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      • Trusted Partner
        April 2025

        Soil Health and Nutrition Management

        by Naveen Chandra Joshi, Thomas Leustek, Prashant Kumar Singh, Arti Mishra, Vijayta Deepak Singh, Shalini Love, Shalini Porwal, Jaagiriti Tyagi, Mukul Joshi, Swati Mohapatra, Seema Pradhan, Priyanka Das, Deepanker Yadav, Charu Khosla Gupta, Kamlesh Choure, Manish Kumar Dubey, Sakshi Arora, Debananda S Ningthoujam

        A major challenge for agriculture and future crop production is the deterioration in soil health and fertility. We have large areas of barren land across the globe with degraded soil which can only be made fertile by applying proper nutrition and soil health management practices. It is crucial to protect soil health in order to feed the world's ever-growing population. Healthy soil is a dynamic ecosystem containing microbes that aid in the breakdown of organic materials and minerals, increasing the availability of plant nutrients (nutrient recycling) and enhancing soil quality and crop output. Healthy soil also helps mitigate the impact of climate change by maintaining nutrients and sequestering atmospheric carbon. This book summarizes the numerous components of soil health management including cutting-edge technologies such as genome editing and rhizospheric engineering, together with conventional techniques for preserving soil nutrients.

      • Trusted Partner
        December 2024

        The Rangelands of Libya

        by Gustave Gintzburger, Slim Saïdi

        Libya remains a land of mysteries with a harsh arid climate, a land rich in millenaries of troubled history, a land where the Sahara meet the Mediterranean Sea, a land where the West and the East Mediterranean merge. Libya is also a land where the desert and the sown intermingle in the steppe country where the rainfall is unpredictable, the soils are poor, rocky, saline, rendering rainfed cultivation hazardous, where grazing and rainfed cropping remained for long the only viable agricultural options. Over the past 60 years, oil resources allowed gigantic agricultural development projects, urbanization, road network expansion and well drilling. This changed the ways of life of rural populations, impacting and undoubtedly altering rangelands conditions and systems, as well as native vegetation cover, wildlife and land use. This book reviews the past and current environmental and agricultural condition of the Libyan rangelands with example of how territories and resources are used by tribal communities. It describes, explains and illustrates the landscapes, the vegetation, the wildlife, the rainfed cereal systems and livestock systems, the reasons for the rampant overstocking, the relentless land clearing for hazardous cropping and uncertain irrigation projects, the wild fuelwood collection and charcoal manufacturing, triggering land degradation and desertification. Long-tested rangeland recovery and rehabilitation techniques in Libya are reviewed using appropriate plant material and proven establishment techniques with successes and failures assessed. This book is offered in hopes of a better future for the Libyan people and the whole Mediterranean arid regions from Morocco to Pakistan.

      • Trusted Partner
        Geography & the Environment
        June 2020

        New Land, New Life

        A success story of new land resettlement in Bangladesh

        by Andrew Jenkins, Natasha Haider, Bazlul Karim, Mihir Kumar Chakraborty, Kiran Sankar Sarker, Rezaul Karim, Robiul Islam, Nujulee Begum, Edward Mallorie, Koen de Wilde

        The Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna delta has newly emerged 'char' islands, resulting from the deposition of sediment, which are very vulnerable, socially, institutionally and environmentally. This book explains how the governments of Bangladesh and the Netherlands and the International Fund for Agricultural Development cooperated on a land-based rural development project to give settlers security and purpose. It details how they engaged communities and civil societies, and implemented an infrastructure aimed at reducing flooding, improving drainage, and providing adequate drinking water and sanitation. The book describes the project's application to crop and animal agriculture, and the development of value chains and encouragement of female participation. It considers the financial underpinning and infrastructure, as well as how to ensure the impacts of the scheme are enduring. The scheme serves as a model for support projects to vulnerable groups faced with climate change and other environmental challenges. This book is suitable for students, researchers, specialists and practitioners in rural development, water resources, land management and soil science.

