Download or read book Climate Change Refugia for Terrestrial Biodiversity written by April E. Reside and published by . This book was released on 2013 with total page 230 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Climate change is already underway, and we are currently looking down the barrel of a four to five degree Celsius increase in global mean temperatures by the end of the century. This level of climate change will have manifold impacts on human livelihoods and infrastructure, and will also have serious consequences for the world's biodiversity. How can we best conserve biodiversity in the face of this global, ubiquitous driver of biodiversity loss? This report begins the process of identifying and ranking such climate change refugia across the Australian continent. We start broadly, looking at how changes in climate are likely to play out across the Australian continent, and we examine these changes from a biological perspective (led by the Centre forTropical Biodiversity and Climate Change at James Cook University). This reveals that the Australian continent is likely to experience catastrophic increases in temperature across most of the continent. The dangerous magnitude of these increases in temperature is clearly demonstrated by reference to the normal inter - annual variation in temperature at each location. Against this backdrop, the projected shift in mean temperature at all locations across Australia is alarming. Across most of the continent, mean annual temperatures will shift to be greater than five standard deviations from current temperatures. This is equivalent to average temperatures shifting by a magnitude that would only be expected to occur once every 3. 5 million years under current levels of variation. That this shift will play out in less than 75 years suggests that most vertebrate species will be unable to adapt, and that retreat to refugia is the only likely viable option for these species to persist."--Executive summary.
Download or read book Biodiversity in Ecosystems written by Juan A. Blanco and published by BoD – Books on Demand. This book was released on 2015-04-17 with total page 644 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The term biodiversity has become a mainstream concept that can be found in any newspaper at any given time. Concerns on biodiversity protection are usually linked to species protection and extinction risks for iconic species, such as whales, pandas and so on. However, conserving biodiversity has much deeper implications than preserving a few (although important) species. Biodiversity in ecosystems is tightly linked to ecosystem functions such as biomass production, organic matter decomposition, ecosystem resilience, and others. Many of these ecological processes are also directly implied in services that the humankind obtains from ecosystems. The first part of this book will introduce different concepts and theories important to understand the links between ecosystem function and ecosystem biodiversity. The second part of the book provides a wide range of different studies showcasing the evidence and practical implications of such relationships.
Download or read book Biodiversity and Climate Change written by Thomas E. Lovejoy and published by Yale University Press. This book was released on 2019-01-01 with total page 414 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An essential, up-to-date look at the critical interactions between biological diversity and climate change that will serve as an immediate call to action The physical and biological impacts of climate change are dramatic and broad-ranging. People who care about the planet and manage natural resources urgently need a synthesis of our rapidly growing understanding of these issues. In this all-new sequel to the 2005 volume Climate Change and Biodiversity, leading experts in the field summarize observed changes, assess what the future holds, and offer suggested responses. From extinction risk to ocean acidification, from the future of the Amazon to changes in ecosystem services, and from geoengineering to the power of ecosystem restoration, this book captures the sweep of climate change transformation of the biosphere.
