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The Ecosystem Approach: Complexity, Uncertainty, and Managing for Sustainability
by David Waltner-Toews James J. Kay Nina-Marie E. ListerIs sustainable development a workable solution for today's environmental problems? Is it scientifically defensible? Best known for applying ecological theory to the engineering problems of everyday life, the late scholar James J. Kay was a leader in the study of social and ecological complexity and the thermodynamics of ecosystems. Drawing from his immensely important work, as well as the research of his students and colleagues, The Ecosystem Approach is a guide to the aspects of complex systems theories relevant to social-ecological management. Advancing a methodology that is rooted in good theory and practice, this book features case studies conducted in the Arctic and Africa, in Canada and Kathmandu, and in the Peruvian Amazon, Chesapeake Bay, and Chennai, India. Applying a systems approach to concrete environmental issues, this volume is geared toward scientists, engineers, and sustainable development scholars and practitioners who are attuned to the ideas of the Resilience Alliance-an international group of scientists who take a more holistic view of ecology and environmental problem-solving. Chapters cover the origins and rebirth of the ecosystem approach in ecology; the bridging of science and values; the challenge of governance in complex systems; systemic and participatory approaches to management; and the place for cultural diversity in the quest for global sustainability.
The Ecosystem Approach: Complexity, Uncertainty, and Managing for Sustainability (Complexity in Ecological Systems)
by David Waltner-Toews James Kay Nina-Marie ListerIs sustainable development a workable solution for today's environmental problems? Is it scientifically defensible? Best known for applying ecological theory to the engineering problems of everyday life, the late scholar James J. Kay was a leader in the study of social and ecological complexity and the thermodynamics of ecosystems. Drawing from his immensely important work, as well as the research of his students and colleagues, The Ecosystem Approach is a guide to the aspects of complex systems theories relevant to social-ecological management. Advancing a methodology that is rooted in good theory and practice, this book features case studies conducted in the Arctic and Africa, in Canada and Kathmandu, and in the Peruvian Amazon, Chesapeake Bay, and Chennai, India. Applying a systems approach to concrete environmental issues, this volume is geared toward scientists, engineers, and sustainable development scholars and practitioners who are attuned to the ideas of the Resilience Alliance-an international group of scientists who take a more holistic view of ecology and environmental problem-solving. Chapters cover the origins and rebirth of the ecosystem approach in ecology; the bridging of science and values; the challenge of governance in complex systems; systemic and participatory approaches to management; and the place for cultural diversity in the quest for global sustainability.
The Ecosystem of Kongsfjorden, Svalbard (Advances in Polar Ecology #2)
by Christian Wiencke Haakon HopThis book focuses in detail on all ecologically important aspects of the Kongsfjorden system such as the marine and atmospheric environment including long-term monitoring, Ecophysiology of individual species, structure and function of the ecosystem, ecological processes and biological communities.The contributed articles include review articles and research articles that have a wider approach and bring the current research up-to-date. This book will form a baseline for future work.
The Ecotoxicology of Aquatic Macrophytes (Environmental Contamination Remediation and Management)
by Chris D. Metcalfe Mirta L. MenoneThis book focuses on the topic of ecotoxicology of aquatic macrophytes and is wide ranging, including the use of macrophytes for remediation of contaminated sites. Many human activities are threats to the equilibrium of natural ecosystems. Pollution from point and non-point sources can be assessed using a variety of techniques, such as biomonitoring, biomarkers and biosensors. In aquatic ecosystems, biomonitoring of pollutants is mostly conducted by analysis of the tissues of invertebrates and fishes, and biomarker studies are also more widely applied to animals rather than in plants. Aquatic macrophytes occupy a key niche in aquatic ecosystems and provide a range of ecosystem services. In addition to their role in primary production, vegetation plays a key role in the cycling and retention of nutrients and generally acts as a sink for pollutants. Therefore, because of their importance to aquatic ecosystems, more attention should be paid to understanding the fate of pollutants and to developing methods to evaluate the health status of macrophytic plants in freshwater, marine and estuarine environments.
