Biodiversity / Ecosystems Books

Book SynopsisThis textbook provides the first overview of plant-animal interactions for twenty years focused on the needs of students and professors. It discusses a range of topics from the basic structures of plant-animal interactions to their evolutionary implications in producing and maintaining biodiversity. It also highlights innovative aspects of plant-animal interactions that can represent highly productive research avenues, making it a valuable resource for anyone interested in a future career in ecology. Written by leading experts, and employing a variety of didactic tools, the book is useful for students and teachers involved in advanced undergraduate and graduate courses addressing areas such as herbivory, trophic relationships, plant defense, pollination and biodiversity. Table of ContentsChapter 1 - Introduction.- Chapter 2 - Plant chemistry and their impacts on biotic interactions.- Chapter 3 - Herbivory and Plant defenses – antagonist interactions.- Chapter 4 - The molecular genetic basis in plant-animal interactions.- Chapter 5 - Biotic defenses against herbivory.- Chapter 6 - Pollination – from antagonistic to mutualistic interactions.- Chapter 7 - Dispersal – frugivory and seed dispersal.- Chapter 8 - Plant phenology: effects seasonality in biotic interactions.- Chapter 9 - Plant-mediated above-belowground interactions.- Chapter 10 - Ecosystem Engineers – how plant-animal interactions modify the environment.- Chapter 11 - Ecological networks in plant-animal interactions.- Chapter 12 - The evolution of facilitation and mutualism in plant-animal interactions.- Chapter 13 - Evolutionary conflicts in coevolved mutualisms.- Chapter 14 - Plant-Animal Interactions: and the origin of biodiversity.- Chapter 15 - Plant-Animal Interactions in the Anthropocene era.

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Book SynopsisArctic and Subarctic North America is particularly affected by climate change, where average temperatures are rising three times faster than the global average. Documenting the changing climate/environment of the north requires a structured knowledge of indicator taxa that reflect the effects of climate changes.Aleocharine beetles are a dominant group of forest insects, which are being used in many projects as indicators of environmental change. Many species are forest specialists restricted to certain microhabitats, some are generalists and others are open habitat specialists. They represent many ecological niches and, as such, are good indicators for many other species as well. The majority of Canadian aleocharine beetle species (about 600 spp.) has been studied and published by Jan Klimaszewski et al. (2018, 2020), mainly from southern, central, and western Canada, while the northern taxa remain poorly known and documented. The aim of the present book is to summarize the knowledge on this insect group in the Arctic and Subarctic North America and to provide a diagnostic and ecological tool for scientists studying and monitoring insects in northern Canada and Alaska. The book includes a review of the literature, information on 238 species and their habitats, taxonomic review, images, and identification tools.Trade Review“I am in awe of the efforts put forward by the authors of this volume. … This book is an excellent addition to the library of anyone interested in the effects of climate change on Arctic and Subarctic insects.” (Stylianos Chatzimanolis, The Coleopterists Bulletin, Vol. 76 (4), 2022)Table of ContentsIntroduction.- Historical review of research on Arctic and Subarctic Aleocharinae.- Material and methods.- Impact of climate change on northern fauna and flora.- Aleocharinae as indicators of change.- Faunal analysis and discussion.- Key to tribes occurring in Arctic and Subarctic zones.- Tribe Gymnusini Heer, 1839.- Tribe Aleocharini Fleming, 1821.- Tribe Oxypodini C.G. Thomson, 1859.- Tribe Tachyusini C.G. Thomson, 1859.- Tribe Hypocyphtini Laporte, 1835.- Tribe Myllaenini Ganglbauer, 1895.- Tribe Liparocephalini Fenyes, 1918.- Tribe Homalotini Heer, 1839.- Tribe Placusini Mulsant and Rey, 1871.- Tribe Athetini Casey, 1910.- Tribe Falagriini Mulsant and Rey, 1873.

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Book SynopsisThis book provides an integrated view of Atlantic coastal Patagonian ecosystems, including the physical environment, biodiversity and the main ecological processes, together with their derived ecosystem services and anthropogenic impacts. It focuses on the key components of the aquatic ecosystem, covering the lower levels (plankton) to the top predators like large mammals and birds, before turning to human beings as consumers and shapers of coastal marine resources. The book then presents an overview of how organisms that constitute the aquatic food webs have changed through time and how they likely will soon change due to global change processes and anthropogenic pressures. In this regard it offers a wealth of information such as long-term patterns in physical / atmospheric processes, biodiversity and the distribution of marine organisms, as well as the results of experimental studies designed to understand their responses under future scenarios shaped by both climate change and anthropogenic pressures. The book also covers various aspects of the past, present and potential future relationship of human beings with Patagonian coastal environments, including the utilization of sea products, tourism, and growth of cities.Table of ContentsPart I - The abiotic environment.- Chapter 1 - Climate variability and change in Patagonia region.- Chapter 2 - Patagonian sea: the physical environment.- Chapter 3 - Geological changes in coastal areas of Patagonia.- Part II - The biota in Patagonian coastal waters.- Chapter 4 - Life in the Patagonian seas through geological time.- Chapter 5 - Towards an understanding of the functioning and structure of plankton from Patagonia under a global change scenario: Lessons from univariable to mutivariable approaches.- Chapter 6 - Marine macroalgae in a changing world: what do we know and what do we still need to know.- Chapter 7 - Impact of global change on invertebrates.- Chapter 8 - Fishes changes in marine ichthyofaunas off Patagonia: species composition, biogeographic and functional patterns.- Chapter 9 - Long-term population trends of Patagonian marine mammals and their ecosystem interactions.- Chapter 10 - Long-term ecology studies in Patagonian seabirds: the case of the Imperial Cormorant, the Magellanic Penguin and other key species.- Chapter 11 - Ecological Interactions.- Part III - Human beings in Patagonian coasts.- Chapter 12 - The evolution in the utilization of sea resources by hunter-gatherers of Central Patagonian coast during the Holocene.- Chapter 13 - Fisheries and aquaculture in Patagonia: status trends and future perspectives.- Chapter 14 - The relationship of Patagonian societies with the sea, influences in their development and contributions to their wellbeing.- Chapter 15 - Futures of Patagonia: urban and tourist prospective in the next Anthropocene.- Chapter 16 - Conservation of coastal environments.

