Download or read book Semiarid Lands and Deserts written by J. Skujins and published by CRC Press. This book was released on 1991-04-16 with total page 681 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A compendium of current information on arid soils. Provides a comprehensive background of the various soils and biota of arid regions, as well as a detailed account of the current understanding of degradation processes, and includes methodologies for arid land maintenance and rehabilitation and for

Download or read book Geopedology written by Joseph Alfred Zinck and published by Springer. This book was released on 2015-12-23 with total page 551 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book offers a proven approach for reliable mapping of soil-landscape relationships to derive information for policy, planning and management at scales ranging from local to regional. It presents the theoretical and conceptual framework of the geopedologic approach and a bulk of applied research showing its application and benefits for knowledge generation relevant to geohazard studies, land use conflict analysis, land use planning, land degradation assessment, and land suitability analysis. Soil is a vital resource for society at large and an important determinant of the economic status of nations. The intensification of natural disasters and the increased land use competition for food and energy have raised awareness of the relevant role the pedosphere plays in natural and anthropogenic environments. Recent papers and global initiatives show a renewed interest in soil research and its applications for improved planning and management of this fragile and finite resource.

Download or read book Arid and Semiarid Lands Research written by Sherry Scott and published by . This book was released on 1979 with total page 148 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Low Intensity Breeding of Native Forest Trees in Argentina written by Mario J. Pastorino and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2020-11-18 with total page 512 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Global climate change requires the development of programs that consider the active restoration of degraded forests and the use of native trees in afforestation to preserve the natural environment. International commitments like the UN REDD program, the Montréal Process and the Convention on Biological Diversity call for the breeding of species rarely contemplated by large industrial companies. Low-intensity breeding is the most rational strategy for those species: simple but robust, and not dependent on continuously increasing funding, and therefore effective even with a relatively small budget. It commonly focuses on high genetic diversity rather than improving economic traits and adaptability rather than productivity. Controlled crosses with full pedigrees typical of high-intensity breeding are replaced by open pollination. This book presents state-of-the-art breeding strategies from the last two decades for several forest tree species of prime importance in the natural forests of Argentina. They are distributed in the three main forestry ecoregions of the country: the subtropical dry forest (Chaco), the subtropical rain forests (Yungas and Alto Paraná rainforests) and the temperate forests of Patagonia. The book also discusses the genetic patterns of the selected species defined using genetic markers together with the analysis of the variation in quantitative traits. Further, it examines the crucial features of their reproductive biology, such as the mating system and gene flow and describes the current breeding programs. Lastly, it presents the latest developments in genetic resources and their emerging applications, concluding with some reflections and perspectives related to the conditioning imposed by climate change.

Download or read book The Chaco War 1932 35 written by Alejandro de Quesada and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2011-11-20 with total page 49 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Chaco War was massive territorial war between Bolivia and Paraguay, which cost almost a 100,000 lives. An old fashioned territorial dispute, the contested area was the Gran Chaco Boreal, a 100,000-square mile region of swamp, jungle and pampas with isolated fortified towns. The wilderness terrain made operations difficult and costly as the war see-sawed between the two sides. Bolivian troops, under the command of a German general, Hans von Kundt, had early successes, but these stalled in the face of a massive mobilization programme by the Paraguans which saw their force increase in size ten-fold to 60,000 men. This book sheds light on a vicious territorial war that waged in the jungles and swamps of the Gran Chaco and is illustrated with rare photographs and especially commissioned artwork.

Download or read book Soil Organic Matter in Sustainable Agriculture written by Fred Magdoff and published by CRC Press. This book was released on 2004-05-27 with total page 411 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Recognition of the importance of soil organic matter (SOM) in soil health and quality is a major part of fostering a holistic, preventive approach to agricultural management. Students in agronomy, horticulture, and soil science need a textbook that emphasizes strategies for using SOM management in the prevention of chemical, biological, and physical problems. Soil Organic Matter in Sustainable Agriculture gathers key scientific reviews concerning issues that are critical for successful SOM management. This textbook contains evaluations of the types of organic soil constituents—organisms, fresh residues, and well-decomposed substances. It explores the beneficial effects of organic matter on soil and the various practices that enhance SOM. Chapters include an examination of the results of crop management practices on soil organisms, organic matter gains and losses, the significance of various SOM fractions, and the contributions of fungi and earthworms to soil quality and crop growth. Emphasizing the prevention of imbalances that lead to soil and crop problems, the text also explores the development of soils suppressive to plant diseases and pests, and relates SOM management to the supply of nutrients to crops. This book provides the essential scientific background and poses the challenging questions that students need to better understand SOM and develop improved soil and crop management systems.

