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Big Tree Down!
by Laurie LawlorBig Tree is the neighborhood’s biggest landmark. It presides over street games, barbeques, and water fights. But crack! Oh no! Big Tree has been split by lightning! In this warm and positive book, people from all parts of the community—neighbors, city workers, and children—come together to clean up and remember Big Tree, and to plant Little Tree in its stead. This wonderful story of neighborly cooperation and community engagement will introduce kids to the joys of being involved in the world immediately around them.
Big, Wild, and Connected: From the Central Appalachians to the Catskill Mountains (Island Press E-ssentials)
by John Davis Wildlands NetworkThis E-ssential is a three-part series that covers John Davis's epic journey from Florida to Maine. In 2011, with support from the Wildlands Network, Davis traveled 7,600 miles in 10 months from Florida to Maine by foot, bicycle, skis, and canoe/kayak. His extensive travels were motivated by wanting to answer the question "Is it possible in the twenty-first century to identify and protect a continental-long wildlife corridor that could help to protect eastern nature into the future?" John paints a vivid picture of the physical challenges of the trek, such as climbing the highest point in South Carolina with a heavily loaded bike and trying to consume the 8,000 calories per day he needed to fuel himself for the journey. As readers adventure with Davis, they will also share his evolving understanding of what it would take to implement an Eastern Wildway. Eastern wildlife, both seen and unseen, from Florida panthers to North Carolina's red wolves to the ghosts of cougars farther north, are the real focus of this adventure as John explores how such wildness can coexist with human development in the most populated regions of the United States. The science and conservation of large-scale connectivity are brought to life by his travels--offering unique insights into the challenges and opportunities for creating an Eastern Wildway. This is a must-read for enthusiasts of hiking narratives, as well as professionals and students interested in issues related to large-scale connectivity. Compelling photographs and other graphics complement John's fascinating story.
Big, Wild, and Connected: From the Adirondack Mountains to the Gaspé Peninsula (Island Press E-ssentials)
by John Davis Wildlands NetworkThis E-ssential is a three-part series that covers John Davis's epic journey from Florida to Maine. In 2011, with support from the Wildlands Network, Davis traveled 7,600 miles in 10 months from Florida to Maine by foot, bicycle, skis, and canoe/kayak. His extensive traveles were motivated by wanting to answer the question "Is it possible in the twenty-first century to identify and protect a continental-long wildlife corridor that could help to protect eastern nature into the future?" John paints a vivid picture of the physical challenges of the trek, such as climbing the highest point in South Carolina with a heavily loaded bike and trying to consume the 8,000 calories per day he needed to fuel himself for the journey. As readers adventure with Davis, they will also share his evolving understanding of what it would take to implement an Eastern Wildway. Eastern wildlife, both seen and unseen, from Florida panthers to North Carolina's red wolves to the ghosts of cougars farther north, are the real focus of this adventure as John explores how such wildness can coexist with human development in the most populated regions of the United States. The science and conservation of large-scale connectivity are brought to life by his travels--offering unique insights into the challenges and opportunities for creating an Eastern Wildway. This is a must-read for enthusiasts of hiking narratives, as well as professionals and students interested in issues related to large-scale connectivity. Compelling photographs and other graphics complement John's fascinating story.
Big, Wild, and Connected: From the Florida Peninsula to the Coastal Plain (Island Press E-ssentials)
by John Davis Wildlands NetworkThis E-ssential is a three-part series that covers John Davis's epic journey from Florida to Maine. In 2011, with support from the Wildlands Network, Davis traveled 7,600 miles in 10 months from Florida to Maine by foot, bicycle, skis, and canoe/kayak. His extensive travels were motivated by wanting to answer the question "Is it possible in the twenty-first century to identify and protect a continental-long wildlife corridor that could help to protect eastern nature into the future?" John paints a vivid picture of the physical challenges of the trek, such as climbing the highest point in South Carolina with a heavily loaded bike and trying to consume the 8,000 calories per day he needed to fuel himself for the journey. As readers adventure with Davis, they will also share his evolving understanding of what it would take to implement an Eastern Wildway. Eastern wildlife, both seen and unseen, from Florida panthers to North Carolina's red wolves to the ghosts of cougars farther north, are the real focus of this adventure as John explores how such wildness can coexist with human development in the most populated regions of the United States. The science and conservation of large-scale connectivity are brought to life by his travels--offering unique insights into the challenges and opportunities for creating an Eastern Wildway. This is a must-read for enthusiasts of hiking narratives, as well as professionals and students interested in issues related to large-scale connectivity. Compelling photographs and other graphics complement John's fascinating story.
