Download or read book Ecosystem Function Human Activities written by R. David Simpson and published by Springer. This book was released on 1997-01-31 with total page 338 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The innovative book examines a problem of growing concern and importance: obtaining accurate estimates of the ecological costs of human activities. The book covers a wide range of subjects, from the management and function of ecosystems to ecological issues affecting public policy. It focuses on the trade-offs inherent in environmental and conservation policy. Ecosystems provide resources that can be extracted and are valued in the market place, but the delivery of those resources depends on the functioning of natural processes whose maintenance may involve substantial costs. Investigating state-of-the-art analyses in ecology, ecological risk assessment, and environmental economics, this pioneering resource will be of value to economists, ecologists, environmental policy makers, and resource management professionals.
Download or read book Ecosystem Function Human Activities written by R. David Simpson and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2012-12-06 with total page 319 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: R. David Simpson Norman L. Christensen, Jr. Human Activity and Ecosystem Function: Reconciling Economics and Ecology Recognizing the need to improve social decision making on tradeoffs between economic growth and ecological health, the Renewable Natural Resources Foundation convened a workshop in October 1995 on "Human Activity and Ecosystem Function: Reconciling Economics and Ecology. " While the subtitle perhaps reflected unrealistic expectations, the presentations and discus sions at the workshop were a preliminary step toward that rec onciliation: bringing together ecologists, economists, other nat ural and social scientists, and policy makers to layout the issues, articulate their needs and perspectives, and identify common ground for further work. This volume contains the pa pers presented and reports generated from the workshop. We emphasize ecology and economics in this discussion. We could argue that organizing our inquiry around these diSCiplines is only natural. Ecology is the study of behavior of organisms within complex systems composed of a myriad of other organ isms and their physical environments. Increasingly, this disci pline has focused on how interactions among biological and physical components influence the overall functioning of ecosys tems. These components are increasingly being determined by viii Ecosystem Function and Human Activities human activities. Economics is the study of how we decide which of our needs and wants we choose to satisfy given our limited re sources.
Download or read book Conservation Biology for All written by Navjot S. Sodhi and published by OUP Oxford. This book was released on 2010-01-08 with total page 368 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Conservation Biology for All provides cutting-edge but basic conservation science to a global readership. A series of authoritative chapters have been written by the top names in conservation biology with the principal aim of disseminating cutting-edge conservation knowledge as widely as possible. Important topics such as balancing conversion and human needs, climate change, conservation planning, designing and analyzing conservation research, ecosystem services, endangered species management, extinctions, fire, habitat loss, and invasive species are covered. Numerous textboxes describing additional relevant material or case studies are also included. The global biodiversity crisis is now unstoppable; what can be saved in the developing world will require an educated constituency in both the developing and developed world. Habitat loss is particularly acute in developing countries, which is of special concern because it tends to be these locations where the greatest species diversity and richest centres of endemism are to be found. Sadly, developing world conservation scientists have found it difficult to access an authoritative textbook, which is particularly ironic since it is these countries where the potential benefits of knowledge application are greatest. There is now an urgent need to educate the next generation of scientists in developing countries, so that they are in a better position to protect their natural resources.
Download or read book Ecosystems and Human Well being written by Joseph Alcamo and published by . This book was released on 2003 with total page 272 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Ecosystems and Human Well-Being is the first product of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, a four-year international work program designed to meet the needs of decisionmakers for scientific information on the links between ecosystem change and human well-being. The book offers an overview of the project, describing the conceptual framework that is being used, defining its scope, and providing a baseline of understanding that all participants need to move forward. The Millennium Assessment focuses on how humans have altered ecosystems, and how changes in ecosystem services have affected human well-being, how ecosystem changes may affect people in future decades, and what types of responses can be adopted at local, national, or global scales to improve ecosystem management and thereby contribute to human well-being and poverty alleviation. The program was launched by United National Secretary-General Kofi Annan in June 2001, and the primary assessment reports will be released by Island Press in 2005. Leading scientists from more than 100 nations are conducting the assessment, which can aid countries, regions, or companies by: providing a clear, scientific picture of the current sta
Download or read book Valuing Ecosystem Services written by National Research Council and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2005-05-14 with total page 291 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Nutrient recycling, habitat for plants and animals, flood control, and water supply are among the many beneficial services provided by aquatic ecosystems. In making decisions about human activities, such as draining a wetland for a housing development, it is essential to consider both the value of the development and the value of the ecosystem services that could be lost. Despite a growing recognition of the importance of ecosystem services, their value is often overlooked in environmental decision-making. This report identifies methods for assigning economic value to ecosystem servicesâ€"even intangible onesâ€"and calls for greater collaboration between ecologists and economists in such efforts.