The Ecphoras: Iconic Fossils of Eastern North America
by Edward J. Petuch David P. BerschauerIn the Miocene and Pliocene fossil shell beds of the eastern United States, the single most spectacular molluscan species radiation is seen in the ecphora shells (the Tribe Ecphorini). These bizarrely shaped gastropods, with their distinctive ribbed shell sculpture, represent a separate branch of the Subfamily Ocenebridae, Family Muricidae. Characteristically, these muricid gastropods are heavily ornamented with spiral ribs and cords and are considered some of the most beautiful and interesting groups of fossil mollusks found along the Atlantic Coastal Plain and Floridian Peninsula. The ecphoras are greatly sought after by fossil collectors. The ecphora faunas, and their individual species and subspecies, are illustrated and described in detail, along with photographs of ecphora-bearing geological units and in-situ specimens. The authors list the 67 known species and subspecies that are recognized as valid, arranged by the eight genera and five subgenera that encompass these taxa.
The Edge of Chaos: Financial Booms, Bubbles, Crashes and Chaos
by Bernice CohenInteresting use of chaos theory in the analysis of markets.
The Edge of Disaster: Rebuilding a Resilient Nation
by Stephen FlynnAmericans are in denial when it comes to facing up to how vulnerable our nation is to disaster, be it terrorist attack or act of God. We have learned little from the cataclysms of September 11 and Hurricane Katrina. When it comes to catastrophe, America is living on borrowed time-and squandering it. In this new book, leading security expert Stephen Flynn issues a call to action, demanding that we wake up and prepare immediately for a safer future.
The Edge of Evolution: The Search for the Limits of Darwinism
by Michael J. BeheWhen Michael J. Behe's first book, Darwin's Black Box, was published in 1996, it launched the intelligent design movement. Critics howled, yet hundreds of thousands of readers -- and a growing number of scientists -- were intrigued by Behe's claim that Darwinism could not explain the complex machinery of the cell. Now, in his long-awaited follow-up, Behe presents far more than a challenge to Darwinism: He presents the evidence of the genetics revolution -- the first direct evidence of nature's mutational pathways -- to radically redefine the debate about Darwinism. How much of life does Darwin's theory explain? Most scientists believe it accounts for everything from the machinery of the cell to the history of life on earth. Darwin's ideas have been applied to law, culture, and politics. But Darwin's theory has been proven only in one sense: There is little question that all species on earth descended from a common ancestor. Overwhelming anatomical, genetic, and fossil evidence exists for that claim. But the crucial question remains: How did it happen? Darwin's proposed mechanism -- random mutation and natural selection -- has been accepted largely as a matter of faith and deduction or, at best, circumstantial evidence. Only now, thanks to genetics, does science allow us to seek direct evidence. The genomes of many organisms have been sequenced, and the machinery of the cell has been analyzed in great detail. The evolutionary responses of microorganisms to antibiotics and humans to parasitic infections have been traced over tens of thousands of generations. As a result, for the first time in history Darwin's theory can be rigorously evaluated. The results are shocking. Although it can explain marginal changes in evolutionary history, random mutation and natural selection explain very little of the basic machinery of life. The "edge" of evolution, a line that defines the border between random and nonrandom mutation, lies very far from where Darwin pointed. Behe argues convincingly that most of the mutations that have defined the history of life on earth have been nonrandom. Although it will be controversial and stunning, this finding actually fits a general pattern discovered by other branches of science in recent decades: The universe as a whole was fine-tuned for life. From physics to cosmology to chemistry to biology, life on earth stands revealed as depending upon an endless series of unlikely events. The clear conclusion: The universe was designed for life.
The Edge of Knowledge: Unsolved Mysteries of the Cosmos
by Lawrence M. KraussLawrence Krauss explores the greatest unanswered questions at the forefront of science today, and likely for the coming century and beyond.Internationally known theoretical physicist and bestselling author Lawrence Krauss explores science&’s greatest unanswered questions. Three of the most important words in science are &“I don't know.&” Not knowing implies a Universe of opportunities—the possibility of discovery and surprise. Our understanding of science has advanced immeasurably over the last five hundred years, yet many fundamental mysteries of existence persist: How did our Universe begin? How big is the Universe? Is time travel possible? What&’s at the center of a black hole? How did life on Earth arise? Are we alone? What is consciousness, and can we create it? These mysteries define the scientific forefront—the threshold of the unknown. To explore that threshold is to gain a deeper understanding of just how far science has progressed. Covering time, space, matter, life, and consciousness, Krauss introduces readers to topics that will shape the state of science for the next century, providing us all passport to our own journeys of exploration and discovery.
