Earth Sciences, Geography & Environment Books

Book SynopsisIn 2017, four sequential disasters - hurricanes Harvey, Irma, Maria, and the California wildfires - created an unprecedented demand for federal disaster response and recovery resources. Chapter 1 provides observations on federal and state preparedness and response coordination for hurricanes Harvey and Irma in Texas and Florida, and the California wildfires; federal preparedness for and response to hurricanes Irma and Maria in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands; and existing and emerging disaster recovery challenges highlighted by these disasters. Chapter 2 provides information on federal financial assistance provided to the Gulf States after major disasters were declared in Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas in response to the widespread destruction that resulted from Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Wilma in 2005 and Hurricanes Gustav and Ike in 2008.

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Book SynopsisVolume 69 opens with an overview of recent studies regarding toxic effects of chlorpyrifos and the methods of its removal, focusing mainly on the generation of its oxo-analogue, chlorpyrifos-oxon, as a result of organophosphate metabolism by cytochrome P450s, and the influence on some physiologically important enzymes. Following this, a comprehensive overview of the diversity of Basidiomycetes species present in polluted areas is provided, as well as potential uses in the restoration of these areas. Basidiomycetes fungi promote immobilization of mycogenic metals through the precipitation of oxalates or via ligand binding, as well as passive bio-absorption and accumulation in their biomass. Ecosystems of the European North show low tolerance to anthropogenic impact and very slow succession recovery. This largely determines the development of biota and ecosystems. Among the types of impact, the authors propose that special attention should be paid to those associated with gathering, hunting, and grazing, and aimed mostly on the use of bioresource potential of landscapes. Next, after a short introduction on the composition and sources of oil pollutants in the environment, the authors review all transformation processes that affect composition of oil pollutants in contaminated soils. The authors also describe detailed information on the toxicity of chlorpyrifos and its metabolites, the themobility of chlorpyrifos in soil and water following spraying, and residues of its metabolites on treated edible plants. In the penultimate chapter, the RUSLE model coupled with transport limited sediment delivery function were used to predict the longtime average annual soil loss, and to identify the critical erosion-/deposition-prone areas of Lodhama river Basin in Eastern Darjeeling himalaya, India. Lastly, although microorganisms cannot destroy pollutants, this collection discusses how they can alter their chemical properties via a surprising array of mechanisms. The focus is on the metals and metalloids that contaminate waters and are most commonly found in the environment, including: lead, chromium, mercury, uranium, selenium, zinc, arsenic, cadmium, silver, gold, and nickel.Table of ContentsPrefaceToxicity of Chlorpyrifos and Its Removal from the EnvironmentBasidiomycetes in Polluted Areas: Identification, Metal Accumulation and ApplicationsChanges in the Cryolithozone of European North under Anthropogenic Influence and Its ConsequencesTransformations of Oil Pollutants in Contaminated SoilsBehavior of Chlorpyrifos in Soil, Water and on Edible PlantsEstimation of Annual Soil Loss and Critical Deposition Prone Areas of the Lodhama River Basin, Darjeeling Himalaya, India Based on RUSLE Model Coupled with Transport Limited Sediment Delivery ModelRole of Microbes in Industrial Wastewater BioremediationIndex.

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Book SynopsisJohn Hanning Speke writes about the history of his first two explorations in Africa that led to the discovery of the source of the Nile. The manner in which he traced the Nile down from the Victoria N'yanza, which is the great source or reservoir of the Nile, to Egypt is explained in this book.Table of ContentsSection 1: Journal of Adventures in Somali Land -- Introduction to the Journal -- Projects and hobbies -- Life in India -- Lord Clyde and Sir James Outram -- The position and physical geography of the Somali country -- The Nogal country, and historical sketches -- Costume and CustomsThe voyage -- An Akil -- The Somali shore -- Sultan (Gerad) Mahamed Ali -- Hidden treasure -- The Warsingali -- A royal reception -- Somali appetites -- Difficulties and impediments -- Sultan tries my Abban or protectorYafir Pass -- Rhut Tug (River) -- The ruins at Kin's city -- Abban apprehends future consequences -- Hyenas -- The Dulbahantas -- Camel drivers' tricks -- Briny water -- Antelope-shoooting -- Elephant-hunting -- Ostrich-hunting -- Gazelles -- Jealousy and suspicions of the people -- Rapid decline of propertyMeditations among the tombs -- A fracas -- The return march -- The north-east monsoon -- Relief from persecution -- Interesting animals -- Gori again -- Shooting a woman -- Arrival at Aden -- Fresh projects -- ArrangementsAden -- Departure -- Kurrum -- A conclave of sages -- Arrangement of the expedition -- The south-west monsoon -- Medical practice -- The camp besieged -- Wounded and captive -- A triumphal procession -- Flight Return to Aden and to England -- Fresh projects there. Section 2: Journal of a Cruise on the Tanganyika Lake -- The Royal Geographical Society -- The strange lake on the map -- Set off -- Arrive at Zanzibar -- A preliminary excursion -- A sail along the coast -- The Pangani river -- A jemadar's trick -- Journey to Fuga -- Adventures -- Return to Zanzibar -- Scenes there -- Objects of the expedition -- Recruiting for followers -- The Cafila Bashi -- The start -- Fevers -- Discussions about the Mountains of the Moon and the Victoria N'yanza -- The TanganyikaCanoes -- The crews -- The biography of Bombay -- The voyage -- Crocodiles -- The lake scenery -- Kivira island -- Black beetles -- An adventure with one of them -- Kasengé island -- African slaveryLeave Tanganyika -- Determine to visit the Ukéréwé lake, alias Victoria N'yanza -- Confusion about rivers running in and out -- Idea that it is the source of the Nile -- Arrangements for the journey -- Difficulties -- The march -- Nature of the country -- Formalities at the meeting of caravans -- A pagazi strike -- A sultana -- Incidents -- Pillars of graniteFirst sight of the Victoria N'yanza -- Its physical geography -- Speculations on its being the source of the Nile -- Sport on the lake -- Sultans Machunda and Mahaya -- Missionary accounts of the geography -- Arab accounts -- Regrets at inability to complete the discovery -- The march resumed -- History of the Watuta -- Hippopotamus-hunting -- Adventures -- KahamaGeneral character of the country traversed -- The huts -- The geology -- Productions -- Land of promise -- Advice to missionaries -- Leave Ulekampuri -- Return of the expedition -- Register of temperatureIndex.

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Book SynopsisThe monograph presents the results of studies of the organization of terrestrial geo (eco-) systems in the Pacific mobile belt - the tectonically and climatically active zone of contact between the mainland and the ocean, creating new land areas. A detailed evolutionary landscape-ecological concept based on a discrete empirical-statistical modeling of forest natural complexes at various stages of the geological history of the formation of the continental biosphere in the Northwest Pacific is presented. Based on the materials of large-scale landscape surveys conducted at experimental ranges, three spatiotemporal sections are described with a common trajectory of subaerial landscape genesis: 1) neo-specific, progressive - the stage of nucleation and upward evolution of volcanogenic island-arc geosystems of the Neogene-Quaternary age in the ocean environment, with the formation at the local level of the beginnings of zonal types of geographical environment and with the emergence of "climate unjustified" highly productive forests due to geothermal th power of active volcanoes; 2) subpacific marginal continental - the stage of their subsequent continental development as a young (Mesozoic) mountain-valley morphostructure, with the formation of buffer forest communities of evolutionary menopause; 3) subpacific regressive - the final stage of decaying evolution, due to the fragmentation and sinking of the marginal parts of the material, with the advent of continental islands with a "decrepit" denudation relief, active exogenous morpholithogenesis and a simplified structure of the forest cover. The climatic-genetic mechanisms of evolutionary landscape-ecological processes in various sectors of the Pacific megaecoton are described using simulation of these processes according to landscape forecasts for the next 100-200 years. According to the stability parameters of forest communities, chronological regularities of climatogenic phytocenotic transformations in the island-arc and marginal continental landscapes are revealed.Table of ContentsForewordIntroduction: The Contemporary State of the ProblemPart I: Pacific Ocean Mega Ecotone as the Object of Landscape Research -- Landscape-Ecological Organization of Continent-Ocean Mega EcotoneMethods of Empirical-Statistical Modeling. Part II: Ecology of Island-Arc Volcanic Landscape -- Regional Bioclimatic System of the Kuril Islands and its Evolutionary SignificanceVolcanogenic Basis of Island-Arc LandscapesSoil-Vegetation Cover and Microlandscapes in the Island-Arc Volcanic EcoregionStructural Organization of Island Volcanic LandscapeFunctional Organization of Island-Arc Forest EcosystemsEffect of Geothermal Energy on Forest Formation in Island Volcanic Landscapes. Part III: Evolutionary Ecology of Marginal-Continental Boreal Landscape -- Flora, Vegetation and Microlandscapes of Experimental Testing GroundStructural Organization of Forest Geo(Eco)SystemsFunctional Organization of Forest EcosystemsPart IV: Continental-Island Fading Evolution Landscape -- Putyatin Island as a Modeling ObjectMonosystem Organization of Continental-Island LandscapeFunctional Organization of Fading Evolution Land-ScapeExogenous Morpholithogenesis. Part V: Climatogenic Mechanisms of Evolutionary Processes -- Theory and Methods of Climatogenic Simulation of Evolutionary ProcessesClimatogenic Dynamics and Sustainability of Forest EcosystemsAbstract of Evolutionary Landscape-Ecological Concept. ConclusionsReferences.

