Author: Vetiver Network
Publisher: Washington, D.C. : World Bank
ISBN:
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 292
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Book Description
Vetiver grass: the ideal plant for vegetative soil and moisture conservation. Vetiver grass: the hedge against erosion. The role of vetiver grass in sustaining agricultural productivity.
Author: John C. Greenfield
Publisher: World Bank Publications
ISBN: 9780821314050
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 86
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Book Description
This handbook has been prepared to support fieldworkers and farmers in developing vegetative systems of soil and mositure conservation that will meet the requirements of small farmers in developing countries, most of whom reside in the tropics and semitropics. Experience has shown that conventional systems of earth bunds or terraces on small farms are expensive and in many cases, especially in modern times, ineffective. When applied correctly, vegetative systems of soil and mositure conservation - particulary the system of hedges of vetiver grass described in this handbook - have proved cheaper and more effective.
Author: Delwyn G. Fredlund
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 1118280504
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 946
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Book Description
The definitive guide to unsaturated soil— from the world's experts on the subject This book builds upon and substantially updates Fredlund and Rahardjo's publication, Soil Mechanics for Unsaturated Soils, the current standard in the field of unsaturated soils. It provides readers with more thorough coverage of the state of the art of unsaturated soil behavior and better reflects the manner in which practical unsaturated soil engineering problems are solved. Retaining the fundamental physics of unsaturated soil behavior presented in the earlier book, this new publication places greater emphasis on the importance of the "soil-water characteristic curve" in solving practical engineering problems, as well as the quantification of thermal and moisture boundary conditions based on the use of weather data. Topics covered include: Theory to Practice of Unsaturated Soil Mechanics Nature and Phase Properties of Unsaturated Soil State Variables for Unsaturated Soils Measurement and Estimation of State Variables Soil-Water Characteristic Curves for Unsaturated Soils Ground Surface Moisture Flux Boundary Conditions Theory of Water Flow through Unsaturated Soils Solving Saturated/Unsaturated Water Flow Problems Air Flow through Unsaturated Soils Heat Flow Analysis for Unsaturated Soils Shear Strength of Unsaturated Soils Shear Strength Applications in Plastic and Limit Equilibrium Stress-Deformation Analysis for Unsaturated Soils Solving Stress-Deformation Problems with Unsaturated Soils Compressibility and Pore Pressure Parameters Consolidation and Swelling Processes in Unsaturated Soils Unsaturated Soil Mechanics in Engineering Practice is essential reading for geotechnical engineers, civil engineers, and undergraduate- and graduate-level civil engineering students with a focus on soil mechanics.
Author: National Research Council
Publisher: National Academies Press
ISBN: 0309042690
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 186
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Book Description
For developing nations, soil erosion is among the most chronic environmental and economic burdens. Vast amounts of topsoil are washed or blown away from arable land only to accumulate in rivers, reservoirs, harbors, and estuaries, thereby creating a double disaster: a vital resource disappears from where it is desperately needed and is deposited where it is equally unwanted. Despite much rhetoric and effort, little has been done to overcome this problem. Vetiver, a little-known tropical grass, offers one practical and inexpensive way to control erosion on a huge scale in both humid and semi-arid regions. Hedges of this deeply rooted species catch and hold back sediments while the stiff foliage acts as a filter that also slows runoff and keeps moisture on site. This book assesses vetiver's promise and limitations and identifies places where this grass can be deployed without undue environmental risk.
Author: Lawrence K. Wang
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 1603270310
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 884
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Book Description
The past 30 years have seen the emergence of a growing desire worldwide that positive actions be taken to restore and protect the environment from the degrading effects of all forms of pollution – air, water, soil, and noise. Since pollution is a direct or indirect consequence of waste production, the seemingly idealistic demand for “zero discharge” can be construed as an unrealistic demand for zero waste. However, as long as waste continues to exist, we can only attempt to abate the subsequent pollution by converting it to a less noxious form. Three major questions usually arise when a particular type of pollution has been identi ed: (1) How serious is the pollution? (2) Is the technology to abate it available? and (3) Do the costs of abatement justify the degree of abatement achieved? This book is one of the volumes of the Handbook of Environmental Engineering series. The principal intention of this series is to help readers formulate answers to the above three questions. The traditional approach of applying tried-and-true solutions to speci c pollution problems has been a major contributing factor to the success of environmental engineering, and has accounted in large measure for the establishment of a “methodology of pollution control. ” However, the realization of the ever-increasing complexity and interrelated nature of current environmental problems renders it imperative that intelligent planning of pollution abatement systems be undertaken.
