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Biophysical Applications of Satellite Remote Sensing (Springer Remote Sensing/Photogrammetry)
by Jonathan M. HanesA variety of biophysical applications (e. g. leaf area index and gross primary productivity) have been derived from measurements of the Earth system obtained remotely by NASA's MODIS sensors and other satellite platforms. In Biophysical Applications of Satellite Remote Sensing, the authors describe major applications of satellite remote sensing for studying Earth's biophysical phenomena. The focus of the book lies on the broad palette of specific applications (metrics) of biophysical activity derived using satellite remote sensing. With in-depth discussions of satellite-derived biophysical metrics that focus specifically on theory, methodology, validation, major findings, and directions of future research, this book provides an excellent resource for remote sensing specialists, ecologists, geographers, biologists, climatologists, and environmental scientists.
Biophysical Economy: Theory, Challenges, and Sustainability (Applied Ecology and Environmental Management)
by Steven M. BartellThis book explores the concept of transforming the current macroeconomic system from one based on continuous growth that doesn’t recognize the fundamental importance of Earth's natural support structures, to a system consistent with the basic views of biophysical economics that acknowledges that all real wealth ultimately derives from planetary resources, both renewable and non-renewable. It describes how data and information collected by various institutions, government agencies, and the private sector can be integrated with existing management structures to transform the “continuous growth” economy into an economy that functions within understandable boundaries on a finite planet. Features Stimulates discussions of the feasibility of a biophysical economy. Discusses the historical developments of biophysical economics. Offers a practical approach to building a biophysical economy. Explores the human experience of living in a biophysical economy. Emphasizes the fragility of life in the Universe as we know it. This book is an excellent resource for academics and students studying sustainable development, as well as for professionals working in the private sector and public institutions with an interest in economic planning for a sustainable future.
Biorational Tree Fruit Pest Management
by Martin Aluja Tracy C. Leskey Charles VincentFocusing on insect pests of tree fruits and combining behavioral research with crop protection applications, this book emphasizes the importance of environmentally sustainable approaches in an agricultural ecosystem.
Biorefinery for Water and Wastewater Treatment
by Maulin P. ShahBio-refinery approach of microbial fermentation, production of biogas, bioenergy, enzymes, bioactive molecules, agricultural nutrient and many more, which is presently restricted to specific journals, review articles and research papers in conference proceedings. Hence, my effort is to provide a complete and globally available advance knowledge in wastewater treatment with an aim of recovery of value added products. This will help in designing new approaches of waste water treatment with this value added thoughts. Thus, it will be a boon for a concern broad range of readers and industry professionals to their means of technology development for pollution prevention and economic growth of the country.
Bioregional Planning and Design: Issues and Practices for a Bioregional Regeneration
by David Fanfani Alberto Matarán RuizThis book provides insights and discusses the practical application of the theoretical concept of urban bioregion complementing the general bio-regional planning cross-disciplinary issues provided in Volume I. It examines planning practices, such as relocalisation of energy flows, land protection for climate change, territorial heritage enhancement, the consideration of urban ecosystems and agro-ecology. It presents discussions on regional contexts, practices and projects for a bioregional recovery, and includes case studies from France, Belgium, Spain, Greece, Austria and Italy, discussing topics that range from the reframing of local energy production/delivery planning systems to soil protection and farmland sustainable exploitation schemes. This volume concludes with three cross-European case studies that make clear the worldwide relevance and potential of bioregional approach beyond the Global North or Western countries.
Bioregional Planning and Design: Perspectives on a Transitional Century
by David Fanfani Alberto Matarán RuizThis book provides a review of the bioregionalist theory in the field of spatial planning and design as a suitable approach to cope with the growing concerns about the negative effects of metropolization processes and the need for a sustainable transition. The book starts out with a section on rethinking places for community life, and discusses the reframing of regional governance and development as well as social justice in spatial planning. It introduces the concept of the urban bioregion, a pivotal concept that underpins balanced polycentric spatial patterns and supports self-reliant and fair local development. The second part of the book focuses on planning, and particularly on the issues that arise from the ‘circular’ recovery of the relation between city and agro-ecosystems for integrated planning and resilience of settlements and discusses topics such as foodshed planning, biophilic urbanism and the integration of rural development and spatial planning. This volume sets out the reference framework for Volume II which deals with more specific and operational issues related to spatial policies and settlement design.