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Book SynopsisThis book provides an identification system permitting recognition of plant families in all seasons by means of morphological and macroanatomical features which are easily observable, such as bark, exudates, stems and leaves characters. Studies of forest vegetation may differ in their underlying objectives, but they all require taxonomic knowledge. The process of taxonomy begins with an inventory of the flora, which has been based to a large extent on reproduction-related organs, such as flowers and fruits. But, those are often difficult to observe and may not exist in the field at a given time. Unlike most such guides or keys, this book can be used anywhere in the tropics and provides, in a straightforward two or three-step process, identification to the level of families, which are now circumscribed according to molecular as well as morphological characters in the universally accepted scheme of the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group. Plant architecture is not a prerequisite theme for plant identification; however, we think that an introduction to this subject is not out of place in this book (architectural traits are taxonomically sound): it is now time for botanists working in the tropics to have an idea on how the whole organism keeps growing. Within the family accounts, there is information concerning important economic plants with notes on the larger genera and, particularly helpfully, discussion of families readily confused and how to separate them. Descriptions of the families rely on short diagnosis bolstered by many photographic pictures, lines drawings and extracts from the author’s field books, all showing features of plants as they are found in the forest.Table of ContentsPart I – User manual and architectural concepts. Chapter 1. Introduction.- Chapter 2. How to use this book 6.- Chapter 3. Architectural concepts and key to the models.- Part II. Identification keys.- Chapter 4. Key to the groups of families of trees and shrubs (groups 1 to 52).- Chapter 5. Keys to families of trees and shrubs.- Chapter 6. Supplementary keys.- Chapter 7. Keys to the groups of families of lianas and woody epiphytic (groups 53 to 57).- Chapter 8. Keys to families of lianas and woody epiphytes.- PART III. Description of the families.- Chapter 9. Acanthaceae to Asteraceae.- Chapter 10. Bignoniaceae to Buxaceae.- Chapter 11. Cactaceae to Cycadaceae.- Chapter 12. Dichapetalaceae to Dipterocarpaceae.- Chapter 13. Ebenaceae to Euphorbiaceae.- Chapter 14. Fagaceae.- Chapter 15. Gentianaceae to Goupiaceae.- Chapter 16. Hamamelidaceae to Humiriaceae.- Chapter 17. Icacinaceae s.l. to Irvingiaceae.- Chapter 18. Juglandaceae.- Chapter 19. Lamiaceae to Lythraceae.- Chapter 20. Magnoliaceae to Myrtaceae.- Chapter 21. Nyctaginaceae,- Chapter 22. Ochnaceae to Oxalidaceae.- Chapter 23. Pandaceae to Putranjivaceae.- Chapter 24. Rhabdodendraceae to Rutaceae.- Chapter 25. Sabiaceae to Symplocaceae.- Chapter 26. Tetramelaceae to Torricelliaceae.- Chapter 27. Ulmaceae s.l. to Urticaceae.- Chapter 28. Verbenaceae to Vochysiaceae.- Chapter 29. Zygophyllaceae s.l.- Chapter 30. Herbaceous versus arborescent habit in the families and orders of flowering plants - evolutionary trends.

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Book SynopsisThis open access book presents a comprehensive synthesis of the biodiversity of the oceanic islands of the Gulf of Guinea, a biodiversity hotspot off the west coast of Central Africa. Written by experts, the book compiles data from a plethora of sources – archives, museums, bibliography, official reports and previously unpublished data – to provide readers with the most updated information about the biological richness of these islands and the conservation issues they face. The Gulf of Guinea Oceanic Islands (Príncipe, São Tomé and Annobón and surrounding islets) present extraordinary levels of endemism across different animal, fungi and plant groups. This very high endemism likely results from the long geological history of the islands and their proximity to the diversity-rich continent. Many researchers, students and conservationists from across the globe are interested in documenting biodiversity on the islands, understanding the evolutionary origins of this diversity, and mitigating the impacts of global change on this unique archipelago. This book aims to be a primer for a broad audience seeking baseline biodiversity information and to serve as a roadmap for future research efforts aiming to fill knowledge gaps in understanding and conserving the unparalleled biodiversity of the Gulf of Guinea islands.Table of ContentsChapter 1. Biodiversity in the Gulf of Guinea Oceanic Islands: A Synthesis.- Chapter 2. Physical Geography of the Gulf of Guinea Oceanic Islands.- Chapter 3. Classification, Distribution and Biodiversity of Terrestrial Ecosystems in the Gulf of Guinea Oceanic Islands.- Chapter 4. Territory, Economy and Demographic Growth in São Tomé and Príncipe: Anthropogenic Changes in the Environment.- Chapter 5. The History of Biological Research in the Gulf of Guinea Oceanic Islands.- Chapter 6. Biogeography and Evolution in the Oceanic Islands of the Gulf of Guinea.- Chapter 7. Species Ecology in the Gulf of Guinea Oceanic Islands: Distribution, Habitat Preferences, Assemblages and Interactions.- Chapter 8. Fungi of São Tomé and Príncipe: Basidiomycete Mushrooms and Allies.- Chapter 9. The Bryophyte Flora of São Tomé and Príncipe (Gulf of Guinea): Past, Present and Future.- Chapter 10. Diversity of the Vascular Plants of the Gulf of Guinea Oceanic Islands.- Chapter 11. A Checklist of the Arachnids From the Gulf of Guinea Islands (Excluding Ticks and Mites) .- Chapter 12. The Beetles (Coleoptera) of Príncipe, São Tomé and Annobón.- Chapter 13. Butterflies and Skippers (Lepidoptera: Papilionoidea) of the Gulf of Guinea Oceanic Islands.- Chapter 14. Dragonflies and Damselflies (Odonata) of São Tomé, Príncipe, and Annobón.- Chapter 15. Diversity and Distribution of the Arthropod Vectors of the Gulf of Guinea Oceanic Islands.- Chapter 16. Terrestrial Mollusca of the Gulf of Guinea Oceanic Islands.- Chapter 17. The Fishes of the Gulf of Guinea Oceanic Islands.- Chapter 18. The Amphibians of the Gulf of Guinea Oceanic Islands.- Chapter 19. The Terrestrial Reptiles of the Gulf of Guinea Oceanic Islands.- Chapter 20. The Sea Turtles of São Tomé and Príncipe: Diversity, Distribution and Conservation Status.- Chapter 21. The Avifauna of the Gulf of Guinea Oceanic Islands.- Chapter 22. Current Knowledge and Conservation of the Wild Mammals of the Gulf of Guinea Oceanic Islands.- Chapter 23. Cetaceans of São Tomé and Príncipe.- Chapter 24. Biodiversity Conservation in the Gulf of Guinea Oceanic Islands: Recent Progress, Ongoing Challenges, and Future Directions.- Chapter 25. Environmental Education in São Tomé and Príncipe: the Challenges of Owning a Unique Biodiversity.- Chapter 26. A Thriving Future for the Gulf of Guinea Oceanic Islands.