      • Trusted Partner
        Geography & the Environment
        March 2022

        Plants for Soil Regeneration

        An Illustrated Guide

        by Sally Pinhey, Margaret Tebbs

        This book is a comprehensive, beautifully illustrated colour guide to the plants which farmers, growers and gardeners can use to improve soil structure and restore fertility without the use and expense of agrichemicals. Information based on the latest research is given on how to use soil conditioning plants to avoid soil degradation, restore soil quality and help clean polluted land. There are 11 chapters: 1 to 6 cover soil health, nitrogen fixation, green manures and herbal leys, bacteria and other microorganisms, phytoremediators and soil mycorrhiza (plant-fungal symbiosis). Chapter 7 has plant illustrations, with climate range and soil types, along with their soil conditioning properties and each plant is presented with a comprehensive description opposite a detailed illustration, in full colour. Chapters 8 to 10 examine soil stabilisers, weeds and invasive plants, and hedges and trees and the final chapter, contains 5 case studies with the most recent data, followed by an appendix and glossary. The book allows the reader to identify the plants they need quickly and find the information necessary to begin implementation of soil regeneration.

      • Trusted Partner
        Forestry & silviculture: practice & techniques
        February 2003

        Trees, Crops and Soil Fertility: Concepts and Research Methods

        by Edited by Goetz Schroth, Fergus L Sinclair

        Successful agroforestry requires an understanding of the complex relationship between trees, crops and soils. This book provides a review of both economic and biophysical aspects of soil use and research in agroforestry, with an emphasis on nutrient-poor forest and savanna soils. Key topics covered include the economics of soil fertility management, cycling of water, nutrients and organic matter, soil structure, and soil biological processes. The book combines synthetic overviews of research results and a review of methods used in research.From the foreword: “The book is written within a particular context - soil fertility development under agroforestry. At first this may seem very specific and thus limited in appeal and application. But over the last decade or so agroforestry research has been one of the most influential in developing new insights into soil biology and fertility and thus provides a very suitable framework for review of progress. Furthermore the influence of trees on soil is profound and of significance beyond agroforestry systems, so the book is likely to be of interest in the wider spheres of agriculture, forestry and ecological sciences.” Mike Swift, TSBF, Nairobi, Kenya

      • Trusted Partner
        Fertilizers & manures
        December 2000

        Sustainable Management of Soil Organic Matter

        by Edited by Robert M Rees, B Ball, C Watson, C D Campbell

        Includes some fifty edited and revised papers from an international conference on Sustainable Management of Soil Organic Matter, held by the British Society of Soil Science in Edinburgh in September 1999. The book explores the results of recent research studies examining how organic matter functions in soils, factors affecting organic matter quality and quantity and how management of organic matter can be optimised in order to achieve sustainable farming practices.

      • Trusted Partner
        Agriculture & related industries
        April 1997

        Biological Indicators of Soil Health

        by Edited by C Pankhurst, B Doube, V Gupta

        Maintaining soil health is fundamental to successful crop production and ecosystem sustainability. To enable effective management soil health must first be measured and then monitored and so the authors review and evaluate how soil organisms can be used to fulfil this role. This book is essential for all soil scientists and consultants. It is of particular relevance to those involved in soil health monitoring and maintenance as well as those undertaking soil remediation. It is also important reading for agronomists, ecologists and environmentalists. This book is a comprehensive and effective resource for all those working to sustain healthy soils.

      • Trusted Partner
        March 2020

        Im Alten Land

        by Birgit Haustedt

        Apfelbäume, so weit das Auge reicht, idyllische Fachwerkdörfer hinter dem Deich und am Horizont die Elbe: Das Alte Land ist eine uralte Kulturlandschaft am Wasser, die ihren eigenen Charakter bewahrt hat. Prächtige Bauernhöfe und Backsteinkirchen mit kostbaren Barockorgeln zeugen noch heute vom frühen Wohlstand der Altländer. Birgit Haustedt erzählt von den Anfängen im Mittelalter, von Deichbau und Sturmfluten, vom Alltag der kleinen Leute und von großer Handwerkskunst, von stolzen Bauern und mutigen Schiffern. Dazu ein Exkurs, welche Rolle das Alte Land in Lessings Leben und Goethes Faust spielte.

