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Author: F.Stuart III Chapin
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 3642789668
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 337
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Book Description
As human populations expand and have increasing access to technol ogy, two general environmental concerns have arisen. First, human pop ulations are having increasing impact on the earth system, such that we are altering the biospheric carbon pools, basic processes of elemental cycling and the climate system of the earth. Because of time lags and feedbacks, these processes are not easily reversed. These alterations are occurring now more rapidly than at any time in the last several million years. Secondly, human activities are causing changes in the earth's biota that lead to species extinctions at a rate and magnitude rivaling those of past geologic extinction events. Although environmental change is potentially reversible at some time scales, the loss of species is irrevo cable. Changes in diversity at other scales are also cause for concern. Habitat fragmentation and declines in population sizes alter genetic di versity. Loss or introduction of new functional groups, such as nitro gen fixers or rodents onto islands can strongly alter ecosystem processes. Changes in landscape diversity through habitat modification and frag mentation alter the nature of processes within and among vegetation patches. Although both ecological changes altering the earth system and the loss of biotic diversity have been major sources of concern in recent years, these concerns have been largely independent, with little concern for the environmental causes the ecosystem consequences of changes in biodiversity. These two processes are clearly interrelated. Changes in ecological systems cause changes in diversity.
Author: F.Stuart III Chapin
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 3642789668
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 337
Get Book Here
Book Description
As human populations expand and have increasing access to technol ogy, two general environmental concerns have arisen. First, human pop ulations are having increasing impact on the earth system, such that we are altering the biospheric carbon pools, basic processes of elemental cycling and the climate system of the earth. Because of time lags and feedbacks, these processes are not easily reversed. These alterations are occurring now more rapidly than at any time in the last several million years. Secondly, human activities are causing changes in the earth's biota that lead to species extinctions at a rate and magnitude rivaling those of past geologic extinction events. Although environmental change is potentially reversible at some time scales, the loss of species is irrevo cable. Changes in diversity at other scales are also cause for concern. Habitat fragmentation and declines in population sizes alter genetic di versity. Loss or introduction of new functional groups, such as nitro gen fixers or rodents onto islands can strongly alter ecosystem processes. Changes in landscape diversity through habitat modification and frag mentation alter the nature of processes within and among vegetation patches. Although both ecological changes altering the earth system and the loss of biotic diversity have been major sources of concern in recent years, these concerns have been largely independent, with little concern for the environmental causes the ecosystem consequences of changes in biodiversity. These two processes are clearly interrelated. Changes in ecological systems cause changes in diversity.
Author: F. Stuart Chapin, III
Publisher: Springer Verlag
ISBN: 9780387579481
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 332
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Book Description
This book provides a synthesis of the patterns, causes and consequences of biodiversity in cold-dominated ecosystems. The first chapters document patterns and causes of genetic and species diversity of plants and animals emphasizing the interaction between historical and contemporary factors in governing biodiversity. The second section addresses how biotic diversity has changed in the past, how it is currently changing, and how it will likely respond to future changes in climate and land use. The third section treats both the conceptual basis and the evidence that biodiversity influences the functioning of arctic and alpine ecosystems. Also included are the implications of terrestrial patterns of biodiversity for landscape patterns and for patterns of diversity in aquatic ecosystems.
Author: Christian Körner
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 9783540003472
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 366
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Book Description
Generations of plant scientists have been fascinated by alpine plant life - with the exposure of organisms to dramatic climatic gradients over a very short distance. This comprehensive text treats a wide range of topics: alpine climate and soils, plant distribution and the treeline phenomenon, physiological ecology of water-, nutritional- and carbon relations of alpine plants, plant stress and plant development, biomass production, and aspects of human impacts on alpine vegetation. Geographically the book covers all parts of the world including the tropics.This second edition of Alpine Plant Life gives new references, new diagrams, and extensively revised chapters.
Author: Laszlo Nagy
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 9783540001089
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 508
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Book Description
The United Nations Conference on the Environment and Development (UNCED), held in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, spawned a multitude of pro grammes aimed at assessing, managing and conserving the earth's biological diversity. One important issue addressed at the conference was the mountain environment. A specific feature of high mountains is the so-called alpine zone, i. e. the treeless regions at the uppermost reaches. Though covering only a very small proportion of the land surface, the alpine zone contains a rela tively large number of plants, animals, fungi and microbes which are specifi cally adapted to cold environments. This zone contributes fundamentally to the planet's biodiversity and provides many resources for mountain dwelling as well as lowland people. However, rapid and largely man-made changes are affecting mountain ecosystems, such as soil erosion, losses of habitat and genetic diversity, and climate change, all of which have to be addressed. As stated in the European Community Biodiversity Strategy, "the global scale of biodiversity reduction or losses and the interdependence of different species and ecosystems across national borders demands concerted international action". Managing biodiversity in a rational and sustainable way needs basic knowledge on its qualitative and quantitative aspects at local, regional and global scales. This is particularly true for mountains, which are distributed throughout the world and are indeed hot spots of biodiversity in absolute terms as well as relative to the surrounding lowlands.