Download or read book Human Exploitation and Biodiversity Conservation written by David L. Hawksworth and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2008-01-03 with total page 507 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book presents a wide range of contributions addressing diverse aspects of biodiversity exploitation and conservation. These collectively provide a snapshot of ongoing action and state-of-the-art research, rather than a series of necessarily more superficial overviews. Examples presented here derive from studies in 17 countries including Africa, Asia, Europe, and North and South America. These reports will stimulate future work toward attaining a sustainable balance between the conservation and exploitation of biodiversity.

Download or read book Soil Carbon written by Steven A Banwart and published by CABI. This book was released on 2014-12-03 with total page 429 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book brings together the essential evidence and policy opportunities regarding the global importance of soil carbon for sustaining Earth's life support system for humanity. Covering the science and policy background for this important natural resource, it describes land management options that improve soil carbon status and therefore increase the benefits that humans derive from the environment. Written by renowned global experts, it is the principal output from a SCOPE rapid assessment process project.

Download or read book Farming in Arid and Semiarid Lands written by Carol A. Singer and published by . This book was released on 1994 with total page 76 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Conservation Biology written by Peggy L. Fiedler and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2012-12-06 with total page 523 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: • • • John Harper • • • Nature conservation has changed from an idealistic philosophy to a serious technology. Ecology, the science that underpins the technol ogy of conservation, is still too immature to provide all the wisdom that it must. It is arguable that the desire to conserve nature will in itself force the discipline of ecology to identify fundamental prob lems in its scientific goals and methods. In return, ecologists may be able to offer some insights that make conservation more practicable (Harper 1987). The idea that nature (species or communities) is worth preserv ing rests on several fundamental arguments, particularly the argu ment of nostalgia and the argument of human benefit and need. Nostalgia, of course, is a powerful emotion. With some notable ex ceptions, there is usually a feeling of dismay at a change in the sta tus quo, whether it be the loss of a place in the country for walking or rambling, the loss of a painting or architectural monument, or that one will never again have the chance to see a particular species of bird or plant.

Download or read book Environmental Justice and Soy Agribusiness written by Robert Hafner and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2018-04-17 with total page 394 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Environmental justice research and activism predominantly focus on openly conflictive situations; claims making is central. However, situations of injustice can still occur even if there is no overt conflict. Environmental Justice and Soy Agribusiness fills this gap by applying an environmental justice incommensurabilities framework to reveal the mechanisms of why conflicts do not arise in particular situations, even though they fall within classic environmental justice schemes. Empirically, the case study focus is on the remote soy frontier in Northwest Argentina, particularly the town of Las Lajitas as the nucleus of soy production. This represents an excellent example of the recent expansion of the soy agribusiness industry in Latin America. First, a classic environmental justice analysis is carried out. Second, and drawing on the epistemological works of Ludwik Fleck, an alternative analytical framework is proposed, visualising locals’ thought styles on change, effects and potential conflict in relation to soy agribusiness. Here, visceral elements and the application of a jazz methodology are vital for a more holistic form of multisensory cognition. Third, incommensurabilities among the classic and alternative approach are uncovered, arguing for the importance of temporal and spatial contexts in environmental justice research.

Download or read book The Global Casino written by Nick Middleton and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2018-09-21 with total page 965 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Global Casino is an introduction to environmental issues which deals both with the workings of the physical environment and with the political, economic and social frameworks in which the issues occur. Using examples from all over the world, the book highlights the underlying causes behind environmental problems, the human actions which have made them issues, and the hopes for solutions. It is a book about the human impact on the environment and the ways in which the natural environment impacts human society. The sixth edition has been fully revised and updated throughout, with new case studies, figures, and online resources including a complete lecture course for tutors and multiple-choice questions for students. New concepts and topics covered for the first time in this edition include the green economy, the forest transition model, marine microplastic pollution, urban disasters, decommissioning of big dams, and the start of the Anthropocene. Recent international initiatives covered include the Paris Agreement on climate change, the Aichi Biodiversity Targets, and the Sendai Framework for managing disaster risk. New case studies include Morocco’s Noor concentrated solar power plant, desert recovery in Kuwait, and river management on the Huang Ho. Eighteen chapters on key issues follow three initial chapters which outline the background contexts of the physical and human environments and the concept of sustainable development. Each chapter provides historical context for key issues, outlines why they have arisen, and highlights areas of controversy and uncertainty to appraise how issues can be resolved both technically and in political and economic frameworks. Each chapter also contains an updated critical guide to further reading – many of them open access – and websites, as well as discussion points and essay questions. The text can be read in its entirety or individual chapters adopted as standalone reading. This book is an essential resource for students of the environment, geography, earth sciences and development studies. It provides comprehensive and inspirational coverage of all the major global environmental issues of the day in a style that is clear and critical.

