Earth Sciences, Geography & Environment Books

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Book SynopsisThis book presents and discusses research in the field of earth science, with a focus on glacial erosion and Karst Evolution; the Lake Urmia Dike and its hydrodynamic and geological impact; geometry of coronal rays; Estonian dolomite; the last continental glaciation of Western Siberia; fracture network properties in limestone and dolostone; and solar EUV coronas.

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Book SynopsisWetlands have already been recognised to hold the capacity for efficiently reducing or removing large amounts of pollutants from point sources (e.g. municipal and certain industrial effluents) as well as non-point sources (e.g. mining, agricultural and urban runoff) including organic matter, suspended solids, excess of nutrients, pathogens, metals and other micropollutants. This pollutant removal is accomplished by the interdependent action of several physical, chemical and biological processes which include sedimentation, filtration, chemical precipitation, sorption, biodegradation, and plants uptake among others. In this book, the authors present studies on the ecology, management and conservation of these valuable wetlands.

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Book SynopsisThe coming global climate changes associated with the increase of atmospheric greenhouse effect, may disturb the natural carbon cycle in the biosphere and may lead to large-scale ecological consequences. The cognition of the mechanisms of environmental sustainability in changing climate is connected with studying the biotic regulation of the carbon cycle. Boreal forests play an important role in the global carbon cycle. This book expounds the regional-local prognostic conception as a scientific basis of monitoring forest ecosystems under global climatic changes. Predictive landscape-ecological scenarios of the nearest future of temperate forests and their paleogeographical analogues as a single system of global changes have been considered for the first time by the example of a large region -- the Volga River basin.

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Book SynopsisAlthough several countries have been introducing more stringent laws to reduce the amount of waste to be land-filled, in an attempt to maximise recycling and materials recovery, landfilling is still the most generalised practice for municipal solid waste treatment. In this book, the authors discuss waste management in landfills, regional practices and its environmental impact. Topics include the reduction of environmental impact of municipal landfill leachate during oxidative treatment; polymers recycling; management of electronic waste in the Basque Country; and toxicity of landfills by plant cytogenetic and mutagenic effects.

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Book SynopsisThe deep-sea ecosystems include waters and sediments at the lowest layer in the ocean, existing below the thermocline and above the seabed, at a depth of 1000 fathoms (1800 m) or more. They represent the world''s largest biome, covering more than 65% of the world surface and including more than 95% of the global biosphere. This book examines the marine biology, geology and human impact of the deep-sea environment. Topics discussed include the stratigraphical distribution and evolutionary classification of the schackoinid planktic foraminifera; the biological characteristics of the skilfish, erilepis zonifer in the North Pacific Ocean; protein degradation at deep-sea sediment; primary production and carbon cycling in the deep-sea; and biodiversity and ecosystem function in the deep-Mediterranean Sea.

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Book SynopsisEnergy plays a vital role in Americans'' lives and in the U.S. economy as a whole, particularly in the provision of electricity, transportation, heating and cooling, and industrial processing - the four main energy-consuming sectors of the economy. This book examines the various commodities used to generate energy in the United States, focusing on the two largest energy-consuming sectors of the U.S. economy; electricity and transportation, and the differences in how they expose U.S. households and businesses to disruptions, either domestic or international, in the supply of energy.

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Book SynopsisU.S. policymakers have considered and deliberated on several policy designs that could potentially reduce energy-related carbon emissions. In his 2011 State of the Union address, President Obama proposed the concept of a Clean Energy Standard (CES) that would result in 80% of U.S. electricity generation from clean energy sources by 2035. In March of 2012, the Clean Energy Standard Act of 2012 (S.2146) was introduced in the Senate. The primary goal of S.2146 is to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from the U.S. electricity sector, which represents approximately 41% of total U.S. CO2 emissions. Generally, the approach used to achieve this goal is to require certain utility companies to source a portion of their electricity generation from qualified clean energy generators. Utilities located in either Alaska or Hawaii are exempted from CES requirements. This book examines the policy proposals and impacts of the Clean Energy Standard Act with a focus on compliance requirements and clean energy credits.

