Download or read book Leporids Landscapes and Social Environmental Dynamics in Arid North America written by Andrew D. Somerville and published by . This book was released on 2015 with total page 155 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Environmental conditions provide significant constraints and opportunities for human behavior. Paleoenvironmental studies are thus an important component of archaeological investigations seeking to understand the organization, development and decline of past societies. This dissertation develops a method of paleoenvironmental research that uses stable isotope analysis of jackrabbit and cottontail (Leporidae) bones to quantify aspects of the landscapes in which they lived. The project then applies the technique to a sample of bones excavated from four archaeological sites in desert ecosystems of North America to obtain information about human-leporid and human environmental relationships through time. Site locations include Pueblo Grande (Arizona, USA), La Ferrería (Durango, Mexico), La Quemada (Zacatecas, Mexico), and Teotihuacan (Mexico, Mexico). Results are explored across multiple temporal and spatial scales to refine the method and improve our understanding of the long-term dynamics of social-environmental systems within arid and semi-arid landscapes. Results of baseline analyses on modern bones demonstrate significant correlations between stable oxygen isotope values and moisture variables (precipitation and humidity), and between stable carbon and nitrogen isotope values and temperature variables (min, max, and mean temperature), indicating the utility of leporids as paleoenvironmental proxies. Two primary conclusions result from analyses on archaeological specimens. First, results from La Ferrería leporids demonstrate changes through time suggesting a shift towards wetter conditions during the Las Joyas (AD 850-1000) phase, a period characterized by increasing population and new architectural construction. Importantly, these findings link social development in the region with environmental change. Secondly, results from Teotihuacan demonstrate rising carbon isotope values concomitant with the growth of the city, likely reflecting human modifications to the landscape, and falling carbon isotope values following its sociopolitical collapse. Notably, during the peak of population and complexity of Teotihuacan leporids from the residential complex of Oztoyahualco demonstrate significantly higher stable carbon isotope values than other contexts, supporting previous assumptions that residents there specialized in rabbit management or breeding. By using stable isotope values from jackrabbit and cottontail bones from modern and archaeological contexts, this dissertation improves our understanding of the baseline factors that influence bone isotope ratios and provides new information on the social-environment dynamics of the ancient New World.
Download or read book The Mesoamerican World System 200 1200 CE written by Peter F. Jimenez and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2020-08-27 with total page 261 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This is the first application of the comparative approach of world-systems analysis in Mesoamerican archaeology.
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 Geomorphology of Desert Environments written by A. D. Abrahams and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2013-04-17 with total page 1021 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Over the last twenty years there has been a major expansion of knowledge in the field of landforms and landforming processes of deserts. This advanced-level book provides a benchmark for the current state of science, and is written by an international team of authors who are acknowledged experts in their fields.
Download or read book Social and Ecological System Dynamics written by Krystyna Stave and published by Springer. This book was released on 2017-04-06 with total page 645 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book is a social—ecological system description and feedback analysis of the Lake Tana Basin, the headwater catchment of the Upper Blue Nile River. This basin is an important local, national, and international resource, and concern about its sustainable development is growing at many levels. Lake Tana Basin outflows of water, sediments, nutrients, and contaminants affect water that flows downstream in the Blue Nile across international boundaries into the Nile River; the lake and surrounding land have recently been proposed as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve; the basin has been designated as a key national economic growth corridor in the Ethiopian Growth and Transformation Plan. In spite of the Lake Tana Basin’s importance, there is no comprehensive, integrated, system-wide description of its characteristics and dynamics that can serve as a basis for its sustainable development. This book presents both the social and ecological characteristics of the region and an integrated, system-wide perspective of the feedback links that shape social and ecological change in the basin. Finally, it summarizes key research needs for sustainable development.
Download or read book The Scientific Basis for Conserving Forest Carnivores written by Leonard F. Ruggiero and published by . This book was released on 1994 with total page 198 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This cooperative effort by USDA Forest Service Research and the National Forest System assesses the state of knowledge related to the conservation status of four forest carnivores in the western United States: American marten, fisher, lynx, and wolverine. The conservation assessment reviews the biology and ecology of these species. It also discusses management considerations stemming from what is known and identifies information needed. Overall, we found huge knowledge gaps that make it difficult to evaluate the species' conservation status.
