and then explores the rock art of the original desert cultures in Coahuila, offering readers a glimpse of the sacred nature of water in the desert, as well as the rituals surrounding it. Moving on to the colonial times and the post- independence development of the region, it discusses early water management, and explores how water is managed in modern times, as well as the legal complications of the law, and how these faulty laws, designed for less arid regions, have affected a highly diverse wetland, the Cuatro Ciénegas oasis. The book then examines the biological consequences of the water loss for the aquatic plants and animals in Churince – a now extinct system within Cuatro Ciénegas. Further, it addresses how even bacteria can become extinct in this hyper-diverse microbial oasis. Lastly, after this despair and sense of loss, the book provides hope, offering suggestions for how we can transform the future, from a social and educational point of view as well as through good science and changes in policy.

Download or read book Characterizing Modern Microbialites and The Geobiological Processes Underlying Their Formation written by Jamie S. Foster and published by Frontiers Media SA. This book was released on 2019-12-23 with total page 210 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book State of knowledge of soil biodiversity Status challenges and potentialities written by Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and published by Food & Agriculture Org.. This book was released on 2020-12-04 with total page 618 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: There is increasing attention to the importance of biodiversity for food security and nutrition, especially above-ground biodiversity such as plants and animals. However, less attention is being paid to the biodiversity beneath our feet, soil biodiversity, which drives many processes that produce food or purify soil and water. This report is the result of an inclusive process involving more than 300 scientists from around the world under the auspices of the FAO’s Global Soil Partnership and its Intergovernmental Technical Panel on Soils, the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Global Soil Biodiversity Initiative, and the European Commission. It presents concisely the state of knowledge on soil biodiversity, the threats to it, and the solutions that soil biodiversity can provide to problems in different fields. It also represents a valuable contribution to raising awareness of the importance of soil biodiversity and highlighting its role in finding solutions to today's global threats.

Download or read book Mexican Fauna in the Anthropocene written by Robert W. Jones and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2023-01-30 with total page 593 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This contributed volume presents an analysis of the current conservation status of major faunal groups in Mexico. The chapters describe a prognosis of future challenges, and also explore the expanding threats inherent in the Anthropocene within the context of the unique physical, biological and cultural aspects of the nation. Covering 27 chapters, and written by Mexican and international authors, this book analyzes a wide range of vertebrate and invertebrate animal taxa, their ecosystems and the critical processes related to their present conservation status. This volume is an important reference material for researchers, conservationists and students interested in the biological and ecological processes shaping the Mexican fauna.

Download or read book Conflicts Between Biodiversity Conservation and Humans written by Valeria Souza and published by Springer. This book was released on 2023-01-05 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book takes readers on a journey through the history of water in the Coahuila desert. It starts by describing the beauty and mysteries of the landscape, and then explores the rock art of the original desert cultures in Coahuila, offering readers a glimpse of the sacred nature of water in the desert, as well as the rituals surrounding it. Moving on to the colonial times and the post- independence development of the region, it discusses early water management, and explores how water is managed in modern times, as well as the legal complications of the law, and how these faulty laws, designed for less arid regions, have affected a highly diverse wetland, the Cuatro Ciénegas oasis. The book then examines the biological consequences of the water loss for the aquatic plants and animals in Churince – a now extinct system within Cuatro Ciénegas. Further, it addresses how even bacteria can become extinct in this hyper-diverse microbial oasis. Lastly, after this despair and sense of loss, the book provides hope, offering suggestions for how we can transform the future, from a social and educational point of view as well as through good science and changes in policy.

Download or read book Biogeochemistry of a Forested Ecosystem written by Gene Likens and published by Springer. This book was released on 1995 with total page 180 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Based on the classic ecosystem studies at Hubbard Brook in New Hampshire, this book presents an in-depth analysis of the biogeochemistry of a terrestrial ecosystem. It synthesizes long-term data on precipitation and streamwater chemistry, hydrology and weathering, and also considers the dynamics of atmospheric gases and water as they flow through the system. Hailed as "ÄaÜ standard for ecological teaching and research for years to come", the book "bristles with unsettled questions, intriguing problems, and technical challenges". This new edition brings the 1977 volume up to date and presents the ongoing Hubbard Brook study to a new generation of ecologists. The authors have international reputations: they won the $150,000 Tyler Prize in Environmental Science in 1993, and Likens also won the $250,000 Australia Prize in 1994.