Big World, Small Planet: Abundance Within Planetary Boundaries
by Johan Rockström Mattias Klum&“A carefully laid-out argument about the ecological limits of our planet—and the challenge these limits pose to our patterns of life and economic growth.&”—Daniel C. Esty, coauthor of Green to GoldBig World, Small Planet probes the urgent predicament of our times: how is it possible to create a positive future for both humanity and Earth? We have entered the Anthropocene—the era of massive human impacts on the planet—and the actions of over seven billion residents threaten to destabilize Earth&’s natural systems, with cascading consequences for human societies. In this extraordinary book, the authors combine the latest science with compelling storytelling and amazing photography to create a new narrative for humanity&’s future. Johan Rockström and Mattias Klum reject the notion that economic growth and human prosperity can only be achieved at the expense of the environment. They contend that we have unprecedented opportunities to navigate a &“good Anthropocene.&” By embracing a deep mind-shift, humanity can reconnect to Earth, discover universal values, and take on the essential role of planetary steward. With eloquence and profound optimism, Rockström and Klum envision a future of abundance within planetary boundaries—a revolutionary future that is at once necessary, possible, and sustainable for coming generations. &“We are inflicting grave damage on Planet Earth, and if we carry on with &‘business as usual&’ we may reach the point of no return—when ecosystems collapse and more and more species become extinct. There is hope if only we can bridge the gap between the clever human brain and the compassionate human heart and act now. Johan Rockström and Mattias Klum lead the way with scientific clarity, powerful storytelling, and inspiring and award-winning photography.&”—Dr. Jane Goodall
The (Big) Year that Flew By: Twelve Months, Six Continents, and the Ultimate Birding Record
by null Arjan Dwarshuis&“A fast-paced page-turner and a unique adventure story . . . filled with insights about landscapes, people, and a world of wonderful birds.&”―Kenn Kaufman, author of Kingbird HighwayAn epic tale of one passionate birder&’s record-breaking adventure through 40 countries over 6 continents—in just one year—to see 6,852 bird species, rare and common, before many go extinct.When Arjan Dwarshuis first heard of the &“Big Year&”—the legendary record for birdwatching—he was twenty years old, it was midnight, and he was sitting on the roof of a truck in the Andean Mountains. In that moment he promised himself that, someday, somehow, he would become a world-record-holding birder.Ten years later, he embarked on an incredible, arduous, and perilous journey that took him around the globe; over uninhabited islands, through dense unforgiving rainforests, across snowy mountain peaks and unrelenting deserts—in just a single year. Would he survive? Would he be able to break the &“Big Year&” record, navigating through a world filled with shifting climate and geopolitical challenges?The (Big) Year that Flew By is an unforgettable, personal exploration of the limits of human potential when engaging with the natural world. It is a book about birds and birding and Arjan&’s attempts to raise awareness for critically endangered species, but it is also a book about overcoming mental challenges, extreme physical danger, and human competition and fully realizing your passions through nature, adventure, and conservation.&“Dwarshius&’ exhilarating race against time across 40 countries and 6 continents in his attempt to break the world record will thrill armchair readers and bird enthusiasts alike.&”―Booklist&“I sped through [this] book, trying to ignore feelings of jealousy as Dwarshuis described moments with species I&’ve dreamed of seeing.&”—The Washington Post
The Biggle Berry Book: Small Fruit Facts from Bud to Box Conserved into Understandable Form
by Jacob Biggle"The only just and true way for an honorable and manly man is to grow them, and let everybody about the place have all he can eat. For the berry comes from the garden to the table in tempting and presentable shape, fit to grace the table of a king," writes Jacob Biggle in The Biggle Berry Book, which was first published in 1894. If you hate plunking down what seems like a king's ransom every time you buy a quart of berries at the local farmer's market, and if you've got a little land to spare, it might be time to grow your own.Jacob Biggle shows just how easy it is to raise your own nutrient-rich berries. While the book's emphasis is on more common fruit such as strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, currants, gooseberries, and grapes, there is also information from other berry growers living in all parts of America who raised less familiar varieties such as dewberries, juneberries, loganberries, mulberries, and mayberries. Biggle's trusty manual contains advice on, among other things:How to keep your berry patch pruned, cleaned, cultivated, and in good orderHow to protect your plants from fungus and insect damageThe best ways to pick, pack, and market your berries, if you're willing to part with them,Enhanced with color plates, beautiful engravings, and vintage photographs, The Biggle Berry Book is a treasure for anyone who appreciates the taste and freshness of homegrown fruit.
