Download or read book Plant Diversity Patterns and Drivers written by Qing Zhang and published by Frontiers Media SA. This book was released on 2024-09-20 with total page 426 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Biodiversity can provide a series of important ecosystem functions and ecosystem services, which meet the needs of human beings. Plants are the biological group with the highest carbon content on earth, their diversity has attracted increased attention. The interpretation of plant diversity patterns and drivers is crucial for the conservation and utilization of plant resources and is also one of the hot topics in plant science and ecology. There are already many studies on the patterns and drivers of plant diversity, including different diversity dimensions (e.g., taxonomic, phylogenetic, and functional diversity) and spatial scales (different plots/sites, watershed, country, continent, and globe). The mechanisms underlying plant diversity patterns are also quite complex. For example, many hypotheses are related to contemporary climate and soil conditions, with temperature, precipitation, and soil nutrient being the most discussed drivers. In addition, paleoclimate and geological events may also have a strong legacy on current plant diversity patterns. Except for these natural factors, many anthropogenic activities, including agriculture, deforestation, grazing, urbanization, and coal mining, are also important drivers of plant diversity. These anthropogenic activities can affect plant diversity patterns not only directly, but also indirectly through their effects on habitat loss and habitat fragmentation. Therefore, the current plant diversity patterns are the result of many interacting factors and need to be interpreted from a more comprehensive perspective. This Research Topic will therefore provide a platform for sufficient communication, aiming to integrate the research from different fields and deepen the understanding of the patterns and drivers of plant diversity. We encourage the submission of theoretical and experimental studies on different plant groups, such as seed plants, ferns, mosses, and algae. Studies based on new methods and technology (such as genomics and drones) are also welcomed. We welcome the following specific topics: • Effects of historical factors (such as paleoclimate, geological events) on plant diversity; • Plant diversity that driven by contemporary climate and anthropogenic activities; • The effect of habitat loss and fragmentation on plant diversity; • New methods of research on the patterns and drivers of plant diversity.
Download or read book XV International Scientific Conference INTERAGROMASH 2022 written by Alexey Beskopylny and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2023-02-24 with total page 3148 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The book contains proceedings of the XV International Scientific Conference INTERAGROMASH 2022, Rostov-on-Don, Russia. This conference is dedicated to the innovations in the field of precision agriculture, robotics and machines, as well as agriculture biotechnologies and soil management. It is a collection of original and fundamental research in such areas as follows: unmanned aerial systems, satellite-based applications, proximal and remote sensing of soil and crop, positioning systems, geostatistics, mapping and spatial data analysis, robotics, and automation. Potential and prospects for the use of hydrogen in agriculture, for example, in high-performance tractors with hybrid electric transmission, are disclosed in the research works of scientists from all over the world. It also includes such topics as precision horticulture, precision crop protection, differential harvest, precision livestock farming, controlling environment in animal husbandry, and other topics. One of the important issues raised in the book is to ensure the autonomy of local farms. The topic of the impact of the agro-industrial sector on the environment also received wide coverage. Ways to reduce the burden on the environment are proposed, and the use of alternative fuels and fertilizers is suggested. The research results presented in this book cover the experience and the latest studies on the sustainable functioning of agribusiness in several climatic zones. The tundra and taiga, forest-steppe, the steppe and semi-desert—all this is a unique and incredibly demanded bank of information, the main value of which is the real experience of the functioning of agribusiness in difficult climatic and geographic conditions. These materials are of interest for professionals and practitioners, for researchers, scholars, and producers. They are used in the educational process at specific agricultural universities or during vocational training at enterprises and also become an indispensable helper to farm managers in making the best agronomic decisions.
Download or read book Aboveground Belowground Linkages written by Richard D. Bardgett and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2010-07-29 with total page 312 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Aboveground-Belowground Linkages provides the most up-to-date and comprehensive synthesis of recent advances in our understanding of the roles that interactions between aboveground and belowground communities play in regulating the structure and function of terrestrial ecosystems, and their responses to global change. It charts the historical development of this field of ecology and evaluates what can be learned from the recent proliferation of studies on the ecological and biogeochemical significance of aboveground-belowground linkages. The book is structured around four key topics: biotic interactions in the soil; plant community effects; the role of aboveground consumers; and the influence of species gains and losses. A concluding chapter draws together this information and identifies a number of cross-cutting themes, including consideration of aboveground-belowground feedbacks that occur at different spatial and temporal scales, the consequences of these feedbacks for ecosystem processes, and how aboveground-belowground interactions link to human-induced global change.
Download or read book The Next Step Disentangling the Role of Plant Soil Feedbacks in Plant Performance and Species Coexistence Under Natural Conditions written by Johannes Heinze and published by Frontiers Media SA. This book was released on 2020-09-17 with total page 163 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This eBook is a collection of articles from a Frontiers Research Topic. Frontiers Research Topics are very popular trademarks of the Frontiers Journals Series: they are collections of at least ten articles, all centered on a particular subject. With their unique mix of varied contributions from Original Research to Review Articles, Frontiers Research Topics unify the most influential researchers, the latest key findings and historical advances in a hot research area! Find out more on how to host your own Frontiers Research Topic or contribute to one as an author by contacting the Frontiers Editorial Office: frontiersin.org/about/contact.
