Earth Sciences, Geography & Environment Books

Book SynopsisWhat if, even in the heart of a densely developed city, people could have meaningful encounters with nature? While parks, street trees, and green roofs are increasingly appreciated for their technical services like storm water reduction, from a biophilic viewpoint, they also facilitate experiences that contribute to better physical and mental health: natural elements in play areas can lessen children's symptoms of ADHD and adults who exercise in natural spaces can experience greater reductions in anxiety and blood pressure. The Handbook of Biophilic City Planning & Design offers practical advice and inspiration for ensuring nature in the city is more than infrastructure, that it also creates an emotional connection to the earth and promotes well-being among urban residents. Divided into six parts, the Handbook begins by introducing key ideas, literature, and theory about biophilic urbanism; followed by chapters that highlight urban biophilic innovations in more than a dozen global cities; the final part concludes with lessons on how to advance an agenda for urban biophilia and an extensive list of resources.As the most comprehensive reference on the emerging field of biophilic urbanism, the Handbook is essential reading for students and practitioners looking to place nature at the core of their planning and design ideas and encourage what pre-eminent biologist E. O. Wilson described as "the innate emotional connection of humans to all living things."

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe definitive biography of the world''s most important body of water the Atlantic.One hundred and ninety million years ago, the shifting of two of the world''s tectonic plates led to the creation of an immense chasm. This giant gash in the flanks of the planet slowly opened up and eventually evolved into the most important and most travelled ocean in our world.In this utterly original biography, Simon Winchester explores the life of the Atlantic; it''s birth, its relationship with mankind, and what lies in store for it once man has left the stage. He charts the development of the first settlements by the Oceanside the communities of Celts and Vikings and whose lives depended on the sea and delves into the age of exploration, venturing to forgotten worlds. The building of some of the world''s most beautiful port cities London, Rio de Janeiro, New York, Casablanca is also examined, along with the creation of settlements and colonies in and around the sea.Completely unique and highlTrade Review'Winchester unfolds this epic narrative with admirable simplicity: his prose style is conversational, and crackles with strange images. He marries even-handed scholarship with a gift for storytelling, neither dumbing down nor assuming any specific knowledge in his readership. This is from start to finish an enthralling book, and one that does justice to the magnitude of its subject' Edmund Gordon, Sunday Times 'Illuminating…a] wonderful, encyclopaedic book, pinpointing key moments in the narrative of an entire ocean and our relationship to it' Philip Hoare, Sunday Telegraph ‘[A] fabulous book’ Scotsman ‘An engaging account’ Mail on Sunday ‘[Winchester] is maddeningly gifted … a rollicking ride’ Washington Post ‘Enjoyable and richly informative’ Telegraph

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn this history of China for the 900-year span of the late imperial period, Mote highlights the personal characteristics of the rulers and dynasties and probes the cultural theme of Chinese adaptations to recurrent alien rule. Generational events, personalities, and the spirit of the age combine to yield a comprehensive history of the civilization.Trade ReviewThis massive tome crowns the long, distinguished career of Frederick Mote, an influential scholar of Late Imperial China in the United States… An outstanding feature that distinguishes this book from similar works is the author’s effort to readdress the imbalance in traditional historiography with its lopsided focus on the political and geographic center of the realm. He does a wonderful job of reconstructing the history of such historically neglected regimes as Khitan–Liao, Jurchen–Jin, and Tangut–Western Xia, from the perspective of the Other… What I find most praiseworthy is the lucid, elegant expository style of writing. In spite of the wealth of knowledge the author clearly possesses about traditional China, he chooses to cover in depth a select number of topics—personages, events, institutions, etc.—in a language that is understandable to the average man in the street, without relying on opaque verbosity. Consequently, the book is likely to leave a profound and lasting impact on the reader in areas it focuses on, which will in turn help him or her better understand a given period of Late Imperial China from a long-term perspective. -- Victor Cunrui Xiong * Chinese Historical Review *A personal meditation on the later imperial history of China by an author who has studied and taught the subject all his life and whose knowledge of it is truly formidable. It is written in a readable, accessible style that attracts the reader’s sustained attention. -- John W. Dardess, University of KansasA major contribution to our present literature on the general historiography of late Imperial China. Not only is it eminently accessible to a wide nonspecialized intellectual public, it also provides a major corrective within the field to some of the tendencies that have dominated the writing of Chinese history. Mote has highly cogent things to say about the nature of what has been called the ‘gentry’ in China and highly relevant questions to raise about the notion of a demographic explosion in eighteenth-century China and examines many of the prevailing abstract conceptions which dominate the field. Yet, he vividly demonstrated how limited our effort has been to explore in depth the vast documentary materials available to us, which are supposed to provide the ‘empirical data’ for our models, paradigms, and structural theories. Mote’s major contribution is his detailed account of the growing complexity of relations between the Chinese state and the surrounding East Asian world during the period 900–1800. -- Benjamin I. Schwartz, Harvard UniversityTable of ContentsPreface Acknowledgments PART ONE: CONQUEST DYNASTIES AND THE NORTHERN SONG, 900-1127 The Five Dynasties Later Imperial China's Place in History The Course of Five Dynasties History The Eastward Shift of the Political Center Simultaneous Developments in the Ten States China and Inner Asia in Geographic and Historical Perspective Abaoji The Khitans and Their Neighbors Ethnic Diversity and Language Community The Lessons of History The New Leader Emerges The Significance of Khitan Acculturation Abaoji Receives Yao Kun, Envoy of the Later Tang Dynasty Building the Liao Empire Succession Issues after Abaoji The Meaning of the Early Liao Succession Crises The Khitan Inner Asian Tribal Empire Liao-Korean Relations Expansion into North China Liao-Song Relations Liao Civilization Multicultural Adaptations Khitan Society Patterns of Acculturation Buddhism in Khitan Life Interpretations of Liao Success Creating the Song Dynasty The Vigor of the Later Zhou and the Founding of the Song On Being the Emperor in Tenth-Century China Governing China The Military Problem The World of Ideas in Northern Song China The Man of the Age: Ouyang Xiu The Course of a Song Dynasty Official Career The Civil Service Examination System The Social Impact of the Song Examination System Political Reform and Political Thought Neo-Confucian Political Thought Dimensions of Northern Song Life High Culture The Example of Su Shi The New Elite and Song High Culture Religion in Song Life Song Society Origins of the Xi Xia State The Tangut People: Names and Ethnic Identities Early History of the Tangut Tribal People The Tanguts Come into the Song Orbit Yuan-hao Proclaims the Xi Xia Dynasty The Xi Xia as an Imperial Dynasty PART TWO: CONQUEST DYNASTIES AND THE SOUTHERN SONG, 1127-1279 The "Wild Jurchens" Erupt into History Aguda's Challenge The End of the Liao Dynasty The Northern Song Falls to the Jurchens Who Were These Jurchens? Explaining the Jurchens' Success The Jurchen State and Its Cultural Policy The Conquerors Turn to Governing The Period of Dual Institutions, 1115-1135 The Era of Centralization, 1135-1161 The Period of Nativist Reaction, 1161-1208 The End of the Jin Dynasty, 1208-1234 The Later Xi Xia State Xi Xia in the Era of the Jin Dynasty, 1115-1227 The Crisis of the "Partition of the State" The Destruction of the Xi Xia State The Tangut Achievement Xia Buddhism Trends of Change under Jin Alien Rule Divisions: North and South, Chinese and Non-Chinese Jurchen Dominance The Impact of the Civil Service Examinations High Culture during the Jin Dynasty Economic Life under the Jin The Southern Song and Chinese Survival A Fleeing PrinceCA New Emperor War versus Peace Patterns of High Politics after the Treaty of 1141 Chinese Civilization and the Song Achievement New Social Factors Elite Lives and Song High Culture Confucian Thinkers Other Kinds of Elite Lives Some Generalizations about the Song Elite Southern Song Life--A Broader View Calculating Song China's Population Governing at the Local Level Paying for Government Status in the Chinese Population Urban and Rural Families, Women, and Children VA Poet's Observations A Mid-Thirteenth-Century Overview The Heritage of the Liao, Xi Xia, and Jin Periods The System of Ritualized Interstate Relations The Growing Scope of International Trade Cultural Interaction PART THREE: CHINA AND THE MONGOL WORLD The Career of the Great Khan Chinggis Backgrounds of Mongol History The Ethnic Geography of Inner Asia in the Late Twelfth Century Mongol Nomadic Economy and Social Life The Mongols Emerge into History The Youth of Temujin Chinggis Khan as Nation Builder Forging the Mongol World Empire, 1206-1259 The Nearer Horizons of Empire, 1206-1217 The First Campaign to the West, 1218-1225 Chinggis Khan, the Man The Second Campaign to the West, 1236-1241 Mongol Adaptations to China under Chinggis and Ogodei Mongke Khan and the Third Campaign to the West Relations among the Four Khanates Khubilai Khan Becomes Emperor of China The Early Life of Khubilai Khubilai and His Chinese Advisers before 1260 As Mongke's Field General in China Maneuvering to Become the Great Khan The Great Khan Khubilai Becomes Emperor of China The Conquest of the Southern Song, 1267-1279 The War against Khaidu Khubilai's Later Years Khubilai Khan's Successors, 1294-1370 China under Mongol Rule Yuan Government Managing Society and Staffing the Government Religions China's People under Mongol Rule The Yuan Cultural Achievement PART FOUR: THE RESTORATION OF NATIVE RULE UNDER THE MING, 1368-1644 From Chaos toward a New Chinese Order Disintegration Competitors for Power Emerge Rival Contenders, 1351-1368 Zhu Yuanzhang, Boy to Young Man Zhu Yuanzhang Builds His Ming Dynasty Learning to Be an Emperor Setting the Pattern of His Dynasty Constructing a Capital and a Government The Enigma of Zhu Yuanzhang Civil War and Usurpation, 1399-1402 The New Era The Thought of Fang Xiaoru: What Might Have Been From Prince to Emperor The "Second Founding" of the Ming Dynasty Ming Chengzu's Imprint on Ming Governing The Eunuch Establishment and the Imperial Bodyguard Defending Throne and State Securing China's Place in the Asian World The New Capital Ming China in the Fifteenth Century Successors to the Yongle Emperor The Mechanics of Government The Grand Canal in Ming Times The Changing World of the Sixteenth Century Emperor Wuzong, 1505-1521 Emperor Shizong's Accession The Rites Controversy Emperor Shizong and Daoism The Emperor Shizong and His Officials Wang Yangming and Sixteenth-Century Confucian Thought Ming China's Borders Border Zones, Zones of Interaction Tension and Peril on the Northern Borders Tibet and the Western Borders The "Soft Border" of the Chinese South The Maritime Borders of Eastern China Late Ming Political Decline, 1567-1627 The Brief Reign of Emperor Muzong, 1567-1572 Zhang Juzheng's Leadership and the Wanli Reign The Wanli Emperor's Successors The Lively Society of the Late Ming The Population of Ming China The Organization of Rural Society Ming Cities, Towns, and Urban People: The Question of Capitalism Late Ming Elite Culture The Course of Ming Failure Launching the Chongzhen Reign: Random Inadequacies, Persistent Hopes The Manchu Invaders The "Roving Bandits" Beijing, Spring 1644 PART FIVE: CHINA AND THE WORLD IN EARLY QING TIMES Alien Rule Returns Beijing: The City Ravaged The Drama at Shanhai Guan, April-May Beijing Becomes the New Qing Capital The Shunzhi Emperor, 1644-1662 The Southern Ming Challenge to Qing Hegemony, 1644-1662 The Manchu Offensive VThe Longwu Regime: Fuzhou, July 1645-October 1646 VMing Loyalist Activity after 1646 The Kangxi Emperor: Coming of Age Difficult Beginnings Rebellion, 1673-1681 The Conquest of Taiwan Ming Loyalism and Intellectual Currents in the Early Qing The Kangxi Reign: The Emperor and His Empire Banner Lands and the Manchu Migration into China Recruitment and the Examination System The Mongols on the Northern Borders Manchu/Qing Power and the Problem of Tibet Court Factions The Succession Crisis The Yongzheng Emperor as Man and Ruler Imperial Style, Political Substance Changing the Machinery of Government Other Governing Measures Military Campaigns and Border Policies Population Growth and Social Conditions Taxation and the Yongzheng Reforms Splendor and Degeneration, 1736-1799 Changing Assessments Hongli Political Measures Cultural Control Measures A Late Flowering of Thought and Learning The Qianlong Emperor's Military Campaigns VChina in the Eighteenth Century China's Legacy in a Changing World The Background of China's International Relations Mutual Recognition Economic Interactions Broadened Horizons of Religion, Philosophy, and Practical Knowledge Diplomatic and Military Threats An Old Civilization in a New World Appendix: Conversion Table, Pinyin to Wade-Giles Notes Bibliography Index