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Book SynopsisThis book is a comprehensive compilation of reports, correspondence and other publications on Ukraine. Some of the issues discussed include: U.S. Policy; The Conflict with Russia; The Presidential Election; The Whistleblower Complaint; Atomic Energy.Table of ContentsPreface; Europe: Ukraine; Ukraine: Background, Conflict with Russia, and U.S. Policy; Ukraine: Report from the Front Lines; Ending the War in Ukraine: Kurt Volker, U.S. Special Representative for Ukraine Negotiations; Continuation of the National Emergency with Respect to Ukraine; Russian Influence and Unconventional Warfare Operations in the Gray Zone: Lessons from Ukraine; Defense Cooperation Agreement between the United States of America and Ukraine; Ukraines Presidential Election: A Preview; Memorandum of Telephone Conversation with President Zelenskyy of Ukraine; Whistleblower Complaint of August 12, 2019; Atomic Energy: Nuclear Safety Arrangement between the United States of America and Ukraine; High Crimes and Pipelines: Curbing Corruption in Ukraines Energy Sector; Index.

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Book SynopsisChapter 1 develops a better understanding of the health impacts of wildfires and what should be done to minimise those impacts. It looks closely at the mitigation and management strategies for reducing air quality risks from wildfire smoke. In large part, these strategies involve efforts to reduce the intensity and frequency of wildfires that threaten communities. Chapters 2-7 contain U.S. Environmental Protection Agency fact sheets on how to reduce your risks to wildfire smoke and ash.Table of ContentsPreface; Air Quality Impacts of Wildfires: Mitigation and Management Strategies; Prepare for Fire Season; Reduce Your Smoke Exposure; Protect Yourself from Ash; Protecting Children from Wildfire Smoke and Ash; Protect Your Pets from Wildfire Smoke; Protect Your Large Animals and Livestock from Wildfire Smoke; Index.

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Book SynopsisRegarding climate changes, a key question has been the degree to which humans and natural factors have influenced observed global climate change. Chapter 1 traces the evolution of scientific understanding and confidence regarding the drivers of recent global climate change. Chapter 2 reviews how U.S. agencies address climate change as a potential driver of global migration. Chapter 3 examines reported federal funding from 2010 to 2017 and the extent to which reports on such funding are clearly linked to the federal fiscal exposure to climate change; the extent to which selected agencies reported climate change funding that supports programs where addressing climate change is the primary purpose; and the extent to which the primary purpose programs are fragmented, overlapping, or duplicative. The costs of recent weather disasters have illustrated the need for planning for climate change risks and investing in resilience as reported in chapter 4. For more than a decade, federal agencies have grappled with how to address climate change effects when implementing the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA). As set forth by Congress, one of the main purposes of the ESA is to "provide a means whereby the ecosystems upon which endangered species and threatened species depend may be conserved." Chapter 5 analyzes the courts' role in shaping how the Services have factored climate change effects into ESA decisions and recent 2019 regulatory developments that aim to clarify how the Services consider and address climate change in their ESA decisions. Many governments hold that environmental degradation and climate change pose international and trans-boundary risks to human populations, economies, and ecosystems. International financial assistance, or foreign aid, has been a principal method for governments to support actions on global environmental problems in lower-income countries. As discussed in chapter 6 and 7, this assistance may include grants, loans, loan guarantees, export credits, insurance products, and private sector investment. On June 1, 2017, President Trump announced his intent to withdraw the United States from the Paris Agreement (PA), an international accord to address climate change over the coming century. Some observers argue that the Administration's decision to withdraw from the PA will (1) reduce the U.S. standing in the world by making the United States an international outlier on climate change, (2) strengthen perceptions that the United States is withdrawing from its traditional position of world leadership and becoming more inward-focused or even isolationist, (3) create an opportunity for China to assume a position of world leadership on climate change and perhaps other issues, and (4) make the United States appear less reliable as a negotiating partner, which could make it harder for the United States in the future to secure foreign cooperation for addressing other issues of mutual interest or to call on other countries to abide by their commitments in other international agreements as reported in chapter 8. Surface transportation is a major source of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere, the main human-related greenhouse gas (GHG) contributing to climate change. At the same time, the effects of climate change, such as extreme heat, sea level rise, and stronger storms, pose a threat to transportation infrastructure. Chapter 9 seeks to address these two aspects of climate change with mitigation provisions that aim to reduce GHG emissions from surface transportation and adaptation provisions that aim to make the surface transportation system more resilient to a changing climate. For policymakers considering actions to reduce GHG emissions, various policy instruments are available. Over the last 15 years, many legislative proposals have involved market-based approaches, such as a GHG emissions cap-and-trade system or a carbon tax. These particular approaches may be considered in the 116th Congress and are discussed in chapter 10. As mandated by Congress, the U.S. Global Change Research Program produces regular National Climate Assessment (NCA) reports on the state of scientific knowledge about climate change and its effects on human and natural systems in the United States. According to NCA4, "annual losses in some economic sectors are projected to reach hundreds of billions of dollars by the end of the century" provided continued growth in emissions at historic rates. The findings of the NCA4 are the focus of chapter 11. In light of public concern over climate change, some stakeholders have asked to what extent publicly traded companies should disclose their climate-related risks. As reported in chapter 12, while current SEC requirements do not address climate-related risks expressly, publicly traded companies must disclose such risks if they are "material" under federal securities laws.Table of ContentsEvolving Assessments of Human and Natural Contributions to Climate ChangeClimate Change: Activities of Selected Agencies to Address Potential Impact on Global MigrationClimate Change: Analysis of Reported Federal FundingClimate Change: Opportunities to Reduce Federal Fiscal ExposureThe Endangered Species Act and Climate Change: Selected Legal IssuesThe Green Climate Fund (GCF)Paris Agreement: U.S. Climate Finance CommitmentsPotential Implications of U.S. Withdrawal from the Paris Agreement on Climate ChangeClimate Change and the Americas Transportation Infrastructure Act of 2019 (S. 2302)A Brief Comparison of Two Climate Change Mitigation Approaches: Cap-and-Trade and Carbon Tax (or Fee)Projected Economic Impacts of Climate ChangeClimate-Related Risk Disclosure Under U.S. Securities Laws.