The Edge of Objectivity: An Essay in the History of Scientific Ideas
by Charles Coulston Gillispie Theodore M. PorterOriginally published in 1960, The Edge of Objectivity helped to establish the history of science as a full-fledged academic discipline. In the mid-1950s, a young professor at Princeton named Charles Gillispie began teaching Humanities 304, one of the first undergraduate courses offered anywhere in the world on the history of science. From Galileo's analysis of motion to theories of evolution and relativity, Gillispie introduces key concepts, individuals, and themes. The Edge of Objectivity arose out of this course. It must have been a lively class. The Edge of Objectivity is pointed, opinionated, and selective. Even at six hundred pages, the book is, as the title suggests, an essay. Gillispie is unafraid to rate Mendel higher than Darwin, Maxwell above Faraday. Full of wry turns of phrase, the book effectively captures people and places. And throughout the book, Gillispie pushes an argument. He views science as the progressive development of more objective, detached, mathematical ways of viewing the world, and he orchestrates his characters and ideas around this theme. This edition of Charles Coulston Gillispie's landmark book introduces a new generation of readers to his provocative and enlightening account of the advancement of scientific thought over the course of four centuries. Since the original publication of The Edge of Objectivity, historians of science have focused increasingly on the social context of science rather than its internal dynamics, and they have frequently viewed science more as a threatening instance of power than as an accumulation of knowledge. Nevertheless, Gillispie's book remains a sophisticated, fast-moving, idiosyncratic account of the development of scientific ideas over four hundred years, by one of the founding intellects in the history of science.Featuring a new foreword by Theodore Porter, who places the work in its intellectual context and the development of the field, this edition of The Edge of Objectivity is a monumental work by one of the founding intellects of the history of science.
The Edge of Physics: A Journey to Earth's Extremes to Unlock the Secrets of the Universe
by Anil AnanthaswamyA tour of the exotic and remote outposts where scientists seek answers to the great mysteries: &“A thrilling ride around the globe and around the cosmos.&” —Sean Carroll, author of From Eternity to Here In The Edge of Physics, a science writer journeys to the ends of the Earth—visiting remote and sometimes dangerous places—in search of the telescopes and detectors that promise to answer the biggest questions in modern cosmology. Anil Ananthaswamy treks to the Atacama Desert in the Chilean Andes, one of the coldest, driest places on the planet, where not even a blade of grass can survive, and the spectacularly clear skies and dry atmosphere allow astronomers to gather brilliant images of galaxies billions of light-years away. He takes us inside the European Organisation for Astronomical Research in the Southern Hemisphere&’s Very Large Telescope on Mount Paranal, where four massive domes open to the sky each night &“like a dragon waking up.&” Ananthaswamy also heads deep inside an abandoned iron mine in Minnesota—where half-mile-thick rock shields physicists as they hunt for elusive dark matter particles. And to the East Antarctic Ice Sheet, where engineers are drilling 1.5 miles into the clearest ice on the planet. They are building the world&’s largest neutrino detector, which could finally help reconcile quantum physics with Einstein&’s theory of general relativity. The stories of the people who work at these and other research sites make for a compelling new portrait of the universe—and our quest to understand it. &“From the top of Hawaii&’s Mauna Kea to Switzerland&’s Large Hadron Collider and more, Ananthaswamy paints a vivid picture of scientific investigations in harsh working conditions. . . . Even for readers who don&’t know a neutrino from Adam, these interesting tales of human endeavor make The Edge of Physics a trip worth taking.&” —Bookpage &“Ananthaswamy journeys to several geographically and scientifically extreme outposts, and returns not only with engaging portraits of the men and women who work there, but also a vibrant glimpse of how cutting-edge research is actually performed. Part history lesson, part travelogue, part adventure story, &‘The Edge of Physics&’ is a wonder-steeped page-turner.&” —Seed Magazine &“Ananthaswamy displays a writer&’s touch for the fascinating detail.&” —The Washington Post
The Edge of the Sky: All You Need to Know About the All-There-Is
by Roberto TrottaFrom the big bang to black holes, from dark matter to dark energy, from the origins of the universe to its ultimate destiny, The Edge of the Sky tells the story of the most important discoveries and mysteries in modern cosmology#151;with a twist. The book’s lexicon is limited to the thousand most common words in the English language, excluding physics, energy, galaxy, or even universe. Through the eyes of a fictional scientist (Student-People) hunting for dark matter with one of the biggest telescopes (Big-Seers) on Earth (Home-World), cosmologist Roberto Trotta explores the most important ideas about our universe (All-there-is) in language simple enough for anyone to understand. A unique blend of literary experimentation and science popularization, this delightful book is a perfect gift for any aspiring astronomer. The Edge of the Sky tells the story of the universe on a human scale, and the result is out of this world.
