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      • Trusted Partner
        Agricultural science
        December 2005

        Valuing Crop Biodiversity

        On-Farm Genetic Resources and Economic Change

        by Edited by Melinda Smale

        This book examines the challenges faced by farmers trying to maintain crop biodiversity in developing and transitional economies. Using a collection of empirical case studies of farmers and crop scientists across a range of agricultural economies and income levels, it presents economic tools and methods for valuing and managing crop biodiversity. It discusses the economic benefits of crop biodiversity for farmers and suggests ways in which crop biodiversity can be supported by national policies. The book provides an indispensable 'tool kit' for all those concerned with the development of strategies to facilitate sustainable management and conservation of crop genetic diversity for future generations.

      • Trusted Partner
        Plant ecology
        December 2016

        Plant Biodiversity

        Monitoring, Assessment and Conservation

        by Edited by Abid A Ansari, Sarvajeet Singh Gill

        Plants are important components to the ecosystem. They are the base of the food chain and play a significant role in energy flow and biogeochemical cycling of nutrients between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. They must constantly fight against the environmental modifications, however, that threaten to cause global species extinction and habitat destruction. A new multidisciplinary science has evolved to deal with the crises confronting biological diversity. It has two goals: first, to investigate human impacts on biological diversity and second, to develop practical approaches to prevent extinction of species. This book is a practical update on our knowledge on monitoring, assessment and conservation of plant biodiversity in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems and related fields. It includes a general overview of plant biodiversity, investigates a wealth of factors affecting and hindering plant biodiversity before exploring in depth methods of monitoring, assessing and conserving our plant species. Globally relevant, this book is a valuable resource for all researchers, professionals and students of botany and plant biodiversity studies.

      • Trusted Partner
        Organic farming
        July 1997

        Biodiversity Information

        Needs and Operations

        by David L Hawksworth. Edited by Paul M Kirk, Stella Dextre Clarke

        Biodiversity has been identified as a key issue in the general debate about the sustainable use of the world’s natural resources. Major international efforts are now underway to assess and maintain biodiversity. However, there is an urgent need to collect, manage and disseminate information related to biodiversity in an efficient and effective way. The purpose of this book is to review the needs and opportunities for information and efficient information flows in support of world priorities in biodiversity. It is based on papers presented at a workshop held in London in July 1996, organized by CAB International with the support of the International Union of Biological Sciences (IUBS), International Union of Forestry Research Organizations (IUFRO), IUCN — The World Conservation Union and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). Contributors include leading players from organizations concerned with conserving and managing biodiversity, based in Europe and the USA as well as developing countries.

      • Trusted Partner
        Biodiversity
        January 2004

        Biodiversity of West African Forests

        An Ecological Atlas of Woody Plant Species

        by Edited by Lourens Poorter, Frans Bongers, Francois N Kouamé, William D Hawthorne

        The rain forests of West Africa have been designated as one of the world's hotspots of biodiversity. They extend from Ghana to Senegal and are referred to as the Upper Guinean forests. Because of their isolated position, they harbour a large number of rare and endemic animal and plant species.This book focuses on the biodiversity and ecology of these forests. It analyses the factors that give rise to biodiversity and structure tropical plant communities. It also includes an atlas with ecological profiles of rare plant species and large timber species.

      • Trusted Partner
        Fertilizers & manures
        February 2006

        Soil Biodiversity in Amazonian and Other Brazilian Ecosystems

        by Edited by Fattima M S Moreira, Jose O Siqueira, Lijbert Brussaard

        The loss of biological diversity has become an increased concern over recent years and is now enshrined in international conventions. Most biodiversity in fact occurs in the soil. Soil organisms (especially bacteria, fungi and soil invertebrates) play a major role in the formation of soil structure and are primary agents of decomposition and are drivers of nutrient cycling, and hence agricultural production.This book reviews soil biodiversity in one of the key biodiversity hotspots of the world, i.e. the Amazon and nearby regions of Brazil. It covers both the tropical savannah and rain forests . The work reported is based on a project "Conservation and Sustainable Management of Below-Ground Biodiversity", executed by TSBF-CIAT with co-financing from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and implementation support from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). The book represents a major contribution to the literature and will interest those in biodiversity conservation, soil scienceand ecology and biodiversity conservation.