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Book SynopsisThe book first reviews the main advances in methods of obtaining synthetic montmorillonite for environmental and biomedical areas. The perspectives and main challenges in the application of these materials is critically analysed. The authors next study Polyhydroxy metal complexes of Al, Fe, Zr, Cr and Ti (inorganic pillarizing agents) for the synthesis of pillared clays. Information is provided on the possibility of using amorphous aluminosilicates as a modifying additive in the formulation of cement-based dry building mixtures. The physicochemical properties of the additive are considered, and the results of XRD and DTA analyzes are presented. The authors investigate the molecular orientation and surface morphology of organized molecular films with regard to solid-state structures for organo-modified aluminosilicates by a surface pressure-area isotherm, in-plane and out-of plane X-ray diffraction, and atomic force microscopy. A new method for the synthesis of amorphous mesoporous aluminosilicates with acidic properties and a narrow pore size distribution in the range of 2-7 nm is also explored. The urease immobilization of composite adsorbents polyacrylamide -- bentonite, polyacrylamide -- chitosan, and polyacrylamide chitosan -- bentonite is assessed, produced from polyacrylamide as a hydrogel, bentonite as an aluminosilicate mineral, and chitosan as a polysaccharide. Following this, the authors provide a brief overview of literature data where crystalline aluminosilicates have been utilized for the capture and immobilization of radionuclides. The physiochemical properties of as-synthesized layered aluminosilicate are characterized by small angle PXRD, FTIR, porosity studies, thermal studies, 27Al MAS NMR, and morphological studies. Subsequently, this compilation addresses the way in which magnetic nanoparticles have proven to be frequently occurring building blocks for hybrid structure construction and, moreover, have shown innovative prospects as multifunctional adsorbents. Modern methods for the synthesis of highly dispersed micro- and micromesoporous mordenite with a high degree of crystallinity, as well as high crystallinity mordenite with a hierarchical porous structure, methods for modifying the mentioned crystalline aluminosilicates as a result of postsynthetic treatments, and modern adsorption and catalytic systems based on them are described. Next, the high activity and selectivity of high crystallinity zeolite Y with a hierarchical porous structure in the synthesis of practically important oligomers of various unsaturated compounds is established. The authors highlight that the aluminosilicate present in kaolin may also be used in the production of zeolitic materials, and some details of this application are explained. The adsorptive features of PAAm-Ch-Z for Th4+ are investigated in view of its dependency on pH, concentration, time, temperature and ionic strength. The parameters derived from the compatibility of experimentally obtained data to Langmuir, Freundlich and Dubinin-Radushkevich, van t'Hoff, pseudo frist-/second-order and Weber Morris models are utilized in the evaluation of adsorption and its thermodynamics and kinetics. Lastly, the authors consider a possible mechanism for the generation of an acetyl-zeolite intermediate via transfer from different acetyl donors through theoretical studies using a cluster model of H-ZSM-5 zeolite designed by three TO4 tetrahedral units.Table of ContentsPreface; Montmorillonite-Based Aluminosilicate Materials: Properties and Applications; Pillared Clays, a Class of Heterogeneous Catalysts Derived from Modified Clay Minerals: Properties and Uses in Waste Pyrolysis; Application of Synthetic Aluminosilicates in Adhesive Dry Construction Mixtures; Surface Modification of Aluminosilicate by Amphiphiles: Fabrication of Ultrathin Films; Amorphous Mesoporous Aluminosilicates in the Synthesis of N-Heterocyclic Compounds; Composites of Bentonite, Chitosan and Polyacrylamide: Preparation, Characterization, and Application in Urease Immobilization; Crystalline Aluminosilicates for Radionuclide Remediation; Synthesis of Layered Aluminosilicate by Direct Method; Clinoptilolite-Rich Tuff A Native Aluminosilicate Nanocomposite for the Removal of Trace Quantities of Pollutants; Modern Syntheses and the Use of MOR Type Zeolite in Adsorption and Catalysis; Oligomerization of Unsaturated Compounds in the Presence of Hierarchical Zeolite Y; Preparation and Characterization of Chitosan-Zeolite Composite@Polyacrylamide: Adsorptive Features for Thorium; Application of Kaolin as an Aluminosilicate Source to Produce Geopolymer and Zeolitic Materials; A DFT Study of the Acetyl Transfer Reaction Catalyzed by H-ZSM-5 Zeolite Using a 3T-Cluster Approach; Index.

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Book SynopsisA General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels by Robert Kerr is an 18 volume set that contains the complete history of the origin and progress of navigation, discovery, and commerce, by sea and land. In determining upon an era for the commencement of this work, Kerr was led, from a consideration of the accidental discovery of Iceland by the Norwegians in the ninth century, to adopt that period as the beginning of the series, both because the commencement of modern maritime discovery took place during the reign of a British sovereign, and because we derive the earliest written accounts of any of these discoveries from the pen of that excellent prince. It is true that the first accidental discovery of Iceland appears to have been made in 861, eleven years before the accession of Alfred to the throne; yet, as the actual colonization of that island did not take place till the year 878, the seventh of his glorious reign, we have been induced to distinguish the actual commencement of maritime discovery by the modern European nations as coinciding with his era.Table of ContentsPreface; General Plan of the Work; Discoveries in the time of Alfred, King of England, in the Ninth Century of the Christian Era; Original Discovery of Greenland by the Icelanders, in the Ninth Century; Early Discovery of Winland, or America, by the Icelanders, about the year 1001; Travels of two Mahometans into India and China, in the Ninth Century; Travels of Rabbi Benjamin from Spain to China, in the Twelfth Century; Travels of an Englishman in Tartary, in 1243; Sketch of the Revolutions in Tartary; Travels of John de Piano Carpini, in 1246; Travels of W. de Rubruquis, about 1253; Travels of Haitho, Prince of Armenia, in 1254; Travels of Marco Polo into China and the East; from A.D. 1260 to 1295; Travels of Oderic of Portenau, in 1318; Travels of Sir John Mandeville, in 1322; Itinerary of Pegoletti, between Asof and China, in 1355; Voyages of Nicolo and Antonio Zeno, in 1380; Travels of Schildtberger, in 1394; Travels of the Ambassadors of Shah Rokh, in 1419; Voyage and Shipwreck of Quirini, in 1431; Travels of Josaphat Barbaro, in 1436; Index.

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Book SynopsisA General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels by Robert Kerr is an 18 volume set that contains the complete history of the origin and progress of navigation, discovery, and commerce, by sea and land. In determining upon an era for the commencement of this work, Kerr was led, from a consideration of the accidental discovery of Iceland by the Norwegians in the ninth century, to adopt that period as the beginning of the series, both because the commencement of modern maritime discovery took place during the reign of a British sovereign, and because we derive the earliest written accounts of any of these discoveries from the pen of that excellent prince. It is true that the first accidental discovery of Iceland appears to have been made in 861, eleven years before the accession of Alfred to the throne; yet, as the actual colonization of that island did not take place till the year 878, the seventh of his glorious reign, we have been induced to distinguish the actual commencement of maritime discovery by the modern European nations as coinciding with his era.Table of ContentsPreface; PART I (Continued): Voyages and Travels of Discovery, from the Era of Alfred, King of England, in the Ninth Century, to the Era of Don Henry, Prince of Portugal, at the commencement of the Fifteenth Century -- Account of various early Pilgrimages from England to the Holy Land, between the years 1097, and 1107; Discovery of Madeira; Account of the Discovery and Conquest of the Canary Islands. PART II: General Voyages and Travels, chiefly of Discovery; from the era of Don Henry Prince of Portugal, in 1412, to that of George III. in 1760 -- BOOK I. History of the Discoveries of the Portuguese along the Coast of Africa, and of their Discovery of and Conquests in India, from 1412 to 1505; Summary of the Discoveries of the World, from their first original, to the year 1555, by Antonio Galvano; Journey of Ambrose Contarini, Ambassador from the Republic of Venice, to Uzun-Hassan King of Persia, in the years 1473, 4, 5, and 6 written by himself; Voyages of Discovery by the Portuguese along the Western Coast of Africa, during the life, and under the direction of Don Henry; Original Journals of the Voyages of Cada Mosto, and Pedro de Cintra, to the Coast of Africa the former in the years 1455 and 1406, and the latter soon afterwards; Continuation of the Portuguese Discoveries along the Coast of Africa, from the death of Don Henry in 1463, to the Discovery of the Cape of Good Hope in 1486; History of the Discovery and Conquest of India by the Portuguese, between the years 1497 and 1505, from the original Portuguese of Hernan Lopez de Castaneda; Letters from Lisbon in the beginning of the Sixteenth Century, respecting the then recent Discovery of the Route by Sea to India, and the Indian trade; Index.