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Book SynopsisRecent events have renewed long-standing congressional interest in safe management of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) and other high level nuclear waste. These issues have been examined and debated for decades, sometimes renewed by world events like the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The incident at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear reactor complex in Japan, combined with the termination of the Yucca Mountain geologic repository project, have contributed to the increased interest. This book focuses on the current situation with spent nuclear fuel storage in the United States. It addresses the SNF storage situation, primarily at current and former reactor facilities and former reactor sites for the potentially foreseeable future. Although no nation has yet established a permanent disposal repository for SNF and other forms of high-level radioactive waste, there is broad consensus that a geological repository is the preferred method for these wastes.

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Book SynopsisEnergy storage technology has great potential to improve electric power grids, to enable growth in renewable electricity generation, and to provide alternatives to oil-derived fuels in the nation''s transportation sector. In the electric power system, the promise of this technology lies in its potential to increase grid efficiency and reliability, optimizing power flows and supporting variable power supplies from wind and solar generation. In transportation, vehicles powered by batteries or other electric technologies have the potential to displace vehicles burning gasoline and diesel fuel, reducing associated emissions and demand for oil. This book summarizes the current state of knowledge regarding energy storage technologies for both electric power grid and electric vehicle applications. It also addresses the significant policy, market, and other non-technical factors that may impede storage adoption, and considers eight major categories of storage technology; pumped hydro, compressed air, batteries, capacitors, superconducting magnetic energy storage, flywheels, thermal storage, and hydrogen.

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Book SynopsisWastewater treatment represents a continuous challenge for engineers, environmental scientists and regulators. Today, an increasing number of new contaminants are being found such as pharmaceuticals, personal care products, and nanomaterials. In this book, the authors present current research in the study of the biological methods, technology and environmental impact of wastewater treatment processes. Topics include anaerobic membrane bioreactors for wastewater treatment; ecotoxicological approaches to assess wastewater''s environmental impact to saltwater; EBPR for wastewater treatment; innovative sequencing batch reactors for industrial wastewater treatment; PAHs in the water environment; and cationic tannins as a coagulatnt/flocculant agent.

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Book SynopsisIn this book, the authors present current research in the study of the prevention, risk factors and management of natural disasters. Topics discussed include typhoon and hurricane prediction; point-of-care testing in complex emergency and disaster resilience; management strategies for children during natural disasters; torrential floods prevention; information technology and simulation in disaster management; quantile approach application to seismic risk assessment; the increase of natural disasters as a result of global climate change; coping with disaster trauma; paleo-landslides in central Serbia; how the elderly cope during disasters and crises; and government involvement in Connecticut during Tropical Storm Irene.

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Book SynopsisThe Holocene (11.5 ka BP onwards), directly linked to the evolution of modern society, encompasses the increase and impacts of the human species world-wide, including by and large striking changeover towards living in the present. The Holocene climate is also responsible for expansion/ migration/decline of the human cultures. Because of this, a period termed as Anthropocene (age of man) is also proposed as the latest part of this epoch since the recent human impacts have been found on the Earth and such impacts are unquestionably of global implication for our future. This book contains seventeen invaluable manuscripts submitted by the authors from diverse countries. While most of them are related to the climatic events and environmental dynamics during the Holocene, two chapters focus on the palaeoseismology and human migration/anatomy.

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Book SynopsisCarbon capture and sequestration (or storage), known as CCS, has attracted congressional interest as a measure for mitigating global climate change because large amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted from fossil fuel use in the United States are potentially available to be captured and stored underground and prevented from reaching the atmosphere. Large, industrial sources of CO2, such as electricity-generating plants, are likely candidates for CCS because they are predominantly stationary, single-point sources. Electricity generation contributes over 40% of U.S. CO2 emissions from fossil fuels. Currently, U.S. power plants do not capture large volumes of CO2 for CCS. This book provides an overview of what CCS is, how it is supposed to work, why it has gained the interest and support of some members of Congress, and what some of the challenges are to its implementation and deployment across the United States.

