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Biogeochemistry of Trace Elements in Arid Environments
Global warming has worsened the water resource crisis in many arid zones worldwide, from Africa to Asia, affecting millions of people and putting them at risk of hunger. Effective management of arid zone resources, including understanding the risks of toxic trace and heavy elements to humans, coupled with the need to produce more food to feed the world’s growing population, has thus become increasingly important. This very timely book, the only one of its kind on the market, fills the gap of our knowledge of trace elements in these regions. This book begins by introducing the nature and properties of arid zone soil, followed by an updated overview and comprehensive coverage of the major aspects of the trace elements and heavy metals of most concern in the world’s arid and semi-arid soils. These aspects include: - content and distribution - solution chemistry - solid-phase chemistry - selective sequential dissolution techniques - transfer fluxes - bioavailability - pollution and remediation In order to illustrate the themes, a comprehensive and focused case study on transfer fluxes of trace elements in Israeli arid soils is presented. Finally it closes with the global perspectives on anthropogenic interferences in the natural trace elements’ distribution.
Biogeochemical cycles in globalization and sustainable development
This valuable study of environmental subsystems functioning under various climatic and anthropogenic conditions provides a unique insight into the social context of global changes in biogeochemical cycles and demonstrates current understanding of globalization and sustainable development.
Biofuels, Solar and Wind as Renewable Energy Systems : Benefits and Risks
With shortages of fossil energy, especially oil and natural gas, and heavy biomass energy use occurring in both developed and developing countries, a major focus has developed worldwide on renewable energy systems. Renewable energy systems include wind power, biomass, photovoltaics, hydropower, solar thermal, thermal ponds, and biogas. Currently, a heavy focus is on biofuels made from crops, such as corn, sugarcane, and soybeans, for use as renewable energy sources. Wood and crop residues also are being used as fuel. Though it may seem beneficial to use renewable plant materials for biofuel, the use of crop residues and other biomass for biofuels raises many concerns about major environmental problems, including food shortages and serious destruction of vital soil resources.
Biofuels and sustainability : Holistic perspectives for policy-making
This open access book presents a comprehensive analysis of biofuel use strategies from an interdisciplinary perspective using sustainability science. This interdisciplinary perspective (social science-natural science) means that the strategies and policy options proposed will have significant impacts on the economy and society alike. Biofuels are expected to contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, revitalizing economies in agricultural communities and alleviating poverty. However, despite these anticipated benefits, international organizations such as the FAO, OECD and UN have published reports expressing concerns that biofuel promotion may lead to deforestation, water pollution and water shortages. The impacts of biofuel use are extensive, cross-sectoral and complex, and as such, comprehensive analyses are required in order to assess the extent to which biofuels can contribute to sustainable societies.
Biofuels
In line with the current focus on a sustainable economy, bioethanol and other biofuels have received tremendous attention, making many headlines. Being produced in steadily growing volumes has made it necessary to consider production of biofuels from renewable raw materials that are not currently used. Therefore, the production of biofuels is at the gateway of moving from traditional raw materials to others such as lignocellulosic materials. However, sucha transfer requires new production processes that are economically feasible.This volume addresses and discusses the current status of biofuels, covering aspects from enabling technologies to different technology and processes options, as well as economical and policy perspectives.
Bioethics in Law
The idea for Bioethics in Law began more than a decade ago, while I was studying social science and law. I was parti- larly interested in the collaborations that comprised social s- ence in law. Economic and social data in the pioneering Brandeis brief had been used to defend an early 20th-century labor law; surveys of consumer confusion had helped resolve trademark - fringement cases; psychologists’ predictions of future violence had informed capital sentencing decisions. Additionally, Kenneth Clark’s “doll studies,” cited by the Supreme Court in Brown v. Board of Education, had helped change the course of American 1 history.
Bioethics in Cultural Contexts : Reflections on Methods and Finitude
This book discusses a range of methodological issues for an interdisciplinary bioethics. How can bioethics be an enterprise that does not only isolate issues and moral reasons but also (re)contextualises them? What are the strengths and weaknesses of different traditional and innovative modes of ethical work in terms of these tasks?
Bioethics in a Small World
Bioethics has addressed many of the issues that arise in the context of globalisation. This book presents the results of a conference the Europaische Akademie held in 2003 which developed its thesis in open discussions of foundational and applied problems of bioethics from an interdisciplinary and international perspective.
Bioethics and the Holocaust : A Comprehensive Study in How the Holocaust Continues to Shape the Ethics of Health, Medicine and Human Rights
This book offers a framework for understanding how the Holocaust has shaped and continues to shape medical ethics, health policy, and questions related to human rights around the world. The field of bioethics continues to face questions of social and medical controversy that have their roots in the lessons of the Holocaust, such as debates over beginning-of-life and medical genetics, end-of-life matters such as medical aid in dying, the development of ethical codes and regulations to guide human subject research, and human rights abuses in vulnerable populations. As the only example of medically sanctioned genocide in history, and one that used medicine and science to fundamentally undermine human dignity and the moral foundation of society, the Holocaust provides an invaluable framework for exploring current issues in bioethics and society today. This book, therefore, is of great value to all current and future ethicists, medical practitioners and policymakers – as well as laypeople.