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Book SynopsisThis open access book richly illustrates the first, and comprehensive, account of the country’s biomes and ecoregions, the driving forces that account for their diversity and vulnerability, and the ecological principles that provide an understanding of the patterns and processes that have shaped landscapes, ecoregions, and ecosystems. Angola encompasses the greatest diversity of terrestrial biomes and is the second richest in terms of ecoregions, of any African country. Yet its biodiversity and the structure and functioning of its ecosystems are largely undocumented. The author draws on personal field observations from over 50 years of involvement in ecological and conservation studies in Angola and across Southern Africa. The vast recent literature published by researchers in neighboring, better resourced countries provides depth to the accounts of ecological principles and processes relevant to Angola and thus contributing to the understanding and sustainable management of its natural resources. Table of ContentsIntroduction.- Biomes: Concepts, Characteristics and Terminology.- Profiles of Angola’s Biomes and Ecoregiens.- Landscapes: Geology, Hydrology and Geomorphology.

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Book SynopsisThis book invites snorkelers and divers on an educational visit to the most important ecosystems of the Mediterranean Sea. Keystone species from brown algae to dolphins are presented in their marine habitats and understood as part of a complex ecological system. Instead of grouping animals and plants taxonomically, we have organised them according to the eight main habitats of the Mediterranean Sea. Our journey starts with different types of rocky grounds, then takes you further to the Mediterranean’s sandy and muddy grounds, and finally ends with the fish and dolphins of the blue open sea. You will be introduced to 220 ecologically significant animal and plant species via the texts of Daniel Abed-Navandi, a long-time lecturer on the biodiversity of the Mediterranean Sea at the University of Vienna, and the photographs of Georg Glaeser, the master behind the camera, who captures marine life on the spot.Table of ContentsHabitat: Sunlit Rocky Grounds.- Habitat: Shady Rocky Grounds.- Habitat: Dark Caves.- Habitat: Intertidal Zone.- Habitat: Sandy Grounds.- Habitat: Seagrass.- Habitat: Muddy Grounds.- Habitat: Open Waters.- Humans and the Sea.

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Book SynopsisThis open access book. provides a synthesis of six projects, across ten countries, each of which have been sustained for two or more decades, and which illustrate how success can be achieved regardless of systems of governance, of a nation’s wealth, or of culture. Detailed narratives are presented on the key personalities that have conceived, conducted and concluded long-term projects: personal stories of vision, failure, frustration and persistence ultimately leading to success.The case studies vary widely in their geography and goals. The single-handed commitment to re-discover the last surviving populations of Giant Sable in the miombo woodlands of central Angola, through the capture, translocation and establishment of robust breeding herds of this magnificent antelope, contrasts with the massively funded, three-decade programme with over one hundred participants that reversed the annual loss to predation by feral cats of 455 000 seabirds from a sub-Antarctic island. Similarly, the foresight of Zimbabwean and Namibian ecologists to place rural communities at the centre of conservation programmes by giving value to wildlife populations and benefits to local people, transformed a land degradation problem to a socio-ecological solution. Across ten countries, building capacity in botanical collection, documentation and herbarium management expanded into a global project to place the knowledge base of Africa’s flora onto an electronic data system accessible to researchers and conservation planners in even the most remote corners of the continent. None of these projects enjoyed immediate results. Each required leadership skills that combined vision, a generosity of spirit, fortuitous timing and the exploitation of unexpected opportunities. Table of ContentsPart l. Background.- Chapter 1. Introduction: Success is Possible.- Chapter 2. Strategic Opportunism: A Pragmatic Approach to Conservation in Africa.- Part ll. Strategic Opportunism in Action: Six Stories of Success.- Chapter 3. Angolan Giant Sable: Rediscovery, Rescue and Recovery.- Chapter 4. Marion Island: Birds, Cats, Mice and Men.- Chapter 5. Gorongosa National Park: Wilderness, War and Wildlife Recovery.- Chapter 6. Overcoming the Taxonomic Impediment: SABONET and the African Plants Initiative.- Chapter 7. Building Biodiversity Knowledge: Mobilising Citizen Science.- Chapter 8. Bridging the Gap: Community Conservancies in Namibia and Zimbabwe.- Part lll: Conclusion.- Chapter 9. Twelve Fundamentals for Conservation Success.

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Book SynopsisRock surfaces provide a challenging habitat for a broad diversity of micro- or small-sized organisms. They interact with each other forming complex communities as well with their substrate causing biodeterioration of rock. Extreme fluctuation in light, temperature and hydration are the main factors that determine the rock surface habitats. The habitat includes epilithic organisms which thrive on the surface without penetrating the rock, endolithic organisms which live just beneath the surface using a thin layer of the rock surface for protection against adverse conditions of the environment (e.g. light protection, storage of water) and chasmo-endolithic organisms which use fractures of the rock surface for a more habitable environment. The book will provide an overview of the various organismal groups, from prokaryotes to vascular plants and arthropods, as well as survey organism-mediated interactions with the rock surface. The latter include biogenic weathering (biogeochemistry, state-of-the art imaging methods), photosynthesis and nitrogen fixation at and inside the rock surface.