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Book SynopsisA General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels by Robert Kerr is an 18 volume set that contains the complete history of the origin and progress of navigation, discovery, and commerce, by sea and land. In determining upon an era for the commencement of this work, Kerr was led, from a consideration of the accidental discovery of Iceland by the Norwegians in the ninth century, to adopt that period as the beginning of the series, both because the commencement of modern maritime discovery took place during the reign of a British sovereign, and because we derive the earliest written accounts of any of these discoveries from the pen of that excellent prince. It is true that the first accidental discovery of Iceland appears to have been made in 861, eleven years before the accession of Alfred to the throne; yet, as the actual colonization of that island did not take place till the year 878, the seventh of his glorious reign, we have been induced to distinguish the actual commencement of maritime discovery by the modern European nations as coinciding with his era.Table of ContentsPreface; PART II (Continued): BOOK II: HISTORY OF THE DISCOVERY OF AMERICA, AND OF SOME OF THE EARLY CONQUESTS IN THE NEW WORLD -- History of the discovery of America, by Christopher Columbus, written by his son Don Ferdinand Columbus, Introduction, Epochs of American discovery, Authors Preface; Account of the Discovery of America, by Christopher Columbus; The voyages of Americus Vespucius to the New World; Summary of the discoveries and settlements of the Spaniards in the West Indies, from the death of Columbus to the expedition of Hernando Cortes against Mexico, Introduction; History of the discovery and conquest of Mexico, written in the year 1568 by Captain Bernal Diaz del Castillo, one of the conquerors; Index.

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Book SynopsisThe built environment is witnessing a worldwide concern followed by intensive consideration of its environmental impacts on the one hand and influence on public health and wellbeing on the other. Respecting both priorities mentioned above, the trends in current design tend to be in line with multiple dimensions of sustainability. Next to its occurrence in scientific research and practice, the topic of sustainable design is ever more emerging within the courses at universities, whereby the educational approaches can be beneficial if interrelated to different scientific or expert disciplines. As universities are recognized as complex organizations inevitably evolving over a long period of time period and responding to changes in society and environment, attempts to improve the efficiency of academic teaching have been intensively introduced also in the study programs of the University of Maribor, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Transportation Engineering and Architecture (UM FGPA) through implementation of various activities related to development of innovative approaches towards education on sustainable design of built environment. The publication presents the interdisciplinary approach to the academic education on sustainable building design through integration of different activities. In addition to basic educational courses, the transfer of latest research findings, implementation of practical student workshops, development projects and various activities aiming at integration of different knowledge transfers makes the level of academic teaching more active and efficient. The book consists of six chapters. The first chapter describes the general aspect of the integrative approach to education on sustainable built environment through the experience of the interdisciplinary course. Chapter 2 introduces a comprehensive set of urban design criteria for creating residential neighbourhoods and emphasizes the role of high-quality open space and green areas, which significantly contributes to liveability. Chapter 3 deals with sustainable transport in connection with the living environment, and emphasises the interdisciplinary approach. Chapter 4 presents the inclusion of energy-efficient building design with the integrated use of new digital technologies, such as building information and energy modelling. Chapter 5 describes the main types of timber structural systems and presents a sustainable design perspective of contemporary prefabricated timber-glass buildings with further development of multi-storey prefabricated timber buildings with enlarged glazing areas. The last chapter is prepared as a graphic summary of interdisciplinary workshop projects which demonstrate the complexity of design and the respect for diverse interdisciplinary principles of sustainable planning.Table of ContentsPreface; Introduction; Interdisciplinarity in Academic Education on Sustainable Built Environment; Creating a Liveable Neighbourhood; Sustainable Traffic and the Living Environment; Building Energy Modelling in Sustainable Design Process; Structural Design of Sustainable Timber Buildings; Application of Interdisciplinary Approach: Punkt Podlehnik Workshop; About the Authors; Index.

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Book SynopsisThe importance of the Arctic in many fields of human activity strongly increased over the past decades. The academic scientific research demonstrates a 3-fold increase in the number of journal articles dealing with "Arctic": from 1,400 in 2000 to 4,200 in 2018. This increase is not fortuitous but certainly stems from double importance of Arctic regions for humanity. The first importance is the role that the Arctic plays in the on-going environmental changes, mostly linked to climate warming and environmental pollution. Here, the first key issues are the Arctic Ocean, ice melt, permafrost thaw, greenhouse gases emission, and organic carbon mobilization from soils to rivers. From the other hand, highly fragile Arctic ecosystems and biota are strongly affected by environmental pollution, be it organic compounds or toxic metals and radionuclides. The rising concern of humanity to the key role of the Arctic in climate regulation on the planetary scale and the extreme fragility of its ecosystem, biota and native population to on-going environmental change can certainly explain an explosive interest of scientific researchers to the Arctic in connection with 'climate change'. The second big issue of the Arctic is its eminent role in problems of natural resources. The Artic shelf contains vast amount of hydrocarbons (gas and oil), whereas the terrestrial polar regions, now liberating from ice, may turn out to be highly important sites of future ore industry. The importance of possibly ice-free Arctic Ocean as future maritime shipping routes will further enhance the accessibility of natural resources in this region. Taken together, this can be the main driving factors of almost exponential increase in the interest to natural resources in the Arctic over past few years. The present book addresses a wide variety of environmental, social and economic issues of the Arctic, in response to rising interest to this region in academic science, sociology and business. The 14 chapters represent state-of-the art reviews written by the experts on problems of native communities, climate change, political issues, implementation of large-scale projects, natural resources and conservation, environmental monitoring and assessment of pollution issues.Table of ContentsPreface; Introduction; Learning in the Changing Arctic; Climate Change from the Arctic People's Point of View: Rhythms of Everyday Life, Infrastructures and Landscapes; Warmer Climate of Arctic Cities; A Comparative Study on the Cooperation in the Arctic Ocean and the South China Sea; Developing Environmental Research Capacity in the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous District within a Global Networking Framework; Vegetation of the Subarctic and Arctic of Siberia: Some Types and Approaches to the Study; Conservation Issues of Migratory Anseriformes in the Arctic: The Experience of the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Okrug; Remote Research of Spatiotemporal Dynamics of Thermokarst Lakes Fields in Siberian Permafrost; Groundwater Resources of the White Sea Basin (NW Russia); Estimation of the Condition of Arctic Tundra Landscapes Soil Cover Taking into Account Previous and Current Economic Activities: An Example of the Western Coast of Moller Bay (Archipelago Novaya Zemlya); Radionuclides in Sea Ecosystems of the Western Sector of the Russian Arctic; Seismic Monitoring of the European Arctic and Adjoining Regions; Diamond Deposits of the European Arctic of Russia: Problems of the Kimberlites Exploration, Limits of Conventional Methods and New Approaches; Dispersed Sedimentary Material in the Snow and Ice Cover of the Central Arctic and Its Fluxes to the Bottom; Index.