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Book SynopsisFederal policymakers have long been concerned about the impact of manmade carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions on global climate change. To address these concerns, Congress has been debating a range of potential initiatives for reducing atmostpheric CO2 from U.S. sources. Legislative proposals would seek to limit U.S. CO2 emissions to specific (historical) levels through emissions caps, carbon taxes, or other regulatory mechanisms. Many of these proposals dictate or anticipate a declining long-term trajectory for annual U.S. carbon emissions. The most prominent CO2 proposals seek reductions of nationwide CO2 emissions to 1990 levels or lower by 2030. This book examines key uncertainties associated with CO2 emissions abatement measures, with a focus on available and emerging technologies, and new source review permits.

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Book SynopsisThis book presents and discusses research in the field of earth science, with a focus on the role of hydrology in salt marsh ecology; modelling tool applications in freshwater ecosystems and resource management; the flood cycle model; mechanisms of global change in the biosphere; the impact of tropical forest canopies in the planning of rural settlements and sustainable environments; long-term consistency of main taxonomic groups of Lake Kinneret phytoplankton; modelling landslide susceptibility analysis; and the Earth''s gravitational dipole.

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Book SynopsisMany Americans spend frustrating hours each year stuck in congested traffic, a situation that costs the country billions of dollars annually and influences people''s decisions about where to live and work. As traffic has risen dramatically over the past 3 decades with population and economic growth, congestion now extends to more times of the day, more roads, and more cities and towns--thus affecting more people than ever before. Estimates of the cost of congestion vary; according to the Department of Transportation (DOT), congestion costs America an estimated $200 billion each year in lost travel time and fuel, and drivers in metropolitan areas spent more than one-quarter of their total travel time in congested conditions. This book examines current issues, impacts and project reviews relating to traffic congestion and road pricing.

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Book SynopsisPolicy-makers at all levels of government are debating a wide range of options for addressing the nation''s faltering economic conditions. One option that is once again receiving attention is accelerated investments in the nation''s public infrastructure - that is, highways, mass transit, airports, water supply and waste-water, and other facilities - in order to create jobs while also promoting long-term economic growth. This book discusses policy issues associated with using infrastructure as a mechanism to benefit economic recovery. Discussed are the projects to improve bus rapid transit service which can contribute to economic development; improved DOT collaboration and communication could enhance the use of technology to manage congestion; and the efforts in surface transportation to address highway congestion through real-time traffic information systems.

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Book SynopsisThe health risks posed by indoor pollutants have concerned scientists for many years. Because people spend a high percentage of their time indoors, and concentrations of pollutants often are higher in indoor air than outdoor air, the risks due to exposure can be higher than many other environmental risks. Many indoor environmental quality problems might get worse if adaptations to climate change are made without better information and programs aimed at pollution prevention. This book describes common indoor pollutants, discusses federal statutes that have been used to address indoor pollution, and analyses key issues surrounding some general policy options for federal policy makers, with a focus on chemical contaminants.

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Book SynopsisThis poignant tribute to the beauty of coral reefs sheds light on the destruction of global reef ecosystems and the climate science behind the conservation efforts to save them.Broken into three parts?Discovering Corals, Wonder and Devastation, and Searching for Hope?and told through a series of gripping stories, author and documentarian David Alexander Baker takes readers on a global adventure to the front lines of an unfolding ecological crisis.More than half of the world''s coral reefs have been destroyed in the past fifty years due to the climate crisis. The Lost Continent helps readers gain a deeper understanding of coral reefs and why they are vital to the health of our oceans?and the survival of our planet?and highlights the incredible conservation and restoration strides being made around the world.With over 60 breathtaking photographs of coral reefs spanning from Colombia to Australia to the Florida Keys readers will be moved both by the majesty of nature and the urgency to preserve and restore these great cities of the seas.

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Book SynopsisNumerous federal, state, and local agencies share responsibilities for regulating the safety of the U.S. food supply. Federal responsibility for food safety rests primarily with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The combined efforts of the food industry and government regulatory agencies are often credited with making the U.S. food supply among the safest in the world. This book provides an overview of the organization, regulatory tools, and resources in place to adequately monitor food safety in the United States

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Book SynopsisThe Department of the Interior (DOI) manages ocean energy and mineral resources, including oil, natural gas, wind, and geothermal resources. Federally regulated offshore oil and gas projects currently account for 26% of the nation''s domestic oil production and about 16% of domestic natural gas production. In addition to generating these domestic energy supplies, federally regulated offshore energy projects account for significant public receipts, including approximately $6.5 billion in 2011. This book provides an overview of the DOIs reform, reorganization and offshore energy management with a focus on ocean energy programs and oil and gas management.