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Book SynopsisFocusing on organic farming, this book presents peer-reviewed contributions from leading international academics and researchers in the field of organic agriculture, plant ecosystems, sustainable horticulture and related areas of biodiversity science. It includes case studies and reviews on organic agriculture, horticulture and pest management, use of microorganisms, composting, crop rotation, organic milk and meat production, as well as ecological issues. This unique book addresses a wide array of topics from all continents, making it a valuable reference resource for students, researchers and agriculturists who are concerned with biodiversity, agroecology and sustainable development of agricultural resources.Table of ContentsGlobal Trends in Organic Agriculture.- Organic Strawberry Production in Tennessee, USA and Areas of Comparable Climate in China.- Role of Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR) as Bio-fertilizers in Stabilizing Agricultural Ecosystems.- Safety, Nutrition and Health Aspects of Organic Food.- Plant-Parasitic Nematode Problems in Organic Agriculture.- Breeding for Organic and Sustainable Production.- Organic Agriculture: A Viable Option for Food Security and Livelihood Sustainability in Nepal.- The potential of silvopastoral systems for milk and meat organic production in the tropics.- Role of Legumes for and as Horticultural Crops in Sustainable Agriculture.- Principles of Vermitechnology in Sustainable Organic Farming with Special Reference to Bangladesh.- Composting, Crop Rotation, and Cover Crop Practices in Organic Vegetable Production.- Effective Micro-organisms (EM) as Sustainable Components in Organic Farming: Principles, Applications and Validity.- Season Extension in Organic Systems.- Consumer Perception of Organic Food and Product Marketing.- Sustainable Urban Agriculture: A Growing Solution to Urban Food Deserts.

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Book SynopsisRove beetles (Staphylinidae) are common elements of the soil biota, living in the litter and deeper soil layers. Although they are one of the most diverse and speciose groups of insects, no comprehensive books on their general evolution and ecology are as yet available. This book fills that gap, discussing significant aspects and active research examples in the fields of phylogeny and systematics, ecology and conservation, and reproduction and development. The combination of review chapters and case studies provides an excellent introduction to the biology of rove beetles and enables readers to become familiar with active research fields in this megadiverse group of beetles. Offering easy access to these fields, it also demonstrates how staphylinids are used as bioindicators in applied ecosystem research, including that concerning conservation issues. Experienced scientists and beginners alike find the diversity of subjects covered intriguing and inspiring for continuing and starting their own research. The book is intended for students and researchers in biology and zoology (entomology), including morphologists, ecologists, soil scientists, evolutionary biologists, paleontologists, biogeographers, taxonomists and systematists.Table of ContentsIntroduction.- Phylogeny of the family Staphylinidae.- A review of the fossil history of Staphylinoidea.- Biodiversity and geographic patterns of Neotropical Staphylinidae.- Adventive species of rove beetles in Canada.- Effect of environmental conditions on distribution patterns.- A review of Nearctic rove beetles (Staphylinidae) specialized on the burrows and nests of vertebrates.- Rove beetles as bioindicators in agroecosystems.- Parasites of Staphylinidae.- The biology of Steninae.- Biology of acarophagous Scydmeninae.- The evolution of genitalia, spermatophores.- Morphology of the endophallic flagellum.- Morphological diversity of immature Scydmaeninae.

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Book SynopsisThis book is devoted to 250 years of collecting, organizing and preserving paleontological specimens by generations of scientists. Paleontological collections are a huge resource for modern research and should be available for national and international scientists and institutions, as well as prospective public and private customers. These collections are an important part of the scientific enterprise, supporting research, public education, and the documentation of past biodiversity. Much of what we are beginning to understand about our world, we owe to the collection, preservation, and ongoing study of natural specimens. Properly preserved collections of fossil marine or terrestrial plants and animals are archives of Earth's history and vital to our ability to learn about our place in its future.The approach employed by the editors involves not only an introduction to the paleontological collections in general, but also information on the international and national collection networks. Particular attention is given to new exhibition concepts and approaches of sorting, preserving and researching in paleontological collections and also their neglect and/or threat. In addition, the book provides information on all big public museums, on important state museums and regional Museums, and also on university collections.This is a highly informative and carefully presented book, providing scientific insight for readers with an interest in fossil record, biodiversity, taxonomy, or evolution, as well as natural history collections at large.Table of ContentsTable of contents Lothar A. Beck, Ulrich Joger: Official collections and private collectors – an introduction to an diverse field of interests? Hans-Dieter Sues: Germany’s Paleontological Collections: An international view on an important historical and contemporary scientific resource Michael Amler: Modern trends in paleontological methods of sorting, preserving and research Volker Storch / Friedemann Schrenk: The human fossil record in middle Europe (H. erectus, H. heidelbergensis, H. neanderthalensis, H. sapiens,) Peter Rothe: Famous findings and world heritage localities (e.g. Archaeopteryx, “Urpferdchen”, Andrias scheuchzeri , “Liebespaar von Tambach” , Mastodonsaurus, Eomanis, Darwinius, Homo sp. )etc. Uwe Moldrzyk/Kathrin Vohland : Modern exhibition concepts , exhibitions accompanied by research, citizen sciences in palaentology Paleontological Collections in Germany, Austria, Switzerland: All big Public Research Museums and most of the Collections in regional Country and local District Museums as well as University collections.All paleontological collections which contribute to this compilation should give information on the following aspects as far as possible-Year of foundation, and age of parts of the collection -What happened during World War I and II-Today´s conditions of infrastructure (staff, rooms, laboratories, exhibitions, financial support, perspectives)-Number of species and/or specimens, focal points-National and international network and research-Examples of today´s research, potencies-Publications, written or other used new media-Publication, done by lectures, workshops, meetings, expeditions-Didactic conceptions of exhibitions,-Promotion of junior staff Appendix Acknowledgements