      • Trusted Partner
        January 2018

        Biodiversity, Revised Edition

        Conserving Endangered Species

        by Anne Maczulak, Ph.D.

        Students with a basic understanding of the environment and concern for its future know the importance of preserving biological diversity. Biodiversity is the variety of living things on Earth or in a specific area. This definition seems simple enough to understand, yet the concept of biodiversity has deeper meanings that challenge even trained environmental scientists. A region that has a wide variety of species in robust populations is said to possess biodiversity. But not every place on Earth bursts with diverse life. Biodiversity concentrates in certain areas, while other parts of the globe possess a somewhat lesser variety and number of species. Biodiversity, Revised Edition takes a look at how habitats are destroyed, the devastating effect this has on biodiversity, and the ways in which scientists restore ecosystems and habits. This updated, full-color book also examines the ethical questions that arise when trying to rescue threatened species in the face of dire human conditions. Chapters include: Endangered Species Measuring Species and Extinction Protecting Native from Invasive Species            Urban Development Nature Reserves Species Protection Methods for Measuring Diversity.

      • Trusted Partner
        Forestry & silviculture: practice & techniques
        October 2007

        Biodiversity Loss and Conservation in Fragmented Forest Landscapes

        The Forests of Montane Mexico and Temperate South America

        by Adrian C Newton

        Increasing concern surrounding the loss of natural forests and the decline in biodiversity has lead to a rise in research and policy initiatives in recent years. However, interest has focused primarily on lowland tropical rainforests. Tropical montane and temperate rainforests, which face similar pressures from human activities and play major roles in the livelihood of rural communities, are often ignored. Biodiversity Loss and Conservation in Fragmented Forest Landscapes is the product of over 10 years of intensive field research into the changing montane and temperate rainforests of Mexico and South America. By concentrating on these largely overlooked environments, the studies reported allow for comparative analysis across areas and help identify how human disturbance has impacted the biodiversity of all forest types. Chapters incorporate features of landscape ecology, floristic biodiversity, conservation and policy and vary from in-depth investigations of a single study area to integrated examinations across regions.

      • Trusted Partner
        Medicine
        October 2020

        Introduction to Environmental Toxicology

        by J P F D'Mello

        Introduction to Environmental Toxicology is designed as a concise text, introducing students to the fundamentals of this important subject. It covers the origin, characterization and environmental distribution of the major pollutants, and provides an explanation of their implications for human morbidity via the development of cancer, cardiovascular disease, pulmonary dysfunction and neurological conditions. Considering impacts on biodiversity, such as effects from acid rain, heavy metals and selected anthropogenic compounds, this book: - Covers biogenic contaminants, gases and particulates, organic pollutants, petroleum, heavy metals, complex polymers and radiation; - Considers the impact of pollutants across human health, biodiversity, water and food safety; - Includes questions, further reading and case studies to spark discussion in tutorials. Covering all the major biological toxins and pollutants, this book forms a true introduction to the subject for undergraduates studying environmental toxicology and related subjects.

      • Trusted Partner
        Geography & the Environment
        August 2022

        Key Questions in Environmental Toxicology

        A Study and Revision Guide

        by J P F D'Mello

        Key Questions in Environmental Toxicology is designed as a self-study tool for undergraduate students. Questions review the origin, characterization and environmental distribution of major pollutants, followed by their absorption and metabolic disposition in living organisms. They address implications for the development of cancer, cardiovascular disease, pulmonary dysfunction and neurological conditions in relation to gaseous pollutants, particulates, persistent organic compounds and radioactive emissions, then cover the impact of pollutants on biodiversity, food safety, and water contamination. This book: - Covers toxicology from human morbidity, ecological impact and biodiversity perspectives, and emphasises the impact of diverse organic pollutants in worsening these interconnected phenomena, leading to wider environmental emergencies; - Provides a selection of fill-in-the-gap, multiple choice and short answer question types for students to vary their learning and enhance motivation; - Includes full answer rationales, allowing students to gain true insight into the subject. Providing support to programmes across environmental science, ecology and human health, and covering all the major biological toxins and pollutants as well as unintended consequences of actions designed to improve outcomes, this book may be used in conjunction with the companion volume Introduction to Environmental Toxicology.

