Marine, Freshwater, and Wetlands Biodiversity
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 conservation of these critical and increasingly threatened habitats. Collectively these papers provide a snap-shot of the types of problems they are experiencing, and offer a wealth of topical examples which render this volume especially valuable to teachers of courses in marine, freshwater and wetlands ecology, biological conservation and ecological restoration.
Marine Biodiversity : Patterns and Processes, Assessment, Threats, Management and Conservation
Understanding the functioning of Marine Ecosystems is the first step to measure and predict the influence of Man, and to find solutions for the enormous array of problems we face today. This volume is organised according to the four subthemes of the symposium and to issues commonly perceived as relevant by scientists concerned with the study, protection and management of Marine Biodiversity: patterns and processes, assessment, threats and management and conservation.
Lung Pathology
Learning the diagnostic elements of lung pathology requires not only great familiarity with a wide diversity of cases, but also a sharp eye for analyzing pictorial images. In Lung Pathology: A Consultative Atlas, leading experts offer a novel and substantive approach to the teaching of pulmonary pathology. Drawing on 263 challenging, yet exemplary, referral cases taken from files collected over 20 years by internationally renowned lung pathologist, Dr. Eugene Mark, the authors introduce his state-of-the-art approach to the interpretation of pulmonary pathology. This text includes the primary and/or differential diagnosis and the pertinent histological features of each case, as well as clinical history, when available. Key words or phrases in the text are highlighted and digitally hyperlinked to associated images or regions of interest within those images to assist the readers in their correlation. Novel and user friendly, Lung Pathology: A Consultative Atlas describes a cutting-edge diagnostic approach to pulmonary pathology, describing its principles and demonstrating its application in text and full-color illustrations drawn from 263 difficult cases of human lung pathologies.
Living Rivers : Trends and Challenges in Science and Management
All over the world, sustainable river basin management is a leading principle of policy plans and legal instruments for water management (e.g. the European Water Framework Directive). The evidence, however, to underpin the full scope of sustainability is rather scanty. In this book an integrative perspective on trends and challenges in river science and management is demonstrated. The three pillars underneath sustainable water management, ecology, economy and sociology, are elaborated by experts in their fields. A number of papers integrate the current knowledge on the structure, functioning and management of ‘living rivers’. The book includes data and experiences concerning the rivers Allier, Meuse, Rhine, Sava and Tagliamento in Europe and the river Illinois in the USA. Sustainable river basin management asks for un-orthodox rehabilitation programmes and ecosystem based and transboundary management approaches.
Lentil : An ancient crop for modern times
Presents the most comprehensive and up to date review of research on lentil production systems, biotic and abiotic stresses management, quality seed production, storage techniques and lentil growing around the world. This book will be of great value to legume breeders, scientists, nutritionists, academic
Landscape Ecological Applications in Man-Influenced Areas : Linking Man and Nature Systems
This book also includes several case studies concerning landscape analysis and evaluation using spatial analysis and landscape modelling for establishing sustainable management strategy in urban and agricultural landscapes. The subtitle of the book suggests the integrative and ubiquitous landscape planning considering harmony of man and nature systems in the socio-economic and cultural background.
Complexity in landscape ecology
Interactions matter. To understand the distributions of plants and animals in a landscape you need to understand how they interact with each other, and with their environment. The resulting networks of interactions make ecosystems highly complex. Recent research on complexity and artificial life provides many new insights about patterns and processes in landscapes and ecosystems. This book provides the first overview of that work for general readers. It covers such topics as connectivity, criticality, feedback, and networks, as well as their impact on the stability and predictability of ecosystem dynamics. With over 60 years of research experience of both ecology and complexity, the authors are uniquely qualified to provide a new perspective on traditional ecology.