The Edison Mystery
by Dan GutmanThirteen-year-old Robert "Qwerty" Stevens uses the time machine he finds in his backyard to visit Thomas Edison's workshop in 1879, and there helps develop the electric light bulb, but then needs his sister's help to return to his own time.
The Education of a Coroner: Lessons in Investigating Death
by John BatesonIn the vein of Dr. Judy Melinek’s Working Stiff, an account of the hair-raising and heartbreaking cases handled by the coroner of Marin County, California throughout his four decades on the job—from high-profile deaths to serial killers, to Golden Gate Bridge suicides.Marin County, California is a study in contradictions. Its natural beauty attracts thousands of visitors every year, yet the county also is home to San Quentin Prison, one of the oldest and largest penitentiaries in the country. Marin ranks in the top one percent of counties nationwide in terms of affluence and overall health, yet it is far above the norm in drug overdoses and alcoholism, and comprises a large percentage of suicides from the Golden Gate Bridge. Ken Holmes worked in the Marin County Coroner’s Office for thirty-six years, starting as a death investigator and ending as the three-term, elected coroner. As he grew into the job—which is different from what is depicted on television—Holmes learned a variety of skills, from finding hidden clues at death scenes, interviewing witnesses effectively, managing bystanders and reporters, preparing testimony for court to notifying families of a death with sensitivity and compassion. He also learned about different kinds of firearms, all types of drugs—prescription and illegal—and about certain unexpected and potentially fatal phenomena such as autoeroticism. Complete with poignant anecdotes, The Education of a Coroner provides a firsthand and fascinating glimpse into the daily life of a public servant whose work is dark and mysterious yet necessary for society to function.
The Education of a Russian Statesman: The Memoirs of Nicholas Karlovich Giers
by Barbara Jelavich Charles JelavichThis title is part of UC Press's Voices Revived program, which commemorates University of California Press’s mission to seek out and cultivate the brightest minds and give them voice, reach, and impact. Drawing on a backlist dating to 1893, Voices Revived makes high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship accessible once again using print-on-demand technology. This title was originally published in 1962.
The Edumacation Book: Amazing Cocktail-Party Science to Impress Your Friends
by Andy McElfreshBoost your trivia knowledge with the Edumacation podcast&’s co-host and this expedition to the bizarre and extraordinary outskirts of scientific discovery Class is now in session with Professor Andy McElfresh (not a real professor), science aficionado and co-host of the Edumacation podcast with Kevin Smith. This is the book that gives you a crash course in Cocktail-Party Science, the strange and astonishing scientific facts that you&’ll want to share at all your social gatherings. Chapters explore the Four Chambers of Knowledge—The Sci, The Fi, The Why, and The Bye—and examine such tantalizing topics as:• Elevator Decapitations and a Deadly Wedgie• Bigfoot, Mermaids, and the Mongolian Death Worm• Dolphins Getting High Off Puffer Fish Toxin• Staggering Feats of Shaolin Monks• The Pentagon&’s Weaponized Heat Ray• Flying Cars, Real Telepathy, and Other Breakthroughs of Tomorrow and many more! Open this book and open your mind: You&’re about to get Edumacated!&“Edumacation is like peeking into Andy&’s fact-filled brain–each topic is silo-ed into rough categories packed to the brim with historical and scientific information…He litters the book with his funny banter and crunches large topics into more manageable, bite-sized pieces. Overall, this book reads less like a scientific tome and more like a conversation with your best friend. It&’s light, funny and you come out of it feeling good about yourself. You also pick up some neat trivia to share at parties!&”—Nerdophiles
The Eerie Silence: Renewing Our Search for Alien Intelligence
by Paul Davies“Refreshing . . . A penetrating analysis of the assumptions that underlie SETI and the entire enterprise of searching for life beyond Earth.” —Chris McKay, NatureFifty years ago, a young astronomer named Frank Drake first pointed a radio telescope at nearby stars in the hope of picking up a signal from an alien civilization. Thus began one of the boldest scientific projects in history, the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI). After a half-century of scanning the skies, however, astronomers have little to report but an eerie silence—eerie because many scientists are convinced that the universe is teeming with life. Physicist and astrobiologist Paul Davies has been closely involved with SETI for three decades and chairs the SETI Post-Detection Taskgroup, charged with deciding what to do if we’re suddenly confronted with evidence of alien intelligence. He believes the search so far has fallen into an anthropocentric trap—assuming that an alien species will look, think, and behave much like us. In this provocative book Davies refocuses the search, challenging existing ideas of what form an alien intelligence might take, how it might try to communicate with us, and how we should respond if it does.