Download or read book The Impacts of Climate Change written by Trevor M. Letcher and published by Elsevier. This book was released on 2021-05-13 with total page 570 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Impacts of Climate Change: A Comprehensive Study of Physical, Biophysical, Social and Political Issues presents the very real issues associated with climate change and global warming and how it affects the planet and everyone on it. From a physical perspective, the book covers such topics as population pressures, food issues, rising sea-levels and coastline degradation, and health. It then goes on to present social impacts, such as humanitarian issues, ethics, adaptation, urban issues, local action, and socio-economic issues. Finally, it addresses the political impacts, such as justice issues and politics of climate change in different locations. By offering this holistic review of the latest impacts of climate change, the book helps researchers to better understand what needs to be done in order to move toward renewable energy, change societal habits, and move toward sustainable development. Offers comprehensive coverage of the impacts of climate change from multiple perspectives (physical, social, and political) to develop synergy across disciplines Presents the latest research and developments on the understanding of climate change impacts on a variety of scales and disciplines Includes case studies and extensive references for further exploration
Download or read book Protecting the Wild written by George Wuerthner and published by Island Press. This book was released on 2015-02-19 with total page 393 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Protected natural areas have historically been the primary tool of conservationists to conserve land and wildlife. These parks and reserves are set apart to forever remain in contrast to those places where human activities, technologies, and developments prevail. But even as the biodiversity crisis accelerates, a growing number of voices are suggesting that protected areas are passé. Conservation, they argue, should instead focus on lands managed for human use—working landscapes—and abandon the goal of preventing human-caused extinctions in favor of maintaining ecosystem services to support people. If such arguments take hold, we risk losing support for the unique qualities and values of wild, undeveloped nature. Protecting the Wild offers a spirited argument for the robust protection of the natural world. In it, experts from five continents reaffirm that parks, wilderness areas, and other reserves are an indispensable—albeit insufficient—means to sustain species, subspecies, key habitats, ecological processes, and evolutionary potential. Using case studies from around the globe, they present evidence that terrestrial and marine protected areas are crucial for biodiversity and human well-being alike, vital to countering anthropogenic extinctions and climate change. A companion volume to Keeping the Wild: Against the Domestication of Earth, Protecting the Wild provides a necessary addition to the conversation about the future of conservation in the so-called Anthropocene, one that will be useful for academics, policymakers, and conservation practitioners at all levels, from local land trusts to international NGOs.
Download or read book Ecological Restoration Law written by Afshin Akhtar-Khavari and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2019-01-25 with total page 314 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Ecological restoration is as essential as sustainable development for the health of the biosphere. Restoration, however, has been a low priority of most countries' environmental laws, which tend to focus narrowly on rehabilitation of small, discrete sites rather than the more ambitious recovery of entire ecosystems and landscapes. Through critical theoretical perspectives and topical case studies, this book's diverse contributors explore a more ambitious agenda for ecological restoration law. Not only do they investigate current laws and other governance mechanisms; they also consider the philosophical and methodological bases for the law to take ecological restoration more seriously. Through exploration of themes relating to time, space, geography, semiotics, social justice, and scientific knowledge, this book offers innovative and critical insights into ecological restoration law.
Download or read book Australia s Biodiversity and Climate Change written by Will Steffen and published by CSIRO PUBLISHING. This book was released on 2009 with total page 249 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Australia's unique biodiversity is under threat from a rapidly changing climate. The effects of climate change are already discernible at all levels of biodiversity - genes, species, communities and ecosystems. Many of Australia's most valued and iconic natural areas - the Great Barrier Reef, south-western Australia, the Kakadu wetlands and the Australian Alps - are among the most vulnerable. But much more is at stake than saving iconic species or ecosystems. Australia's biodiversity is fundamental to the country's national identity, economy and quality of life. In the face of uncertainty about specific climate scenarios, ecological and management principles provide a sound basis for maximising opportunities for species to adapt, communities to reorganise and ecosystems to transform while maintaining basic functions critical to human society. This innovative approach to biodiversity conservation under a changing climate leads to new challenges for management, policy development and institutional design. This book explores these challenges, building on a detailed analysis of the interactions between a changing climate and Australia's rich but threatened biodiversity. Australia's Biodiversity and Climate Change is an important reference for policy makers, researchers, educators, students, journalists, environmental and conservation NGOs, NRM managers, and private landholders with an interest in biodiversity conservation in a rapidly changing world."--Publisher.