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisIllustrated with stunning color photographs by the world's leading nature photographers, Sea Turtles will inform and inspire readers of all ages everywhere.Trade ReviewIn this comprehensive guide, [Spotila] treats in detail the seven species: green turtles, hawksbills, olive ridleys, Kemp's ridleys, loggerheads, flatbacks, and leatherbacks. Each chapter includes tables of data on where the species is found, population estimates of colonies, and, in some cases, a chronology of conservation efforts... Spotila, fittingly, offers vignettes of conservation projects that provide human interest... Spotila's book is recommended for high school, university, and research-level libraries. Library Journal Such enthusiasm is infectious... The accessible text is beautifully illustrated with numerous color photographs. The lay readers will be captivated. The book's review of what scientists know about these charismatic but woefully endangered creatures is substantial enough to interest biologists and conservationists as well. -- Roger Harris American Scientist 2005 Each species gets a chapter with sumptuous photographs, and short personal profiles pay homage to those spearheading conservation efforts. New Scientist 2005 Sea Turtles is spellbinding, articulate, indispensible and, with its many full-color photos, taken by the world's leading underwater photographers, astonishing. Spirit of Aloha 2005 The author is both a leading authority on sea turtles and a talented writer; his passion for the subject is on every page. Choice 2005 An evocative portrait of the seven species and their valiant fight for survival. Compendium Newsletter 2006 This is a great book. Wildlife Activist 2006 Clearly written and well-illustrated book... provides a helpful primer for nonscientists. -- Larry Evans Charlotte Herald-Tribune 2005 It is this mixture of scientific expertise and outright human awe that makes this book such a treasure... A trove of information, a collection of spectacular photos, and an ode to a creature that somehow, years after its birth, is able to navigate back to the precise beach where it was born to lay its own eggs. Philadelphia Inquirer 2004 Bottom line: This book is worthy of centerpiece placement on any coffee table. But Sea Turtles' loftier goal make it more than just another pretty picture book. -- Mary Beth Regan Baltimore Sun Sea Turtles capitalizes on the depth of James Spotila's experience in field and political environments as well as his evident passion for conservation, [producing] an equally compelling, modern book. Readers of all stripes will be captivated by the outstanding photography and entertained by the stories... A wonderful entree into the exciting world of sea turtles for the uninitiated and a delightful repast for everyone. His eloquent words are inspiring, and his hopeful message deserves to be heard. -- Fredric J. Janzen Science 2005 This lavishly produced book is filled with numerous excellent photographs, as well as beautiful schematics of anatomy and distribution maps. But this is much more than a coffee-table book: it deserves space on the academic's bookshelf. -- Graeme C. Hays Nature 2005 Open this new, beautifully produced book and you'll find yourself hopelessly caught up in the life of sea turtles. Post Register 2006 This is simply a great book: lucid, literate, and lavishly illustrated. -- Tony Tucker Aquatic Mammals 2006 This volume hits the sweet spot between a hard science manual and a mere coffee table book. -- Michael Stachowitsch Marine Ecology 2008 A worldwide study into what is causing the decrease in sea turtles throughout the world. Going beyond just what is causing it, though, [Spotila] carefully explicates why the decline is so important to all living things. Black Sheep Dances 2011Table of ContentsPrefaceChapter 1. Introduction: The Seven SwimmersChapter 2. Life Cycles: From Sand to SeaChapter 3. Biology: Under the ShellChapter 4. History: The Ancient LineageChapter 5. Conservation: An Uncertain FutureChapter 6. Green Turtles: The Grass EatersChapter 7. Hawksbills: The Sponge EatersChapter 8. Olive Ridleys: A Phenomenon of NatureChapter 9. Kemp's Ridleys: The Rarest of AllChapter 10. Loggerheads: A Crushing JawChapter 11. Flatbacks: Australia's TurtleChapter 12. Leatherbacks: The Giant MarinerChapter 13. Conclusion: Dreaming of Eden Sources and Suggested ReadingIndex