Download or read book Advancing the Science of Climate Change written by National Research Council and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2011-01-10 with total page 526 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Climate change is occurring, is caused largely by human activities, and poses significant risks for-and in many cases is already affecting-a broad range of human and natural systems. The compelling case for these conclusions is provided in Advancing the Science of Climate Change, part of a congressionally requested suite of studies known as America's Climate Choices. While noting that there is always more to learn and that the scientific process is never closed, the book shows that hypotheses about climate change are supported by multiple lines of evidence and have stood firm in the face of serious debate and careful evaluation of alternative explanations. As decision makers respond to these risks, the nation's scientific enterprise can contribute through research that improves understanding of the causes and consequences of climate change and also is useful to decision makers at the local, regional, national, and international levels. The book identifies decisions being made in 12 sectors, ranging from agriculture to transportation, to identify decisions being made in response to climate change. Advancing the Science of Climate Change calls for a single federal entity or program to coordinate a national, multidisciplinary research effort aimed at improving both understanding and responses to climate change. Seven cross-cutting research themes are identified to support this scientific enterprise. In addition, leaders of federal climate research should redouble efforts to deploy a comprehensive climate observing system, improve climate models and other analytical tools, invest in human capital, and improve linkages between research and decisions by forming partnerships with action-oriented programs.
Download or read book Stream Ecosystems in a Changing Environment written by Jeremy B. Jones and published by Elsevier. This book was released on 2016-07-07 with total page 566 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Stream Ecosystems in a Changing Environment synthesizes the current understanding of stream ecosystem ecology, emphasizing nutrient cycling and carbon dynamics, and providing a forward-looking perspective regarding the response of stream ecosystems to environmental change. Each chapter includes a section focusing on anticipated and ongoing dynamics in stream ecosystems in a changing environment, along with hypotheses regarding controls on stream ecosystem functioning. The book, with its innovative sections, provides a bridge between papers published in peer-reviewed scientific journals and the findings of researchers in new areas of study. - Presents a forward-looking perspective regarding the response of stream ecosystems to environmental change - Provides a synthesis of the latest findings on stream ecosystems ecology in one concise volume - Includes thought exercises and discussion activities throughout, providing valuable tools for learning - Offers conceptual models and hypotheses to stimulate conversation and advance research
Download or read book Understanding Marine Biodiversity written by National Research Council and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 1995-02-24 with total page 129 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The diversity of marine life is being affected dramatically by fishery operations, chemical pollution and eutrophication, alteration of physical habitat, exotic species invasion, and effects of other human activities. Effective solutions will require an expanded understanding of the patterns and processes that control the diversity of life in the sea. Understanding Marine Biodiversity outlines the current state of our knowledge, and propose research agenda on marine biological diversity. This agenda represents a fundamental change in studying the oceanâ€"emphasizing regional research across a range of space and time scales, enhancing the interface between taxonomy and ecology, and linking oceanographic and ecological approaches. Highlighted with examples and brief case studies, this volume illustrates the depth and breadth of undescribed marine biodiversity, explores critical environmental issues, advocates the use of regionally defined model systems, and identifies a series of key biodiversity research questions. The authors examine the utility of various research approachesâ€"theory and modeling, retrospective analysis, integration of biotic and oceanographic surveysâ€"and review recent advances in molecular genetics, instrumentation, and sampling techniques applicable to the research agenda. Throughout the book the critical role of taxonomy is emphasized. Informative to the scientist and accessible to the policymaker, Understanding Marine Biodiversity will be of specific interest to marine biologists, ecologists, oceanographers, and research administrators, and to government agencies responsible for utilizing, managing, and protecting the oceans.
Download or read book Humans as Components of Ecosystems written by Mark J. McDonnell and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2012-12-06 with total page 381 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Highlighting the importance to ecological studies of incorporating humans and their effects on ecosystems, leading experts from a variety of disciplines address a number of important issues, including: * the prominent role of humans in the function of ecosystems on Earth * why humans have been ignored in ecological studies * approaches taken by social scientists, historians, geographers, economists, and anthropologists in the study of human activities * the emergence of a new ecological paradigm accommodating human activities * methods for studying subtle human effects, and human- populated ecosystems * future research and training required to include humans effectively as components of ecological systems. Of interest to students and researchers in ecology, and to policy-makers and environmental managers. In addition, it makes social scientists aware of new opportunties for integrating their ideas with those of ecologists.