      • Trusted Partner
        Forestry & related industries
        March 2004

        Forest Biodiversity

        Lessons from History for Conservation

        by Edited by Olivier Honnay, Kris Verheyen, Beatrijs Bossuyt, Martin Hermy

        This book focuses on the diverse impact of forest history in general, and of forest continuity, fragmentation and past management in particular, on the diversity and distribution of species. The implications for the conservation of biodiversity in forests are also addressed. Chapters have been developed from papers presented at a conference held in Leuven in January 2003. The emphasis is on temperate forests in Europe and North America, but the information may also be applicable to other regions or biomes. The book will be of significant interest to researchers working within the areas of forestry, ecology, conservation and environmental history.

      • Trusted Partner
        Biology, life sciences
        August 2020

        Key Questions in Ecology

        A Study and Revision Guide

        by Paul A. Rees

        An understanding of ecology is an important requirement of a wide range of academic areas, including biology, zoology and environmental science. This book is a study and revision guide for students following programmes of study in which ecology is an important component. It contains 600 multiple-choice questions (and answers) set at three levels - foundation, intermediate and advanced - and grouped into 10 major topic areas: · The history and foundations of ecology · Abiotic factors and environmental monitoring · Taxonomy and biodiversity · Energy flow and production ecology · Nutrient and material cycles · Ecophysiology · Population ecology · Community ecology and species interactions · Ecological genetics and evolution · Ecological methods and statistics The book has been produced in a convenient format so that it can be used at any time in any place. It allows the reader to learn and revise the meaning of ecological terms, the basic processes operating in ecosystems, the dynamics of populations, ecological genetics and the process of evolution, the methods used in ecological surveys, and much more. The structure of the book allows the study of one topic area at a time, progressing through simple questions to those that are more demanding. Many of the questions require students to use their knowledge to interpret information provided in the form of graphs, data or photographs, providing a useful tool for independent study.

      • Trusted Partner
        Geography & the Environment
        January 2021

        Key Questions in Applied Ecology and Conservation

        A Study and Revision Guide

        by Paul Rees

        An understanding of applied ecology and conservation is an important requirement of a wide range of programmes of study including applied biology, ecology, environmental science and wildlife conservation.This book is a study and revision guide for students following such programmes. It contains 600 multiple-choice questions (and answers) set at three levels - foundation, intermediate and advanced - and grouped into 10 major topic areas:History and foundations of applied ecology and conservationEnvironmental pollution and perturbationsWildlife and conservation biologyRestoration biology and habitat managementAgriculture, forestry and fisheries managementPest, weed and disease managementUrban ecology and waste managementGlobal environmental change and biodiversity lossEnvironmental and wildlife law and policyEnvironmental assessment, monitoring and modellingThe book has been produced in a convenient format so that it can be used at any time in any place. It allows the reader to learn and revise the meaning of terms used in applied ecology and conservation, study the effects of pollution on ecosystems, the management, conservation and restoration of wildlife populations and habitats, urban ecology, global environmental change, environment law and much more. The structure of the book allows the study of one topic area at a time, progressing through simple questions to those that are more demanding. Many of the questions require students to use their knowledge to interpret information provided in the form of graphs, data or photographs.

      • Trusted Partner
        November 2023

        On the Life and Death of Insects

        The world of Jean-Henri Fabre

        by Stephan Krall

        — 200th anniversary of the birth of Jean-Henri Fabre on 21 December 2023 — First all-encompassing biography of the entomologist — Biodiversity as a hot topic Jean-Henri Fabre (1823–1915) was a French teacher, scientist and researcher. At a time when insects were not among the preferred biological objects of study (and if they were, it was only for them to be collected, pinned and identified), Fabre began to conduct behavioural research on insects. This was not appreciated until very late in his life, so Fabre and his family were largely destitute most of the time. Stephan Krall provides a very personal account of this extraordinary and passionate researcher of insects, spiders and scorpions, who managed to publish scientific documents, complete his doctorate and write books on the side. Today he is considered as one of the founding fathers of the behavioural biology of insects.