Read more less

Book SynopsisFiscal crises have cascaded across much of the developing world with devastating results, from Mexico to Indonesia, Russia and Argentina. The extreme volatility in contemporary economic fortunes seems to mock our best efforts to understand the forces that drive development in the world economy.David Harvey, the single most important geographer writing today and a leading social theorist of our age, offers a comprehensive critique of contemporary capitalism. In this fascinating book, he shows the way forward for just such an understanding, enlarging upon the key themes in his recent work: the development of neoliberalism, the spread of inequalities across the globe, and 'space' as a key theoretical concept.Both a major declaration of a new research programme and a concise introduction to David Harvey's central concerns, this book will be essential reading for scholars and students across the humanities and social sciences.Trade ReviewHarvey is a scholarly radical; his writing is free of journalistic clichés, full of facts and carefully thought-through ideas. -- Richard SennettDavid Harvey provoked a revolution in his field and has inspired a generation of radical intellectuals. -- Naomi Klein, author of No Is Not Enough and This Changes Everything

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn 2006 Abu Dhabi launched an ambitious project to construct the world’s first zero-carbon city: Masdar City. In Spaceship in the Desert Gökçe Günel examines the development and construction of Masdar City''s renewable energy and clean technology infrastructures, providing an illuminating portrait of an international group of engineers, designers, and students who attempted to build a post-oil future in Abu Dhabi. While many of Masdar''s initiatives—such as developing a new energy currency and a driverless rapid transit network—have stalled or not met expectations, Günel analyzes how these initiatives contributed to rendering the future a thinly disguised version of the fossil-fueled present. Spaceship in the Desert tells the story of Masdar, at once a “utopia” sponsored by the Emirati government, and a well-resourced company involving different actors who participated in the project, each with their own agendas andTrade Review"Spaceship in the Desert is the fascinating story of a 'zero-carbon eco-city' that demonstrates the stark difference between vision and reality. . . . Günel’s first-hand reportage is insightful and objective." -- Barry Silverstein * Foreword Reviews *"The book is not only a rich ethnographic description of Masdar in all of its intricacies, but also a larger reflection on how global risks are framed according to the beliefs and situated actions of various interest groups." -- Gerardo del Cerro Santamaría * International Journal of Urban and Regional Research *"The global climate crisis is serious, but Günel shows that our attempts to tackle it are less so. . . . Our contemporary moral mess, from the GCC to Massachusetts, can be seen all too clearly through the pages of Günel’s account." -- Deen Sharp * Public Books *"Günel’s deft ethnographic sensibilities and creatively designed fieldwork further distinguish her contributions to anthropological studies of climate change, governance, knowledge production, infrastructure, materialism, and futurity more broadly. . . . Through fascinating and critical ethnographic descriptions, Günel offers a piercing glimpse into the front-lines of global climate change action." -- Gebhard Keny * Ethnos *"Spaceship in the Desert is a timely contribution to a growing field of anthropological scholarship on energy. . . . This book has the potential to attract readers from across the social sciences, not just within anthropology. The richness of ethnographic detail drawn in connection with the work of key thinkers may satisfy some readers." -- Idalina Baptista * Anthropological Quarterly *"Compelling and thought-provoking. . . . Günel encourages us as academics and as persons to rethink, renegotiate, and recreate our imaginations of the future through climate change technologies that do not preserve the status quo, but rather, alter it in the present." -- Hai Ri (Sophia) Jeon * Anthropology Book Forum *“[Günel’s] brilliant ethnography of Masdar reminds us of the limits of the third pilot of Spaceship Earth—the market.... Günel’s study also shows how the scope of climate change demands administrative bodies beyond corporations and states.” -- Troy Vettese * Viewpoint Magazine *Table of ContentsAcknowledgments vii Introduction. The Soul of Carbon Dioxide 1 Part I. Knowledge 1. Inhabiting the Spaceship 37 2. Beautiful Buildings and Research Contracts 65 Part II. Technology 3. Ergos: A New Energy Currency 101 4. An Expensive Toy 127 Part III. Governance 5. Subsurface Workings 157 Epilogue. The Potential Futures of Abu Dhabi's Masdar 183 Notes 199 References 237 Index 249

Read more less

Book SynopsisNow in its second edition, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for Disaster Management has been completely updated to take account of new developments in the field. Using a hands-on approach grounded in relevant GIS and disaster management theory and practice, this textbook continues the tradition of the benchmark first edition, providing coverage of GIS fundamentals applied to disaster management. Real-life case studies demonstrate GIS concepts and their applicability to the full disaster management cycle. The learning-by-example approach helps readers see how GIS for disaster management operates at local, state, national, and international scales through government, the private sector, non-governmental organizations, and volunteer groups.New in the second edition: a chapter on allied technologies that includes remote sensing, Global Positioning Systems (GPS), indoor navigation, and Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS); thirteen new technTrade Review"I enjoyed the book immensely. The book provides a comprehensive discussion of using geospatial data sets, tools and techniques to address different phases of emergency management along with examples and implementation steps. The book can easily be used in the classroom or as a reference book by both novice professionals and experts." Bandana Kar, R & D Staff in the National Security Sciences Directorate at Oak Ridge National Laboratory "We need spatial information more than ever to help plan for, respond to, and recover from disasters. This book does an outstanding job of laying the foundations and providing the contextual knowledge needed to leverage geospatial data and make maps that matter in crisis situations." Anthony C. Robinson, Department of Geography, Penn State University "Disasters--human and natural--make it painfully clear how relevant the geographic perspective is to our modern world. Dr Tomaszewski's book not only will equip its readers with theoretical foundations and practical skills to apply GIS workflows and tools to such diverse situations as wildfires, floods, and chemical spills, but will make strides in building a workforce that puts "spatial first" in its decision-making." Joseph Kerski, GISP, Esri and University of Denver Table of Contents1. A Survey of GIS for Disaster Management 2. Fundamentals of Geographic Information and Maps 3. Geographic Information Systems 4. Geographic Information Systems and Allied Technologies 5. Disaster Management and Geographic Information Systems 6. Geographic Information Systems and Disaster Planning and Preparedness 7. Geographic Information Systems and Disaster Response 8. Geographic Information Systems and Disaster Recovery 9. Geographic Information Systems and Disaster Mitigation 10. Special Topics, Future Technology, Professional Career Options and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Trends

Read more less

Book SynopsisFrom the author of the bestselling ESCAPING FROM EDEN. Do our world mythologies convey our ancestors' ideas about God? Or are they in reality ancestral memories of extra-terrestrial contact? How do ancient stories of contact, adaptation and abduction relate to people's experiences around the world today? The Scars of Eden will take you around the world to hear first-hand from ancestral voices alongside contemporary experiencers and world-renowned researchers. Recent revelations from US Navy, the Pentagon, and French Intelligence bring the reader right up to date in examining what has been forgotten and remembered, hidden and disclosed. If world mythologies, including the Bible, have confused the idea of God with ancient ET visitations, what difference does it make? How does it impact society today? And why is this cultural taboo so widespread and, for the author, so personal?