Bioregionalism
by Michael Vincent McGinnisBioregionalism is the first book to explain the theoretical and practical dimensions of bioregionalism from an interdisciplinary standpoint, focusing on the place of bioregional identity within global politics. Leading contributors from a broad range of disciplines introduce this exciting new concept as a framework for thinking about indigenous peoples, local knowledge, globalization, science, global environmental issues, modern society, conservation, history, education and restoration. Bioregionalism's emphasis on place and community radically changes the way we confront human and ecological issues.
Bioregionalism and Global Ethics: A Transactional Approach to Achieving Ecological Sustainability, Social Justice, and Human Well-being
by Richard EvanoffWhile a number of schools of environmental thought — including social ecology, ecofeminism, ecological Marxism, ecoanarchism, and bioregionalism — have attempted to link social issues to a concern for the environment, environmental ethics as an academic discipline has tended to focus more narrowly on ethics related either to changes in personal values or behavior, or to the various ways in which nature might be valued. What is lacking is a framework in which individual, social, and environmental concerns can be looked at not in isolation from each other, but rather in terms of their interrelationships. In this book, Evanoff aims to develop just such a philosophical framework — one in which ethical questions related to interactions between self, society, and nature can be discussed across disciplines and from a variety of different perspectives. The central problem his study investigates is the extent to which a dichotomized view of the relationship between nature and culture, perpetuated in ongoing debates over anthropocentric vs. ecocentric approaches to environmental ethics, might be overcome through the adoption of a transactional perspective, which offers a more dynamic and coevolutionary understanding of how humans interact with their natural environments. Unlike anthropocentric approaches to environmental ethics, which often privilege human concerns over ecological preservation, and some ecocentric approaches, which place more emphasis on preserving natural environments than on meeting human needs, a transactional approach attempts to create more symbiotic and less conflictual modes of interaction between human cultures and natural environments, which allow for the flourishing of both.
Bioremediation and Biotechnology, Vol 2: Degradation of Pesticides and Heavy Metals
by Khalid Rehman Hakeem Rouf Ahmad Bhat Moonisa Aslam DervashThis book addresses the grave concerns stemming out due to conventional treatment techniques. The main focus of this book revolves round the central kernel of novel technology (bioremediation and biotechnology) which has emerged as an independent warrior to clean up and restore the disturbed environs. Furthermore, this book is a coherent assortment of diverse chapters relevant to the role of biotechnology and bioremediation for restoration of the ecosystems degraded by pesticide and heavy metal pollution. The inaugural chapters deal with the quantification of problem and its magnitude due to pesticides and heavy metals, followed by innovative modern biotechnological and bioremediation treatment technologies and sustainable techniques to remediate the persistent pollutants. It is a detailed comprehensive account for the treatment technologies from unsustainable to sustainable. Academicians, researchers and students shall find it as a complete wrap up regarding biotechnological intervention for sustainable treatment of pollution and shall suffice for the diverse needs of teaching and research.
Bioremediation and Biotechnology, Vol 3: Persistent and Recalcitrant Toxic Substances
by Khalid Rehman Hakeem Rouf Ahmad Bhat Najla Bint Saud Al-SaudHealthy environment is important for any kind of biota on earth. It provides the basic elements of life such as clean water, fresh air, fertile soil and supports ecosystem of the food chain. Pollution drastically alters quality of the environment by changing the physico-chemical and biological aspects of these components. Accordingly, toxic metals, combustible and putrescible substances, hazardous wastes, explosives and petroleum products are all examples of inorganic and organic compounds that cause contaminations. Specifically, pollution of toxic and heavy metal in the environment is a growing problem worldwide, currently at an alarming rate. Toxic metals threaten the aquatic ecosystems, agriculture and ultimately human health. Traditional treatment techniques offer certain advantages such as rapid processing, ease of operation and control and flexibility. But, they could not maintain the quality of the environment due to the high operational costs of chemicals used, high energy consumption and handling costs for sludge disposal and overburden of chemical substances which irreversibly affect and destroy biodiversity, which ultimately render the soil useless as a medium for plant growth. Therefore, bioremediation and biotechnology, carried out by living assets to clean up, stabilize and restore contaminated ecosystems, have emerged as promising, environmental friendly and affordable approaches. Furthermore, the use of microbes, algae, transgenic plants and weeds adapted to stressful environments could be employed to enhance accumulation efficiency. Hence, sustainable and inexpensive processes are fast emerging as a viable alternative to conventional remediation methods, and will be most suitable for developing countries.In the current volume, we discuss pollution remediation challenges and how living organisms and the latest biotechnological techniques could be helpful in remediating the pollution in ecofriendly and sustainable ways.