Download or read book Mermaids in Paradise A Novel written by Lydia Millet and published by W. W. Norton & Company. This book was released on 2014-11-03 with total page 183 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Hilariously funny…Lydia Millet’s novels raise the bar for boldness." —Rene Steinke, New York Times Book Review In this “comic masterpiece” (Salon), honeymooners Deb and Chip—our opinionated, skeptical narrator and her cheerful jock husband—befriend a marine biologist who discovers mermaids in a coral reef. As a resort chain swoops in to exploit the shy creatures, the newlyweds unite with other adventurous vacationers to stop the company from turning the reef into a theme park. Mermaids in Paradise is Lydia Millet’s most fun book yet, tempering the sharp satire of her early career with the empathy and subtlety of her more recent novels and short stories.
Download or read book Ecology and Man in Mexico s Central Volcanoes Area written by G.W. Heil and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2012-12-06 with total page 226 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The main activities of the economically active population around The Iztaccíhuatl and Popocatépetl volcanoes region lie in the primary sector (65- 90%). Of the people working in this sector, those dependent on agricultural or pastoral activities generally have an income significantly lower than the minimum wage in Mexico. Of the activities in the area, these agricultural, pastoral, and forestry activities probably have the most direct effect on the ecology of the volcanoes and its immediate surroundings. Traditional farmers, producing crops such as beans, pumpkins and cucumbers, generally work on small fields using traditional methods and animal traction. Modern farming, geared towards intensive production develops on larger sites making use of modern machinery, fertilizers, and pesticides. As the area under agriculture continues to increase every year, the attendant opening of large forested areas, soil modification, and ensuing erosion make it almost impossible for forest recovery. Extensive forestry in the region mainly concerns cutting and collecting wood, cutting Pinus-branches for torches or for utensils for open-fire cooking, collection of mushrooms, and hunting. Although these (often clandestine) activities seem to be small-scale, their adverse effects on the forest have been substantial. Weekend visitors from Mexico City heavily dominate recreation, with tourism concentrated near the roads leading to and inside the park. Lacking organization and facilities, most recreational activities have had significant environmental impact on the area In many countries, the decline of nature has occurred because of changes in land use.
Download or read book Multiple Species Inventory and Monitoring Technical Guide written by Patricia N. Manley and published by . This book was released on 2006 with total page 222 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Monitoring protocols are presented for: landbirds; raptors; small, medium and large mammals; bats; terrestrial amphibians and reptiles; vertebrates in aquatic ecosystems; plant species, and habitats.
Download or read book Mammalogy written by George A. Feldhamer and published by JHU Press. This book was released on 2007-09-07 with total page 662 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Class Mammalia is amazingly diverse, ranging from whales to marsupials to bats to primates. The more than 5,400 species occupy many habitats, with mammals present on all the continents. They are rare only on Antarctica and a few isolated islands. Mammals present a complex set of conservation and management issues. Some species have become more numerous with the rise of human populations, while others have been extirpated or nearly so—such as the Caribbean monk seal, the thylacine, the Chinese river dolphin, and the Pyrenean ibex. In this new edition of their classic textbook, George A. Feldhamer and his colleagues cover the many aspects of mammalogy. Thoroughly revised and updated, this edition includes treatments of the most recent significant findings in ordinal-level mammalian phylogeny and taxonomy; special topics such as parasites and diseases, conservation, and domesticated mammals; interrelationships between mammalian structure and function; and the latest molecular techniques used to study mammals. Instructors: email [email protected] for a free instructor resource disc containing all 510 illustrations printed in Mammalogy: Adaptation, Diversity, Ecology, third edition.