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Book SynopsisThis book considers the principle of ‘sustainable development’ which is currently facing a growing environmental crisis. A new mode of thinking and positioning the ecological imperative is the major input of this volume. The prism of co-viability is not the economics of political agencies that carry the ideology of the dominant/conventional economic schools, but rather an opening of innovation perspectives through science. This volume, through its four parts, more than 40 chapters and a hundred authors, gives birth to a paradigm which crystallizes within a concept that will support in overcoming the ecological emergency deadlock. Table of ContentsChapter 1: Introductory Chapter: Formalizing a Paradigm, the Biosphere face to the Relationship Between Human and Non-Human(Barrière).- Chapter 2: Coviability and Biodiversity Conservation at The Crossroads of Socio-Ecological Interactions(Lévêque).- Chapter 3: Coviability, Through the Lens of the Mathematical Theory of Viability(Aubin).- Chapter 4: A Mathematical Approach to Coviability: Concept, Modeling and Control(El Jai).- Chapter 5: The Relationships Between man and his Environment: A Systemic Approach to the Viability of System Earth(Fargette).- Chapter 6: Socio-Ecological Viability and Legal Regulation: Pluralism and Endogeneity - for an Anthropological Dimension of Environmental law(Barrière).- Chapter 7: The Paradigm of Coviability Defined by the Adequacy Between Social Usefulness and the Ecological Function: The Legal Challenge of the Socio-Ecological Connection(Barrière).- Chapter 8: The Local Ecological Knowledge and the Viability of the Relations With the Environment(Sabinot).- Chapter 9: A Biological Approach to Coviability: Biotics Interactions and Dynamics of Biodiversity(Pascal).- Chapter 10: A Geographical Approach of the Socio-Ecosystem Coviability(Grenier).- Chapter 11: A Rupture Between Human Beings and Earth: A Philosophical Critical Approach to Coviability(Bertrand).- Chapter 12: When Coviability Meets Ecosystem Services: The Case of Reunion Island’s Coral Reefs(Cillaurren).- Chapter 13: Governance of Protected Areas as a Tool for Coviability(David).- Chapter 14: Social-Ecological Coviability of the Protected Marine Areas in Brazil(Prost).- Chapter 15: Socio-Ecological Coviability Confronted With the Neoliberal System, The Peace Parks (Southern Africa)(Belaïdi).- Chapter 16: Coviability in the Governance of Pastoral Systems, Permanence and Change(Sraïri).- Chapter 17: Developing Coviability Through an eco-Pastoral Approach, the European Project LIFE + MIL’OUV(Lepart).- Chapter 18: Reconnecting man to man: Socio-Cultural Coviability Ties and Interculturality -Practical Research in a Sensitive Neighborhood in Montpellier, France(Barrière).- Chapter 19: Kinship as an Instrument for Coviability: Study Cases in Pará, Amazonia.- Chapter 20: The Price of Coviability: Pollination at all Costs; Legal Approach of the new Relationship Between man and Pollinators(Billet).- Chapter 21: Can the International and French Environment law Accommodate Coviability?(Treillard).- Chapter 22: Climate Change, a Catalyst for Coviability and for a new Utopia(Coudrain).- Chapter 23: Approaching the Human-Environment Nexus Beyond Conflict: A Peace and Coviability Perspective(Behnassi).- Chapter 24: The Link to the Biosphere: Humanity Condemned to Otherness and Coviability for its Existence(Essono).- Chapter 25: Tracking The Origin of Western's Man-Biosphere Disconnection, Opening a View to a Change(Douzal).- Chapter 26: Transversal Ontology Analysis: What Coviability Means(Libourel).- Chapter 27: Coviability as a Scientific Paradigm for the Ecological Transition, From an Overview to a Definition(Barrière).

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Book SynopsisThe capacity of mixed forests to mitigate climate change effects by increasing resilience and lowering risks is pinpointed as an opportunity to highlight the role of tree species rich forests as part of complex socio-ecological systems. This book updates and presents the state-of-the-art of mixed forest performance in terms of regeneration, growth, yield and delivery of ecosystem services. Examples from more than 20 countries in Europe, North Africa and South America provide insights on the interplay between structure and functionining, stability, silviculture and optimization of management of this type of forests. The book also analyses the role of natural mixed forests and mixed plantations in the delivery of ecosystem services and the best modelling strategy to study mixed forest dynamics. The book is intended to serve as a reference tool for students, researchers and professionals concerned about the management of mixed forests in a context of social and environmental change.Table of Contents

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Book SynopsisThe international botanical community recognizes that plants create the ecological habitat for all terrestrial organisms. This title compiles the knowledge on various aspects of biodiversity.

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Book SynopsisThe applied aspects of microbiology and biotechnology with reference to environmental issues including biodiversity are the frontier areas of research focus among researchers.

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Book SynopsisThe more we know about earth's biological diversity, the better will be our capability to conserve both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

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Book SynopsisOver-exploitation of resources of commercial value, changes in land use and land cover, and fragmentation of habitats, have led to extreme decline in biodiversity. This book offers an insight into the concept of biodiversity, its value and uses, aspects of conservation of material and traditional knowledge.

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Book SynopsisThe book "Biodiversity, Community, and Climate Change" emphasizes biodiversity conservation, climate change, and community engagement. It discusses biodiversity assessment tools, allelopathic compounds' impacts, geospatial monitoring of urban ecosystems, community forestry, and participatory conservation methods.

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Book SynopsisSustainability of agricultural growth crucial for food security. Agricultural biodiversity essential for food, income, materials, breeding new varieties, and soil fertility. Erosion of biodiversity in agro-ecosystems causing economic losses, jeopardizing productivity, and food security.