Read more less

Book SynopsisClimate scientists, geologists, ecologists, and archaeologists recognize the profound effects of human activity on Earth, though whether and how this should be recognized as a formal geological epoch - the Anthropocene - remains under debate, Erle Ellis describes how the Anthropocene concept is affecting the sciences, humanities, and politics.Trade ReviewIn this Very Short Introduction, Professor Ellis illustrates the issues of establishing a new epoch beautifully and also gives an excellent history of the Anthropocene's development as an idea. * Jonathan Scafidi, Geoscientist *This little book provides a refreshing read ... Every geography teacher would benefit from reading this short introduction, not least for the powerful knowledge it lends for understanding human relations with, and actions on, the environment. * Duncan Hawley, Geography Magazine *[an] excellent, concise and foundational book * Jim Richardson, Eyes on Earth *Ellis provides us with an authoritative introduction to the Anthropocene ... a fascinating and erudite book" * Leslie Sklair, LSE Review of Books *An easy-to understand new release offers a compact introduction to the age of man * Tanja Traxler, Der Standard *Anthropocene: A Very Short Introduction provides an exceptionally well-organized, sufficiently detailed, and encompassing overview of why the Anthropocene should be clearly recognized, in some form, as an unprecedented time in Earth history ... My initial reaction after reading Ellis's contribution was to think about just how enlightened our world would be if everyone would read this book. * John Geissman, Reports of the National Center for Science Education (NCSE) *an interesting, succinct and concerning exposé that explains both the controversy and the science of the Anthropocene. * GrrlScientist for Medium *An excellent in"roduction to this still controversial concept * David Lorimer, Paradigm Explorer *Ellis offers an insightful discussion of our role in shaping the planet, and how this will influence our future on many fronts. * Michael Svoboda, Yale Climate Connections *This is a welcome addition to the Very Short Introductions series and would be a cheap, useful addition as a reference work to anyone concerned as to how we are transforming our world. * Jonathan Cowie, Science Fact & Science Fiction Concatenation *Ellis's slim book does an excellent job of cutting through the complexity [of the topic]. He has produced an impressive overview of the Anthropocene concept as both a scientific and cultural discussion ... Overall the book is fair, comprehensive, and clearly written. * Nicole E. Heller, Environmental History *Table of Contents1: Origins 2: Earth System 3: Geologic Time 4: The Great Acceleration 5: Anthropos 6: Oikos 7: Politikos 8: Prometheus Further Reading Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) has been off-limits to human habitation for nearly seventy years, and in that time, biodiverse forms of life have flourished in and around the DMZ as beneficiaries of an unresolved war. In Making Peace with Nature Eleana J. Kim shows how a closer examination of the DMZ in South Korea reveals that the area’s biodiversity is inseparable from scientific practices and geopolitical, capitalist, and ecological dynamics. Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork with ecologists, scientists, and local residents, Kim focuses on irrigation ponds, migratory bird flyways, and land mines in the South Korean DMZ area, demonstrating how human and nonhuman ecologies interact and transform in spaces defined by war and militarization. In so doing, Kim reframes peace away from a human-oriented political or economic peace and toward a more-than-human, biological peace. Such a peace recognizes the reality of war while pointing to potential forms of human and nonhumaTrade Review"Making Peace with Nature is to be commended for its thoughtful attention to the competing priorities and placemaking of the DMZ region by both human and more-than-human actors. In decentring the human, Kim makes a critical intervention in discourses of peace that instrumentalise the DMZ for political or economic gain. Making Peace with Nature makes a valuable contribution across disciplines and may be of particular interest to scholars and students in Korean studies, Asian studies, cultural anthropology, political science, and the environmental humanities." -- Ivanna Sang Een Yi * Asian Studies Review *"Kim offers an opportunity to think of the ecological ramifications of the closed borders of the last few years. One particularly powerful chapter is her study of undetonated mines along the DMZ from the Korean War." -- Adrian De Leon * Public Books *"Kim’s astute theoretical work … is a refreshing approach to the puzzle of nonhuman agency." -- Caterina Scaramelli * American Ethnologist *"Eleana Kim’s book stands as a thought-provoking contribution to our understanding of the Korean DMZ. ... She presents a compelling case for the future sustainability of the Korean DMZ area and leaves an indelible mark on the discourse surrounding this historic landmark." -- Chae-han Kim * Pacific Affairs *Table of ContentsList of Abbreviations ix The South Korean DMZ Region xi A Note about Romanization and Translation xii Acknowledgments xiii Introduction 1 1. In the Meantime of Division 30 2. Ponds 62 3. Birds 87 4. Landmines 119 Epilogue. De/militarized Ecologies 152 Notes 159 Works Cited 177 Index 191

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe current industrial food system comes at a tremendous economic cost. Dealing with malnutrition, diseases, and environmental degradation costs trillions of dollars, but because that price tag does not show up at the grocery store, it is too often ignored by economists and policymakers. The Economics of Sustainable Food details the true cost of food and illustrates how to transform our broken system, alleviating its severe financial and human burden. The key is smart macroeconomic policy that moves us toward regenerative agriculture and sustainable, healthy diets. The book’s multidisciplinary team of authors lay out detailed fiscal and trade policies, as well as structural reforms, to achieve those goals. Chapters discuss strategies ranging from taxes and spending to education, labour market, health care, and pension reforms, alongside regulation in cases where market incentives are unlikely to work or to work fast enough. The authors carefully consider the different needs of more and less advanced economies, balancing economic development and sustainability goals. Case studies showcase successful strategies from around the world, such as distributing climate resilient grains through subsidised food programmes, taxing foods with a high carbon footprint, and providing schools with matching funds to purchase local produce. In the years ahead, few issues will be more important for individual prosperity and the global economy than the way we produce our food and what food we eat. This roadmap for reform is an invaluable resource to help global policymakers improve countless lives.Table of ContentsPreface, Nicoletta Batini Chapter 1. We Depend on Food, Food Depends on Nature, Nicoletta Batini Part I. Greening Food Supply Chapter 2. Greening Food Supply in Advanced Economies, Nicoletta Batini and Philippe Pointereau Chapter 3. Greening Food Supply in Less-Advanced Economies, Ruth De Fries Chapter 4. Sustainable Farming Trends a. Small and Polyfunctional Farming, John Ikerd, Patty Cantrell, Hanna Wernerson b. Urban and Vertical Farming (Controlled Environment Farming), Dickson Despommier and Charles Knirsch c. Restorative Ocean Farming, Nicoletta Batini, Ayana E. Johnson, Bren Smith d. Alternative Protein Farming, Bruce Friedrich and Stephen Kaufman Part II. Greening Food Demand Chapter 5. Greening Food Demand in Advanced Economies, Nicoletta Batini and Luigi Fontana Chapter 6. Greening Food Demand in Less-Advanced Economies, Divya Mehra, Saskia de Pee, Jessica C. Fanzo, Martin W. Bloem Part III. Greening Food Waste Chapter 7. Eliminating Food Waste, Emilie Cassou, Lucia Patricia Avila Bedregal, Catherine « Simmy » Jain, Dipti Thapa, Geeta Sethi, Xiaoyue Hou, Luis Constantino Part IV. Conserving Land and Sea to Support Food Security Chapter 8. Conserving Land and Forests, Nicoletta Batini Chapter 9. Conserving Oceans, Nicoletta Batini and Rodolfo Werner Chapter 10. Conserving Mammals, Ivon Cuadros and Carlo Rondinini Chapter 11. Conserving Insects, Michael J. Samways, Pedro Cardoso and Charl Deacon Chapter 12. Conclusions Acknowledgments Contributors Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisBears have fascinated people since ancient times. The relationship between bears and humans dates back thousands of years, during which time we have also competed with bears for shelter and food. In modern times, bears have come under pressure through encroachment on their habitats, climate change, and illegal trade in their body parts, including the Asian bear bile market. The IUCN lists six bears as vulnerable or endangered, and even the least concern species, such as the brown bear, are at risk of extirpation in certain countries. The poaching and international trade of these most threatened populations are prohibited, but still ongoing. Covering all bears species worldwide, this beautifully illustrated volume brings together the contributions of 200 international bear experts on the ecology, conservation status, and management of the Ursidae family. It reveals the fascinating long history of interactions between humans and bears and the threats affecting these charismatic species.Trade Review'The quality of the information and the general conciseness of the text make this long overdue book a thoroughly enjoyable read … Bears of the World fills a much needed niche in providing an expert overview of accurate, relevant, up‐to‐date, and highly readable information. As the only complete reference work on this subject, its value is immense for professionals in the field of bear ecology and management, and for interested naturalists and conservationists.' Jean‐Pierre d'Huart, The Journal of Wildlife Management'This is a professional job throughout, including excellent photos, maps, and other illustrations … Highly recommended.' D. A. Lovejoy, CHOICETable of ContentsPart I. Systematic, Ecology and Behaviour: 1. Systematic, evolution and genetic of bears; 2. Mating strategies; 3. Interspecific interactions between brown bears, ungulates and other large carnivores; 4. Adaptations and Competitive Interactions of Tropical Asian Bear Species Define Their Biogeography: Past, Present, and Future; 5. Remarkable adaptations of the American black bear help explain why it is the most common bear: a long-term study from the centre of its range; Part II. Species Accounts: 6. Giant Panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca); 7. Andean Bear (Tremarctos ornatus); 8. Sun Bear (Helarctos malayanus); 9. Sloth Bear (Melursus ursinus); 10. Asiatic Black Bear (Ursus thibetanus); 11. American Black Bear (Ursus americanus); 12. Brown Bear (Ursus arctos; Eurasia); 13. Brown Bear (Ursus arctos; North America); 14. Polar Bear (Ursus maritimus); Part III. Human – Bear Coexistence: 15. Human–Bear Conflicts at the Beginning of the Twenty-First Century: Patterns, Determinants, and Mitigation Measures; 16. Principles of Human–Bear Conflict Management in Challenging Environments; 17. Patterns of bear attacks on humans, factors triggering risky scenarios and how to reduce them; 18. Effects of human disturbance on brown bear behavior; 19. Bears in human-dominated landscapes: The case studies of the Cantabrian, Apennine and Pindos Mountains; Part IV. Conservation and Management: 20. Conservation and management of bears; 21. How is climate change affecting polar bears and giant pandas?; 22. Managing for inter-population connectivity of the world's bear species; 23. Ex-situ conservation of bears: Roles, status and management; 24. The Challenge of Brown Bear Management in Hokkaido, Japan; 25. Potential ecological corridors for remnant Asiatic black bear populations and its subpopulations linked to management units in Japan; 26. Captive bears in Asia: Implications for animal welfare and conservation; 27. Human Dimensions of Asiatic Black Bear Conflicts and Management in Japan; 28. Ecological and social dimensions of sloth bear conservation in Sri Lanka.

