Plant Ecology, Herbivory, and Human Impact in Nordic Mountain Birch Forests

Plant Ecology, Herbivory, and Human Impact in Nordic Mountain Birch Forests PDF Author: Frans E. Wielgolaski
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 3540265953
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 379

Get Book

Book Description
This work analyzes vegetation and soils, and investigates the influence of climate change, insect pests, grazing pressure by sheep and reindeer, construction of roads and other consequences of increasing tourism in the Nordic mountain birch forests.

Plant Ecology, Herbivory, and Human Impact in Nordic Mountain Birch Forests

Plant Ecology, Herbivory, and Human Impact in Nordic Mountain Birch Forests PDF Author: Frans E. Wielgolaski
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 3540265953
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 379

Get Book

Book Description
This work analyzes vegetation and soils, and investigates the influence of climate change, insect pests, grazing pressure by sheep and reindeer, construction of roads and other consequences of increasing tourism in the Nordic mountain birch forests.

Nordic Mountain Birch Ecosystems

Nordic Mountain Birch Ecosystems PDF Author: F.E. Wielgolaski
Publisher: CRC Press
ISBN: 9781842140543
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 410

Get Book

Book Description
This volume presents the results of an extensive, long-running program of research on mountain birch, Betula pubescens ssp. czerepanovii, conducted by the Nordic Subarctic and Subalpine Ecology (NSSE) group, as part of the UNESCO/MAB Northern Sciences Network. The book contains an almost complete overview of NSSE research and results, presented in 31 data-rich chapters in six sections: introduction, ecosystem distribution, plant growth, animal herbivory, impact by man, and conclusions. These chapters cover the history, climatic influences and interactions of animals and insects on the growth and distribution of mountain birch, considering both physical and chemical aspects of performance and distribution, and using research methods ranging from plant and animal ecophysiology to social anthropology and remote sensing. The work also examines past and future climates and the effects of air pollution on the growth and distribution of mountain birch and associated herbs, insect, rodent and bird populations. This information is especially important in view the effects of climate change, topography and grazing on the treeline. Both wild and domestic animal populations, including domestic and semi-domestic reindeer, are responsible for grazing and trampling of birch forest. Reindeer herding and migration have been prevented or limited during the last century for political and economic reasons, while farming and increased tourism have also had direct impacts on birch forest regeneration through trampling and new building projects. Mountain birch are also used as firewood, for lumber or furniture, and traditionally by the Sami (Lappish) people for tools and handicrafts. The book includes bibliographic references and index.

Reindeer Management in Northernmost Europe

Reindeer Management in Northernmost Europe PDF Author: Bruce C. Forbes
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 3540313923
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 405

Get Book

Book Description
The findings presented in this volume represent a concerted effort to develop a more inclusive form of reindeer management for northernmost Europe. Our guiding principle has been to foster a new paradigm of participatory research. We wish to move beyond the historical reliance on western approaches to basic and applied science. These have been concerned prim- ily with interactions between herded animals and the various components of their biophysical environment, e. g. , plants, insects, predators, climate, and others. In our view,sociocultural and economic drivers,along with herders’ experience-based knowledge,gain equal currency in the effort to understand how management may mitigate against the negative aspects of the challenges modern herding faces, while also exploring concepts of sustainability from different perspectives (see also Jernsletten and Klokov 2002; Kankaanpää et al. 2002; Ulvevadet and Klokov 2004). This broadening of the pool of disciplines and local,national,and int- national stakeholders in policy-relevant research invariably complicates v- tually all aspects of the research process. Multidisciplinary or, in our sense, transdisciplinary approaches also require extraordinary effort from all p- ticipants if they are to succeed. As such, those approaches should not be undertaken lightly, nor without personnel who possess appropriate expe- ence in cooperating with those of different disciplines and, preferably, also with relevant practitioners and public social and administrative institutions. In such settings the potential for misunderstandings is quite high.

The Ecology of Browsing and Grazing

The Ecology of Browsing and Grazing PDF Author: Iain J. Gordon
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 3540724222
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 341

Get Book

Book Description
This volume investigates how large herbivores not only influence the structure and distribution of the vegetation, but also affect nutrient flows and the responses of associated fauna. The mechanisms and processes underlying the herbivores' behavior, distribution, movement and direct impact on the vegetation are discussed in detail. It is shown that an understanding of plant/animal interactions can inform the management of large herbivores to integrate production and conservation in terrestrial systems.

Mountain Timberlines

Mountain Timberlines PDF Author: Friedrich-Karl Holtmeier
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 1402097050
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 445

Get Book

Book Description
For more than 40 years I have been engaged in timberline research. Thus, one could suppose that writing this book should not have been too difficult. It was harder, however, than expected, and in the end I felt that more questions had arisen than could be answered within its pages. Perhaps it would have been easier to write the book 30 years ago and then leave the subject to mature. Lastly it was the late Prof. Heinz Ellenberg who had convinced me to portray a much needed and complete picture of what we know of the timberline with special respect to its great physiognomic, structural and ecological variety. The first version of this book was p- lished in the German language (Holtmeier, 2000). Nevertheless, I was very delighted when Prof. Martin Beniston encouraged me to prepare an English edition for the series ‘Advances in Global Change Research’, which guaranteed a wider circulation. Timberline is a worldwide and very heterogeneous phenomenon, which can only be presented by way of examples. My own field experience is necessarily limited to certain timberline areas, such as the Alps, northern Scandinavia, northern Finland and many high mountain ranges in the western United States and Canada. However, my own observations and the results of my and my previous collaborators research were essential for developing the concept of the book and became integrated into the picture of timberline that is presented in the following chapters.