Author: Christian Korner
Publisher: CRC Press
ISBN: 1040284310
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 352
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Book Description
This book is the result of the first global conference on mountain biodiversity, and is a contribution to the International Year of Mountains, 2002. The Global Mountain Biodiversity Assessment program is a Special Target Area Region project of DIVERSITAS (UNESCO and UNEP). Biological diversity is essential for the integrity of mountain ecosystems and this dependency is likely to increase as environmental (climate) and social conditions change. Steep terrain and climate, and severe land-use pressure cause mountain ecosystems to rank among the world's most endangered landscapes. The 28 chapters in this book represent research on the biological riches in all major mountain ranges of the world, and synthesize existing knowledge on mountain biodiversity - from diversity of bacteria, plants and animals to human diversity. The book is divided into five sections: an introduction providing an overview of the issues; plant and animal diversity; climate change and mountain biodiversity; land use and conservation; and a synthesis.
Author: Sven Erik Jørgensen
Publisher: Academic Press
ISBN: 0444534679
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 537
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Book Description
Jorgensen's Ecosystem Ecology provides a thorough and comprehensive overview of the world's aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. This derivative volume based on the best-selling Encyclopedia of Ecology (published 2008) is the only book currently published that provides an overview of the world's ecosystems in a concise format. - Provides an overview of the world's ecosystems in a concise format - Covers aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems - Based on the best-selling Encyclopedia of Ecology - Full-color figures and tables support the text and aid in understanding
Author: David H. Johnson
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 764
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Book Description
This volume provides information about the terrestrial, freshwater, and marine habitats of Oregon and Washington and the wildlife that depend upon them; it also supports broader and more consistent conservation planning, management, and research. The 27 chapters identify 593 wildlife species, define some 300 wildlife terms, profile wildlife communities, review introduced and extirpated species and species at risk, and discuss management approaches. The volume includes color and bandw photographs, maps, diagrams, and illustrations; and the accompanying CD-ROM contains additional wildlife data (60,000 records), maps, and seven matrixes that link wildlife species with their respective habitat types. Johnson is a wildlife biologist, engineer, and habitat scientist; and O'Neill is director of the Northwest Habitat Institute; they worked together on this publication project as its managing directors. Annotation copyrighted by Book News Inc., Portland, OR
Author: Christian Körner
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 364298018X
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 345
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Book Description
Generations of plant scientists have been fascinated by alpine plant lifean ecosystem that experiences dramatic climatic gradients over a very short distance. This comprehensive book examines a wide range of topics including alpine climate and soils, plant distribution and the treeline phenomenon, plant stress and development, global change at high elevation, and the human impact on alpine vegetation. Geographically, the book covers all parts of the world including the tropics.
Author: Wilhelm Barthlott
Publisher: EOLSS Publications
ISBN: 1905839340
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 336
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Book Description
Biodiversity: Structure and Function is a component of Encyclopedia of Environmental and Ecological Sciences, Engineering and Technology Resources in the global Encyclopedia of Life Support Systems (EOLSS), which is an integrated compendium of twenty one Encyclopedias. The Theme on Biodiversity: Structure and Function discusses matters of great relevance to our world such as: Characterization of Biodiversity; Biodiversity and Ecosystem Functioning; Spatial and Temporal Dimensions of Biodiversity Dynamics; Evolutionary and Genetic Aspects of Biodiversity; Biodiversity Monitoring, Assessment, Data Management, and Indicators; The Value of Biodiversity; Halting Biodiversity Loss: Fundamentals and Latest Trends of Conservation Science and Action; Application of Ecological Knowledge to Habitat Restoration. These two volumes are aimed at the following five major target audiences: University and College students Educators, Professional practitioners, Research personnel and Policy analysts, managers, and decision makers and NGOs.
Author: H. G. Jones
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 9780521584838
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 272
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Book Description
A multidisciplinary 2001 overview of life in, on and under snow for anyone interested in the cryosphere.