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Book SynopsisSince the 1960s, the U.S. electric power system has experienced a major blackout about once every 10 years. Each has been a vivid reminder of the importance society places on the continuous availability of electricity and has led to calls for changes to enhance reliability. At the root of these calls are judgements about what reliability is worth and how much should be paid to ensure it. In principle, comprehensive information on the actual reliability of the electric power system and on how proposed changes would affect reliability ought to help inform these judgements. Yet, comprehensive, national-scale information on the reliability of the U.S. electric power system is lacking. This book helps to address this gap by assessing trends in U.S. electricity reliability based on information reported by electric utilities on power interruptions experienced by their customers.

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Book SynopsisThis book provides an overview of middle income households across the United States, which are under significant financial strain, and rising energy bills are a contributor to this stress. Energy efficiency improvements have the potential to provide significant benefits to these households, by lowering bills, increasing the structural integrity of homes, improving health and comfort, and reducing exposure to volatile, and rising, energy prices. Middle income households are also responsible for a third of U.S. residential energy use. Increasing the energy efficiency of their homes would deliver substantial public benefits: reducing power system costs, easing congestion on the grid, and avoiding emissions of greenhouse gases and other pollutants. To achieve those goals, utilities and governments are beginning to look beyond typical residential energy efficiency programs and are turning to programs that improve the energy efficiency of the entire house by sealing the leaks, reducing plug loads, adding insulation, and replacing inefficient heating and cooling systems.

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Book SynopsisBalancing the capacity enhancing needs of the national airspace system with the need to protect the environment can be challenging. The FAA estimates that the annual number of passengers travelling by air in the United States will grow from 750 million in 2012 to over 1 billion by 2023. It also forecasts a corresponding 20 percent increase in the number of flights, which could add to existing flight delays and air traffic congestion. Even while the aviation system has grown and continues to grow, airports have sought to limit the environmental impacts generated by their construction and operations - such as noise, water, air, and waste pollution - in part, to meet applicable legal requirements. However, airports'' environmental impacts have been a source of friction with neighbouring communities. This book addresses the actions that airports have taken to reduce the environmental impacts of airport operations and development; and the strategies they can adopt to mitigate delays in implementing capital projects and operational changes.

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Book SynopsisThis book provides bibliographic resources on the response, restoration and research initiatives of oil spills, most notably, the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico and its impacts on the marine ecosystem and coastal environment.

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Book SynopsisNatural gas is the second largest primary source of energy consumed in the United States, exceeded only by petroleum. A primary energy source is an energy source that can be consumed directly or converted into something else, like electricity. Roughly a third of the natural gas consumed in the United States goes into power plants for the production of electricity. Electricity, a secondary energy source, results from the conversion of primary fuels such as fossil fuels, uranium or wind, into a flow of electrons used to power modern life. This book explores the workings of the wholesale markets for these two forms of energy, as well as energy-related financial markets.

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Book SynopsisIndustrial pollution is the largest fountain of air offences in most of the developed world. Statistics from the U.S. Environmental Agency confirm that more than half of the nation''s total pollution is courtesy of industry. What''s more, six out of every ten people in the United States live in urban areas and are currently inhaling these bi-products. The consequence of air misuse is glaring: approximately four percent of all deaths in the United States are attributed to air pollution. This book highlights the sources and effects of air pollution, and also puts forth solutions. Successful pollution prevention is essential to our future well-being. Quintessential to this end, is prevention through education; the goal of this publication.

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Book SynopsisThe environment consists of the surroundings in which an organism operates including air, water, land, natural resources, flora, fauna, humans and their interrelation. It is this environment which is both so valuable, on the one hand, and so endangered on the other. Effects stemming from the choices made by the human population in regards to environmental health are by and large ruining the environment both for themselves and for other organisms. This series covers leading-edge research in a cross-section of fields focusing on the environment including current research data on the ecotoxicological and genetic approach paradigms for environmental assessment; polybrominated ether (PBDE)flame retardants as emergent environmental pollutants; bioindicators for water quality; water resources in Tunisia; quorum sensing for clean environment and green bioenergy; spatio-temporal ecosystem shifts in the Baltic Sea; and the effects of high deer density on forest regeneration.