Human Ecology

Human Ecology PDF Author: Holger Schutkowski
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 3540313915
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 312

Get Book

Book Description
This book explores the relationship between cultural strategies and their biological outcomes, combining for the first time an ecosystems approach with cultural anthropological, archaeological and evolutionary behavioural concepts. Beginning with resource use and food procurement behaviour, the text examines major subsistence modes, the circumstances and dynamics of large-scale subsistence change, the effect of social differentiation on resource use and the effects of subsistence behaviour on population development and regulation.

Phenology: An Integrative Environmental Science

Phenology: An Integrative Environmental Science PDF Author: Mark D. Schwartz
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 9400769253
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 610

Get Book

Book Description
Phenology refers to recurring plant and animal life cycle stages, such as leafing and flowering, maturation of agricultural plants, emergence of insects, and migration of birds. It is also the study of these recurring events, especially their timing and relationships with weather and climate. Phenological phenomena all give a ready measure of the environment as viewed by the associated organism, and are thus ideal indicators of the impact of local and global changes in weather and climate on the earth’s biosphere. Assessing our changing world is a complex task that requires close cooperation from experts in biology, climatology, ecology, geography, oceanography, remote sensing, and other areas. Like its predecessor, this second edition of Phenology is a synthesis of current phenological knowledge, designed as a primer on the field for global change and general scientists, students, and interested members of the public. With updated and new contributions from over fifty phenological experts, covering data collection, current research, methods, and applications, it demonstrates the accomplishments, progress over the last decade, and future potential of phenology as an integrative environmental science.

Disturbance Ecology

Disturbance Ecology PDF Author: Thomas Wohlgemuth
Publisher: Springer Nature
ISBN: 3030987566
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 432

Get Book

Book Description
This edited work presents a multi-faceted view on the causes and consequences of disturbance in ecosystems. Vegetation can be affected by a variety of different disturbances such as wind, floods, fire, and insect attack, leading to an abrupt change in live biomass. Disturbance is a motor of vegetation dynamics, but also sensitive to climate change and poses a challenge for ecosystem management. Readers will discover the global distribution of disturbance regimes and learn about the importance of disturbances for biodiversity and the evolution of plant and animal life. The book provides a Central European perspective on disturbance ecology, and addresses important disturbance agents such as fire, wind, avalanches, tree diseases, insect defoliators, bark beetles and large herbivores in dedicated chapters. It furthermore includes chapters on anthropogenic disturbances in forests and grasslands. The impact of climate change on disturbance regimes and approaches to address disturbance risks in ecosystem management are discussed in concluding chapters. Within the 18 chapters 14 textboxes highlight current topics of disturbance ecology and provide deeper methodological insights into the field. Disturbances strongly shape our landscapes and maintain our biodiversity. A better understanding of their ecology is thus fundamental for contextualizing the dynamic changes in our environment. This book is a valuable resource for students and practitioners interested in disturbances and their management.

The Interconnected Arctic — UArctic Congress 2016

The Interconnected Arctic — UArctic Congress 2016 PDF Author: Kirsi Latola
Publisher: Springer
ISBN: 3319575325
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 311

Get Book

Book Description
This open access book presents the most current research results and knowledge from five multidisciplinary themes: Vulnerability of Arctic Environments, Vulnerability of Arctic Societies, Local and Traditional Knowledge, Building Long-term Human Capacity, New Markets for the Arctic, including tourism and safety. The themes are those discussed at the first ever UArctic Congress Science Section, St. Petersburg, Russia, September 2016. The book looks at the Arctic from a holistic perspective; how the environment (both marine and terrestrial) and communities can adapt and manage the changes due to climate change. The chapters provide examples of the state-of-the-art research, bringing together both scientific and local knowledge to form a comprehensive and cohesive volume. Except where otherwise noted, this book is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.

Geological Approaches to Coral Reef Ecology

Geological Approaches to Coral Reef Ecology PDF Author: Richard B. Aronson
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 0387335374
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 457

Get Book

Book Description
This book provides a unique perspective on the destruction - both natural and human-caused - of coral reef ecosystems. Reconstructing the ecological history of coral reefs, the authors evaluate whether recent dramatic changes are novel events or part of a long-term trend or cycle. The text combines principles of geophysics, paleontology, and marine sciences with real-time observation, examining the interacting causes of change: hurricane damage, predators, disease, rising sea-level, nutrient loading, global warming and ocean acidification. Predictions about the future of coral reefs inspire strategies for restoration and management of ecosystems. Useful for students and professionals in ecology and marine biology, including environmental managers.