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Book SynopsisA General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels by Robert Kerr is an 18 volume set that contains the complete history of the origin and progress of navigation, discovery, and commerce, by sea and land. In determining upon an era for the commencement of this work, Kerr was led, from a consideration of the accidental discovery of Iceland by the Norwegians in the ninth century, to adopt that period as the beginning of the series, both because the commencement of modern maritime discovery took place during the reign of a British sovereign, and because we derive the earliest written accounts of any of these discoveries from the pen of that excellent prince. It is true that the first accidental discovery of Iceland appears to have been made in 861, eleven years before the accession of Alfred to the throne; yet, as the actual colonization of that island did not take place till the year 878, the seventh of his glorious reign, we have been induced to distinguish the actual commencement of maritime discovery by the modern European nations as coinciding with his era.Table of ContentsPreface; Part II (Continued); BOOK II. HISTORY OF THE DISCOVERY OF AMERICA, AND OF SOME OF THE EARLY CONQUESTS IN THE NEW WORLD -- History of the discovery and conquest of Mexico, continued; History of the discovery and conquest of Peru, by Francisco Pizarro; written by Augustino Zarate, treasurer of that kingdom, a few years after the conquest; Continuation of the early history of Peru, after the death of Francisco Pizarro, to the defeat of Gonzalo Pizarro, and the re-establishment of tranquillity in the country; written by Augustino Zarate; Index.

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Book SynopsisA General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels by Robert Kerr is an 18 volume set that contains the complete history of the origin and progress of navigation, discovery, and commerce, by sea and land. In determining upon an era for the commencement of this work, Kerr was led, from a consideration of the accidental discovery of Iceland by the Norwegians in the ninth century, to adopt that period as the beginning of the series, both because the commencement of modern maritime discovery took place during the reign of a British sovereign, and because we derive the earliest written accounts of any of these discoveries from the pen of that excellent prince. It is true that the first accidental discovery of Iceland appears to have been made in 861, eleven years before the accession of Alfred to the throne; yet, as the actual colonization of that island did not take place till the year 878, the seventh of his glorious reign, we have been induced to distinguish the actual commencement of maritime discovery by the modern European nations as coinciding with his era.Table of ContentsPreface; PART II (Continued); HISTORY OF THE DISCOVERY OF AMERICA, AND OF SOME OF THE EARLY CONQUESTS IN THE NEW WORLD -- Continuation of the early history of Peru, after the death of Francisco Pizarro to the defeat of Gonzalo Pizarro, and the reestablishment of tranquillity in the country; written by Augustino Zarate; Continuation of the early history of Peru, from the restoration of tranquillity by Gasca in 1549, to the death of the Inca Tupac Amaru; extracted from Garcilasso de la Vega; History of the Discovery and Conquest of Chili; Discovery of Florida, and Account of several ineffectual Attempts to Conquer and Settle that Country by the Spaniards; Index.

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Book SynopsisA General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels by Robert Kerr is an 18 volume set that contains the complete history of the origin and progress of navigation, discovery, and commerce, by sea and land. In determining upon an era for the commencement of this work, Kerr was led, from a consideration of the accidental discovery of Iceland by the Norwegians in the ninth century, to adopt that period as the beginning of the series, both because the commencement of modern maritime discovery took place during the reign of a British sovereign, and because we derive the earliest written accounts of any of these discoveries from the pen of that excellent prince. It is true that the first accidental discovery of Iceland appears to have been made in 861, eleven years before the accession of Alfred to the throne; yet, as the actual colonization of that island did not take place till the year 878, the seventh of his glorious reign, we have been induced to distinguish the actual commencement of maritime discovery by the modern European nations as coinciding with his era.Table of ContentsPreface; PART II (Continued); BOOK II (Continued): HISTORY OF THE DISCOVERY OF AMERICA, AND OF SOME OF THE EARLY CONQUESTS IN THE NEW WORLD -- Early English voyages of discovery to America; The Voyages of Jacques Cartier from St Maloes to Newfoundland and Canada, in the years 1534 and 1535. BOOK III. CONTINUATION OF THE DISCOVERIES AND CONQUESTS OF THE PORTUGUESE IN THE EAST; TOGETHER WITH SOME ACCOUNT OF THE EARLY VOYAGES OF OTHER EUROPEAN NATIONS TO INDIA -- Discoveries, Navigations, and Conquests of the Portuguese in India, from 1505 to 1539, both inclusive, resumed from Book I. of this Part; Particular Relation of the Expedition of Solyman Pacha from Suez to India against the Portuguese at Diu, written by a Venetian Officer who was pressed into the Turkish Service on that occasion. Introduction; The Voyage of Don Stefano de Gama from Goa to Suez, in 1540, with the intention of Burning the Turkish Gallies at that port. Written by Don Juan de Castro, then a Captain in the Fleet; afterwards governor-general of Portuguese India; Continuation of the Portuguese transactions in India, after the return of Don Stefano de Gama from Suez in 1541, to the Reduction of Portugal under the Dominion of Spain in 1581; Index.

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Book SynopsisThe existence of natural ice-caves at depths varying from 50 to 200 feet below the surface of the earth, unconnected with glaciers or snow mountains, and in latitudes and at altitudes where ice could not under ordinary circumstances be supposed to exist, has attracted some attention. In addition to the description of this natural phenomena, the author has interspersed his incidents of travel. He has also given accounts of similar caves in different parts of the world.

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Book SynopsisChapter 1 will cover a brief history of U.S. climate change regulation; review the different types of regulation and legal actions that have been pursued in the national debate over GHGs; examine selected legal issues and next steps in related litigation; and address what these legal and regulatory developments mean for Congress. The United States committed to providing financial assistance to developing countries for climate-change-related activities through the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) as reported in chapter 2. The costs of recent weather disasters have illustrated the need for planning for climate change risks and investing in resilience. Resilience is the ability to prepare and plan for, absorb, recover from, and more successfully adapt to adverse events, according to the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine. Chapter 3 reports that the federal government has not made measurable progress since 2017 to reduce fiscal exposure to climate change. Chapter 4 focuses on the policy considerations and potential impacts of using a carbon tax or GHG emissions fee to control GHG emissions. Administered by EPA, Superfund is the principal federal program for addressing sites containing hazardous substances. Chapter 5 reviews issues related to the impact of climate change on nonfederal NPL sites A recent decision in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia Circuit has paused oil and gas exploration and production activity in certain leased areas of Wyoming and hinted at heightened requirements that the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) must satisfy to comply with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) before issuing oil and gas leases. Specifically, the decision will require BLM to conduct a more thorough review of the potential climate change impacts of certain oil and gas leases before allowing the lessees to conduct drilling operations as discussed in chapter 6. Chapter 7 summaries the content of the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and its two subsidiary international treaties: the 1997 Kyoto Protocol (KP) and the 2015 Paris Agreement (PA). The Green Climate Fund (GCF) was officially opened for capitalization at the U.N. Climate Summit in September 2014. Chapter 8 discusses how the funds were used.Table of ContentsPreface; U.S. Climate Change Regulation and Litigation: Selected Legal Issues; International Climate Change Assistance: Budget Authority, FY2009-FY2019; Climate Change: Potential Economic Costs and Opportunities to Reduce Federal Fiscal Exposure; Attaching a Price to Greenhouse Gas Emissions with a Carbon Tax or Emissions Fee: Considerations and Potential Impacts; Superfund: EPA Should Take Additional Actions to Manage Risks from Climate Change; Drilling Under New Wyoming Leases on Hold as Judge Requires BLM to Reconsider Impacts on Climate Change; The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the Kyoto Protocol, and the Paris Agreement: A Summary; Green Climate Fund: Resource Mobilization, Recent Projects; Index.

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Book SynopsisChapter 1 focuses on the science to understand the physical processes and projections of mass loss of the major ice sheets in Greenland and Antarctica, as well as of mountain and other land-based glaciers. The chapter reports on current projections of glacier mass loss due to anthropogenic climate change, and in turn how that will affect sea level. The diminishment of Arctic sea ice has led to increased human activities in the Arctic, and has heightened interest in, and concerns about, the region's future as reported in chapter 2. Issues such as Arctic territorial disputes; commercial shipping through the Arctic; Arctic oil, gas, and mineral exploration; endangered Arctic species; and increased military operations in the Arctic could cause the region in coming years to become an arena of international cooperation, tension, or competition.Table of ContentsPreface; Earths Thermometers: Glacial and Ice Sheet Melt in a Changing Climate (Committee on Science, Space, and Technology); Changes in the Arctic: Background and Issues for Congress (Updated); Index.