Download or read book Ecology Diversity and Sustainability of the Middle Rio Grande Basin written by Deborah M. Finch and published by . This book was released on 1995 with total page 208 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book synthesizes existing information on the ecology, diversity, human uses, and research needs of the Middle Rio Grande Basin of New Mexico. Divided into nine chapters, the volume begins with reviews of the environmental history and human cultures in the Basin, followed by an analysis of the influences and problems of climate and water. Later chapters focus on ecological processes, environmental changes, management problems, and current conditions in Basin ecosystems identified as being especially susceptible to damage: pinyon-juniper woodlands, grasslands and shrublands, and the riparian bosque of the Rio Grande. Research needs associated with land management problems are identified for each of these ecosystem types. Many interrelated factors, identified here, have contributed to deteriorating environmental conditions in the Basin. Concluding chapters on the belowground ecology of specific Basin ecosystems and on declining populations of native fish species highlight topics in need of further attention. Each chapter seeks to identify studies that can supply information to mitigate environmental problems, rehabilitate ecosystems, and sustain them in light of human values and needs.

Download or read book Biogeochemistry of a Forested Ecosystem written by Gene E. Likens and published by Springer. This book was released on 2015-08-23 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The goal of this Third Edition is to update long-term data presented in earlier editions and to generate new syntheses and conclusions about the biogeochemistry of the Hubbard Brook Valley based on these longer-term data. There have been many changes, revelations, and exciting new insights generated from the longer data records. For example, the impact of acid rain peaked during the period of the HBES and is now declining. The longer-term data also posed challenges in that very marked changes in fluxes occurred in some components, such as hydrogen ion and sulfate deposition, calcium and nitrate export in stream water and biomass accumulation, during the almost 50 years of record. Thus, presenting “mean” or “average” conditions for many components for such a long period, when change was so prominent, do not make sense. In some cases, pentads or decades of time are compared to show these changes in a more smoothed and rational way for this long period. In some cases, a single period, often during periods of rapid change, such as acidification, is used to illustrate the main point(s). And, for some elements a unique mass balance approach, allowing the calculation of the Net Ecosystem Flux (NEF), is shown on an annual basis throughout the study.

Download or read book Ecology Research Progress written by Sebastián I. Muñoz and published by . This book was released on 2007 with total page 232 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The new book presents important recent research on ecology which is the study of the interrelationships between organisms and their environment, including the biotic and abiotic components. There are at least six kinds of ecology: ecosystem, physiological, behavioural, population, and community. specific topics include: Acid Deposition, Acid Rain Revisited, Biodiversity, Biocomplexity, Carbon Sequestration in Soils, Coral Reefs, Ecosystem Services, Environmental Justice, Fire Ecology , Floods, Global Climate Change, Hypoxia, and Invasion.

Download or read book Nitrogen Cycling in Ecosystems of Latin America and the Caribbean written by G Philip Robertson and published by Springer. This book was released on 2011-10-09 with total page 272 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The large and rapidly expanding body ofliterature related to nitrogen cycling in both managed and native terrestrial ecosystems reflects the importance accorded to the behaviour of this vital and often limiting nutrient. Research at the organism, ecosystem and landscape levels commonly addresses questions concerning nitrogen acquisition, internal cycling and retention. Goals for this research include increased agricultural productivity and a better understanding of human impact on local, regional and global nitrogen cycles. Nitrogen cycle research in tropical regions has a long and distinguished history. Research on different aspects of nitrogen cycling in ecosystems of the tropics has been carried out in many regions. In relatively few instances has there, however, been a focus on the biogeochemical cycles at the ecosystem level. The meeting resulting in this volume was an attempt to bring together existing information on nitrogen cycling in ecosystems of Latin America and the Caribbean and discuss this in an ecosystem context.

Download or read book Bibliography and Index of Geology written by and published by . This book was released on 1991 with total page 1504 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Great Basin Riparian Ecosystems written by Society for Ecological Restoration International and published by . This book was released on 2004-02 with total page 328 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Established by the USDA Forest Service in 1993, the Great Basin Ecosystem Management Project for Restoring and Maintaining Sustainable Riparian Ecosystems is a large-scale research study that uses an interdisciplinary approach to examine the effects of climate change and human disturbance on riparian areas. Structured as a collaborative effort between management and research, the project focuses on understanding the geomorphic, hydrologic, and biotic processes that underlie riparian structure and function and the interrelated responses of those processes to disturbances, both natural and anthropogenic. Great Basin Riparian Ecosystems, edited by Jeanne C. Chambers and Jerry R. Miller, presents the approach used by the researchers to study and understand riparian areas in the Great Basin region. It summarizes the current state of knowledge about those areas and provides insights into the use of the information generated by the project for the restor-ation and management of riparian ecosystems. Because semi-arid ecosystems like the Great Basin are highly sensitive to climate change, the study considered how key processes are affected by past and present climate. Great Basin Riparian Ecosystems also examines the processes over a continuum of temporal and spatial scales. Great Basin Riparian Ecosystems addresses restoration over a variety of scales and integrates work from multiple disciplines, including riparian ecology, paleoecology, geomorphology, and hydrology. While the focus is on the Great Basin, the general approach is widely applicable, as it describes a promising new strategy for developing restoration and management plans, one based on sound principles derived from attention to natural systems.