Author: Humberto Blanco-Canqui
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 1402087098
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 617
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Book Description
“Principles of Soil Management and Conservation” comprehensively reviews the state-of-knowledge on soil erosion and management. It discusses in detail soil conservation topics in relation to soil productivity, environment quality, and agronomic production. It addresses the implications of soil erosion with emphasis on global hotspots and synthesizes available from developed and developing countries. It also critically reviews information on no-till management, organic farming, crop residue management for industrial uses, conservation buffers (e.g., grass buffers, agroforestry systems), and the problem of hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico and in other regions. This book uniquely addresses the global issues including carbon sequestration, net emissions of CO2, and erosion as a sink or source of C under different scenarios of soil management. It also deliberates the implications of the projected global warming on soil erosion and vice versa. The concern about global food security in relation to soil erosion and strategies for confronting the remaining problems in soil management and conservation are specifically addressed. This volume is suitable for both undergraduate and graduate students interested in understanding the principles of soil conservation and management. The book is also useful for practitioners, extension agents, soil conservationists, and policymakers as an important reference material.
Author: William Critchley
Publisher: Asian Development Bank
ISBN: 9292577387
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 68
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Book Description
The Asian Development Bank has introduced significant changes in the way farmers and other stakeholders view and benefit from evolving approaches to sustainable land management (SLM) practices. Firmly embedded in SLM are the management and climate resilience of natural resources, which can be enhanced and scaled up by adopting a "landscape approach." This publication sets out how the landscape approach can contribute to overcoming major environmental and developmental challenges---focusing on rural areas of Asia and by examining prevalent forms of SLM (namely participatory forest management, terraces, conservation agriculture, and home gardens). This publication seeks to strengthen awareness of the landscape approach and facilitate the integration of its key elements into cooperation programs with its developing members.
Author: Syed S. Kirmani
Publisher: World Bank Publications
ISBN: 9780821337325
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 50
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Book Description
This report describes the World Bank's successful interventions in three international river basins -- the Indus, the Mekong, and the Aral Sea -- to foster riparian cooperation and agreements. It discusses the key features of the Bank's role and the following strategies: intervening solely to promote development and peace; timing interventions when issues were serious, when riparians were not able to address them on their own, and when they needed and wanted Bank assistance; initiating dialogue with riparian countries at the highest levels to inspire confidence, playing a proactive role in exploring pragmatic solutions acceptable to all parties rather than pursuing ideal but unworkable solutions; using quiet diplomacy in negotiating sensitive issues; making the required long-term staff and budgetary commitment despite final outcome uncertainty; mobilizing donor countries support; and analyzing risks and taking appropriate measures to minimize them. The paper concludes that the Bank can succeed in other international river basin conflicts if it follows these same strategies.--Publisher's description
Author: Ronald G. Cummings
Publisher: World Bank Publications
ISBN: 9780821338292
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 68
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Book Description
This groundbreaking study presents the results of a large survey of more than 400 industrial firms in Russia conducted by the World Bank in mid-1994. The survey examined the role and organization of the enterprise sector, which is a key issue in transition economies, particularly in Russia, where a concerted attempt has been made to change ownership arrangements and hence corporate governance. More than half the firms surveyed are in the private sector; the rest remain in state hands or are partially privatized. A major focus of the book is to understand whether the Russian privatization has led to improvements in corporate governance. The authors identify some initial positive changes but also find that the manner in which privatization has occurred has not yet had a strong effect on the internal operations of Russian industrial firms. However, they do find evidence from their sample of significant growth in new firms. The volume examines the positive and negative aspects of restructuring, employment and workers compensation issues, budget constraints, the effects of privatization on employee behavior, and future prospects for Russian firms.
Author: M. Ashraf
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 140209065X
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 241
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Book Description
Salinity and water stress limit crop productivity worldwide and generate substantial economic losses each year, yet innovative research on crop and natural resource management can reveal cost-effective ways in which farmers can increase both their productivity and their income. Presenting recent research findings on salt stress, water stress and stress-adapted plants, this book offers insights into new strategies for increasing the efficiency of crops under stressful environments. The strategies are based on conventional breeding and advanced molecular techniques used by plant physiologists, and are discussed using specific case studies to illustrate their potential. The book emphasizes the effects of environmental factors on specific stages of plant development, and discusses the role of plant growth regulators, nutrients, osmoprotectants and antioxidants in counteracting their adverse affects. Synthesising updated information on mechansisms of stress tolerance at cell, tissue and whole-plant level, this book provides a useful reference text for post graduate students and researchers involved in the fields of stress physiology and plant physiology in general, with additional readership amongst researchers in horticulture, agronomy, crop science, conservation, environmental management and ecological restoration.