Download or read book Ecosystems and Human Health written by Crescentia Y. Dakubo and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2010-11-16 with total page 236 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Ecosystems and Human Health introduces Ecohealth as an emerging field of study, traces its evolution, and explains its applications in cross-disciplinary and holistic programs. Its integrative approach not only focuses on managing the environment to improve health, but also analyzes underlying social and economic determinants of health to develop innovative, people-centered interventions.
Download or read book Ecosystems of California written by Harold Mooney and published by Univ of California Press. This book was released on 2016-01-19 with total page 1008 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This long-anticipated reference and sourcebook for CaliforniaÕs remarkable ecological abundance provides an integrated assessment of each major ecosystem typeÑits distribution, structure, function, and management. A comprehensive synthesis of our knowledge about this biologically diverse state, Ecosystems of California covers the state from oceans to mountaintops using multiple lenses: past and present, flora and fauna, aquatic and terrestrial, natural and managed. Each chapter evaluates natural processes for a specific ecosystem, describes drivers of change, and discusses how that ecosystem may be altered in the future. This book also explores the drivers of CaliforniaÕs ecological patterns and the history of the stateÕs various ecosystems, outlining how the challenges of climate change and invasive species and opportunities for regulation and stewardship could potentially affect the stateÕs ecosystems. The text explicitly incorporates both human impacts and conservation and restoration efforts and shows how ecosystems support human well-being. Edited by two esteemed ecosystem ecologists and with overviews by leading experts on each ecosystem, this definitive work will be indispensable for natural resource management and conservation professionals as well as for undergraduate or graduate students of CaliforniaÕs environment and curious naturalists.
Download or read book Ecosystem Functioning written by Kurt Jax and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2010-09-16 with total page 287 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A new and integrative analysis of the concept of ecosystem functioning, providing guidance for its application in conservation practice.
Download or read book Ecosystem Functions and Management written by Harpinder Sandhu and published by Springer. This book was released on 2017-03-21 with total page 222 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This is the first book to provide vital information on key local ecosystems, their functions, state of health, and their role in development in an Asian context, particularly on the Indian subcontinent. It addresses six major ecosystems on the Indian subcontinent – mountain, rural, desert, forest, urban, and freshwater – and discusses their functions, how they support livelihoods and the economy, the impacts on ecosystem services, and management issues. Asia is home to nearly one third of the global population. With massive industrialization occurring at an increasing pace to support the lifestyles of a growing population, impacts on natural ecosystems are inevitable in this region. The book also explores the concepts, theory and practice regarding these key ecosystems by linking them with the livelihoods of a large population base and subsequently illustrating their importance for sustainable development in the region. Further, by suggesting policies and ways in which these systems can be maintained and enhanced, it facilitates better management of natural resources within the ecological constraints to achieve socio-economic objectives and move towards a green economy for sustainable and equitable development in the region.
Download or read book Ecosystem Collapse and Recovery written by Adrian C. Newton and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2021-04-22 with total page 493 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Examines how ecosystems can collapse as a result of human activity, and the ecological processes underlying their subsequent recovery.
Download or read book Green Infrastructure for Landscape Planning written by Gary Austin and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2014-01-21 with total page 273 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Green infrastructure integrates human and natural systems through a network of corridors and spaces in mixed-use and urban settings. Austin takes a broad look at green infrastructure concepts, research and case studies to provide the student and professional with processes, criteria and data to support planning, design and implementation. Key topics of the book include: The benefits of green infrastructure as a conservation and planning tool Requirements of ecosystem health Green infrastructure ecosystem services that contribute to human physical and psychological health Planning processes leading to robust green infrastructure networks Design of green infrastructure elements for multiple uses. The concept of ecosystem services is extensively developed in this book, including biological treatment of stormwater and wastewater, opportunities for recreation, urban agriculture and emersion in a naturalistic setting. It defines planning and design processes as well as the political and economic facets of envisioning, funding and implementing green infrastructure networks. The book differs from others on the market by presenting the technical issues, requirements and performance of green infrastructure elements, along with the more traditional recreation and wildlife needs associated with greenway planning, providing information derived from environmental engineering to guide planners and landscape architects.
Download or read book Proceedings RMRS written by and published by . This book was released on 1998 with total page 56 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Ecosystem Restoration Program Plan written by CALFED Bay-Delta Program and published by . This book was released on 1999 with total page 198 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