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Book SynopsisIn this book, the authors present current research in the study of the crystallography, chemistry and catalytic performance of perovskites. Topics discussed include the defect structure and defect-induced expansion of perovskite oxides; perovskite-based catalysts for transformation of natural gas and oxygenates into syngas; Bi containing multiferroic perovskite oxide thin films; perovskites as catalysts for environmental remediation; microwave-assisted synthesis and characterisation of perovskite oxides; perovskite and lead based ceramic materials; photocatalytic properties of perovskite-type layered oxides; structure of perovskite electron-ionic conductors; and distorted perovskites.

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Book SynopsisIdeally suited for use in swift-moving surveys of World, Atlantic, and Latin American history, this abridgment of Ted Humphrey and Janet Burke's 2012 translation of the True History provides key excerpts from Diaz's text and concise summaries of omitted passages. Included in this edition is a new preface outlining the social, economic, and political forces that motivated the European discovery of the New World.Trade ReviewBernal Díazs True History of the Conquest of New Spain, the chronicle of an ordinary soldier in Hernando Cortéss army, is the only complete account (other than Cortéss own) that we have of the Spanish conquest of ancient Mexico. It makes for consistently fascinating reading, and Ted Humphrey and Janet Burke have provided the best, and the most engaging, translation ever to have appeared in English. Anthony Pagden, UCLA[Humphrey and Burkes] translation takes full advantage of the best scholarship of the last fifty years, providing useful context and interpretation for the non-specialist. The result is a highly readable, engaging book that will prove a valuable teaching tool in a variety of classroom settings. Lyman Johnson, University of North Carolina Charlotte

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Book SynopsisIdeally suited for use in swift-moving surveys of World, Atlantic, and Latin American history, this abridgment of Ted Humphrey and Janet Burke's 2012 translation of the True History provides key excerpts from Diaz's text and concise summaries of omitted passages. Included in this edition is a new preface outlining the social, economic, and political forces that motivated the European discovery of the New World.Trade ReviewBernal Díazs True History of the Conquest of New Spain, the chronicle of an 'ordinary' soldier in Hernando Cortéss army, is the only complete account (other than Cortéss own) that we have of the Spanish conquest of ancient Mexico. It makes for consistently fascinating reading, and Ted Humphrey and Janet Burke have provided the best, and the most engaging, translation ever to have appeared in English. -- Anthony Pagden, UCLA"[Humphrey and Burkes] translation takes full advantage of the best scholarship of the last fifty years, providing useful context and interpretation for the non-specialist. The result is a highly readable, engaging book that will prove a valuable teaching tool in a variety of classroom settings." -- Lyman Johnson, University of North Carolina Charlotte

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Book SynopsisPolicymakers at all levels of government are debating a wide range of options for addressing the nation''s faltering economic conditions. One option that is once again receiving attention is accelerated investments in the nation''s public infrastructure - that is, highways, mass transit, airports, water supply and wastewater, and other facilities - in order to create jobs while also promoting long-term economic growth. This book discusses policy issues associated with using infrastructure as a mechanism to benefit economic recovery. Discussed are the Federal-Aid Highway Program (FAHP); surface transportation funding and programs under MAP-21; federal-aid highway assistance for disaster-damaged roads and bridges; earthquake risk and U.S. highway infrastructure; information on materials and practices for improving highway pavement performance; federal freight policy; Positive Train Control (PTC); Essential Air Service (EAS); the changing tide of U.S.-international container trade; and containerships that carry inventory for U.S. retailers.

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Book SynopsisIn this book, the authors present current research in the study of capacity development opportunities and challenges and capacity building in education, health and capital. Topics discussed include capacity building for school improvement; unique challenges in developing capacity in rural and remote Australia; women with disabilities in urban Cambodia and vocational training; capacity building and sex workers in South-east Asia; capacity building in old industrialised regions of Europe and in non-profit organisations using blended learning as a gateway to practitioner education; and capacity development research in public health and the environment in the Caribbean.