Read more less

Book SynopsisFor the past decade, historian Dipesh Chakrabarty has been one of the most influential scholars addressing the meaning of climate change. Climate change, he argues, upends long-standing ideas of history, modernity, and globalization. The burden of The Climate of History in a Planetary Age is to grapple with what this means and to confront humanities scholars with ideas they have been reluctant to reconsiderfrom the changed nature of human agency to a new acceptance of universals. Chakrabarty argues that we must see ourselves from two perspectives at once: the planetary and the global. This distinction is central to Chakrabarty's workthe globe is a human-centric construction, while a planetary perspective intentionally decenters the human. Featuring wide-ranging excursions into historical and philosophical literatures, The Climate of History in a Planetary Age boldly considers how to frame the human condition in troubled times. As we open ourselves to the implications of the AnthropoTrade Review“With his new masterwork, Chakrabarty confirms that he is one of the most creative and philosophically-minded historians writing today. The oppositions he proposes between the global of globalization and the global of global warming, between the world and the planet, between sustainability and habitability are illuminating and effective for thinking and acting through our highly uncertain and disoriented times.” * François Hartog, author of 'Chronos' *“One of the first thinkers to reckon with the concept of the Anthropocene and its relation to humanism and its critics, Chakrabarty forges new territory in his account of the planetary. If globalism was an era of human and market interconnection, the planetary marks the intrusion of geological forces, transforming both the concept of ‘the human’ and its accompanying sense of agency. This is a tour de force of critical thinking that will prove to be a game changer for the humanities.” * Claire Colebrook, Pennsylvania State University *"Historian Dipesh Chakrabarty confronts the ‘planeticide’ by calling for a humanistic and critical approach to the Anthropocene. . . . Ever alert to the holistic and far reaching vision upheld by ‘deep history,’ the Chicago professor re-raises the old question of the human condition in the new framework of the geobiological history of the planet." * Arquitectura Viva *"The Climate of History in a Planetary Age, by Dipesh Chakrabarty, is in my judgment the most compelling and encompassing book by a humanist on the complexities and asymmetries of the Anthropocene to date." * The Contemporary Condition *“For Chakrabarty, ‘global’ does not refer to the entirety of the world, but rather to a particular mode of thought. . . . In critiquing the global, Chakrabarty offers another mode of thinking that can perhaps provide the philosophical grounding for a truly ecological approach. He terms it the ‘planetary.’ Chakrabarty argues the ‘planetary’ is not a unified totality, but rather ‘a dynamic ensemble of relationships.’ While the global mode of thought retains the centrality of the human observer, the planetary mode of thought decentres the human and its apprehension of the world. The human becomes only one node within a much more complex and multivalent system of actors, both human and non-human.” -- Christopher McAteer * Green European Journal *"In The Climate of History in a Planetary Age, University of Chicago historian and theorist Dipesh Chakrabarty provides an expansive, but hardly exhaustive, overview of the Anthropocene, focusing on how historians, in particular, have grappled with the conditions of a world under physical duress. As humans have become a 'geological force' in this new epoch and the earth has itself become an archive, with human behavior imprinted in the fossil record and ice caps, we are at the cusp of a new understanding of the agency of humankind and other terrestrial beings. This 'planetary' understanding can, in turn, offer a new ethical paradigm for inhabiting this afflicted present, and can apply to remote pasts and possible futures. Such, at least, is the hope expressed in Chakrabarty’s book." * The Hedgehog Review *"Immensely clarifying and illuminating. . . . while Chakrabarty frequently invokes research produced by natural scientists, his argument carves out an important space for humanists in interpreting and responding to the consequences of anthropogenic geological agency." * Isis Journal *"This book provides a thought-provoking, complex discussion of how climate change challenges the humanities, history, and the human sense of time but presupposes a command of intellectual history. . . . Overall, Chakrabarty outlines the overlapping of different histories once thought to be distinct. The planet itself, he argues, is a 'humanist category.'" * Choice *"Environmental humanists... tend to treat 'globe' and 'planet' as synonyms; Chakrabarty shows the critical and generative importance of the distinction. Evoking geological time is de rigueur; he shows what it means to dwell with that time without displacing it onto world historical time. Rapturous treatments of multispecies agency abound; he challenges the latent anthropocentrism and even paternalism of some new materialisms." * American Literary History *"The Climate of History in a Planetary Age is a breathtaking book. Chakrabarty challenges us to reimagine the human from a planetary perspective, a deep history—an infinite horizon of human history—in order to come to terms with the climate crisis that human actions have precipitated." * The Book Review India *"Chakrabarty’s approach to the Anthropocene is a rich collage of intellectual influences primarily from India, Europe, Australia and North America. The book is an exemplary illustration that the magnitude and scope of the Anthropocene is not only challenging. For many academics, it is an inviting opportunity to take stock of one’s lessons learnt through research and personal experience. At this stage of the academic debate, the Anthropocene offers plenty of room for thematic manoeuvres. Chakrabarty displays a version of such intellectual playfulness in an overall sense-making attempt." * British Journal for the History of Science *"It's no overstatement to think of this book as having clanged the bell for a new normal in the humanities and social sciences when it comes to telling the story of ourselves, that is, when it comes to human history. Responsible history should today be geological even when recounting the human record. Chakrabarty raised a series of open-ended, difficult questions about a range of core concerns in the humanities and social sciences from how we can understand ourselves and society to how we ought to think about political economy and morality." * Environmental Philosophy *"Our academic engagements with law and development and social sciences more broadly must attempt to make sense of the rifts between the global and the planetary, even if such endeavours transcend and disrupt disciplinary confines and assumptions... The objective should be to displace the ideological supremacy of human species, Euroamerican and universalistic cosmologies, and simultaneously further the plurality of human-nonhuman relations, minority thought and just political action. Chakrabarty's book is one essential step in this direction." * Review of European, Comparative and International Environmental Law *"In contrast to most of the interventions that we can read about the ecological catastrophe, Chakrabarty does not rush to give us solutions, but rather seeks to sharpen the problem... By locating this difficulty at the intersection of the two great critical events of our history, decolonization on the one hand and global warming on the other, and by identifying the problematic node from these two distinct figures of totalization that are globalization and planetarization, Chakrabarty inscribes himself in an original way in a body of contemporary research in which the legacy of the critique of colonization and ecological awareness are mixed... Chakrabarty is an Aufklärer, and in this book as in the previous one, a single question is at work: how to inherit the Enlightenment? How to prolong the cosmopolitical project?" * Critique *"Chakrabarty’s argument about what postcolonial studies has to offer the environmental humanities goes well beyond the established appeals to inequality that constitute climate justice discourse . . . As such, this book comes highly recommended for anyone working in the environmental humanities." * Ecozon@ *"The new book by Dipesh Chakrabarty, The Climate of History in a Planetary Age, is to my mind currently the best available introduction to the new challenges for political thinking in the Anthropocene." * Postcolonial Studies *"The challenge of Anthropocene research is not that it compels determining which view is the singly correct one; the challenge is that almost all views (if not all of them) are to some extent correct. How, then, do we go about addressing these multiple (potentially and partially correct) views? Open the pages of The Climate of History in a Planetary Age and see for yourself." * History and Theory *Table of ContentsIntroduction: Intimations of the PlanetaryPart I: The Globe and the Planet 1 Four Theses 2 Conjoined Histories 3 The Planet: A Humanist CategoryPart II: The Difficulty of Being Modern 4 The Difficulty of Being Modern 5 Planetary Aspirations: Reading a Suicide in India 6 In the Ruins of an Enduring FablePart III: Facing the Planetary 7 Anthropocene Time 8 Toward an Anthropological Clearing Postscript: The Global Reveals the Planetary: A Conversation with Bruno Latour Acknowledgments Notes Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisCreate a healthy, happy home with 100 design ideas to support your physical and mental well-being.Using the latest evidence and research in well-being and Biophilic Design, learn how to transform every space in your home to create a restorative and nurturing environment. Discover the many benefits of connecting to nature, maximising natural light, improving air quality, and the right way to add colour, texture, and pattern to create spaces that improve relaxation, recuperation, social connections, and sleep.Together with the research team at Oliver Heath Design, including sustainability expert Victoria Jackson, psychologist Eden Goode, and designer Jo Baston, Oliver has devised each solution with easy implementation in mind. Whatever your budget and whether you rent or own your property you can use these stylish fun and affordable ideas to make your home a sanctuary.Inside the pages of this home decor book, you''ll discover how to detoxif