Biharmonic Problem in the Theory of Elasticity
by Sergey A. LurieThis reference work offers a method of deriving exact solutions to the biharmonic equation in the context of elasticity problems, and proposes a number of new solutions. Beginning with an in-depth presentation of a general mathematical model, this text proceeds to outline specific applications, extending the developed method to special harmonic problems of mechanics for conjugated domains. All applications are illustrated with numerical examples.
Bike Boom: The Unexpected Resurgence of Cycling
by Mr Carlton ReidBicycling advocates envision a future in which bikes are a widespread daily form of transportation. While many global cities are seeing the number of bike commuters increase, this future is still far away; at times, urban cycling seems to be fighting for its very survival. Will we ever witness a true "bike boom” in cities? What can we learn from past successes and failures to make cycling safer, easier, and more accessible? Use of bicycles in America and Britain fell off a cliff in the 1950s and 1960s thanks to the rapid rise in car ownership. Urban planners and politicians predicted that cycling would wither to nothing, and they did their level best to bring about this extinction by catering to only motorists. But in the 1970s, something strange happened—bicycling bounced back, first in America and then in Britain.In Bike Boom, journalist Carlton Reid uses history to shine a spotlight on the present and demonstrates how bicycling has the potential to grow even further, if the right measures are put in place by the politicians and planners of today and tomorrow. He explores the benefits and challenges of cycling, the roles of infrastructure and advocacy, and what we can learn from cities that have successfully supported and encouraged bike booms, including London; Davis, California; Montreal; Stevenage; Amsterdam; New York; and Copenhagen.Given that today's global bicycling "boom” has its roots in the early 1970s, Reid draws lessons from that period. At that time, the Dutch were investing in bike infrastructure and advocacy— the US and the UK had the choice to follow the Dutch example, but didn't. Reid sets out to discover what we can learn from the history of bike "booms” in this entertaining and thought-provoking book.