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Book SynopsisNo modern technology truly emulates the science of nature. Yet today, some of the most important technological breakthroughs have been mere manifestations of the linearisation of nature science: nature linearised by focusing only on its external features. Today, computers process information exactly opposite to how the human brain does. Turbines produce electrical energy while polluting the environment beyond repair even as electric eels produce much higher-intensity electricity while cleaning the environment. Batteries store very little electricity while producing very toxic spent materials. Synthetic plastic materials look like natural plastic, yet their syntheses follow an exactly opposite path. Furthermore, synthetic plastics do not have a single positive impact on the environment, whereas natural plastic materials do not have a single negative impact. In medical science, every promise made at the onset of commercialisation proven to be opposite of what actually happened: witness Prozac, Vioxx, Viagra, etc., Nature, on the other hand, did not allow a single product to impact the long-term negatively. Even the deadliest venom (eg: cobra, poisoned arrow tree frog) has numerous beneficial effects in the long-term. This catalogue carries on in all directions: microwave cooking, fluorescent lighting, nuclear energy, cellular phones, refrigeration cycles to combustion cycles. In essence, nature continues to improve matters in its quality, as modern technologies continue to degrade the same into baser qualities.

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Book SynopsisThis book''s primary content explores plantation and non-plantation biodiversity values, mushrooms and woodlands, the roles of arbuscular mycorrhizal in tropical forestry and agro-forestry, the impacts on the abundance and diversity of soil legume-nodulating rhizobia and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal communities in semiarid regional plantations. The book also investigates carbon biosequestration and bioenergy options of plantations, lessons from plantation forestry carbon sequestration, and carbon sequestration in agro forestry-block plantations or mangrove plantations. The book includes targeted chapters on forest restoration and management of plantations for restoring degraded landscapes, alluvial-gold-mining soil reclamation using Acacia mangium plantations, effects of forest practices on wild populations of Testudo hermanni, effects of incorporation of native species biomass in an acidic andisol to control water contamination from plant residues, and ecohydrology of Amazonian rain forest ecosystems. The international list of authors were carefully selected, and through a rigorous peer review process, this edited book aims to fill some of the information gaps in vegetation restoration and nutrient mobilisation, particularly in under researched plantation ecosystems around the world. Our intended audience includes planners of projects to restore and manage forests or plantations; practitioners who implement those plans; forest resource managers who oversee the sites; forestry consultants; tree farms; environmental authorities; conservationists and students of forestry. We also hope that researchers and the public can find valued information for their future use and efforts. We hope that our work can bring scientists and policy-makers together to envision a sustainable future for woodlands'' health and productivity management.

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Book SynopsisThis is a compilation of current research, developments and applications into the many aspects of marine biotechnology. This book includes novel and innovative works that contribute to the achievements of blue biotechnology research, and which focus on the world''s oceans as the next frontier for intensive biological investigation, resource development and management, and derivative industrial applications.

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Book SynopsisThe growing number of disaster declarations (a record 98 in fiscal year 2011 compared with 65 in 2004) has contributed to increased federal disaster costs. FEMA leads federal efforts to respond to and recover from disasters and makes recommendations to the President, who decides whether to declare a disaster and increase the usual federal cost share of 75 percent. This book addresses the number of declarations requested and approved from fiscal years 2004-2011 and associated Disaster Relief Fund obligations; the criteria FEMA uses to recommend a declaration for public assistance, and the extent that FEMA assesses whether an effective response to a disaster was beyond the capabilities of state and local governments; how FEMA determines whether to recommend cost share adjustments, and their costs; and FEMA''s administrative cost percentages for declarations.

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Book SynopsisTens of thousands of chemicals are listed with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for commercial use in the United States, with an average of 600 new chemicals listed each year. The EPA''s ability to effectively implement its mission of protecting public health and the environment depends on credible and timely assessments of the risks posed by toxic chemicals. In 1976, Congress passed the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) to provide the EPA with the authority to obtain more information on chemicals and to regulate those chemicals that the EPA determines pose unreasonable risks to human health or the environment. The TSCA authorises the EPA to review chemicals already in commerce and chemicals yet to enter commerce. In 2009, the EPA announced TSCA reform principles to inform ongoing efforts to manage toxic chemicals. This book assesses the increased efforts of the EPA to ensure the safety of toxic chemicals management.

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