Bioremediation and Biotechnology, Vol 4: Techniques for Noxious Substances Remediation
by Khalid Rehman Hakeem Rouf Ahmad BhatThe rapid thriving of industries, conversion of agricultural land to residential areas, habitat destruction, deforestation and use of recalcitrant synthetic substances enhanced the rate of degradation of the environment. Although there are various conventional techniques for degradation and cleaning of noxious pollutants from disturbed environs, they are energy inefficient and costly to install. Bioremediation has emerged recently as an alternative and novel approach to manage and control environmental pollutants. This volume focuses explicitly on the remediation of noxious substances in stressed environs. It includes expert-contributed chapters on bio-monitoring by way of evaluating the relationship of biota with the polluted/stressed environs, sustainable plant-based degradation of noxious pollutants, and the application of biotechnologies to achieve tailored responses.Academicians, researchers, scientists and students will find this work essential for sustainable treatment of noxious pollutants. This book also serves as a core guide for training, teaching and research in conservation biology and environmental rehabilitation.
Bioremediation of Salt Affected Soils: An Indian Perspective
by Sanjay Arora Atul K. Singh Y. P. SinghThis edited volume focuses on the characterization, reclamation, bioremediation, and phytoremediation of salt affected soils and waterlogged sodic soils. Innovative technologies in managing marginal salt affected lands merit immediate attention in the light of climate change and its impact on crop productivity and environment. The decision-making process related to reclamation and management of vast areas of salt affected soils encompasses consideration of economic viability, environmental sustainability, and social acceptability of different approaches. The chapters in this book highlight the significant environmental and social impacts of different ameliorative techniques used to manage salt affected soils. Readers will discover new knowledge on the distribution, reactions, changes in bio-chemical properties and microbial ecology of salt affected soils through case studies exploring Indian soils. The contributions presented by experts shed new light on techniques such as the restoration of degraded lands by growing halophyte plant species, diversification of crops and introduction of microbes for remediation of salt infested soils, and the use of fluorescent pseudomonads for enhancing crop yields.
Bioremediation: A Sustainable Approach to Preserving Earth’s Water
by Sanjay K. SharmaBioremediation: A Sustainable Approach to Preserving Earth’s Water discusses the latest research in green chemistry practices and principles that are involved in water remediation and the quality improvement of water.The presence of heavy metals, dyes, fluoride, dissolved solids and many other pollutants are responsible for water pollution and poor water quality. The removal of these pollutants in water resources is necessary, yet challenging. Water preservation is of great importance globally and researchers are making significant progress in ensuring this precious commodity is safe and potable. This volume illustrates how bioremediation in particular is a promising green technique globally.Features: Addresses bioremediation of all the major water pollutants Approaches the chemistry of water and the concept of water as a renewable resource from a green chemistry aspect Discusses environmental chemistry and the practice of industrial ecology Explains the global concern of adequate high quality water supplies, and how bioremediation can resolve this Explores sustainable development through green engineering
Biorights: The Neo-economic Conservation Paradigm for Global South (Studies in Ecological Economics #7)
by Joyashree Roy Dipayan DeyThis book evaluates local conservation successes of global south in the climate milieu, as an empirical evidence of ‘Bio-rights’ of commons at community-ecosystem interface for sustainable intensification of nature’s goods and services. Bio-rights is a right-based neo-economic conservation paradigm that compensates the opportunity costs incurred in conservation efforts by the marginal communities, living near globally important ecosystems and dependent on it for their livelihood, through payments from environment services. The book would bring forth the true value of circular economic interventions in socio-ecological conservation, shaped through sustainable human interactions with nature. This multilevel study of conservation science serves an interdisciplinary academia, consistent with conventions on climate change, bio-diversity and sustainable development, to establish links between conservation priorities and development objectives. Herein, Bio-rights is introduced as a ‘design approach’ for production linked sustainable development, supplemented with case studies from the east.
Biosaline Agriculture as a Climate Change Adaptation for Food Security
by Ragab Ragab Redouane Choukr-AllahThis book presents recent research work on Biosaline Agriculture presented during First International Forum on Biosaline Agriculture in Laayoune, Morocco from May 3rd to May 4th 2019. The aim of this book is to showcase the global potential of Biosaline agriculture, provide an update on the development of recent innovations in the field of Biosaline agriculture, the best management practices to safely use brackish and saline water, highlight the use of non-conventional water in marginal environment production and the current advanced technologies of desalination of brackish and seawater. The different chapters will also discuss solutions that are adapted to local conditions as part of a sustainable development perspective. The book provides up-to-date technical and scientific data on growing crops under marginal environment so as to encourage the dissemination of this knowledge in the best practices to increase the productivity in Biosaline agriculture, in view of the potential to contribute to food security. The book is expected to stimulate interest in the non-conventional water resources and crops among junior and senior researchers and among those who are increasingly focused on exploiting marginal environments. It will also be of interest to decision-makers and the public and private sectors to jointly address the issues of food security especially of the poor and vulnerable people living in marginal environments worldwide by providing innovative technology transfer.