Bill Nye's Great Big World of Science
by Bill Nye Gregory MoneWith photos, experiments, and more, this “appealing and highly informative” science book from the beloved TV host is “a winner” (School Library Journal).Science educator, TV host, and New York Times–bestselling author Bill Nye is on a mission to help young people understand and appreciate the science that makes our world work. Featuring a range of subjects—physics, chemistry, geology, biology, astronomy, global warming, and more—this profusely illustrated book covers the basic principles of each science, key discoveries, recent revolutionary advances, and the problems that science still needs to solve for our Earth. Nye and coauthor Gregory Mone present the most difficult theories and facts in an easy-to-comprehend, humorous way. They interviewed numerous specialists from around the world, in each of the fields discussed, whose insights are included throughout. Also included are experiments kids can do themselves to bring science to life! “Wordplay and wry wit put extra fun into a trove of fundamental knowledge.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review) Includes photographs, illustrations, diagrams, glossary, bibliography, and index
A Billion Butterflies: A Life in Climate and Chaos Theory
by Dr. Jagadish ShuklaThe amazing true story of the man behind modern weather predictionConsider a world without weather prediction. How would we know when to evacuate communities ahead of fires or floods, or figure out what to wear tomorrow? Until 40 years ago, we couldn’t forecast weather conditions beyond ten days. Renowned climate scientist Dr. Jagadish Shukla is largely to thank for modern weather forecasting. Born in rural India with no electricity, plumbing, or formal schools, he attended classes that were held in a cow shed. Shukla grew up amid turmoil: overwhelming monsoons, devastating droughts, and unpredictable crop yields. His drive brought him to the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, despite little experience. He then followed an unlikely path to MIT and Princeton, and the highest echelons of climate science. His work, which has enabled us to predict weather farther into the future than previously thought possible, allows us to feed more people, save lives, and hold on to hope in a warming world.Paired with his philanthropic endeavors and extreme dedication to the field, Dr. Shukla has been lauded internationally for his achievements, including a shared Nobel Peace Prize with Al Gore for his governmental research on climate change. A Billion Butterflies is a wondrous insider’s account of climate science and an unbelievable memoir of his life. Understanding dynamical seasonal prediction will change the way you experience a thunderstorm or interpret a forecast; understanding its origins and the remarkable story of the man who discovered it will change the way you see our world.
Billion Dollar Burger: Inside Big Tech's Race for the Future of Food
by Chase PurdyA fast-paced, gripping insider account of the entrepreneurs and renegades racing to bring lab-grown meat to the world.The trillion-dollar meat industry is one of our greatest environmental hazards; it pollutes more than all the world's fossil-fuel-powered cars. Global animal agriculture is responsible for deforestation, soil erosion and more emissions than air travel, paper mills and coal mining combined. It also depends on the slaughter of more than 60 billion animals per year, a number that is only increasing as the global appetite for meat swells. The whole world seems to be sleepwalking into a food crisis. But a band of doctors, scientists, activists and entrepreneurs have been racing to end animal agriculture as we know it, hoping to fulfill a dream of creating meat without ever having to kill an animal. This is the story of a group of seven vegans quietly working to solve one the most pressing issues we face today, creating the biggest upheaval to the food business in decades along the way. In Billion Dollar Burger, Chase Purdy explores the companies at the cutting edge of the nascent food technology sector, from polarizing activist-turned-tech CEO Josh Tetrick to lobbyists and regulators on both sides of the issue. Billion Dollar Burger follows the people fighting to upend our food system as they butt up against the entrenched interests fighting viciously to stop them. It will take readers on a truly global journey from Silicon Valley to China, by way of Israel and the UK.The stakes are monumentally high: cell-cultured meat is the best hope for sustainable food production, a key to fighting climate change, a gold mine for the companies that make it happen and an existential threat for the farmers and meatpackers that make our meat today.
Billion Dollar Burger: Inside Big Tech's Race for the Future of Food
by Chase PurdyA fast-paced, gripping insider account of the entrepreneurs and renegades racing to bring lab-grown meat to the world.The trillion-dollar meat industry is one of our greatest environmental hazards; it pollutes more than all the world's fossil-fuel-powered cars. Global animal agriculture is responsible for deforestation, soil erosion and more emissions than air travel, paper mills and coal mining combined. It also depends on the slaughter of more than 60 billion animals per year, a number that is only increasing as the global appetite for meat swells. The whole world seems to be sleepwalking into a food crisis. But a band of doctors, scientists, activists and entrepreneurs have been racing to end animal agriculture as we know it, hoping to fulfill a dream of creating meat without ever having to kill an animal. This is the story of a group of seven vegans quietly working to solve one the most pressing issues we face today, creating the biggest upheaval to the food business in decades along the way. In Billion Dollar Burger, Chase Purdy explores the companies at the cutting edge of the nascent food technology sector, from polarizing activist-turned-tech CEO Josh Tetrick to lobbyists and regulators on both sides of the issue. Billion Dollar Burger follows the people fighting to upend our food system as they butt up against the entrenched interests fighting viciously to stop them. It will take readers on a truly global journey from Silicon Valley to China, by way of Israel and the UK.The stakes are monumentally high: cell-cultured meat is the best hope for sustainable food production, a key to fighting climate change, a gold mine for the companies that make it happen and an existential threat for the farmers and meatpackers that make our meat today.