Download or read book PRAIRIEMAP a GIS Database for Prairie Grassland Management in Western North America written by and published by . This book was released on 2003 with total page 6 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The PRAIRIEMAP web site (http://prairiemap.wr.usgs.gov) contains links to partners, documentation of the data, and a directory of GIS data that can be downloaded.
Download or read book Biological Diversity Current Status and Conservation Policies written by Vinod Kumar and published by Agro Environ Media, Publication Cell of AESA, Agriculture and Environmental Science Academy,. This book was released on 2021-10-25 with total page 400 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The present book has been designed to bind prime knowledge of climate change-induced impacts on various aspects of our environment and its biological diversity. The book also contains updated information, methods and tools for the monitoring and conservation of impacted biological diversity.
Download or read book Effects of Past Global Change on Life written by National Research Council and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 1995-02-01 with total page 267 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: What can we expect as global change progresses? Will there be thresholds that trigger sudden shifts in environmental conditionsâ€"or that cause catastrophic destruction of life? Effects of Past Global Change on Life explores what earth scientists are learning about the impact of large-scale environmental changes on ancient lifeâ€"and how these findings may help us resolve today's environmental controversies. Leading authorities discuss historical climate trends and what can be learned from the mass extinctions and other critical periods about the rise and fall of plant and animal species in response to global change. The volume develops a picture of how environmental change has closed some evolutionary doors while opening othersâ€"including profound effects on the early members of the human family. An expert panel offers specific recommendations on expanding research and improving investigative toolsâ€"and targets historical periods and geological and biological patterns with the most promise of shedding light on future developments. This readable and informative book will be of special interest to professionals in the earth sciences and the environmental community as well as concerned policymakers.
Download or read book The Great American Biotic Interchange written by Alberto Luis Cione and published by Springer. This book was released on 2015-04-24 with total page 106 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: South American ecosystems suffered one of the greatest biogeographical events, after the establishment of the Panamian land bridge, called the “Great American Biotic Interchange” (GABI). This refers to the exchange, in several phases, of land mammals between the Americas; this event started during the late Miocene with the appearance of the Holartic Procyonidae (Huayquerian Age) in South America and continues today. The major phases of mammalian dispersal occurred from the Latest Pliocene (Marplatan Age) to the Late Pleistocene (Lujanian Age). The most important and richest localities of Late Miocene-Holocene fossil vertebrates of South America are those of the Pampean region of Argentina. There are also several Late Miocene and Pliocene localities in western Argentina and Bolivia. Other important fossils have been collected in localities of Pleistocene age outside Argentina: Tarija (Bolivia), karstic caves of Lagoa Santa and the recently explored caves of Tocantins (Brasil), Talara (Perú), La Carolina (Ecuador), Muaco (Venezuela), and Cueva del Milodon (Chile), among others. The book discusses basic information for interpreting the GABI such as taxonomic composition (incorporating the latest revisions) at classical and new localities for each stage addressing climate, environments, and time boundaries for each stage. It includes the chronology and dynamics of the GABI, the integration of South American mammalian faunas through time, the Quaternary mammalian extinctions and the composition of recent mammalian fauna of the continent.
Download or read book Rabbits Hares and Pikas written by Joseph A. Chapman and published by IUCN. This book was released on 1990 with total page 176 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This Action Plan provides an overview of the state of knowledge about all species of lagomorphs, provides a contemporary framework about their importance to humans and the world’s ecosystems, reviews their status on a worldwide scale, and makes recommendations for conservation action to prevent the extinction of any lagomorph species and to allow their populations to recover to safe and production levels.
Download or read book The Cerrados of Brazil written by Paulo S. and published by Columbia University Press. This book was released on 2013-02-05 with total page 409 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The massive grasslands of Brazil -- known as the cerrados -- which cover roughly a quarter of its land surface and are among the most threatened regions in South America, have received little media attention. This book brings together leading researchers on the area to produce the first detailed account in English of the natural history and ecology of the cerrado/savanna ecosystem. Given their extent and threatened status, the richness of their flora and fauna, and the lack of familiarity with their unique ecology at the international level, the cerrados are badly in need of this important and timely work.
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.