Read more less

Book SynopsisFloods, fires, famines, epidemics and disasters of all kinds are on the increase, and as their frequency rises so does the call for greater resilience. But what does that mean? The word is used differently in psychology, ecology, economics and engineering and runs the risk of becoming meaningless jargon. This would be most unfortunate because, if we are to successfully navigate very real and dangerous global trends, it is resilience that needs to be understood and fostered. Finding Resilience is international in scope and unravels how ecosystems, societies and people cope with disturbance and adversity. Written for a general readership and based on the experiences of researchers, the fascinating stories from around the world reveal what resilience is, how it works in different kinds of systems, how it is expressed, and how it can be gained and lost.Table of Contents1: WHAT’S IT ALL ABOUT? 1: Connections in a changing world 2: Another pathway 2: ENCOUNTERING RESILIENCE IN NATURE 3: Living together in ecosystems 4: Ecological choreography 5: Disturbance, change and diversity 3: THE NATURE OF RESILIENCE IN SOCIETY 6: Coping with life 7: Living together in society 8: Weathering crises 4: NATURE, SOCIETY AND RESILIENCE 9: Unintended outcomes 10: Growing pains 5: A WAY FORWARD 11: Changing cultures 12: A resilience pathway

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis book is about how climate science works and why you should absolutely trust some of its conclusions and absolutely distrust others. Climate change raises new, foundational challenges in science. It requires us to question what we know and how we know it. The subject is important for society but the science is young and history tells us that scientists can get things wrong before they get them right. How, then, can we judge what information is reliable and what is open to question? Stainforth goes to the heart of the climate change problem to answer this question. He describes the fundamental characteristics of climate change and shows how they undermine the application of traditional research methods, demanding new approaches to both scientific and societal questions. He argues for a rethinking of how we go about the study of climate change in the physical sciences, the social sciences, economics, and policy. The subject requires nothing less than a restructuring of academic reseaTrade ReviewClimate is, in some respects, highly predictable; yet, in other respects, highly unpredictable. But there is no contradiction. The resolution of this seeming paradox in Predicting Our Climate Future leads in turn to a vision for how humankind must respond to this most important problem of all time. * George Akerlof, Nobel Laureate in Economics, 2001 *A profound yet very accessible guide to climate science, highlighting the significant uncertainties without apology. This book explains clearly why doubt creates a greater and more urgent need to act now to build a better future. * Trevor Maynard, Executive Director of Systemic Risks, Cambridge Centre for Risk Studies *The immense complexity of the climate system raises deep questions about what science can usefully say about the future. David Stainforth navigates philosophical and mathematical questions that could hardly be of greater practical importance. He questions what it is reasonable to ask of climate scientists and his conclusions challenge the way in which science should be conducted in the future. * Jim Hall, Professor of Climate and Environmental Risk, University of Oxford *Is the science settled? Are climate models rubbish? Stainforth's book serves up nuanced answers to big questions in climate science, in an easy conversational style. * Cameron Hepburn, Professor of Environmental Economics, University of Oxford *A thoughtful exploration of the foundations and limitations of climate prediction that explains how its chaotic and probabilistic nature lead to deep uncertainty when assessing climate risk. * Ramalingam Saravanan, Professor of Atmospheric Sciences, Texas A&M University *Predicting Our Climate Future is an erudite and very personal reflection on climate change, the state of climate science, and their implications for the decisions society needs to take. It should be top of the reading list for scientists, practitioners and anyone who wants to truly comprehend the challenge of climate prediction. * Simon Dietz, Professor of Environmental Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science *A provocative contribution to the literature of climate change. * Kirkus *Predicting Our Climate Future is an ambitious exploration of a critical topic. It is a recommended read for climate scientists, especially those trying to model the future, for the researchers-in many disciplines-that are focused on understanding and forecasting the physical and human impacts of the coming climate changes, and for policy makers engaged in climate issues. * Steven Earle, New York Journal of Books *Intelligent, accessible, well reasoned and working very hard to get it's teeth into a complex but vitally important issue. * Irish Tech News *Fascinating...[there is a] a refreshing honesty [in Stainforth's writing] about the limitations we have with certain kinds of prediction. * Brian Clegg, Popular Science *Stainforth is good at explaining the complexities [of climate modelling], leavening the highly technical bits with ... lots of relatable real-world analogies. * Geordie Torr, The Geographical *Table of ContentsSection 1 Chapter 1: The obvious and the obscure Chapter 2: A problem of prediction Chapter 3: Going beyond what we've seen Chapter 4: The one-shot bet. Chapter 5: From chaos to pandemonium Chapter 6: The curse of bigger and better computers Chapter 7: Talking at cross purposes Chapter 8: Not just of academic interest Section 2 Challenge 1: How to balance justified arrogance with essential humility. Chapter 9 - Stepping up to the task of prediction Chapter 10 The Times They Are A Changin' Chapter 11 Starting from scratch Chapter 12 Are scientists being asked to answer impossible questions? Challenge 2: Tying down what we mean by climate and climate change. Chapter 13 The essence of climate Chapter 14 A Walk in Three Dimensions Chapter 15 A walk in three dimensions over a two dimensional sea Challenge 3: When is a study with a climate model a study of climate change? Chapter 16 Climate change in climate models Challenge 4: How can we measure what climate is now and how it has changed? Chapter 17 Measuring climate change Challenge 5: How can we relate what happens in a model to what will happen in reality? Chapter 18 - Can climate models be realistic? Chapter 19 More models, better information? Chapter 20 How bad is too bad? Challenge 6: How can we use today's climate science well? Chapter 21 - What we do with what we've got Challenge 7: Getting a grip on the scale of future changes in climate? Chapter 22 - Stuff of the Genesis myth Chapter 23 Things ... can only get hotter Challenge 8: How can we use the information we have, or could have, to design a future that is better than it would otherwise be? Chapter 24 - Making it personal Chapter 25 - Where physics and economics meet. Challenge 9: How can we build physical and social science that is up to the task of informing society about what matters for society? Chapter 26 - Controlling factors. Chapter 27 - Beyond comprehension? No, just new challenges for human intellect.

Read more less

Book SynopsisPlant remains can preserve a critical part of history of life on Earth. While telling the fascinating evolutionary story of plants and vegetation across the last 500 million years, this book also crucially offers non-specialists a practical guide to studying, dealing with and interpreting plant fossils. It shows how various techniques can be used to reveal the secrets of plant fossils and how to identify common types, such as compressions and impressions. Incorporating the concepts of evolutionary floras, this second edition includes revised data on all main plant groups, the latest approaches to naming plant fossils using fossil-taxa and techniques such as tomography. With extensive illustrations of plant fossils and living plants, the book encourages readers to think of fossils as once-living organisms. It is written for students on introductory or intermediate courses in palaeobotany, palaeontology, plant evolutionary biology and plant science, and for amateurs interested in studyinTrade Review'… affording quick access to the world of fossil plants to any interested reader. Their direct approach is refreshing, making the book eminently useful for the basic identification of fossil plants, in some cases down to species-level determinations … Undergraduate students willing to read this book will quickly gain a core understanding of an important subject that is rarely included in today's college curriculum.' P. K. Strother, Choice'This edition is great for everyone interested in fossils, plants, and (specially) fossil plants, being especially useful for those starting to study plant evolution and paleobotany. It may also be of interest for everyone who ever found a piece of petrified wood and wanted to learn more about it, and about all of the wonderful and strange plants that inhabited the earth a long time ago.' Andrés Elgorriaga, Plant Science BulletinTable of Contents1. Introduction; 2. Highlights of palaeobotanical study; 3. Studying plant fossils; 4. Early land plants; 5. Lycophytes; 6. Sphenophytes; 7. Ferns; 8. Early gymnosperms; 9. Modern gymnosperms; 10. Angiosperms; 11. The history of land vegetation.