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Book SynopsisThis book is the first comprehensive work on oriental Notodontidae (Lepidoptera) outside mainland Asia. In addition to the Indonesian territory, the investigated area includes Borneo Island, the Malayan Peninsula, entire New Guinea with adjacent islands and the Solomon Islands. All species are illustrated in both sexes with a total number of 1272 specimens on 51 colour plates. Genitalia photos of both sexes as well as detailed distribution maps are provided for each species. The book deals in the first volume with 298 species and contains descriptions of 99 new notodontid taxa. A second volume will treat with the remaining 160 species and include also a comprehensive biogeographic analysis.Table of ContentsContents Introduction Summary Acknowledgements The Family Notodontidae Methodological Notes Material and Its Collectors Glossary Abbreviations Systematic Account Check-list Dudusinae Scranciinae Ceirinae Cerurinae Dicranurinae Genitalia Figures Color Plates Synopsis of Taxonomic Changes References Index of Scientific Names

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Book SynopsisThis report examines the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic for stakeholders involved directly or indirectly in the production and trade of biodiversity-based products and services, including those sustainably sourced and traded as BioTrade products and services. It examines opportunities, challenges, but also opportunities implemented by respondents to a survey that was circulated with this purpose, to face the adverse circumstances of the pandemic. The report then concludes with a set of recommendations extrapolated from the analysis of the survey responses

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Book SynopsisThe present publication examines the potential, opportunities and challenges facing selected LLDCs from Africa, Asia, and Latin America (in particular, Azerbaijan, Bhutan, Bolivia, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, and Nepal) in making the best of their biodiversity and biogenetic resources where they have comparative advantages and prospects for export diversification, value addition and structural transformation. In this context, the study explores the potential and constraints to fully harnessing health foods and nutraceuticals to enhance export diversification and improve socioeconomic conditions. It also analyses product and sector-specific challenges and opportunities and proposes a series of country-specific policy recommendations to harness the potential of nutraceutical products for socioeconomic transformation in the selected countries

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Book SynopsisThese guidelines support a harmonized international approach to assessing the impacts of livestock on biodiversity. The livestock sector is a major user of natural resources (land in particular) and contributor to pollution (causing nutrient losses and increasing greenhouse gas emissions), which makes it a sector with a high impact on biodiversity. However, livestock production is one of the few sectors with not only negative but also positive impacts on biodiversity. The sector can therefore pull two levers to improve its biodiversity performance - mitigate harm and maximise benefits. Yet many environmental assessments of the livestock sector have not addressed biodiversity because of its intrinsic complexity. These guidelines, developed by the Technical Advisory Group on biodiversity - a team of 25 international experts in ecology, biodiversity indicators, agronomy, and environmental science - strive to include biodiversity in such assessments, to improve understanding of livestock's impact on biodiversity and to reveal possible synergies or trade-offs with other environmental criteria and the Sustainable Development Goals.

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Book SynopsisThe book describes the existing Plant Biodiversity of Agri-horticultural importance of temperate Kashmir and cold arid Ladakh Himalayan regions of India. The diversity presented is based on actual survey conducted by the authors across the regions over the last several yeaThe contents of the book include the available varietal wealth, both in wild as well cultivated forms, existing within all major economic plant groups of the regions viz Cereals, Pulses, Oilseeds, Spice and Condiments, Forages, Vegetables, Ornamentals, Fruits and Nuts and Underutilized Plants. Technical, English and Kashmiri/Ladakhi names of plants of economic importance are given along with brief notes on their status and utility. The work will be helpful to researchers and students working in the fields of Plant Biodiversity, Plant Breeding, Horticulture and Economic Botany. It can specifically serve as a ready reference book for researchers and planners working on management and conservation of plant genetic resources of Indian Himalayan regions.Table of Contents01. Cereals 02. Pulses 03. Oilseeds 04. Spices & Condiments 05. Fruits and Nuts 06. Vegetables 07. Forages 08. Medicinal Plants 09. Ornamental Plants 10. Lesser Known and Underutilized Plants 11. Native Plant Bio-diversity of Indian Sub-Himalayan Regions - An Overview