Download or read book Pigs Peccaries and Hippos written by William L. R. Oliver and published by IUCN. This book was released on 1993 with total page 220 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book The Taiwan Crisis a showcase of the global arsenic problem written by Jiin-Shuh Jean and published by CRC Press. This book was released on 2011-03-03 with total page 465 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the 1950s, the residents of the southwestern coastal areas of Taiwan suffered greatly from Blackfoot disease (BFD) due to the consumption of arsenic-contaminated groundwater. Groundwater with high levels of arsenic in southwestern and northeastern Taiwan received much attention. After arsenic-safe tap water was utilized for drinking instead of groundwater in the 1970s, BFD cases decreased greatly. After 1990, no new BFD cases were reported, and as a consequence, BFD problems disregarded. However, arsenic is still present in the groundwater. This book will improve the knowledge and understanding of the occurrence and genesis of arsenic-rich groundwaters in Taiwan. It deals with constraints on the mobility of arsenic in groundwater, its uptake from soil and water by plants, arsenic-propagation through the food chain, human health impacts, and arsenic-removal technologies. Taiwan case experiences are described in this book and can be applied worldwide. This book is a state-of-the-art overview of research on arsenic in Taiwan and is designed to: create interest in regions within Taiwan that are affected by the presence of arseniferous aquifers; draw attention from the international scientific community; increase awareness among researchers, administrators, policy makers, and company executives; improve the international cooperation on arsenic problems worldwide.

Download or read book Research Basins and Hydrological Planning written by R.Z. Xi and published by CRC Press. This book was released on 2004-10-14 with total page 432 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the 20th century, water management focused on the local scale of interest. In the 21st century we will be facing changes in the quantity of our water cycle. The forces behind these new challenges are industrialisation, population growth and an insufficiently swift response to climatic change. The magnitude and distribution of global changes are not exactly predictable, because we live in an ever-changing environment and are faced with extreme and interacting processes, which all are not yet sufficiently understood. Therefore, to shoulder this task, hydrology should embrace more integrative and interdisciplinary approaches and achieve more flexibility in assessments and decisions. To better confront this challenge, catchment-related solutions are more important than local solutions, to satisfy the water demand of agriculture, ecosystems, industry and the private sector. It is wise to keep in mind that the environment has a "sustainable memory" and our knowledge about attenuation capacities and resilience of the environment is still low.

Download or read book Land Use Competition written by Jörg Niewöhner and published by Springer. This book was released on 2016-07-29 with total page 370 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book contributes to broadening the interdisciplinary knowledge basis for the description, analysis and assessment of land use practices. It presents conceptual advances grounded in empirical case studies on four main themes: distal drivers, competing demands on different scales, changing food regimes and land-water competition. Competition over land ownership and use is one of the key contexts in which the effects of global change on social-ecological systems unfold. As such, understanding these rapidly changing dynamics is one of the most pressing challenges of global change research in the 21st century. This book contributes to a deeper understanding of the manifold interactions between land systems, the economics of resource production, distribution and use, as well as the logics of local livelihoods and cultural contexts. It addresses a broad readership in the geosciences, land and environmental sciences, offering them an essential reference guide to land use competition.

Download or read book Response to Land Degradation written by E M Bridges and published by CRC Press. This book was released on 2019-04-24 with total page 755 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This work is intended for advanced readers interested in methods of sustainable land management - the prevention and control of land degradation. It offers a coherent view of the situation concerning land degradation and the human response to the problem. It is generally recognized that technological solutions alone cannot solve the problems of land degradation. This book discusses the role of land use and land management policies, programmes, insitutional innovations, and economic incentives for the control and prevention of land degradation. Special attention is given to legal issues at the international level and in individual countries.