Kategoria BISAC: Science >> Life Sciences - Biological Diversity

The idea of biodiversity has become increasingly important for those who wish to preserve and protect the varieties of life on Earth. While most works on biodiversity look at only three components-the diversity of genes, of species, and of ecosystems-"Understanding Biodiversity" examines the diversity of life in all of its manifestations. The living world is diverse in many ways. Animals and plants vary greatly in their size and shape, in their behavior, in how they reproduce, in how they sense the surrounding world. "Understanding Biodiversity" argues that there are many ways in which...

Starting with a summary of the concept of biodiversity, the text then explores such subjects as species richness, ecological systems, the consequences of human activities, diversity and human health, genetic resources, biotechnology and...

Water is Life. Freshwater is one of the most valuable commodities on our planet, and this resource should be managed in a sustainable way. Yet, we are less than careful in the way we use water and many of our non-marine, aquatic habitats are threatened by anthropogenic impacts. Eutrophication, for example, could well turn into one of the major social as well as economic problems of the 21^st century.

Reduction of water quality also has a profound effect on the biota that depend on these water bodies, such as micro-organisms, plants and animals. Freshwater Biodiversity is...

This book brings together a selection of original studies that address biodiversity and conservation in Europe. The contributions are drawn from a wide range of countries and discuss diverse organism and habitat types. They collectively provide a snap-shot of the sorts of studies and actions being taken in Europe to address issues in biodiversity and conservation topical examples that make the volume especially valuable for use in conservation biology courses.

The main themes of the Symposium were biodiversity in enclosed and semi-enclosed seas and artificial habitats, and the restoration of degraded systems. These themes are highly relevant today. The papers dealing with the first theme represent current research and concerns about marine biodiversity in enclosed seas. The papers in the second theme represent a synthesis of up-to-date knowledge on artificial habitats.

Patterns in the numbers of species have fascinated naturalists for centuries. Understanding the causes of latitudinal gradients in species richness and biodiversity 'hotspots' is often considered to be the holy grail of ecology. Extinctions in the past offer insight into what may occur in the future under climate change and habitat loss. The subject of vegetation-climate interaction is a compelling issue scientifically and is also of importance for land management practices.

This book examines the state of current understanding of species richness patterns and their...

• Maintaining forest biodiversity by combining protection, management and restoration of forest and woodland landscapes is a central component of sustainable development.
• Evidence that there are threshold levels for how much habitat loss may be tolerated for viable populations of specialised species to be maintained.
• Policy-makers, businesses and managers pose questions about how to balance use of renewable forest resources and conserve biodiversity.
• Examples are presented on how biodiversity assessments can be made.
• Proposes how the critical gaps in...

Marine, coastal and wetland habitats are threatened, not only through exploitation, but also by the prospect of climate change as ocean currents change course, sea levels rise, and rainfall patterns change. Even the once-common cod is now under threat from the combined effects of over-fishing and a dramatic change-induced decrease in the plankton that cod larvae feed on. Meanwhile, coral reefs remain especially vulnerable to rapid sea-level changes exacerbated by the effects of tourism and disease.

This book gathers together a wide range of papers reporting on key research into the...

Biodiversity is decreasing at the fastest rate in the history of the earth, largely as a result of human activity. The sustainable use of ecosystems allowing maintenance of biological diversity is an urgent problem that must be solved. Among terrestrial ecosystems, forests support the richest biological diversity. The interaction of humans and forests has a long history, but recent changes have been the most drastic ever. The rapid decrease and deterioration of forest ecosystems has been caused by social, economic, and ecological factors, which may vary locally but are common globally. The...

What should the average person know about science? Because science is so central to life in the 21st century, science educators and other leaders of the scientific community believe that it is essential that everyone understand the basic concepts of the most vital and far-reaching disciplines. "Biodiversity 101" does exactly that. This accessible volume provides readers--whether students new to the field or just interested members of the lay public--with the essential ideas of the origins of humans using a minimum of jargon and mathematics. Concepts are introduced in a progressive order so...