Download or read book Mechanisms Underlying the Relationship Between Biodiversity and Ecosystem Function written by and published by Academic Press. This book was released on 2019-10-12 with total page 386 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Advances in Ecological Research, Volume 61, the latest release in this ongoing series includes specific chapters on the Mechanistic links between biodiversity and ecosystem function, A multitrophic, eco-evolutionary perspective on biodiversity–ecosystem functioning research, Linking species coexistence to ecosystem functioning - a conceptual framework from ecological first principles, Species contributions to above and below ground biodiversity effects in the Trait-Based Experiment, Plant diversity effects on element cycling, Plant diversity effects on consumer community structure, stability, and ecosystem function, Plant community assembly and the consequences for ecosystem function, and more. - Provides information that relates to a thorough understanding of the field of ecology - Deals with topical and important reviews on the physiologies, populations and communities of plants and animals
Download or read book Soil Biology in Tropical Ecosystems written by Tancredo Souza and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2022-05-19 with total page 146 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This textbook explores the complex nature of soil biological communities and their environments, and covers deserts, rainforests, seasonal tropical forests, dry deciduous forests, and island environments in the tropical zone. It provides essential information on soil biology concepts, ecological processes, plant-soil feedback, trophic structure, and land use effects on soil’s biological properties. The book also offers an updated approach to soil biota and microbiota and their interactions with plants that regulate the structures and functions of tropical ecosystems. Uniquely, it addresses island environments and natural disasters, shedding new light on soil organisms recovering tropical ecosystem functions. Further topics include ecological processes, plant-soil interactions, trophic communities, molecular approaches, and land use, making the book a valuable asset for students, educators and researchers engaged in the Environmental Sciences, Biodiversity and Conservation, Soil Ecology, Soil Biology, Ecology, Zoology, and Soil Biota Classification using classical and molecular tools.
Download or read book The Soil Underfoot written by G. Jock Churchman and published by CRC Press. This book was released on 2014-04-21 with total page 476 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The largest part of the world’s food comes from its soils, either directly from plants, or via animals fed on pastures and crops. Thus, it is necessary to maintain, and if possible, improve the quality—and hence good health—of soils, while enabling them to support the growing world population. The Soil Underfoot: Infinite Possibilities for a Finite Resource arms readers with historical wisdom from various populations around the globe, along with current ideas and approaches for the wise management of soils. It covers the value of soils and their myriad uses viewed within human and societal contexts in the past, present, and supposed futures. In addition to addressing the technical means of maintaining soils, this book presents a culturally and geographically diverse collection of historical attitudes to soils, including philosophical and ethical frameworks, which have either sustained them or led to their degradation. Section I describes major challenges associated with climate change, feeding the increasing world population, chemical pollution and soil degradation, and technology. Section II discusses various ways in which soils are, or have been, valued—including in film and contemporary art as well as in religious and spiritual philosophies, such as Abrahamic religions, Maori traditions, and in Confucianism. Section III provides stories about soil in ancient and historic cultures including the Roman Empire, Greece, India, Japan, Korea, South America, New Zealand, the United States, and France. Section IV describes soil modification technologies, such as polymer membrane barriers, and soil uses outside commercial agriculture including the importance of soils for recreation and sports grounds. The final section addresses future strategies for more effective sustainable use of soils, emphasizing the biological nature of soils and enhancing the use of "green water" retained from rainfall.
Download or read book The Role of Smallholder Farms in Food and Nutrition Security written by Sergio Gomez y Paloma and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2020-01-01 with total page 253 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This open access book discusses the current role of smallholders in connection with food security and poverty reduction in developing countries. It addresses the opportunities they enjoy, and the constraints they face, by analysing the availability, access to and utilization of production factors. Due to the relevance of smallholder farms, enhancing their production capacities and economic and social resilience could produce positive impacts on food security and nutrition at a number of levels. In addition to the role of small farmers as food suppliers, the book considers their role as consumers and their level of nutrition security. It investigates the link between agriculture and nutrition in order to better understand how agriculture affects human health and dietary patterns. Given the importance of smallholdings, strategies to increase their productivity are essential to improving food and nutrition security, as well as food diversity.
Download or read book The Nature of Plant Communities written by J. Bastow Wilson and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2019-03-21 with total page 373 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Provides a comprehensive review of the role of species interactions in the process of plant community assembly.