Read more less

Book SynopsisHistory is not a prerogative of the human species, Edward O. Wilson declares in Half-Earth. Demonstrating that we blindly ignore the histories of millions of other species, Wilson warns us that a point of no return is imminent. Refusing to believe that our extinction is predetermined, Wilson has written Half-Earth as a cri de coeur, proposing that the only solution to our impending “Sixth Extinction” is to increase the area of natural reserves to half the surface of the earth. Half-Earth is a resounding conclusion to the best-selling trilogy begun by the “splendid” (Financial Times) The Social Conquest of Earth (ISBN 978 0 87140 363 6) and “engaging and highly readable” (Times Higher Education) The Meaning of Human Existence (ISBN 978 0 87140 100 7).Trade Review"...the conclusion to [Edward O. Wilson's] best-selling trilogy..." -- BBC Wildlife"Listen up: it could literally mean the world to us." -- Karen Shook, New and noteworthy - Times Higher Education"As an outline of our terrible ecological plight, it [Half-Earth] does a first-class job. Wilson is, if nothing else, a gifted wordsmith and Half-Earth is a much-needed antidote to the views of those who assert that our worldly woes are exaggerated and that everything is tickety-boo in the Garden of Eden." -- The Observer"... in his new, important work Half-Earth... Wilson's gauntlet has been thrown: let the revolution begin." -- Geographical

Read more less

Book SynopsisWINNER: Boardman Tasker Prize for Mountain Literature 1997Paul Pritchard's Deep Play is a unique, stylish and timeless commentary reflecting the pressures and rewards of climbing some of the world's hardest and most challenging rock climbs.Pritchard started climbing in Lancashire before moving to join the vibrant Llanberis scene of the mid-1980s, at a time when the adventurous development of the Dinorwig slate quarries was in full swing. Many of the new slate routes were notable for their fierce technical difficulty and sparse protection, and Pritchard took a full part in this arcane sub-culture of climbing and at the same time deployed his skills on the Anglesey sea cliffs to produce a clutch of equally demanding wall climbs.Born with an adventurous soul, it was not long before Pritchard and his friends were planning exotic trips. In 1987, paired with Johnny Dawes, Pritchard made an epoch-making visit to Scotland's Sron Ulladale to free its famous aid route, The Scoop. Pritchard and Dawes, with no previous high altitude experience, then attempted the Catalan Pillar of Bhagirathi III in the Garhwal Himalaya in India, a precocious first expedition prematurely curtailed when Pritchard was hit by stonefall at the foot of the face. In 1992, Pritchard and Noel Craine teamed up with the alpinists Sean Smith and Simon Yates to climb a big wall route on the East Face of the Central Tower of Paine, Patagonia. Pritchard followed this with an equally fine first ascent of the West Face of Mount Asgard on Baffin Island.Other trips – to Yosemite, Pakistan and Nepal as well as returns to Patagonia – resulted in a clutch of notable repeats, first ascents and some failures. The failure list also included two life-threatening falls (one on Gogarth, the other on Creag Meaghaidh), which prompted the author into thought-provoking personal re-assessments, in advance of his later near-terminal accident on The Totem Pole in Tasmania.A penetrating view of the adventures and preoccupations of a contemporary player, Deep Play stands alone as a unique first-hand account of what many consider to be the last great era in British climbing.Trade Review"It is a remarkable book. It is a love letter to the mountain, an obituary for lost friends, a Joycean study of a community. Most of all, in its roughshod description of thrills and achievement, adventure and comradeship ... it's an explanation of a way of life." (Sabine Durrant, The Guardian.) "Not since The Hard Years has the social background of a leading protagonist been so effectively drawn. Touching on themes of economic deprivation, failing education standards and the brutish myopia that affected Britain, but especially England, in the 1980s, Pritchard illustrates how climbing was, at least then, a rare way to escape from monochrome to glorious Technicolor." (Ed Douglas, Climber Magazine.) "It is bold, experimental, innovative in its narrative and descriptive material in a way which is entirely in keeping with the spirit of the prize." (Peter Gillman, Boardman Tasker Prize Chair of Judges.)Table of ContentsContents AcknowledgementsForeword by John Middendorf Preface to the 2012 Edition Introduction – Playing the System CrackFire-Starter Rubble Merchants, Slateheads and Others Lost in the Broccoli Garden A Piece of Driftwood On the Big Stone Bhagirathi Diary Outside the AsylumCentral Tower of Paine: El Regalo de Mwono Paine North Tower: El Caballo de Diablo Just Passing Through The Doctor and the Witch A Game One Climber Played AdriftHyperborea A Survivor’s Affair Making Castles in the Sand Deep PlayersOn the Shark’s Fin with Philip Lloyd Accidental Hero – Silvo Karo A Lesson in Healing from Andy Parkin Author’s Glossary Notes about the Essays

Read more less

Book SynopsisA completely revised and updated edition of the leading mammalogy textbook, featuring color photographs throughout and a new streamlined structure for enhanced use in courses. There are more than 6,400 species in the class Mammalia, including the blue whalethe largest animal that has ever livedand the pygmy shrew, which weighs little more than a dime. Such diversity among mammals has allowed them to play critical roles in every ecosystem, whether marine, freshwater, alpine, tundra, forest, or desert. Reflecting the expertise and perspective of five leading mammalogists, the fifth edition of Mammalogy: Adaptation, Diversity, Ecology significantly updates taxonomy, adds a new introductory chapter on the science of mammalogy, and highlights several recently described species. To enhance its appeal to students, textual material has been reduced, consolidated, and streamlined without sacrificing breadth or depth of coverage. The fifth edition includes for the first time, stunning color phTable of ContentsPrefacePART 1. IntroductionChapter 1 The Science of MammalogyChapter 2 Methods for Studying MammalsChapter 3 Phylogeny and Diversification of MammalsChapter 4 Evolution and Dental CharacteristicsChapter 5 BiogeographyPART 2. Structure and FunctionChapter 6 Integument, Support, and MovementChapter 7 Modes of FeedingChapter 8 Environmental AdaptationsChapter 9 ReproductionPART 3. Adaptive Radiation and DiversityChapter 10 Orders: Monotremata and MarsupialsChapter 11 Orders: Macroscelidea, Afrosoricida, Tubulidentata Chapter 12 Orders: Proboscidea, Hyracoidea, SireniaChapter 13 Orders: Pilosa and CingulataChapter 14 Orders: Scandentia and DermopteraChapter 15 Order: PrimatesChapter 16 Orders: Rodentia and LagomorphaChapter 17 Order: EulipotyphlaChapter 18 Orders: Carnivora and PholidotaChapter 19 Orders: Perissodactyla and CetartiodactylaChapter 20 Infraorder: CetaceaChapter 21 Order: ChiropteraPART 4. Behavior and EcologyChapter 22 Sexual Selection, Parental Care, and Mating SystemsChapter 23 Social Behavior and CommunicationChapter 24 Movement Patterns and Spatial RelationshipsChapter 25 Populations and Life HistoryChapter 26 Community EcologyPART 5. Special TopicsChapter 27 Parasites and Zoonotic DiseasesChapter 28 ConservationGlossaryReferencesCreditsIndex