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Book SynopsisAlthough the unique flora of the Socotra Archipelago with its high degree of endemism has received much attention recently, little information is available on the vegetation and related ecological aspects. Based on their extensive field experience of the region, the authors have assimilated a vast amount of knowledge to produce this book, which gives a detailed insight into the plant ecology of Socotra, designated as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2008. The book is divided into seven chapters. After a brief introduction and overviews of important abiotic features, various aspects of the vascular flora are presented in Chapter 4, together with accounts of the bryophyte and lichen flora. Ecology and adaptive strategies of the plants are dealt with in Chapter 5, and Chapter 6 gives a concise description of the main vegetation units. Finally, important management issues of the vegetation are discussed, an essential topic to ensure preservation of the natural heritage of the archipelago.Table of ContentsPreface.- Acknowledgements.- 1. Introduction.- 2.- Topography, Climate and Soils.- 2.1. Introduction.- 2.2. Topography.- 2.3. Climate and weather patterns.- 2.4. Soils.- 3. Geology.- 3.1. Introduction.- 3.2. General geology and structure.- 3.3. Basement rocks.- 3.4. Triassic and Jurassic strata.- 3.5. Cretaceous strata.- 3.6. Tertiary strata.- 3.7. Quaternary deposits.- 3.8. Brief geology of the ancillary islands.- 3.9. Brief tectonic and climate history of the region.- 4. Flora and Biogeography.- 4.1. History of botanical exploration.- 4.2. Vascular plants.- 4.2.1. General attributes of the flora of Socotra.- 4.2.2. Characteristic distribution patterns.- 4.2.3. Endemism.- 4.2.3.1. Endemic taxa.- 4.2.3.2. Palaeoendemics and neoendemics.- 4.2.4. Origins of the Socotra flora and colonisation of the islands.- 4.2.4.1. Dispersal and vicariance.- 4.2.4.2. Long-distance dispersal.- 4.2.4.3. Examples of dispersal and vicariance in the flora of Socotra.- 4.2.4.4. Dispersal and vicariance in the fauna of Socotra.- 4.2.4.5. Invaders and colonizers.- 4.3. Ferns.- 4.4. Non-vascular cryptogams.- 4.4.1. Bryophytes.- 4.4.2. Lichens.- 5. Ecology and Adaptive Strategies.- 5.1. Introduction.- 5.2. Adaptation of plants to desert ecosystems.- 5.2.1. Photosynthetic pathways.- 5.2.2. Plant water relations.- 5.2.2.1. Leaf and stem adaptations to counteract low water potentials.- 5.2.2.2. Root systems.- 5.2.3. Energy balance.- 5.2.3.1. Energy balance and leaf morphology 5.2.3.2. Energy balance and water cycling.- 5.2.3.3. Leaf anatomy, reflectance, orientation.- 5.3. Adaptation of plants to highly saline ecosystems.- 5.4. Adaptation of plants to high-montane ecosystems.- 5.5. Life and growth-forms.- 5.5.1. Raunkiaer life-form classification.- 5.5.2. Growth-form classification of Socotran plants.- 5.5.2.1. Drought-deciduous trees.- 5.5.2.2. Drought-deciduous shrubs and dwarf shrubs.- 5.5.2.3. Evergreen trees and shrubs.- 5.5.2.4. Phreatophytes.- 5.5.2.5. Aphyllous spartinoid shrubs.- 5.5.2.6. Stem and leaf succulents.- 5.5.2.7. Caespitose graminoids.- 5.5.2.8. Stoloniferous perennial graminoids.- 5.5.2.9. Cliff-dwelling perennials.- 5.5.2.10. Cushion and mat-forming plants.- 5.5.2.11. Lianas.- 5.5.2.12. Epiphytes.- 5.5.2.13. Ephemerals.- 5.5.2.14. Parasitic plants.- 5.5.3. Life-form analysis.- 5.6. Adaptive strategies.- 5.6.1. Relating net carbon gain to environmental stress in arid ecosystems.- 5.6.2. Plant strategies in arid ecosystems.- 5.6.3. r/K-selection theory and the three-strategy CSR classification system of Grime.- 5.7. Pollination.- 5.8. Seed dispersal and germination.- 6. Vegetation.- 6.1. General comments on the vegetation.- 6.2. Broad vegetation classification.- 6.3. Vegetation of the different altitudinal belts.- 6.3.1. Coastal vegetation types.- 6.3.1.1. Sea-grass beds.- 6.3.1.2. Sandy beaches, coastal sand sheets and dunes.- 6.3.1.3. Mangroves: Avicennia marina community.- 6.3.1.4. Salt-marsh and sabkha vegetation: Arthrocnemum macrostachyum community.- 6.3.1.5. Salt-marsh and sabkha vegetation: Limonium sokotranum community.- 6.3.1.6. Other salt-marsh and sabkha vegetation.- 6.3.2. Vegetation of the coastal plains.- 6.3.2.1. Croton socotranus community.- 6.3.2.2. Tephrosia apollinea stands.- 6.3.2.3. Acacia edgeworthii community.- 6.3.2.4. Pulicaria stephanocarpa community.- 6.3.2.5. Indigofera pseudointricata–Salsola spinescens community.- 6.3.2.6. Limonium paulayanum community.- 6.3.2.7. Other vegetation types of the plains.- 6.3.3. Vegetation of the wadis at lower and middle altitudes.- 6.3.3.1. Characteristic species and assemblages of the wadis.- 6.3.4. Vegetation of lower-altitude rocky slopes.- 6.3.4.1. Adenium obesum community.- 6.3.4.2. Dwarf stem succulent communities.- 6.3.5. Vegetation of the cliffs and crevices.- 6.3.5.1. Characteristic species and assemblages of the cliffs.- 6.3.6. Vegetation of the mid-elevation plateaus and gentle slopes.- 6.3.6.1. Buxanthus pedicellatus–Dracaena cinnabari woodland of the mid-elevation limestone plateaus.- 6.3.6.2. Other vegetation types.- 6.3.6.3. Lower montane woodland.- 6.3.7. Vegetation of the montane and high-montane cloud zone.- 6.3.7.1. Cephalocroton socotranus community.- 6.3.8. Other montane vegetation types.- 6.3.9. Vegetation of the high-montane granite peaks.- 6.3.9.1. Leucas hagghierensis–Pittosporum viridiflorum community.- 6.3.9.2. Helichrysum–Hypericum dwarf shrub communities.- 6.3.10. Vegetation of wet flushes and other semi-aquatic habitats.- 6.4. Vegetation map of Socotra.- 6.5. Potential natural vegetation.- 7. Environmental Management.- 7.1. General introduction.- 7.2. Habitat degradation and desertification.- 7.3. Direct causes of ecosystem degradation.- 7.3.1. Effects of overgrazing.- 7.3.2. Soil erosion.- 7.3.3. Wood-collecting and deforestation.- 7.3.4. Infrastructure development.- 7.3.5. Impacts of drought.- 7.3.6. Potential impacts of climate change.- 7.3.7. Water extraction.- 7.3.8. Invasive species.- 7.3.9. Rubbish.- 7.4. Regeneration of the natural vegetation.- 7.4.1. Restoration.- 7.4.2. Native plant production.- 7.5. Conservation of the flora of Socotra.- 7.5.1. The conservation of Dracaena cinnabari.- 7.5.2. The conservation of Boswellia elongate.- 7.6. Coordination of conservation efforts.- 7.6.1. Conservation zoning plan.- Appendix 1. List of vascular plant species of the Socotra archipelago.- Appendix 2. List of bryophytes of Socotra.- Appendix 3. List of lichens of Socotra.- References.- Index