Download or read book Encyclopedia of the Anthropocene written by and published by Elsevier. This book was released on 2017-11-27 with total page 2290 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Encyclopedia of the Anthropocene, Five Volume Set presents a currency-based, global synthesis cataloguing the impact of humanity’s global ecological footprint. Covering a multitude of aspects related to Climate Change, Biodiversity, Contaminants, Geological, Energy and Ethics, leading scientists provide foundational essays that enable researchers to define and scrutinize information, ideas, relationships, meanings and ideas within the Anthropocene concept. Questions widely debated among scientists, humanists, conservationists, politicians and others are included, providing discussion on when the Anthropocene began, what to call it, whether it should be considered an official geological epoch, whether it can be contained in time, and how it will affect future generations. Although the idea that humanity has driven the planet into a new geological epoch has been around since the dawn of the 20th century, the term ‘Anthropocene’ was only first used by ecologist Eugene Stoermer in the 1980s, and hence popularized in its current meaning by atmospheric chemist Paul Crutzen in 2000. Presents comprehensive and systematic coverage of topics related to the Anthropocene, with a focus on the Geosciences and Environmental science Includes point-counterpoint articles debating key aspects of the Anthropocene, giving users an even-handed navigation of this complex area Provides historic, seminal papers and essays from leading scientists and philosophers who demonstrate changes in the Anthropocene concept over time
Download or read book Wildlife Fire Future Climate written by Brendan Mackey and published by CSIRO PUBLISHING. This book was released on 2002 with total page 202 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The conservation of Earth's forest ecosystems is one of the great environmental challenges facing humanity in the 21st century. This volume explores these themes through a landscape-wide study of refugia and future climate in the tall, wet forests of the Central Highlands of Victoria.
Download or read book Australian Vegetation written by David A. Keith and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2017-06-15 with total page 771 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Australian Vegetation has been an essential reference for students and researchers in botany, ecology and natural resource management for over 35 years. Now fully updated and with a new team of authors, the third edition presents the latest insights on the patterns and processes that shaped the vegetation of Australia. The first part of the book provides a synthesis of ecological processes that influence vegetation traits throughout the continent, using a new classification of vegetation. New chapters examine the influences of climate, soils, fire regimes, herbivores and aboriginal people on vegetation, in addition to completely revised chapters on evolutionary biogeography, quaternary vegetation history and alien plants. The book's second half presents detailed ecological portraits for each major vegetation type and offers data-rich perspectives and comparative analysis presented in tables, graphs, maps and colour illustrations. This authoritative book will inspire readers to learn and explore first-hand the vegetation of Australia.
Download or read book Community Development written by Ledwith, Margaret and published by Policy Press. This book was released on 2020-01-15 with total page 302 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Community development’s social justice principles are under threat from the current resurgence of far-Right politics. The dangerous escalation of economic inequalities calls for new ideas on power and new approaches to practice. Rooted in radical community development’s strong theoretical foundation in Freire and Gramsci, the body of knowledge is expanded to make sense of these challenging times, introducing exciting new ideas for those working in this field. Written in an engaging style, linking theory to action using cartoons, international case studies and key concept summaries, the fully updated third edition of this bestselling book offers an inspiring approach to practice for all those committed to social and environmental justice. It will be an invaluable resource for students in community development and related disciplines.
Download or read book The Impacts of Climate Change written by Trevor Letcher and published by Elsevier. This book was released on 2021-05-09 with total page 572 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Impacts of Climate Change: A Comprehensive Study of Physical, Biophysical, Social and Political Issues presents the very real issues associated with climate change and global warming and how it affects the planet and everyone on it. From a physical perspective, the book covers such topics as population pressures, food issues, rising sea-levels and coastline degradation, and health. It then goes on to present social impacts, such as humanitarian issues, ethics, adaptation, urban issues, local action, and socio-economic issues. Finally, it addresses the political impacts, such as justice issues and politics of climate change in different locations. By offering this holistic review of the latest impacts of climate change, the book helps researchers to better understand what needs to be done in order to move toward renewable energy, change societal habits, and move toward sustainable development. - Offers comprehensive coverage of the impacts of climate change from multiple perspectives (physical, social, and political) to develop synergy across disciplines - Presents the latest research and developments on the understanding of climate change impacts on a variety of scales and disciplines - Includes case studies and extensive references for further exploration
Download or read book Reefs at Risk Revisited written by Lauretta Marie Burke and published by . This book was released on 2011 with total page 114 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Food Production and Nature Conservation written by Iain J. Gordon and published by Taylor & Francis. This book was released on 2016-11-25 with total page 369 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Feeding the world's growing human population is increasingly challenging, especially as more people adopt a western diet and lifestyle. Doing so without causing damage to nature poses an even greater challenge. This book argues that in order to create a sustainable food supply whilst conserving nature, agriculture and nature must be reconnected and approached together. The authors demonstrate that while the links between nature and food production have, to some extent, already been recognized, until now the focus has been to protect one from the impacts of the other. Instead, it is argued that nature and agriculture can, and should, work together and ultimately benefit from one another. Chapters describe efforts to protect nature through globally connected protected area systems and illustrate how farming methods are being shaped to protect nature within agricultural systems. The authors also point to many ways in which nature benefits agriculture through the ecosystem services it provides. Overall, the book shows that nature conservation and food production must be considered as equally important components of future solutions to meet the global demand for food in a manner that is sustainable for both the human population and the planet as a whole.