Bioethics across the globe : Rebirthing bioethics
This book addresses a variety of issues relating to bioethics, in order to initiate cross-cultural dialogue. Beginning with the history, it introduces various views on bioethics, based on specific experiences from Japan. It describes how Japan has been confronted with Western bioethics and the ethical issues new to this modern age, and how it has found its foothold as it decides where it stands on these issues. In the last chapter, the author proposes discarding the overarching term ‘Global Bioethics’ in favor of the new term, ‘Bioethics Across the Globe (BAG)’, which carries a more universal connotation.
Bioengineering in cell and tissue research
This book reviews the latest technological developments of bioengineering approaches in cell and tissue research. It is meant to have life and spirit, and to become a pioneer in technology and sciences, especially the life science. The chapters are written by excellent scientists on advanced, frontier technology and address scientific questions that need considerable thinking in terms of engineering.
Bioenergetics : Energy conservation and conversion
The present book addresses fundamental questions of biological energy transformation and conservation, with a focus on those processes which can now be understood on a structural basis.Current knowledge of selected examples of the biological energy conservation machinery such as cellular oxygen respiration, light-driven energy converters, and fermentation is reviewed. The machinery is highly variable, particularly that within microorganisms, but all of these devices universally rely on one unique underlying physico-chemical principle. The book is a rich source for specialists interested in recent developments in bioenergetics research and novices in the field alike.
Bioelectromagnetics current concepts : The mechanisms of the biological effect of extremely high power pulses
Proceedings of the NATO Advanced Research Workshop on The Mechanisms of the Biological Effect on Extra High Power Pulses (EHPP), Yerevan, Armenia 3 - 5 March 2005
Bioelectricity : A Quantitative Approach
"The authors’ goal in producing this book was to provide an introductory text to electrophysiology, based on a quantitative approach. In attempting to achieve this goal, therefore, the authors have opened the book with a useful, and digestible, introduction to various aspects of the mathematics relevant to this field, including vectors, introduction to Laplace, Gauss’s theorem, and Green’s theorem. This book will be useful for students in medical physics and biomedical engineering wishing to enter the field of electrophysiological investigation. It will also be helpful for biologists and physiologists who wish to understand the mathematical treatment of the processes and signals at the center of the interesting interdisciplinary field.
Bioeconomy and Global Inequalities Socio-Ecological Perspectives on Biomass Sourcing and Production
This book explores bioeconomy and bioenergy policies across South America, Asia and Europe. It discusses how a transition away from a fossil and towards a bio-based economic order alters, reinforces and challenges socio-ecological inequalities. A series of conceptual discussions and case studies with a multidisciplinary background in the Social Science illuminate how the deployment of biomass sources from the agricultural and forestry sectors affect societal changes concerning knowledge production, land and labour relations, political participation and international trade
Bioeconomy : Shaping the transition to a sustainable, biobased economy
This book defines the new field of "Bioeconomy" as the sustainable and innovative use of biomass and biological knowledge to provide food, feed, industrial products, bioenergy and ecological services. The chapters highlight the importance of bioeconomy-related concepts in public, scientific, and political discourse. Using an interdisciplinary approach, the authors outline the dimensions of the bioeconomy as a means of achieving sustainability.
Bioeconomic modelling and valuation of exploited marine ecosystems
This book offers an environmental-economic analysis of exploited ecosystems with a clear policy orientation. The study tries to move beyond traditional economic fishery analysis in two respects. First, several theoretical and numerical models are offered that combine economic and ecological descriptions of fisheries. These models give special attention to spatial processes as well as to combining exploitation and conservation objectives. Second, valuation and stakeholder concerns are addressed in empirical analyses employing both qualitative and quantitative approaches. The latter is done by using advanced methods of monetary valuation. In addition, the first part of the book presents short, introductory overviews of integrated assessment, economic modeling of fishery management, and incorporating uncertainty in fisheries analysis.
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.
Biodiversity in Enclosed Seas and Artificial Marine Habitats ; Proceedings of the 39th European Marine Biology Symposium, held in Genoa, Italy, 21-24 July 2004
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 both from a basic scientific point of view and from an applied approach. The papers dealing with the first theme represent current research and concerns about marine biodiversity in enclosed seas and will have wide appeal to all those interested in understanding and preserving the biodiversity of the seas and in particular of the Mediterranean and Black Seas. The papers in the second theme represent a synthesis of up-to-date knowledge on artificial habitats and how they can contribute to protection of coastal marine ecosystems, to enhancement of species diversity and biological resources and to restoration of degraded marine environments.