Download or read book Development of Microbial Ecological Theory Stability Plasticity and Evolution of Microbial Ecosystems written by Shin Haruta and published by Frontiers Media SA. This book was released on 2017-06-01 with total page 158 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “How can we develop microbial ecological theory?” The development of microbial ecological theory has a long way to reach its goal. Advances in microbial ecological techniques provide novel insights into microbial ecosystems. Articles in this book are challenging to determine the central and general tenets of the ecological theory that describes the features of microbial ecosystems. Their achievements expand the frontiers of current microbial ecology and propose the next step. Assemblage of these diverse articles hopefully helps to go on this long journey with many avenues for advancement of microbial ecology.
Download or read book Water and Carbon Dynamics Ecosystem Stability of Forest and Grassland in Response to Climate Change written by Xiaoming Kang and published by Frontiers Media SA. This book was released on 2024-04-15 with total page 320 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Forest and grassland ecosystems are the most important carbon sinks in terrestrial ecosystems. They can maintain or enhance carbon stocks and sinks in biomass, and play vital roles in mitigating climate change. China is taking action to achieve its carbon peak and carbon-neutral targets. Climate change, particularly the increase in the frequency, severity, and extent of drought, will affect the stability of the forest and grassland. How forests and grassland mitigate and adapt to climate change is still a challenge. Exploring the response of the forest and grassland to extreme climate events contributes to improving vegetation quality and enhancing the ability to respond to climate change.
Download or read book World Agriculture written by Jelle Bruinsma and published by Earthscan. This book was released on 2003 with total page 448 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: First Published in 2003. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.
Download or read book Forest Diversity and Function written by Michael Scherer-Lorenzen and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2005-12-17 with total page 411 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: One of the central research themes in ecology is evaluating the extent to which biological richness is necessary to sustain the Earth's system and the functioning of individual ecosystems. In this volume, for the first time, the relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem processes in forests is thoroughly explored. The text examines the multiple effects of tree diversity on productivity and growth, biogeochemical cycles, animals, pests, and disturbances. Further, the importance of diversity at different scales, ranging from stand management to global issues, is considered. The authors provide both extensive reviews of the existing literature and own datasets. The volume is ideally suited for researchers and practitioners involved in ecosystem management and the sustainable use of forest resources.
Download or read book Measuring Plant Diversity written by Thomas J. Stohlgren and published by OUP USA. This book was released on 2007 with total page 408 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Here is a thorough presentation and critique of the sampling approaches, designs and field techniques for measuring plant diversity. Ecologists interested in assessing landscapes and ecosystems must measure biomass, cover, and the density or frequency of various key species. Recently, sampling designs for measuring species richness and diversity, patterns of plant diversity, species-environment relationships, and species distributions have become finer-grained, as it has become increasingly important to accurately map and assess rare species for conservation. This book lays out the range of current methods for mapping and measuring species diversity, for field ecologists, resource managers, conservation biologists, and students, as a tool kit for future field measurements of plant diversity.
Download or read book Biodiversity Ecosystem Functioning and Human Wellbeing written by Shahid Naeem and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2009-07-30 with total page 387 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The book starts by summarizing the development of the basic science and provides a meta-analysis that quantitatively tests several biodiversity and ecosystem functioning hypotheses.
Download or read book Plant Functional Diversity written by Eric Garnier and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2016 with total page 255 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Biological diversity, the variety of living organisms on Earth, is traditionally viewed as the diversity of taxa, and species in particular. However, other facets of diversity also need to be considered for a comprehensive understanding of evolutionary and ecological processes. This novel book demonstrates the advantages of adopting a functional approach to diversity in order to improve our understanding of the functioning of ecological systems and theircomponents. The focus is on plants, which are major components of these systems, and for which the functional approach has led to major scientific advances over the last 20 years. PlantFunctional Diversity presents the rationale for a trait-based approach to functional diversity in the context of comparative plant ecology and agroecology. It demonstrates how this approach can be used to address a number of highly debated questions in plant ecology pertaining to plant responses to their environment, controls on plant community structure, ecosystem properties, and the services these deliver to human societies. This research level text will be of particular relevance and use tograduate students and professional researchers in plant ecology, agricultural sciences and conservation biology.
Download or read book Plant induced soil changes Processes and feedbacks written by N. van Breemen and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 1998-08-31 with total page 270 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book by soil scientists and ecologists reviews how and why plants influence soils. Topics include effects on mineral weathering, soil structure, and soil organic matter and nutrient dynamics, case studies of soil-plant interactions in specific biomes and of secondary chemicals influencing nutrient cycling, the rhizosphere, and potential evolutionary consequences of plant-induced soil changes. This is the first volume that specifically highlights the effects of plants on soils and their feedbacks to plants. By contrast, other texts on soil-plant relationships emphasize effects of soil fertility on plants, following the strongly agronomic character of most research in this area. The aspects discussed in this volume are crucial for understanding terrestrial ecosystems, biogeochemistry and soil genesis. The book is directed to terrestrial ecologists, foresters, soil scientists, environmental scientists and biogeochemists, and to students following specialist courses in these fields.