Download or read book Geology and Plant Life written by Arthur R. Kruckeberg and published by University of Washington Press. This book was released on 2004 with total page 378 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Before any other influences began to fashion life and its lavish diversity, geological events created the initial environments--both physical and chemical--for the evolutionary drama that followed. Drawing on case histories from around the world, Arthur Kruckeberg demonstrates the role of landforms and rock types in producing the unique geographical distributions of plants and in stimulating evolutionary diversification. His examples range throughout the rich and heterogeneous tapestry of the earth's surface: the dramatic variations of mountainous topography, the undulating ground and crevices of level limestone karst, and the subtle realm of sand dunes. He describes the ongoing evolutionary consequences of the geology-plant interface and the often underestimated role of geology in shaping climate. Kruckeberg explores the fundamental connection between plants and geology, including the historical roots of geobotany, the reciprocal relations between geology and other environmental influences, geomorphology and its connection with plant life, lithology as a potent selective agent for plants, and the physical and biological influences of soils. Special emphasis is given to the responses of plants to exceptional rock types and their soils--serpentines, limestones, and other azonal (exceptional) substrates. Edaphic ecology, especially of serpentines, has been his specialty for years. Kruckeberg's research fills a significant gap in the field of environmental science by connecting the conventionally separated disciplines of the physical and biological sciences. Geology and Plant Life is the result of more than forty years of research into the question of why certain plants grow on certain soils and certain terrain structures, and what happens when this relationship is disrupted by human agents. It will be useful to a wide spectrum of professionals in the natural sciences: plant ecologists, paleobiologists, climatologists, soil scientists, geologists, geographers, and conservation scientists, as well as serious amateurs in natural history.
Download or read book The Routledge Handbook of Australian Urban and Regional Planning written by Neil Sipe and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2017-08-25 with total page 525 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Where is planning in twenty-first-century Australia? What are the key challenges that confront planning? What does planning scholarship reveal about the state of planning practice in meeting the needs of urban and regional Australians? The Routledge Handbook of Australian Urban and Regional Planning includes 27 chapters that answer these and many other questions that confront planners working in urban and regional areas in twenty-first-century Australia. It provides a single source for cutting edge thinking and research across a broad range of the most important topics in urban and regional planning. Divided into six parts, this handbook explores: contexts of urban and regional planning in Australia critical debates in Australian planning planning policy climate change, disaster risk and environmental management engaging and taking planning action planning education and research This handbook is a valuable resource for advanced undergraduate and postgraduate students in urban planning, built environment, urban studies and public policy as well as academics and practitioners across Australia and internationally.
Download or read book Climate Change and Biodiversity written by Thomas E. Lovejoy and published by Yale University Press. This book was released on 2004-12-01 with total page 442 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Leading researchers discuss what is now known about the effects of climate change on the natural world. They examine recent trends in and projections about climate chan≥ ways that particular organisms are responding to climate chan≥ conservation challenges, including social and policy issues; and more. "This book will be a milestone in the emerging discipline of climate change biology. No issue is more important for the global environment; the impressive line-up of experts here gives it definitive coverage."--Edward O. Wilson, Harvard University "A well-written treatise on the past, present, and future effects of climate change on plant and animal biodiversity. . . . It is destined to become a classic."--Choice