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Book SynopsisSocial sustainability, as an integral dimension of sustainability, means durability or perpetuity in social structure and function. Simply speaking, social sustainability engages recycling and waste reduction in social life. Such engagement necessarily requires social actions such as community development and care, volunteering, mutuality, and socialization or enculturation to maintain social integration, health, and culture. Community development consists in urban renewal and related aid, including volunteering and its organization for mutual care, particularly for elders. The care also transpires in public support for organ transplantation to rehabilitate precarious patients. Such social action crucially hinges on cultural or ethical orientations such as egalitarianism, paternalism, and Confucianism, notably in Chinese context. The social actions, its cultural bases, and social well-being together constitute social sustainability elaborated in this volume. Essentially, this volume presents original evidence based on unprecedented empirical research to reveal, consolidate, and advance theories and principles for social sustainability. The volume thereby elaborates and unpacks structural and functional mechanisms to achieve social sustainability. Such mechanisms are evident in the research to unravel six facets of social sustainability, namely, urban renewal, community integration, volunteering commitment, eldercare, kidney transplantation, and social value orientations. All these perpetuate social commitment, solidarity, and regeneration, and prevent social risks, losses, and breakdown.Table of ContentsPreface; Residents Reception of Aid and Support for Urban Renewal; Aiding Resettled Residents to Integrate into the Community; How Does Volunteer Enrollment Induce Older Adults Commitment to Volunteering?; Personal and Societal Influences on the Support of Chinese People for Institutional Eldercare Roles in the Community; Public Priority for Allocating Kidney Transplants; Social Value Orientations: Paternalism, Liberalism, and Egalitarianism; Index.

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Book SynopsisOne of the issues of urban development and urban lifestyle, which can be studied from the sea to space, has posed important challenges for humanities, environmental management of cities and urban areas, and the economy. This field is one of the pillars of sustainable development from urban studies towards sustainability welfare. Research and development (R & D) in this part plays a crucial role where urban problems are always alive and increasing every year because of changing customer preferences and needs. City authorities must make appropriate policy choices to protect the provision of equitable housing, health, and transportation services in the future. The megatrends 2030 triggered by the Industrial Revolution 4.0 estimates urbanization will increase sharply, massive move from rural to urban areas, and the land is getting narrower, especially in Asia. New directions and developments in this field and discussion of future priorities must be well anticipated, meticulous, dignified, and innovative. This book highlights the latest views and solutions to technological innovations adapted to achieve prosperity in urban sustainability. For instance, adapting new buildings for urban needs with low-cost and modern design materials, the housing environment and the layout of city space, weather changes to disaster, and smart transportation systems are also taken into account. It also involves electricity, environmental management, and ways to use agricultural land to increase income. The ease of technology produced will change the business model. This contributed volume presents solicit selected papers of the 2020 International Conference on Urban Sustainability, Environment, and Engineering (CUSME 2020) with the theme "Urban Life and Technology". The book covers the point of view in urban architectures with green technology, sustainable environmental, management, agrotechnology, and smart transportation systems. The impact of urban development such as psychological and cultural influences, communication and social complexity, information systems and technology is also discussed with various solutions offered. The outcomes of the conference will certainly support government policy, stakeholders, policymakers, scientists, and engineers by bringing together their latest findings towards achieving a sustainable economy, improved quality of life, and protecting the environment. The findings of this study will create opportunities for further collaboration and are expected to improve the welfare of humanity. The conference committee and all our contributors wish to pleasantly thank for their efforts and cooperation in finalizing this volume. We wish to acknowledge and gratitude Nova Science Publishers Team for supporting our book proposal and for granting the opportunity to publish these conference proceedings and for their cooperation and support.

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Book SynopsisThis book discusses arsenic contamination in groundwater, which has emerged as a major health hazard in India. The authors review a generalised scenario of groundwater in the Greater Dhaka Area, focusing on the deterioration of groundwater quality over the years and its impact on the environment. Following this, the chemical composition of rainwater and groundwater from the Mount Cameroon area in May-July 2017 is analysed, and the impact of water-rock interactions on groundwater chemistry is assessed. The concluding study aims to assess the extent of exposure to fluoride in inhabitants of Raebareli district in Uttar Pradesh, India, generating baseline data about the fluoride-contaminated area.

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Book SynopsisSmart cities rely on information and communication technologies to enhance the quality of life of their citizens. This includes better use of transportation infrastructure, use of public transport, clean fuels, efficient utilization of parking spaces, and carsharing through the use of technologies such as internet of things, cloud computing, and blockchain while keeping in account environmental goals. Mobility management in urban areas is challenging yet critical. For the smooth transportation of goods and people, a detailed study of the city system elements from multiple perspectives is required. In this book, theoretical models, literature reviews and case studies to improve mobility in smart cities are provided. The key problems addressed are the allocation of pay and display parking machines,electric vehicle charging station location optimization, facility location planning under stochastic disruption, pedestrian safety planning using internet of things, assessing the environmental effect of airports on cities and populations, antecedents and outcomes of reverse supply chain and social sustainability practices, discrete event simulation for carsharing fleet management strategies, data mining models for road transport GHG emissions prediction, bibliometric analysis on smart city mobility, and blockchain for supply chain traceability application. Simulation, optimization, machine learning and qualitative methodologies are used. The book will serve as a very useful resource to academicians and practitioners working in the field.Table of ContentsPreface; Optimal re-allocation of pay and display machines for Toronto Parking Authority; Electric Vehicle Charging Station Location Optimization; Optimal Control Policy for a Partially Observable Facility under Stochastic Disruption; Neural Network and Internet of Things Implementation to aid Pedestrian Safety; Environmental Effect of Airports on City and Its Population; Antecedents and performance outcomes of reverse supply chain and social sustainability practices; Evaluating car sharing fleet management strategies using discrete event simulation; Machine learning model development for predicting road transport GHG emissions in Canada; A Bibliometric Analysis of Research Papers on Smart City and Its 6 Pillars.; Track and Trace Technology: The Impact of Automating Supply Chain Traceability Using Blockchain Technology; Index.

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Book SynopsisThis is a compilation of Abstracts and Introductions from a wide variety of Earth Science books Nova has published over the years. Each excerpt includes the title of the original book where the original content was published should readers be interested in learning more. Nova Excerpts is published simultaneously in both print and digital formats.

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Book SynopsisA fascinating account of the first exploration of the Missouri River, the journey over the Rocky Mountains, and the Columbia River to the Pacific Ocean. This 2 volume book contains an accurate diary of the journey to discover the Northwest Passage, commissioned by and reported to Thomas Jefferson.

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Book SynopsisHistory of the Expedition under the Command of Captains Lewis and Clark, is a fascinating account of the first exploration of the Missouri River, the journey over the Rocky Mountains, and the Columbia River to the Pacific Ocean. This 2 volume book contains an accurate diary of the journey to discover the Northwest Passage, commissioned by and reported to Thomas Jefferson.

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Book SynopsisChapter 1 examines the state of the science related to extreme weather events. It will provide an opportunity to examine the role of climate change and other weather and climate factors in causing and exacerbating extreme weather events, to discuss economic and other societal impacts of extreme weather, to explore the state of forecasting and prediction of extreme weather with a focus on how to communicate uncertainty, and to identify gaps in the science. Chapter 2 reports on the kinds of climate risk information standards and tools that communities need to reduce the risks and costs of climate change, including more extreme floods and wildfires.Table of ContentsPreface; Understanding, Forecasting, and Communicating Extreme Weather in A Changing Climate; Creating a Climate Resilient America: Reducing Risks and Costs; Index.

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Book SynopsisClimate change and extreme weather events present risks to our communities and communities around the world. Experts have warned that climate change would lead to more intense storms, extended droughts, longer wildfire seasons that burn hotter and cover larger areas, greater seasonal temperature extremes, melting of glaciers and ice sheets, and rising sea level. This book discusses ways to help communities better adapt to these changes.Table of ContentsPreface; Time for Action: Addressing the Environmental and Economic Effects of Climate Change (Subcommittee on Environment and Climate Change); Earth's Thermometers: Glacial and Ice Sheet Melt in a Changing Climate (Committee on Science, Space, and Technology); Index.