Biosecurity: The Socio-Politics of Invasive Species and Infectious Diseases (Routledge Environment And Sustainability Handbooks Ser.)
by Andrew Dobson Kezia Barker Sarah L. TaylorBiosecurity is the assessment and management of potentially dangerous infectious diseases, quarantined pests, invasive (alien) species, living modified organisms, and biological weapons. It is a holistic concept of direct relevance to the sustainability of agriculture, food safety, and the protection of human populations (including bio-terrorism), the environment, and biodiversity. Biosecurity is a relatively new concept that has become increasingly prevalent in academic, policy and media circles, and needs a more comprehensive and inter-disciplinary approach to take into account mobility, globalisation and climate change. In this introductory volume, biosecurity is presented as a governance approach to a set of concerns that span the protection of indigenous biological organisms, agricultural systems and human health, from invasive pests and diseases. It describes the ways in which biosecurity is understood and theorized in different subject disciplines, including anthropology, political theory, ecology, geography and environmental management. It examines the different scientific and knowledge practices connected to biosecurity governance, including legal regimes, ecology, risk management and alternative knowledges. The geopolitics of biosecurity is considered in terms of health, biopolitics and trade governance at the global scale. Finally, biosecurity as an approach to actively secure the future is assessed in the context of future risk and uncertainties, such as globalization and climate change.
Biosequestration and Ecological Diversity: Mitigating and Adapting to Climate Change and Environmental Degradation (Social Environmental Sustainability)
by Wayne A. WhiteIncreased throughput of carbon-based fossil energy, the destruction of Earth's forests, and other land use changes have resulted in ever higher levels of waste in the form of greenhouse gases-as well as a diminished capacity of the planet to absorb and store those wastes. This means that to avoid catastrophic global warming and maintain the habitab
Bioshelter Market Garden: A Permaculture Farm (Mother Earth News Books for Wiser Living)
by Darrell Frey&“This well-illustrated case study . . . will help students of permaculture, of sustainability, of earth regeneration and of integrated eco-social design.&” —Prof. Declan Kennedy, Chairman, Advisory Board, gaiauniversity.org To ensure food security and restore the health of the planet, we need to move beyond industrial agriculture and return to the practice of small-scale, local farming. The Bioshelter Market Garden: A Permaculture Farm describes the creation of a sustainable food system through a detailed case study of the successful year-round organic market garden and permaculture design at Pennsylvania&’s Three Sisters Farm. At the heart of Three Sisters is its bioshelter—a solar greenhouse which integrates growing facilities, poultry housing, a potting room, storage, kitchen facilities, compost bins, a reference library and classroom area. The Bioshelter Market Garden examines how the bioshelter promotes greater biodiversity and is an energy efficient method of extending crop production through Pennsylvania&’s cold winter months. Both visionary and practical, this fully illustrated book contains a wealth of information on the application of permaculture principles. Some of the topics covered include: Design and management of an intensive market garden farmEnergy systems and bio-thermal resourcesEcological soil management and pest controlWetlands usageSolar greenhouse design and management Whatever your gardening experience and ambitions, this comprehensive manual is sure to inform and inspire.&“Darrell Frey&’s inspirational book gives you all you need to know to create an energy-saving, food-producing bioshelter . . . [It] covers everything you need to understand, build, or simply admire these important tools for sustainability.&” —Toby Hemenway, author of Gaia&’s Garden
Biosignatures for Astrobiology (Advances in Astrobiology and Biogeophysics)
by Barbara Cavalazzi Frances WestallThis book aims at providing a brief but broad overview of biosignatures. The topics addressed range from prebiotic signatures in extraterrestrial materials to the signatures characterising extant life as well as fossilised life, biosignatures related to space, and space flight instrumentation to detect biosignatures either in situ or from orbit. The book ends with philosophical reflections on the implications of life elsewhere. In the 15 chapters written by an interdisciplinary team of experts, it provides both detailed explanations on the nature of biosignatures as well as useful case studies showing how they are used and identified in ancient rocks, for example. One case study addresses the controversial finding of traces of fossil life in a meteorite from Mars. The book will be of interest not only to astrobiologists but also to terrestrial paleontologists as well as any reader interested in the prospects of finding a second example of life on another planet.