      • Trusted Partner
        Sustainability
        June 1999

        Agrobiodiversity

        Characterization, Utilization and Management

        by Edited by David Wood, Jillian M Lenné

        Global attention to biodiversity has expanded in the past decade. Agricultural biodiversity is the most important part of biodiversity for human survival, yet has been neglected as a topic. This book provides a broad review of current thinking on agrobiodiversity - what it is, how it is conserved, and how it can be better utilized in sustainable farming. It brings together contributions from a wide geographical and disciplinary background. Emphasis is placed on functional interactions between components of agrobiodiversity in a range of farming systems, illustrated by many case studies. The book relates the evolution of agrobiodiversity and its successful management to the broader environment and to the growing need to conserve biodiversity in productive agricultural systems. It is essential reading for ecologists, biologists and agricultural scientists.

      • Trusted Partner
        July 2024

        Conservation of Dragonflies

        Sentinels for Freshwater Conservation

        by Michael J Samways

        Dragonflies are among the most familiar and popular of all insects, deeply embedded in human cultural history. They are iconic and tell us much about the environments in which we and they live. Their conservation is an important part of biodiversity conservation. One modern dragonfly species is listed as extinct, with many others currently threatened. It is now essential to increase conservation efforts towards saving these threatened species, with strategies now available for doing this. Recovery of dragonfly populations goes hand in hand with improvements to both freshwater conditions and bank vegetation quality. In contrast, some other dragonfly species have benefitted greatly from human transformation of the landscape, with artificial ponds in particular, increasing the population levels of many species. In turn, climate change is seeing many geographical range shifts. Dragonflies are variously sensitive to the health of freshwater systems, and the quality of vegetation along rivers and around ponds. Dragonflies are excellent indicators in these times of great concern over the quality of our freshwater supplies. Their wide range of sensitivities enables us to measure the extent to which freshwater ecosystems are either deteriorating or are improving when we undertake restoration. They enable us to gauge how well we are conserving freshwaters, whether ponds and lakes, streams or rivers. They are also good umbrellas for many other freshwater inhabitants, which altogether reflect the health of a freshwater system. Conservation of Dragonflies: Sentinels for Freshwater Conservation is for naturalists, citizen scientists, entomologists and conservation scientists, as well as practitioners and policy makers around the world.

      • Trusted Partner
        Management of land & natural resources
        January 2007

        Transfrontier Conservation in Africa

        At the Confluence of Capital, Politics and Nature

        by Maano Ramutsindela

        Transfrontier conservation is a global concept which encompasses the protection of biodiversity spanning the borders of two or more countries in ways that support local economic development, international relations and peace. Nowhere is this more relevant but highly debatable than in Africa, which is home to a third of the world's terrestrial biodiversity, while at the same time hosting its poorest nations. This is one of the first books to account for the emergence of transfrontier conservation in Africa against international experiences in bioregional planning. The roles of the state and local populations are analysed, as well as the ecological, socio-economic and political implications.

      • Trusted Partner
        Botany & plant sciences
        December 2011

        Invasive Alien Plants

        An Ecological Appraisal for the Indian subcontinent

        by A S Raghubanshi, A Sathyanarayana, A S Yadav, Aijaz Hassan Ganie, Anzar A Khuroo, B A Wafai, C Muthumperumal, C N Pandey, D Adhikari, Daizy R Batish, G H Dar, G P Sharma, G C. S. Negi, Gurpreet Kaur, H P Singh, Irfan Rashid, Irshad A Hamal, Ishwar Singh, J P N Rai, J K Patterson Edward, Kavitha Sagar, L Arul Pragasan, M L Khan, M Pant, Manzoor A Shah. Edited by J R Bhatt, J S Singh, S P Singh, R S Tripathi, Ravinder K Kohli.

        Invasive alien species are a major threat to biodiversity and ecosystems throughout the world. In India, a country with four of the world's most important 'biodiversity hotspots', the invasion of alien plants means risking a national ecological disaster with major social and economic consequences. Currently, there is insufficient information about invasive alien plants; their distribution, rate of spread and adaptability to new environments. This book reveals existing and potential invaders, evaluates the level of risk they pose to native species and suggests steps to manage spread and limit damage. Invaluable to policy-makers, this book is also required reading for researchers of invasive plants worldwide.

      • Trusted Partner
        Children's & YA
        October 2019

        Endemic

        Ten endemic plants of Reunion to know and protect

        by Mary-des-ailes

        This herbarium is devoted to ten endemic trees of Reunion, examples of precious species that are now only found in a few islands, witnesses of a now threatened balance.

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