Billionaire Wilderness: The Ultra-Wealthy and the Remaking of the American West (Princeton Studies in Cultural Sociology #83)
by Justin FarrellA revealing look at the intersection of wealth, philanthropy, and conservationBillionaire Wilderness takes you inside the exclusive world of the ultra-wealthy, showing how today's richest people are using the natural environment to solve the existential dilemmas they face. Justin Farrell spent five years in Teton County, Wyoming, the richest county in the United States, and a community where income inequality is the worst in the nation. He conducted hundreds of in-depth interviews, gaining unprecedented access to tech CEOs, Wall Street financiers, oil magnates, and other prominent figures in business and politics. He also talked with the rural poor who live among the ultra-wealthy and often work for them. The result is a penetrating account of the far-reaching consequences of the massive accrual of wealth, and an eye-opening and sometimes troubling portrait of a changing American West where romanticizing rural poverty and conserving nature can be lucrative—socially as well as financially.Weaving unforgettable storytelling with thought-provoking analysis, Billionaire Wilderness reveals how the ultra-wealthy are buying up the land and leveraging one of the most pristine ecosystems in the world to climb even higher on the socioeconomic ladder. The affluent of Teton County are people burdened by stigmas, guilt, and status anxiety—and they appropriate nature and rural people to create more virtuous and deserving versions of themselves. Incisive and compelling, Billionaire Wilderness reveals the hidden connections between wealth concentration and the environment, two of the most pressing and contentious issues of our time.
BIM – Ein Praxisleitfaden für Geodäten und Ingenieure: Grundwissen für Geodäten und Ingenieure (essentials)
by Beatrice Messmer Gerrit AustenZiel dieses Essentials ist es, Basiswissen zu Building Information Modeling (BIM) für den Fachbereich der Geodäsie und deren Nachbardisziplinen aus nationaler sowie internationaler Literatur zusammenzufassen und praktische Empfehlungen daraus abzuleiten. Der zunehmende Digitalisierungsgrad bei Bauvorhaben durch die Anwendung von BIM und das steigende Automatisierungspotential klassischer geodätischer Tätigkeiten begründen die Notwendigkeit, betroffene Aufgaben- und Tätigkeitsfelder in der Vermessung weiter zu entwickeln.
BIM-Based Collaborative Building Process Management (Springer Tracts in Civil Engineering)
by Bruno Daniotti Alberto Pavan Sonia Lupica Spagnolo Vittorio Caffi Daniela Pasini Claudio MirarchiThe book reports on the great improvements in the information and knowledge management due to the digitalization of the building sector. By summarizing several research projects addressing the implementation of BIM in different stages of the building process, and the definition of standards at Italian, European and international levels for managing information relying on the implementation of BIM-based processes, it showcases the efforts, especially within the Italian building sector, to build a standardized structure of information and develop tools for collecting, sharing and exchanging information between stakeholders involved in different stages of the building process, so as to enhance the storage, traceability, usability and re-usability of information management. Further, it presents an enhanced use of information that relies on the adoption of the standardized structure of information, and proposes dedicated applications for automating the process of information fruition. Lastly, it features a digital platform for different stakeholders in the building sector, such as manufacturers, producers and construction companies.