      • Trusted Partner
        Technology, Engineering & Agriculture
        September 2019

        Healthy Soils for Healthy Vines

        Soil Management for Productive Vineyards

        by Robert White, Mark Krstic

        Healthy Soils for Healthy Vines provides a clear understanding of vineyard soils and how to manage and improve soil health for best vineyard performance. It covers the inherent and dynamic properties of soil health, how to choose which soil properties to monitor, how to monitor soil and vine performance, and how vineyard management practices affect soil health, fruit composition and wine sensory characters. It also covers the basic tenets of sustainable winegrowing and their significance for business resilience in the face of a changing climate.

      • Trusted Partner
        Science & Mathematics
        November 2020

        Techniques for Work with Plant and Soil Nematodes

        by Roland N Perry, David J Hunt, Sergei A Subbotin

        Techniques for Work with Plant and Soil Nematodes is an up-to-date, comprehensive book covering the practicalities of working with and studying soil and plant nematodes. Written by an international team of experts, this book is highly illustrated and provides thorough coverage of methods whilst allowing for relevant information to be located quickly. It includes the fundamental traditional techniques and new methodologies, covering: sampling; extraction; estimating numbers; handling, fixing, staining, mounting; culturing techniques; figure preparation, measurement and image processing; electron microscopy techniques; behavioural and physiological assays; and cytogenetic, biochemical and molecular biology techniques. This book is an essential resource for anyone involved in plant nematology needing to refer to a readily available methodology standard, including students of nematology and parasitology, university lecturers and researchers, diagnostic laboratories, and quarantine and advisory service personnel. It provides a much needed compendium of the spectrum of information needed to work with these microscopic organisms.

      • Trusted Partner
        March 2025

        Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Social Research

        by Prokopis A Christou

        The field of social research is characterized by its broad scope and interdisciplinary nature, encompassing the examination of human behaviour, societies, and various facets of social existence; however, it is influenced by numerous factors, including technological advancements. It is therefore no surprise that Artificial Intelligence (AI) has rapidly become a driving force, bringing about substantial transformations within the field. The use of AI-assisted tools and programmes for the collection, analysis, and interpretation of both quantitative and qualitative data is increasing at a remarkable pace. The implications of utilizing these applications are significant and noteworthy. While these technologies present numerous opportunities, it is important to acknowledge the accompanying dilemmas and risks associated with this form of technological advancement. With a focus on AI's research implications, this book explores various considerations and examples across different disciplines of social research. It highlights the considerable promise AI holds for revolutionizing the discipline while also guiding readers in contemplating the potential drawbacks and various concerns. By doing so, researchers can optimize the capabilities of AI and promote its responsible, reliable, and beneficial application in enhancing and advancing social research.

      • Trusted Partner
        Limnology (freshwater)
        September 2003

        Soil Fertility Decline in the Tropics

        With Case Studies on Plantations

        by Alfred E Hartemink

        Wide coverage of soils and perennial cropping systems in the tropicsSynthesis of decades of researchChallenges assumptions on the benefits of plantations for soil fertilityIt is generally assumed that soil fertility decline is widespread in the tropics and that this is largely associated with annual cropping and subsistence farming. In contrast, perennial plant cover (as in plantation agriculture) provides better protection for the soil.This book reviews these concepts, focusing on soil chemical changes under different land-use systems in the tropics. These include perennial crops, annual crops and forest plantations. Two case studies, on sisal plantations in Tanzania and sugar cane in Papua New Guinea, are presented for detailed analysis. The author demonstrates that soil fertility decline is also a problem on plantations.

      • Trusted Partner
        Animal breeding
        May 1999

        Equine Artificial Insemination

        by Mina C G Davies Morel

        Research into equine artificial insemination has recently expanded with increasing horse numbers, the developing leisure interest in horse riding and the realisation of the economic advantages of artificial insemination. This book provides a detailed reference book on the subject and covers its historical development, relevant equine physiology, current practices and future possibilities. It is extensively referenced to allow further reading into specialised areas.