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Book SynopsisThis book provides insight into the use of molecular and genomic techniques to the study of populations of critically important species at various geographical scales. It delves into a wide range of issues relevant to biodiversity conservation, such as population differentiation, landscape genomics, ecological interactions, phylogenetics, phylogeography, metagenomics, molecular methods, and data processing. The current rate of biodiversity loss is unprecedented and valuable genetic resources are being lost at an alarmingly rate. Effective strategies to conserve these genetic resources are essential to maintain healthy ecosystems with inter-dependent species. The book is an invaluable resource for training undergraduate and graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and for young researchers. This book is particularly useful for the policy makers and academics who want to learn about important concepts in population and conservation genetics and genomics.Table of ContentsChapter 1.Phylogenetics and its application in biodiversity conservation.- Chapter 2.Phylogenetics in the Context of Tree Diversity and Conservation .- Chapter 3.Conservation metagenomics: Understanding microbiomes for biodiversity sustenance and conservation .- Chapter 4.Overview of omics-assisted techniques for biodiversity conservation .- Chapter 5. Genetic consequences of fragmentation in tropical forests: Novel approaches to assess and monitor critically endangered species .- Chapter 6.Molecular markers in assessing genetic clonal fidelity for in vitro propagated endangered medicinal plants .- Chapter 7.Strategies, opportunities and challenges in crop genetic diversity conservation: a plant breeder’s perspective .- Chapter 8.Soil Microbial Metagenomics in Agroforestry System: Tools and Techniques .- Chapter 9.Phylogenetic and population genetic studies of Citrus genetic resources in northeast India: a review .- Chapter 10.Next-Generation Amplicon Sequencing: a cost-effective method for exploring microbial biodiversity .- Chapter 11.Molecular characterization and phylogeny of Clerodendrum species occurring in North Eastern Region of India by Internal Transcribed Spacer 2 of Nuclear DNA .- Chapter 12.Population genetic diversity of Dysoxylum binectariferum, an economically important tree species of the Western Ghats, India .- Chapter 13.Gut metagenomics of Pati hanh (Anas platyrhynchosdomesticus) .- Chapter 14.Morphological and molecular characterization of genome types in wild and cultivated bananas (Musa species) of two states in North Eastern India .- Chapter 15.Pollen digital image mapping and its symmetrical correlation using MATLAB.- Chapter 16.Role of Next-generation sequencing (NGS) in understanding the Microbial Diversity.

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Book SynopsisThis edited book brings out a comprehensive account of the faunal diversity in Great Nicobar Biosphere Reserve which is part of the Sundaland Biodiversity hotspot. The main focus of this volume is to address the ecological and economic significance of the biodiversity of this region. The book provides latest information on the faunal diversity of Great Nicobar Biosphere. It focuses on various faunal communities of this regions such as Floral diversity, Butterflies, Moths, Dragonflies & Damselflies, Termites, Hymenoptera, Coleoptera, Scorpion, Spiders, Turtle, Nicobar megapode. Chapters in this volume also covers Reptiles & Amphibians, Fishes, Mammals, Land and freshwater Mollusca. Marine animals such as Opisthobranchs, Sponges, Scleractinian Corals and Soft corals, Sea Anemones, Polyclads, Marine Molluscs, Echinoderms are also discussed. It is of interest for the researchers, teachers, scientists, capacity builders, policy makers. Also serve as reading materials for graduate and post graduate students e.g., Wildlife Biology, Forestry, Environmental Science, Wildlife Ecology, Zoology, Life sciences, Parks/Sanctuaries managers, National and International scientists, policy makers will also find this to be a useful document.Table of ContentsAttached

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Book SynopsisThis book covers all aspects of fisheries and aquaculture of the temperate Himalayas, including fisheries resources, fish biodiversity, aquaculture status, prospects, and potential. It also includes mapping of resources, health and disease management of cultured species, feed and nutritional aspects of the cultured fish species, ornamental fisheries aspects, etc. In addition, it elucidates the recent advances in biotechnological interventions for enhancing fisheries and aquaculture productivity in the region. Essential information on the application of Geo Information System (GIS) for resource mapping, the scope of adopting re-circulatory aquaculture system for productivity enhancement, and trout culture in the Himalayan waters are provided in the book. A detailed account of recreational fisheries and fish-based ecotourism in the temperate Himalayas for generating livelihood has been provided. The impact of climate change on the fisheries of the Himalayas has been dealt with separately. The book also covers the conservation and rehabilitation aspects of endangered species of the region. This book will become a ready reference for the scientists, teachers, researchers, students, policymakers, and other stakeholders for managing fishery resources in the temperate Himalayas.Table of ContentsAttached

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Book SynopsisBotany, like other branches of western science, has its roots in ancient Greece, with Theophrastos of Eressos (372-287 B.C.) generally considered to have been the first botanist. Modern botanical studies in the area started with the travels of John Sibthorp and Ferdinand Bauer in 1786-1787, the results of which were subsequently published in the great Flora Graeca Sibthorpiana, appearing in ten heavy folio volumes in the period 1806-1840. An annotated re-issue was prepared by Strid & Strid (2009-2013). For a brief history of the botanical exploration of Greece from the time of Sibthorp to the present, see Strid (2020a).The present Atlas covers the whole of Greece. Maps have been generated from the Flora Hellenica Database which was started in 1989 and now comprises 1,052,338 geo-referenced records, 436,353 of which have been registered by the present author. Records in the database comprise 502,882 herbarium collections and 321,759 literature reports, the rest being field notes, photographs, etc.This Atlas will provide a baseline for future studies of Greek biodiversity.

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Book SynopsisThe Aegean Sea, the original Archipelago of the Greeks and Romans, is a truly unique sea. Located among three continents, each one leaving a distinct mark on local biodiversity, the Aegean comprises over 6,000 islands that vary extensively in size, age and palaeogeographical history and are home to hundreds of endemic species.This is the first thorough scientific compendium dealing with the terrestrial components of the archipelago's biodiversity. The 48 experts that have authored its 16 chapters offer a detailed account of research that has been done so far in many animal and plant taxa, as well as a review of the geology and paleogeography, the phylogeography and the biogeography of Aegean Islands, highlighting its importance as a paradigmatic system for such studies at a global scale.The volume is dedicated to Professor Moysis Mylonas, mentor of the majority of authors, who retired in 2018. Professor Mylonas devoted his entire career to research on Aegean biodiversity and biogeography, founded the Natural History Museum of Crete (at the University of Crete), and has been the founder of the ecological and evolutionary biogeography 'school of thought' in Greece.

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