Bio-based Building Skin (Environmental Footprints and Eco-design of Products and Processes)
by Anna Sandak Jakub Sandak Marcin Brzezicki Andreja KutnarThis book provides a compendium of material properties, demonstrates several successful examples of bio-based materials’ application in building facades, and offers ideas for new designs and novel solutions. It features a state-of-the-art review, addresses the latest trends in material selection, assembling systems, and innovative functions of facades in detail. Selected case studies on buildings from diverse locations are subsequently presented to demonstrate the successful implementation of various biomaterial solutions, which defines unique architectural styles and building functions. The structures, morphologies and aesthetic impressions related to bio-based building facades are discussed from the perspective of art and innovation; essential factors influencing the performance of materials with respect to functionality and safety are also presented. Special emphasis is placed on assessing the performance of a given facade throughout the service life of a building, and after its end. The book not only provides an excellent source of technical and scientific information, but also contributes to public awareness by demonstrating the benefits to be gained from the proper use of bio-based materials in facades. As such, it will appeal to a broad audience including architects, engineers, designers and building contractors.
Bio-based Materials for Food Packaging: Green and Sustainable Advanced Packaging Materials
by Shakeel AhmedThis book provides an overview of the lastest developments in biobased materials and their applications in food packaging. Written by experts in their respective research domain, its thirteen chapters discuss in detail fundamental knowledge on bio based materials. It is intended as a reference book for researchers, students, research scholars, academicians and scientists seeking biobased materials for food packaging applications.
Bio-Geo Interactions in Metal-Contaminated Soils (Soil Biology #31)
by Ajit Varma Erika KotheMetal contamination is an increasing ecological and eco-toxicological risk. Understanding the processes involved in metal mobilization, sorption and mineralization in soils are key features for soil bioremediation. Following an introduction to the physical, chemical and biological components of contaminated soils, various chapters address the interactions of soil, microorganisms, plants and the water phase necessary to transfer metals into biological systems. These include topics such as potential hazards at mining sites; rare earth elements in biotic and abiotic acidic systems; manganese redox reactions; biomineralisation, uranium in seepage water; metal-resistant streptomycetes; mycorrhiza in re-forestation; metal (hyper)accummulation in plants; microbial metal uptake; and their potential for bioremediation. This book will be of interest to soil biologists, geologists and chemists, researchers and graduate students, as well as consulting companies and small enterprises involved in bioremediation.
Bioactive Compounds Extraction from Marine Resources and Wastes (Interdisciplinary Biotechnological Advances)
by J. Basilio Heredia Erick Paul Gutiérrez-Grijalva Luis Angel Cabanillas-BojórquezThis book provides information about the principal biotechnological strategies (enzyme-assisted extraction, liquid fermentation, and solid-state fermentation) used for the bioactive compounds (bioactive peptides, carotenoids, phenolic acids, polyunsaturated fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals, among others) extraction from the marine resource (marine animals, microalgae, seaweed, among others) and wastes (crustaceans, fish, and others). This book also highlights the importance of bioactive compounds in marine resources and wastes and the perspectives for a potential industrial application. This book is oriented to researchers related to marine resources and marine wastes, who apply their knowledge in the innovation of the extraction and application of bioactive compounds from these sources. Moreover, this book will also provide knowledge and areas of opportunity for entrepreneurs, different industries, and the development of new products that could be used in the overall improvement of different areas such as human health.
Bioactive Compounds in Agricultural Soils
by Lech Wojciech SzajdakThis volume looks at the impact that different cropping systems and tillage have on soil's biologically active substances. It considers how phytotoxins accumulate and can inhibit the development of cultivated plants. Coverage explores the continuous cropping of rye, crop rotation, no tillage, and conventional tillage. It offers a comprehensive, comparative approach to allelopathic plant-soil interactions. The authors focus on free and bounded biologically active substances such as amino acids, auxins, humic and fulvic acids, transient radicals, and enzymes in light sand soils fertilized with different mineral and organic fertilizers. The chapters address fundamental questions relevant to the environmental challenges we face today and will deal with in the future. The results involve asking basic questions motivated by soil's chemical and biochemical processes. The answers will lead to the improvement of the quality of soil's organic matter, which, in turn, can lead to increased crop yields. Readers will come to understand the relationship between ecological processes and environmental change on individual levels of biocomplexity as well as on systems in their entirety. The title is ideal for students and teachers for laboratory practical classes. Soil scientists, biochemists, chemists, plant ecophysiologists, "Natural Products" organic chemists, and other environmental scientists and specialists will also find it useful.