Changing Land Use Patterns in the Coastal Zone : Managing Environmental Quality in Rapidly Developing Regions
Coastal ecosystems make up some of the most important, yet most endangered, regions in the world. The protection of the unique processes that take place in these ecosystems requires that partnerships be formed among ecologists, resource managers, and planners. Experienced in the challenges of coastal system analysis, the contributors to this book provide multidisciplinary guidance on the assessment and management of environmental impacts caused by development. Each chapter examines an issue important to these fragile ecosystems, first presenting a non-technical summary of the issue and a review of the current state of the knowledge, then following with data and a more detailed consideration of the topic.
Brain development in Drosophila melanogaster
The central nervous system (CNS) represents the organ with the highest structural and functional complexity. Accordingly, uncovering the mechanisms leading to cell diversity, patterning and connectivity in the CNS is one of the major challenges in developmental biology. The developing CNS of the fruitfly Drosophila melanogaster is an ideal model system to study these processes. Several principle questions regarding neurogenesis (like stem cell formation, cell fate specification, axonal pathfinding) have been addressed in Drosophila by focusing on the relatively simply structured truncal parts of the nervous system. This book provides an overview of some major facets of recent research on Drosophila brain development.
Boreal Peatland Ecosystems
This volume adopts an ecosystems approach to understanding the world's boreal peatlands. It focuses on biogeochemical patterns and processes, production, decomposition, and peat accumulation, and provides additional information on animal and fungal diversity. A recurring theme is the legacy of boreal peatlands as impressive accumulators of carbon as peat over millennia. This carbon legacy is under threat from a wide diversity of disturbances, including wildfire, ongoing climate change, the changing chemistry of atmospheric deposition, and continuing resource exploitation. The volume is of inte.
Biotechnology of medicinal plants with antiallergy properties : Research trends and prospects
Covers critically investigated information on medicinal plants prioritized for their anti-allergy properties. It offers insights into strategies related to the distribution, mechanism of action, and assessment of antiallergic medicinal plants, and also delves into crucial aspects of modern biotechnological tools, addressing their implementation challenges, presenting innovative approaches through case studies, and exploring opportunities for nanotechnologies. These elaborated discussions aim to raise awareness and bridge the gap between human health and the biodiversity of antiallergic medicinal plants.
Biomarkers as targeted herbal drug discovery : A pharmacological approach to nanomedicines
Looks at the applications of biomarkers as important tools for herbal drug discovery, presenting research on phytoconstituents with advanced nanotechnological applications for healthcare benefits. Herbal drug discovery based on biomarkers is an emerging area in complementary and alternative medicine that has tremendous potential in healthcare. Conventional medications have limited efficacy and high toxicity, whereas herbal drugs are said to provide wide structural diversity that is not usually seen with conventional/synthetic drug molecules. Recognition of various herbal constituents, such as terpenoids, fatty acids, flavonoids and steroids, are well explored in the management and treatment of various disorders in this volume. These agents target various biomarkers such as nitric oxide (NO), cytokines, chemokines, adhesion molecules, NF- kβ, lipoxygenase (LOX), and arachidonic acid. Reviews the literature on inflammatory biomarkers in the treatment of diseases Looks at the development of herbal drug discovery based on biomarkers Explores emerging concepts of nanomedicines for herbal drug delivery Takes an interdisciplinary approach, with application to disciplines related to medical, pharmaceutical, biotechnological, Ayurvedic, Unani and biomedical engineering fields
Biological Invasions in South Africa
This book presents a comprehensive account of all aspects of biological invasions in South Africa, where research has been conducted over more than three decades, and where bold initiatives have been implemented in attempts to control invasions and to reduce their ecological, economic and social effects.
Biological Invasions
This new volume on Biological Invasions deals with both plants and animals. It differs from previous books on the subject by extending from the level of individual species to an ecosystem and global level. Topics of highest societal relevance, such as the impact of genetically modified organisms, are interlinked with more conventional ecological aspects, including biodiversity. The combination of these approaches is new and makes compelling reading for researchers and environmentalists. The book’s 22 chapters cover a huge range of subjects relevant to the field. These include pathways of biological invasions (e.g. ballast water, waterways), traits of successful invaders (e.g. chemical weapons, empty niches), and patterns of invasion and invasibility, such as man-induced predisposition by fire, land use and eutrophication, and the role of climate change.