Biosphere Reserves and Sustainable Development Goals 1: Scientific and Practical Educational Issues in the Mediterranean
by Angela Barthes Bruno Romagny Catherine CibienSince 1971, UNESCO's Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme has embraced a number of principles that link the political, scientific and academic spheres. Biosphere Reserves and Sustainable Development Goals 1 presents these areas as privileged spaces for experimenting with operating methods specific to cross-cutting objectives and issues. These areas encourage the development of interdisciplinary research, supported by a worldwide network to disseminate experience, approaches and knowhow. The various global and local political scales are linked here, with different consequences for the reconfiguration of local political arenas, for specific modes of development linked to a renewed relationship with knowledge, powers and institutions, and for renewed relationships between the worlds of science, education and territorial governance.
Biosphere Reserves and Sustainable Development Goals 2: Issues, Tensions, Processes and Governance in the Mediterranean
by Angela Barthes Bruno Romagny Catherine CibienSince 1971, UNESCO's Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme has embraced a number of principles that link the political, scientific and academic spheres. Biosphere Reserves and Sustainable Development Goals 2 is a reminder of the fundamental issues involved in governance. The diversity and multiplicity of stakeholders, and the complexity of the interplay between them, as well as their organization, are decisive factors in the proper management of resources and territories. The book also presents a number of case studies demonstrating that, between the strong development aspirations of their populations, the impact of human activities and the need to conserve their biological heritage, the biosphere reserves of the southern Mediterranean are facing major issues: agricultural pollution, forest fires, water use in a context of climate change, etc.
Biosphere and Environmental Safety
by V. I. OsipovThis book analyses the state of the natural environment and the causes of its degradation using the biosphere approach. Further, those issues that must be resolved immediately on the global level are identified following the ideas defined by V.I. Vernadsky, and new principles of Man-Nature interaction are pursued. The modern world currently faces three global trends inducing biosphere degradation and the aggravation of ecological hazards, namely: a) rapid and uncontrolled growth of human population on the Earth and insufficient natural resources to sustain it; (b) technogenesis development; and (c) global climate change and the aggravation of natural disasters. Ecological safety and military security are becoming the crucial conditions for the survival of modern civilization. To mitigate the ecological strain on the Earth, the technogenesis strategy should be changed and many other pressing issues must be resolved. These problems should be addressed using the biosphere approach, because the individual human being is the biosphere constituent, and his or her safety cannot be provided without maintaining the entire natural system on our planet.
Biostimulants for Crop Production and Sustainable Agriculture
by Masayuki Fujita Mirza Hasanuzzaman Barbara Hawrylak-Nowak Tofazzal IslamAgricultural biostimulants are a group of substances or microorganisms, based on natural resources, that are applied to plants or soils to improve nutrient uptake and plant growth, and provide better tolerance to various stresses. Their function is to stimulate the natural processes of plants, or to enrich the soil microbiome to improve plant growth, nutrition, abiotic and/or biotic stress tolerance, yield and quality of crop plants. Interest in plant biostimulants has been on the rise over the past 10 years, driven by the growing interest of researchers and farmers in environmentally-friendly tools for improved crop performance. Focusing on recent progress on biostimulants and their role in crop production and agricultural sustainability, this book includes: 31 chapters on a wide range of biostimulants and their role in plant growth stimulation and stress tolerance. Mechanism of actions of diverse groups of biostimulants, such as trace elements, plant and seaweed extracts, humic substances, polyamines, osmolytes, vitamins, nanoparticles and microorganisms. New promising biostimulants with novel modes of action. Improved crop production technologies are urgently needed to meet the growing demand for food for the ever-increasing global population by addressing the impacts of changing climate on agriculture. This book is of interest to researchers in agriculture, agronomy, crop and plant science, soil science and environmental science.
Biotechniques for Air Pollution Control: Proceedings of the 3rd International Congress on Biotechniques for Air Pollution Control. Delft, The Netherlands, September 28-30, 2009
by Christian Kennes Piet N.L. Lens Jan BartacekEnergy and feedstock materials for the chemical industry show an increasing demand. With constraints related to availability and use of oil, the energy and chemical industry is subject to considerable changes. The need for the use of cheaper and widely available feedstocks, and the development of sustainable and environmentally friendly c
Biotechnological Approaches for Pest Management and Ecological Sustainability
by Hari C SharmaDue to increasing problems occurring from massive applications of pesticides, such as insect resistance to pesticides, the use of biotechnological tools to minimize losses from insect pests has become inevitable. Presenting alternative strategies for alleviating biotic stresses, Biotechnological Approaches for Pest Management and Ecological Sustain