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Book SynopsisLake ecosystems are known to be valid sentinels for current climate changes and anthropogenic pressure because they provide indicators of these impacts either directly or indirectly through the influence of climate and human activity on their catchments. Among these indicators, to name just a few, are water temperature, dissolved organic carbon, nutrients and metals, phyto- and zooplankton composition as well as population and biodiversity of crustacea, mollusks and fish. The advantages of using lakes as tracers of climatic changes and anthropogenic impacts on aquatic ecosystems are multiple. Lake ecosystems are well constrained, confined and are studied in a sustained fashion; lakes respond directly to climate change and local and global pollution via incorporating the effects of these impacts occurring within the catchment; lakes integrate responses over time, and thus allow to avoid the random or unique single-time effects. Finally lakes of various sizes are distributed worldwide and, as such, can act as sentinels across various climatic conditions while exhibiting different degree of vulnerability to external pressure depending on their size and specific location capturing different aspects of climate change (e.g., changing precipitation regime, heat waves, permafrost thaw, invasion of new species, local and global (dispersed) pollution). However, the majority of published studies on lakes in the boreal and subarctic zone deal with Western and Northern Europe and Northern America, with quite limited information on lakes in the NW Russia. This book is intended to partially filling this gap by presenting 13 chapters describing the hydrology, hydrochemistry and hydrobiology of various lakes located in the NW European Russia, from the Finland border in the west to the Ural Mountains in the East. The thirteen chapters of the book, written by the experts in the field of biogeochemistry, limnology and zoology cover full limnetic ecosystems, from lake physical characteristics to lake water chemistry, microbiology, phytoplankton and zooplankton population, Crustacea, mollusks and fish. A multidisciplinary approach across wide geographical zones, comprising both small and large lakes of the Russian Subarctic, presented in this book, will be interesting for a large community of scholars, students, and researchers from academic and private organizations.Table of ContentsPreface: Lakes as Sentinels for Current Climate Changes and Anthropogenic Pressure; Multidisciplinary Research of Different Types of Boreal Lakes in North-West of Russia; Multidisciplinary Research of the Lake Kenozero (Northern Part of the Kenozersky National Park) in the Summer; Long-Term Study of the Ecosystem Components Variability of the Lake Lekshmozero (The Southern Part of the Kenozersky National Park); Fish Death in the Mesotrophic Lake Lekshmozero: Possible Causes; Oligotrophic Lake Naglimozero during Periods of Summer and Winter Stratification; Complex Studies of Biotic and Abiotic Components of Boreal Lakes Located at the Beginning of the Catchment Basins of the Arctic (Lake Vilno) and Atlantic (Lake Maselgskoe) Oceans; Algae of Lakes in the European North of Russia; Biology and Geographical Distribution of Representatives of the Families Polyphemidae and Cercopagidae (Onychopoda, Cladocera) in the Northern and Arctic Regions of the European Part of Russia; Distribution and Functional Ecology of Malacostracan Crustaceans in Russian Northern and Arctic Lakes; Freshwater Mollusks in Lakes of the Solovetsky Islands (White Sea); Freshwater Mollusks in Lakes of the Bolshezemelskaya Tundra (Vashutkiny Lakes); Ecosystems of Lakes of Arkhangelsk Region; Lakes of Nenets Autonomous Area; Index.

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Book SynopsisThis compilation comprises seven chapters each detailing a recent advancement in environmental research. Chapter One reviews the efficacy of alfalfa for the cleanup of soils polluted by petroleum hydrocarbons and other contaminants. Chapter Two discusses the growth rate of red algae in unusual environments such as the ecosystems of Takalar Regency and Mamuju Regency. Chapter Three provides an update on the current state of technology in connection with oil spill remote sensing via such techniques as infrared cameras and satellite-borne radar. Similarly, Chapter Four describes the environmental impacts of oil spills and describes the various ways in which technology can mitigate this problem. The fifth chapter describes how fly ash can be leveraged as an environmentally friendly, low-cost alternative to Portland cement for use in oil and gas wells. The sixth chapter studies traditional rainwater harvesting in Croatia and discusses whether this practice has value within the context of modern water supply solutions and environmental concerns. Lastly, Chapter Seven provides some anecdotes concerning the development of the world's first high resolution inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer.Table of ContentsPreface; Use of Medicago Sativa in Phytoremediation of Polluted Soils; Growing Red Algae Kappaphycus Alvarezii and Gracilaria Verrucosa in an Unusual Environment; An Update on Oil Spill Remote Sensing; Environmental Impacts of Oil Spills and Response Technologies; Utilization of Fly Ash in Oil and Gas Wells for the Development of Environmentally Friendly Geopolymer Cement; Traditional Rainwater Harvesting in Dalmatia (Croatia): Case Study from Zabiokovlje; Memories of the First High Resolution Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer in the World: Anecdotes About its Development; Index.

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Book SynopsisAir pollution from anthropogenic sources has been and continues to be considered a serious environmental problem affecting public health. Its seriousness lies in the fact that it raises the level of pollutants in places where their impact on human health is most likely. Therefore, air pollution is a major threat to public health worldwide. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) over two million premature deaths per year are attributable to the effects of outdoor and indoor air pollution. More than half of this burden of disease is borne by populations in developing countries. Epidemiological studies in several countries have shown that chronic exposure to traffic-related pollutants and chemicals and petrochemicals, such as particulate matter (PM), metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) associated with PM, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and inorganic gases (SO2, NOx, O3) produce adverse effects on development and affect lung function; along with an increase in respiratory diseases, often expressed in terms of diagnosed asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and cardiovascular effects and increased mortality. For all this, it is important to characterise and quantify air pollution and to recognize and assess the associated health effects, and different tools can be used individually or together. These tools are presented in this book, initially in introductory form (Chapters 1 to 3) and then in applied form in different case studies (Chapters 4 to 10) for the assessment of air pollution and associated risk.

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Book SynopsisRenewed theoretical frameworks for planning, permanent monitoring and quantitative indicators based on official statistics, geographic information systems and remote sensing allow an inclusive and holistic representation of socioeconomic systems worldwide. By specifically focusing on metropolitan regions, this book offers a comprehensive analysis and interpretation of socioeconomic and territorial processes hampering spatial planning in Southern Europe, offering a theoretical and practical overview of topics and problems of great interest in the urban debate. Cities in the most advanced economies are progressively abandoning spatially additive, radio-centric patterns of urban expansion. The notion of 'city-regions' is meaningful for the understanding of contemporary urban agglomerations and modern patterns of urban growth, adopting a specific, 'Mediterranean' perspective. Understanding the reasons and causes behind this transition provides for a better comprehension of economic dynamics in Europe. Addressing the role of sustainability and resilience for urban management, this book offers a thorough reflection on how to manage large city-regions and to support the planning practices and governing action of policy makers and stakeholders. Through practical examples and case studies, the book finally proposes new statistics, indicators, and interpretative approaches, stimulating a thorough reflection on interrelation and complexity of local development mechanisms from different disciplinary perspectives.Table of ContentsPreface; Introduction: A Mediterranean Perspective to (Evolving) City-Regions; Post-Financial Metropolises: Rise and Decline of a (Sprawling) City-Region; Sub-Optimal by Chance: Insights from a Long-term Analysis of Municipal Areas and Population Size; Toward a new Planning identity? Sustainable Development, Crisis Landscapes and Urban Sprawl; Index.