Biological invaders in inland waters : Profiles, distribution, and threats
The book examines the identity, distribution, and impact of freshwater non-indigenous species and the dynamics of their invasion. Rather than providing a broad and comprehensive review of the issue, Biological invaders in inland waters focuses on old and new invaders and also raises questions and opens perspectives that provide a starting point for further research. The ultimate purpose of this book is to help define a more general framework for our knowledge of invasions in fresh waters. Such a framework will be indispensable to the planning of a science-based management program.
Biological adhesives
Many plants, animals, and microbes use adhesive polymers and structures to attach to inert substrates, to each other, or to other organisms. This is the first major review that brings together research on many of the well-known biological adhesives. Emphasizing the diversity of biological adhesives and associated adhesion processes, it deals with bacteria, fungi, algae, and marine and terrestrial animals. It bridges a variety of disciplines including biochemistry, molecular biology, biomechanics, bioengineering, microbiology, organism structure and function, and ultrastructure. As we learn more about the molecular and mechanical properties of these adhesives, we begin to understand why they adhere so well and how they develop cohesive strength. With this understanding comes the prospect of developing synthetic or semi-synthetic adhesives with broad applications in areas such as medicine, dentistry, and biotechnology. The book is suitable for both industrial and academic researchers.
Biogeography, Time, and Place : Distributions, Barriers, and Islands
Biogeography considers the distribution of biological units over a wide range of scales. The units range from genotypes, populations and species to families and higher taxa. Processes can be local, such as the isolation on islands due to sea-level fluctuations, or large-scale tectonic processes that separates continents and creates oceans. In all processes time is an important factor and by combining data on recent patterns with paleontological data the understanding of the distribution of extant taxa can be improved. This volume focuses on speciation due to isolation in island-like settings, and the evolution of large-scale diversity as the result of origination, maintenance and extinction.
Biogeography and Ecology of Bulgaria
The book includes 22 chapters by 28 authors united by the single theme: biogeography and ecology of Bulgaria. From the single-celled organisms in the Black Sea sand to the endemic cave crustaceans, from the mountain glacial relict insects to the most diverse bird fauna in Europe, the unique fauna of Bulgaria has been a subject of study of mostly Bulgarian zoologists for more than a century. This is the first monograph in English broadly addressing all vertebrate and many key invertebrate groups of Bulgaria, their faunistics, origin, geographical and ecological distribution, and conservation issues are addressed by the experts on each group.
Biodiversity-health-sustainability Nexus in socio-ecological production landscapes and seascapes (SEPLS)
It is a compilation of case studies that provide useful knowledge and lessons that derive from on-the-ground activities and contribute to policy recommendations, focusing on the interlinkages between biodiversity and multiple dimensions of health (e.g., physical, mental, and spiritual) in managing socio-ecological production landscapes and seascapes (SEPLS). This book provides insights on how SEPLS approaches can contribute to more sustainable management of natural resources, achieving global biodiversity and sustainable development goals, and good health for all. It is also expected to offer useful knowledge and information for an upcoming three-year thematic assessment of “the interlinkages among biodiversity, water, food, and health” (the so-called “nexus assessment”) by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES). The book begins with an introductory chapter followed by eleven case study chapters demonstrating the nexus between biodiversity, health, and sustainable development, and then a synthesis chapter clarifying the relevance of the case study findings to policy and academic discussions. It will be of interest to scholars, policymakers, and professionals in the field related to sustainable development.
Biodiversity of angola : Science & conservation : A modern synthesis
The book identifies Angola as one of the most biologically diverse countries in Africa, but notes that its fauna, flora, habitats and the processes that drive the dynamics of its ecosystems.



