“Paul Davies gives us a panoramic view of the quickening search for cosmic company—a fascinating tale stuffed with novel ideas about the nature of intelligence far beyond our own.” —Seth Shostak, Senior Astronomer, SETI Institute“An immensely readable investigation of the SETI enterprise . . . [A] wonderful book.” —New Scientist“A far-ranging look at what might happen here on Earth when we make first contact. Highly recommended for both science fiction and astronomy buffs.” —Publishers Weekly
The Effect Evaluation of Haze Governance Policies in Hebei Province–Based on I-O Model
by Guofeng Zhang Xiaojing Ma Huimin LiThis book provides a dynamic simulation model based on input-output table. The model includes an objective function, i.e. maximizing economic and social development and three sub-models, including economic growth model, pollutant emission model and energy balance model. The data of 2012 is selected as the base period data. The haze control policy of Hebei Province is written into the model as an exogenous variable. Reducing the total PM2.5 emissions is an environmental constraint, which is used to eliminate the impact of natural factors on environmental quality. Lingo software is used to simulate this model. By comparing the socio-economic impacts in different scenarios, this book found the most effective policy combination of haze governance. Comprehensive haze governance policy recommendations provide experience for other regions of China and other developing countries. In this book, the dynamic simulation model of haze governance also provides a reference to other environmental policy simulations.This book is divided into five parts. The first part is an introduction. This paper mainly introduces the research background, research status at home and abroad, the purpose and significance of the study, the content and methods of the study, the key scientific problems to be solved and the expected results. In the second part, the current situation and existing problems of economic, social, energy and environment development in the study area are analyzed in detail. In the third part, a comprehensive evaluation model of dynamic optimization of haze control policy is constructed. The fourth part carries on the simulation experiment, and carries on the analysis to the experimental result. The fifth part puts forward the policy suggestions to realize the economic, social, energy and environmental development of Hebei Province.In this book, we have some understandings about haze governance. From the perspective of policy effect, the policy effects of subsidy for soil and water conservation, subsidy for development and utilization of clean energy, subsidy for new energy vehicles, motor vehicle restriction and subsidy for introduction of PM2.5 treatment technology are decreasing. Comprehensive policy can better achieve the goal of sustainable development of economy, energy and environment than single policy, and the effect of "source governance" policy is better than that of "end governance" policy.
The Effect of Hydrogen and Hydrides on the Integrity of Zirconium Alloy Components
by Manfred P. PulsBy drawing together the current theoretical and experimental understanding of the phenomena of delayed hydride cracking (DHC) in zirconium alloys, The Effect of Hydrogen and Hydrides on the Integrity of Zirconium Alloy Components: Delayed Hydride Cracking provides a detailed explanation focusing on the properties of hydrogen and hydrides in these alloys. Whilst the emphasis lies on zirconium alloys, the combination of both the empirical and mechanistic approaches creates a solid understanding that can also be applied to other hydride forming metals. This up-to-date reference focuses on documented research surrounding DHC, including current methodologies for design and assessment of the results of periodic in-service inspections of pressure tubes in nuclear reactors. Emphasis is placed on showing how our understanding of DHC is supported by progress in general understanding of such broad fields as the study of hysteresis associated with first order phase transformations, phase relationships in coherent crystalline metallic solids, the physics of point and line defects, diffusion of substitutional and interstitial atoms in crystalline solids, and continuum fracture and solid mechanics. Furthermore, an account of current methodologies is given illustrating how such understanding of hydrogen, hydrides and DHC in zirconium alloys underpins these methodologies for assessments of real life cases in the Canadian nuclear industry. The all-encompassing approach makes The Effect of Hydrogen and Hydrides on the Integrity of Zirconium Alloy Component: Delayed Hydride Cracking an ideal reference source for students, researchers and industry professionals alike.