Bioaerosols (Indoor Air Research Ser. #2)
by Harriet A. BurgeWritten by an illustrious group of experts in microbiology and aerobiology, Bioaerosols brings together current information on the nature and health effects of bioaerosol-related problems. The book presents up-to-date coverage of methods for sampling and analysis, as well as various approaches to the investigation of health problems caused by exposure to biological contaminants in indoor air. Its comprehensive treatment of the various aspects of this subject makes it a valuable reference for industrial hygienists, public health officials and researchers, and physicians interested in environmentally caused disease.
Bioarchaeology and Climate Change: A View from South Asian Prehistory (Bioarchaeological Interpretations of the Human Past: Local, Regional, and Global)
by Gwen Robbins Schug"Using subadult skeletons from the Deccan Chalcolithic period of Indian prehistory, along with archaeological and paleoclimate data, this volume makes an important contribution to understanding the effects of ecological change on demography and childhood growth during the second millennium B.C. in peninsular India."--Michael Pietrusewsky, University of Hawai‘i at Manoa In the context of current debates about global warming, archaeology contributes important insights for understanding environmental changes in prehistory, and the consequences and responses of past populations to them. In Indian archaeology, climate change and monsoon variability are often invoked to explain major demographic transitions, cultural changes, and migrations of prehistoric populations. During the late Holocene (1400-700 B.C.), agricultural communities flourished in a semiarid region of the Indian subcontinent, until they precipitously collapsed. Gwen Robbins Schug integrates the most recent paleoclimate reconstructions with an innovative analysis of skeletal remains from one of the last abandoned villages to provide a new interpretation of the archaeological record of this period. Robbins Schug’s biocultural synthesis provides us with a new way of looking at the adaptive, social, and cultural transformations that took place in this region during the first and second millennia B.C. Her work clearly and compellingly usurps the climate change paradigm, demonstrating the complexity of human-environmental transformations. This original and significant contribution to bioarchaeological research and methodology enriches our understanding of both global climate change and South Asian prehistory.
Bioaugmentation, Biostimulation and Biocontrol (Soil Biology #10)
by Ajay Singh Ramesh C. Kuhad Nagina ParmarBioaugmentation, biostimulation and biocontrol approaches using microbial inoculants, biofertilizers, biochemicals and organic amendments improve soil biology, fertility and crop productivity by providing plant growth-promoting nutrients and suppressing soil-borne diseases and plant-parasitic nematodes. Our knowledge of microbial diversity and its function in soils has been increased tremendously due to the availability of a wealth of data gained through recent advances in the development of molecular methods and metagenomics for the evaluation of microbial diversity and functions in the rhizosphere environment of soil. Chapters dealing with the application of biofertilizers and organic amendments are contributed by experts - authorities in the area of soil science including microbiology and molecular biology - from academic institutions and the industry.
Bioavailability Of Contaminants In Soils And Sediments: Processes, Tools, And Applications
by Committee on Bioavailability of Contaminants in Soils SedimentsBioavailability refers to the extent to which humans and ecological receptors are exposed to contaminants in soil or sediment. The concept of bioavailability has recently piqued the interest of the hazardous waste industry as an important consideration in deciding how much waste to clean up. The rationale is that if contaminants in soil and sediment are not bioavailable, then more contaminant mass can be left in place without creating additional risk. A new NRC report notes that the potential for the consideration of bioavailability to influence decision-making is greatest where certain chemical, environmental, and regulatory factors align. The current use of bioavailability in risk assessment and hazardous waste cleanup regulations is demystified, and acceptable tools and models for bioavailability assessment are discussed and ranked according to seven criteria. Finally, the intimate link between bioavailability and bioremediation is explored. The report concludes with suggestions for moving bioavailability forward in the regulatory arena for both soil and sediment cleanup.