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Book SynopsisThis book covers selected topics on research methods in modern ecology, through the lens of 8 chapters, focusing on animal ecology, landcover assessment and habitat change, human perspectives and management, and research techniques, with examples taken from the Indian subcontinent. This area has emerged as one of the pivotal zones where cutting edge applications may be tested. Topics examined include the development and management of computer software techniques and the syntheses of these into pre-existing research methods, chemical analyses, including studies of animal dietary and foraging patterns, landcover, habitat and plant ecological change and even human/animal relations, and genetic studies. Remote sensing and geographical information systems are considered as cutting-edge research methods, at small, medium and large-scale levels, including more accurate positioning systems, more sensitive tracking systems, the removal of obstacles to clearer observation and species identification, such as darkness and poor lighting, dense vegetation and coarse image resolution and more comparative studies across different local contexts and global ecosystems. The topics cover geoinformatics applications to forest management in India, the paradigm shifts in this area, and the promotion and integration of sustainable forest management (SFM) and geoinformatics within the National Working Plan Code. Another case study is of Geoinformatics, Climate Change, Habitat Dynamics and a Case of Vultures in Central India, focusing on vulture ecology and related climatic variables, assessed with geoinformatics, Species Distribution Models (SDMs) and Global Circulation Models (GCMs). Other topics concern the use of tracking technologies including drones, the use of thermal and infrared drones in the study of large mammalian carnivores, the role of remote sensing and GIS in the assessment of natural resource development, clustering around the central concept of change detection, and the monitoring of agricultural development using socio-cultural parameters. This book presents these issues as some factors among the vast number of current ecological issues.Table of ContentsPreface; Forest Management in India: A Paradigm Shift and the Use of Geoinformatics; Biogeography as an Ecological Science and Methodology; Landuse-Landcover Dynamics Analysis using Remote Sensing and GIS: A Case of Central Himalayan Terai, India; Geoinformatics, Climate Change, Habitat Dynamics and a Case of Vultures in Central India; A Symbiosis of Habitat Conservation and Eco-Tourism Development: A Case Study of the Valmiki Tiger Reserve, India; Technology in Good Governance: A Case of FRA and Geoinformatics; Similar Yet Different Rice-Farming Ecosystems: UNESCO Associated Cases of Two Culturally Rich Asian Nations; Thermal Drones and Large Mammalian Carnivores; Rehabilitation of Mine Spoils: A Review on Problems and Strategies with Cases of Indian Mines; What could be the Present and Future Habitats of Residents and Wintering Vultures for Conservation in the Indian Subcontinent; Index.

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Book SynopsisThis monograph consists of six chapters that provide updates in the field of earth science research. Chapter One explicates the history of exploration of the Antarctic continent and tries to answer questions surrounding the initial discovery of Antarctica. Chapter Two describes the properties of the Kwanza Basin in terms of the presence of hydrocarbons and other aspects of interest to oil companies. Chapter Three includes information about the planktic foraminiferal biostratigraphy at the K/PG boundary at El Kef GSSP of the Tethyan realm. Chapter Four quantitively assesses the microfabric of the Kawabata Formation by evaluating rock specimens using magnetic techniques. Chapter Five presents the results of the research of distribution of rare-earth and other trace elements in relict zircons from restitogenic ultramafic rocks of Shaman massifs. Finally, Chapter Six introduces a new monitoring technology that could lead to the next generation of hydraulic fracture optimization and rejuvenate unconventional reservoir development.Table of ContentsPreface; Searching for the Antarctic: By Whom, When and How Was the Antarctic Continent Discovered? A Russian Perspective; The Pre-salt of the Kwanza Basin (Angola): An Overview of Maturation Model versus Geodynamic Framework; Planktic Foraminiferal Biostratigraphy at the K/Pg Boundary at El Kef GSSP of the Tethyan Realm; The Three-Dimensional Microfabric of Turbidite Sequences: Insights Into Sedimentary Processes Within the Miocene Arc-Arc Junction in Central Hokkaido; The Geochemistry of Rare Earth Elements in the Crystals of Relict Zircons from Restitogenic Ultramafiс Rocks of the Shaman Massif (Eastern Trans-baikal Region, Russia); Monitoring Stress Change in the Subsurface During Hydraulic Fracturing with Time-Lapse Multicomponent Seismic Data; Index.

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Book SynopsisThis monograph contains seven chapters that each detail a recent advancement in environmental research. Chapter One summarises the reactivity, mechanism and toxicity assessment of pesticides and pharmaceuticals by chlorine dioxide. Chapter Two presents a review of liquid fertiliser generation technologies. Chapter Three analyses the consequences of digital transformation technologies on the environmental sustainability of Brazilian agribusiness. Chapter Four presents results on mineralogical, chemical, and physiochemical characterisation of coal briquette ash. Chapter Five describes the potential of ecological sanitation as an innovative, environmentally sound technology for minimising waste and providing renewable energy. Chapter Six presents up-to-date information on commonly used pesticides and their possible immunotoxic effects. Finally, Chapter Seven provides information about toxic heavy metals, their toxicity mechanism, and their effects on the environment.Table of ContentsPreface; Chlorine Dioxide Use to Oxidate and Remove Pesticides and Pharmaceuticals from Water; Liquid Fertilizer Generation Technologies in Industrial Scale-Up: A Review; Brazilian Agribusiness: Analysis of the Consequences of Digital Transformation on Environmental Sustainability; The Physicochemical Characteristics and Composition of Coal Briquette Ash and Its Possible Applications; Ecological Sanitation: Closing the Loop in Domestic Wastewater Management; Immunotoxic Effects of Pesticides; The Possible Mechanisms of Toxic Effects of Heavy Metals; Index.

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Book SynopsisThis book covers selected topics on research methods in modern ecology, through the lens of 12 different chapters, focusing on animal ecology, landcover assessment and habitat change, human perspectives and management, and research techniques. Topics emphasise the development of enhanced computer software techniques and the syntheses of these into pre-existing research methods, chemical analyses, including studies of animal dietary and foraging patterns, landcover, habitat and plant ecological change and even human/animal relations, and genetic studies. Remote sensing and geographical information systems are considered as cutting-edge research methods, at small, medium and large-scale levels, including more accurate positioning systems, more sensitive tracking systems, the removal of obstacles to clearer observation and species identification, such as darkness and poor lighting, dense vegetation and coarse image resolution and more comparative studies across different local contexts and global ecosystems. The topics cover vulture ecology, the factors for the decline and management of Asian vultures, the use of tracking technologies including drones, in the study of urban vulture ecology, the use of thermal and infrared drones in the study of large mammalian carnivores, the role of remote sensing and GIS in the assessment of natural resource development, clustering around the central concept of change detection, the monitoring of agricultural development using socio-cultural parameters, the impacts of chemical pollution on raptors, the chemistry of vulture foraging, habitat dynamics for storks in Malaysia, Indian ecotourism in tiger habitats, and human-wildlife conflicts in Brazil. Other topics concern research on Bio-environmental Monitoring and Assessment using eDNA and Genome-based environmental monitoring, and the dynamics social perceptions of natural landscapes in Europe, and international examples of the Landscape Ecology of Urban Avian Scavengers. This book argues that these issues represent some cutting factors among the vast number of current ecological issues.Table of ContentsPreface; Urban Vulture Ecology, Tracking Technologies and Human Quality of Life; Facts Around Vultures: An Attempt to Join the Puzzle Pieces; Brown World of Vultures: A Case of Vulture Restaurant; Environmental Chemistry and the Conservation Biology of Raptors and Waterbirds; Vulture Foraging and the Chemistry of Putrefaction; South and Northeast Brazil: Does a Shared Species Arise Shared Human Dimensions of Conflicts with Wildlife?; Conflicts with Pumas in Southern Brazil: The Farmers View; Reformation of African Elephant Ecology and Human Quality of Life Through GIS and Remote Sensing Technologies: A Case of African Elephant Ecology in Botswana; Bio-Environmental Monitoring and Assessment of Species Using eDNA: An International Approach to Research and Future Possibilities; Wilding or Worrying? Place Meaning in a Rewilding Landscape; Environment Effect on Milky Stork Habitat Selection in Mating Forest Reserve, Perak; The Landscape Ecology of Urban Avian Scavengers: An International Perspective; Index.

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