The Effect of Surface Wettability on the Defrost Process (SpringerBriefs in Applied Sciences and Technology)
by Francis A. Kulacki Yang LiuThis SpringerBrief presents a recent advancement in modeling and measurement of the effect of surface wettability on the defrost process. Carefully controlled laboratory measurements of the defrosting of cooled surfaces are used to reveal the effect of surface wetting properties on the extent and speed of frost removal by melting or slumping. The experiments are accompanied by visualization of frost removal at several defrosting conditions. Analysis breaks the defrost process into three stages according to the behavior of the meltwater. Surface wetting factors are included, and become significant when sufficient meltwater accumulates between the saturated frost layer and the surface. The book is aimed at researchers, practicing engineers and graduate students.
The Effective Scientist: A Handy Guide to a Successful Academic Career
by Corey J. A. BradshawWhat is an effective scientist? One who is successful by quantifiable standards, with many publications, citations, and students supervised? Yes, but there is much more. Truly effective scientists need to have influence beyond academia, usefully applying and marketing their research to non-scientists.<P><P> This book therefore takes an all-encompassing approach to improving the scientist's career. It begins by focusing on writing and publishing – a scientist's most important weapon in the academic arsenal. Part II covers the numerical and financial aspects of being an effective scientist, and Part III focuses on running a lab effectively. The book concludes discussing the more entertaining and philosophical aspects of being an effective scientist. Little of this material is taught in university, but developing these skills is vital to maximise the chance of being effective. Written by a scientist for scientists, this practical and entertaining book is a must-read for every early career-scientist, regardless of specialty.
The Effects of Air Pollution on Cultural Heritage
by Ron Hamilton John Watt Johan Tidblad Vladimir KuceraThis book reviews the sources of the air pollutants responsible for building damage and the mechanisms involved. Studies investigating the relationships between pollution concentration (dose) and the resulting damage (response) are described and the latest research findings for dose-response functions are presented. Trends in pollutant emissions, ambient concentrations and building damage over time are described and future predictions are presented. Methodologies for assessing the extent of the potential problem in a region - the stock at risk - are presented. Procedures for estimating the economic implications are described and the consequences are discussed in detail, because economic factors are important for reaching policy and management decisions at local, national and international scales. Damage to cultural heritage buildings is an important additional effect which needs to be considered as the standards are revised and the factors which will need to be brought into the assessment are presented.
The Effects of Bilingualism on Non-Linguistic Cognition: A Historic Perspective
by Jennifer MattscheyThis book examines a century of research on the relationship between bilingualism and intelligence and relates it to more recent research on bilingualism and executive functioning. In doing so, it highlights how bilingualism research has been understood and used by wider society and its impact on current debates in cognitive science as well as language policy and education. The book probes the correlation between the fact that while early intelligence research suggested a negative effect of bilingualism on intelligence, the so-called “Bilingual Problem”, later research implied a positive effect, “the Bilingual Advantage.” It questions whether the negative consequences that arose from the Bilingual Problem are influencing researchers’ reluctance to let go of the Bilingual Advantage. Findings on both the bilingual ‘advantage’ and ‘disadvantage’ are shown to have suffered from similar methodological problems, with research into the former finding itself at the centre of the ongoing replication crisis in psychology. This book provides fresh insights that will be of particular interest to students and scholars of cognitive psychology, psycholinguistics, bilingualism, applied linguistics, education and the history of science.
The Effects of Dust and Heat on Photovoltaic Modules: Impacts and Solutions (Green Energy and Technology)
by Inamuddin Firoz Khan Amir Al-Ahmed Fahad A. Al-SulaimanThis book discusses how to reduce the impact of dust and heat on photovoltaic systems. It presents the problems caused by both dust accumulation and heat on PV systems, as well as the solutions, in a collected piece of literature. The Effects of Dust and Heat on Photovoltaic Modules: Impacts and Solutions begins by discussing the properties of dust accumulation on PV modules. It then presents several solutions to this, such as hydrophobic coatings and surface texturing. The second half of the book is used to discuss the effects of heat on silicon PV modules, as well as various cooling approaches. These include water cooling and carbon-based materials. Due to the prevalence of PV systems in renewable energy, this book will be of interest to numerous students, researchers and practitioners.