      • Trusted Partner
      • Trusted Partner
        The Arts
        July 2024

        Italian graphic design

        Culture and practice in Milan, 1930s-60s

        by Chiara Barbieri

        Italian graphic design offers a new perspective on the subject by exploring the emergence and articulation of graphic design practice, from the interwar period through to the appearance of an international graphic design discourse in the 1960s. The book asks how graphic designers learned their trade and investigates the ways in which they organised and made their practice visible while negotiating their collective identity with neighbouring practices such as typography, advertising and industrial design. Attention is drawn to everyday design practice, educational issues, mediating channels, networks, design exchange, organisational strategies and discourses on modernism. Drawing on a wide range of primary sources and placing an emphasis on visual analysis, this book provides a model for a contextualised graphic design history as an integral part of the history of design and visual culture.

      • Trusted Partner
        Business, Economics & Law
        October 2020

        Design Thinking Navigator

        Kartenset zur kreativen Projektarbeit

        by Mayer, Lena; Osann, Isabell; Szymanski, Caroline; Taheri, Mana

        Design Thinking: Solve problems together, user-centered and iterative, develop innovations and have fun doing so! - Practical cards for innovation project work with change of perspective- Consistently customer-oriented and iterative- Targeted use of the maps in project planning and implementation with Design Thinking- Pragmatic, compact and wonderfully descriptive- Suitable for the most diverse questions or problems- With folding poster for targeted use of maps in project planning and decorative at the workplace- From the authors "Design Thinking Quick Start

      • Trusted Partner
        December 2021

        Land Governance and Gender

        The Tenure-Gender Nexus in Land Management and Land Policy

        by Uchendu Eugene Chigbu

        This book delivers new conceptual and empirical studies surrounding the design and evaluation of land governance, focusing on land management approaches, land policy issues, advances in pro-poor land tenure and land-based gender concerns. It explores alternative approaches for land management and land tenure through international experiences. Part 1 covers Concepts, debates and perspectives on the governance and gender aspects of land. Part 2 focuses on Tenure-gender dimensions in land management, land administration and land policy. It deals with land issues within the interface of theory and practice. Part 3 covers Applications and experiences: techniques, strategies, tools, methods, and case studies. Part 4 focuses on Land governance, gender, and tenure innovations. Case studies discussed include China, Ethiopia, Ghana, Lesotho, Germany, Mexico, Mozambique, Rwanda, South Korea, etc. Themes include Islamic tenure, reverse migration, matriarchy/matrilineal systems, structural inequality, tenure-responsive planning, land-related instabilities and COVID-19, urban-rural land concerns, women's tenure bargaining, tenure-gender nexus concerns in developing and developed countries. This book: · Includes theoretical or empirical studies on land governance and gender from a diverse group of countries. · Provides the basis for a new land administration theory to be set against conventional land administration approaches. · Offers, in an accessible manner, a range of new tools for design and evaluation of land management interventions. The book will be valuable for students and researchers in land governance, urban and rural planning, international development,natural resource management, agriculture, community development, and gender studies. It is also useful for land practitioners, including those working within international organizations.

      • Trusted Partner
        Humanities & Social Sciences
        May 2025

        Fertile expectations

        The politics of involuntary childlessness in twentieth-century France

        by Margaret Cook Andersen

        An engaging history of motherhood, demography, and infertility in twentieth-century France, this book explores fraught political and cultural meanings attached to the notion of an "ideal" family size. When statistics revealed a sustained drop in France's birthrate, pronatalist activists pushed for financial benefits, propaganda, and punitive measures to counter declining fertility. Situating infertility within this history, the author details innovations in fertility medicine, cultural awareness of artificial insemination, and changing laws on child adoption. These practices offered new ways of responding to infertility and formed part of a growing expectation of being able to control one's fertility and family size. This book presents the political and cultural context for understanding why private questions about when to start a family, how many children to have, and how to cope with involuntary childlessness, evolved and became part of state demographic policies.

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