Read more less

Book SynopsisNo single project or endeavour is immune to the issues that the climate crisis brings. The climate crisis encompasses a broad register of symptoms â increased global temperatures and sea-level rise, droughts and extreme bushfire events, salinification and desertification of fertile land, and the list goes on. It reveals and amplifies complex causal relationships that are inherently present and traverse scales, sectors and communities divulging a range of impacts and inequalities. This publication asks designers and academic practitioners to describe their own work through an ecological lens, and then to articulate design approaches for developing new practices in landscape architecture teaching.Designing Landscape Architectural Education: Studio Ecologies for Unpredictable Futures, the Landscape Architecture Design Studio Companion, serves as a resource for academic practitioners in the preparation and delivery of design-research studios and students seeking guidanceTrade Review"Where has this collection been? The provocative voices gathered here offer both comprehensive and timely strategies for landscape architectural education yet to be presented together.Expansive yet precise, the authors—who represent a variety of disciplines and fields— deftly entangle intellectual frameworks with innovative studio pedagogies that engage the challenges and opportunities of the climate crisis. This body of design studio research will surely catalyze new modes of action by both academics and professionals that focus on making a just and healthy world, not simply saving it."Julia Czerniak, Professor of Architecture, Syracuse University; Creative Director, CLEAR RLA ASLA"This book is a milestone in the world of landscape architecture education. Our planet is experiencing rapid change, and scant lessons can actually be gleaned from history at this stage. The question is rather how to direct studio teaching towards the unknown in a decisive and proactive way. With a broad array of experts in ecology, plant physiology, materials, sensing and digital processes, this reader offers design solace in an unforeseeable age."Christophe Girot, Professor of Landscape Architecture, ETH Univeristy Zurich"At this fluid moment when we are contemplating the future of education in landscape architecture, this collection provides a rich and provocative field of approaches on which to draw. While apparently anachronistic in the 21st Century research university, studios are represented in their flexible ability to address complex issues across geography and society. We need this collective reflection to shore up our commitment to the studio form as well as to explore tomorrow’s problems."Professor Elizabeth Mossop, Dean, Faculty of Design Architecture and Building, University of Technology Sydney"This rigorously organized yet wonderfully diverse book is a resource for academic practitioners in creating new design studio pedagogies to address the symptoms and systems of the climate crisis and an unpredictable future. For students, it reveals insight into potential learning tools and methodologies. Thirty-three contributions are organized around five ‘threads’ of inquiry, which build an ethical momentum underpinned by new values."Alex Wall, Design Critic in Landscape Architecture, Graduate School of Design, Harvard UniversityTable of ContentsForewordCharles WaldheimPrefaceRosalea Monacella and Bridget KeaneStudio EcologiesRosalea Monacella and Bridget KeanePart 1: Material Ecologies1. The Anthropocene Chamber: A Pedagogic Experiment in Climate Change CommunicationRania Ghosn2. Think Like a River: Designing from the Riparian ZoneJane Mah Hutton3. Edible EcologiesZaneta Hong4. Conversation with FormafantasmaRosalea Monacella, Bridget Keane and Simone Farresin5. Shifting Grounds / Curating Creative Instabilities in Design Studio PedagogyChris Reed6. Climate Core: A Roadmap for Climate Education in the Built EnvironmentJesse M. KeenanPart 2: Generative Lineages7. Hope in Restless PedagogyRosetta Elkin8. A Conversation about LanguageTeresa Gali Izard, Luke Harris, Cara Turett, and Bonnie Kate Walker9. Conversation with Nina-Marie ListerRosalea Monacella, Bridget Keane and Nina-Marie Lister10. Experimental studio ecologies: A productive throwntogethernessEd Wall & Alexis Liu11. Adapting practice for the future of landscape-driven urban designAnya Domlesky12. Frames and fictions: Designing a Green New Deal studio sequenceBilly Fleming13. Conversation with Kate OrffRosalea Monacella, Bridget Keane and Kate OrffPart 3: Processes of Fieldwork14. Tales from the Dark Side of the City.Unknown Fields (Kate Davies & Liam Young)15. Climate Inquiries from Arctic FieldworkLeena Cho16. Conversation with Peter Del TrediciRosalea Monacella, Bridget Keane and Peter Del Tredici17. Framing futures: Worldbuilding in landscape studios. Marc Miller18. Finding Landscape through Curiosity. Sean Burkholder19. In situ/ex situ: Geometries of density and spectraJames MelsomPart 4: Sensing Landscapes20. Computing with nature: Digital design methodologies across scales. Pia Fricker21. Envisioning the planetary: Design agency in the climate crisisClara Oloriz Sanjuan & Jose Alfredo Ramírez 22. A Sensed Landscape. Craig Douglas 23. Conversation with Bradley Cantrell.Rosalea Monacella, Bridget Keane and Bradley Cantrell24. Architecture of Ecological Attunement: Environment Form and FeedbackDana Cupkova25. From Grain to the TerritoryAna Abram & Maj Plamenitas26. Longitudinal LandscapesJustine HolzmanPart 5: Expanded Ecologies27. Asymmetries and urbanization Elisa Cristiana Cattaneo28. The Territory as a subjectPaola Viganò29. Relational Urbanism: Expanded ecologies for a capital earth system. Enriqueta Llabres-Valls, Sheng-Yang Huang & Zach Fluker30. Conversation with Jennifer Deger.Rosalea Monacella, Bridget Keane and Jennifer Deger31. Attune and entangle: Designing multispecies relations for the sixth extinctionMichael Ezban32. Ecology and two thesis lab cases. Roberto Pasini 33. From "Gutter to Gulf" to the ’Glades: A Decade of Urban Landscape Climate Resilience Studios at the University of Toronto 2008–2018Fadi Masoud, Elise Shelley and Jane WolffConclusion: Tending Towards a Matter of (Ethics of Ground)Rosalea Monacella and Bridget Keane

Read more less

Book SynopsisNow in full color, the sixth edition of this leading text features new chapters on remote sensing platforms (including the latest satellite and unmanned aerial systems), agriculture (including agricultural analysis via satellite imagery), and forestry (including fuel type mapping and fire monitoring). The book has introduced tens of thousands of students to the fundamentals of collecting, analyzing, and interpreting remotely sensed images. It presents cutting-edge tools and practical applications to land and water use analysis, natural resource management, climate change adaptation, and more. Each concise chapter is designed as an independent unit that instructors can use in any sequence. Pedagogical features include over 400 figures, chapter-opening lists of topics, case studies, end-of-chapter review questions, and links to recommended online videos and tutorials. New to This Edition *Discussions of Landsat 8 and Sentinel-2; the growth of unmanned aerial systemsTrade Review"This outstanding text provides a clear and comprehensive introduction to the fundamentals of a rapidly developing, interdisciplinary field. The book has helped prepare a generation of remote sensing scientists, and remains relevant and important today. The sixth edition's discussions of unmanned aerial systems and small satellites are timely; this edition also has a greater emphasis on digital imagery and its processing. Suitable for undergraduate and graduate students, the text contains sufficient content for one or more remote sensing courses. It has a focus on land remote sensing and develops natural, urban, ecological, hydrological, and other land-cover/land-use applications very well."--J. B. Sharma, PhD, Professor Emeritus and Eminent Scholar, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of North Georgia "I have found prior editions to cover all the topics I want my students to learn in Introductory Remote Sensing. In the sixth edition, the updated chapter on land observation satellites provides a nice overview of optical systems currently in operation, as well as history of the longer programs. The section on satellite systems in Chapter 3 provides some good background on the parts of satellites and their characteristics like orbit, footprints, and constellations. Other updates include a shorter chapter on the history of remote sensing, a new chapter on forestry, and some reorganization of the chapters. I look forward to adopting the sixth edition!"--Mary C. Henry, PhD, Department of Geography, Miami University "Introduction to Remote Sensing has an excellent reputation as one of the preeminent textbooks for undergraduate courses in remote sensing and image processing. As a university instructor, I first used this text in 1996. Twenty-five years later, the sixth edition has evolved to keep pace with a highly technical discipline. The book captures how the field has changed in terms of remote sensing technologies, image processing techniques, and software packages. We are entering an era where new sensing technologies and publicly available high-resolution satellite data are readily accessible and available for short- and long-term studies; the opportunities provided by these changes are described in detail in the sixth edition. I thank the authors for their diligence in providing up-to-date information in this dynamic area. Congratulations!"--Paul Treitz, PhD, Department of Geography and Planning, Queen’s University, Ontario, Canada "The sixth edition of this classic text covers the fundamental principles of remote sensing as well as applications. A particular strength of the text is its coverage of the historical development of the field, from the first aerial photographs and Landsat satellites to today's small satellites, unmanned aircraft, and mobile sensors. The development of new sensor technologies, such as different types of lidar, is well described. Each chapter ends with lists of learning resources on the Internet, review questions, and references. I recommend this sixth edition as both a core text for undergraduate and graduate courses and a useful reference for remote sensing professionals."--Håkan Olsson, PhD, Professor Emeritus of Forest Remote Sensing, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences-An outstanding guide….This book is an excellent text for an introductory remote sensing course. It is also an appropriate addition to anyone's library who is trying hard to keep up with all the changes in the remote sensing technology. This book has a valued place on my bookshelf. (on the fifth edition)--Photogrammetric Engineering and Remote Sensing, 06/01/2012ƒƒThe text provides comprehensive coverage of principal topics and serves as a framework for organizing the vast amount of remote sensing information available on the web. Featuring case studies and review questions, the book's chapters are carefully designed as independent units that instructors can select from as needed for their courses. (on the fifth edition)--Lunar and Planetary Information Bulletin, 12/01/2011Table of ContentsI. Foundations 1. Introducing Remote Sensing Basics 2. Electromagnetic Radiation 3. Remote Sensing Platforms II. Image Acquisition 4. Digital Mapping Cameras 5. Digital Imagery 6. Image Interpretation 7. Land Observation Satellites 8. Active Microwave 9. Lidar 10. Thermal Imagery III. Analysis 11. Statistics and Preprocessing 12. Image Classification 13. Accuracy Assessment 14. Hyperspectral Remote Sensing 15. Change Detection IV. Applications 16. Plant Science Fundamentals 17. Agricultural Remote Sensing 18. Forestry 19. Earth Sciences 20. Coastal Processes and Landforms 21. Land Use and Land Cover Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisConfronting harsh ecological realities and the multiple cascading crises facing our world today, An Inconvenient Apocalypse argues that humanity's future will be defined not by expansion but by contraction.For decades, our world has understood that we are on the brink of an apocalypseand yet the only implemented solutions have been small and convenient, feel-good initiatives that avoid unpleasant truths about the root causes of our impending disaster. Wes Jackson and Robert Jensen argue that we must reconsider the origins of the consumption crisis and the challenges we face in creating a survivable future. Longstanding assumptions about economic growth and technological progressthe dream of a future of endless bountyare no longer tenable. The climate crisis has already progressed beyond simple or nondisruptive solutions. The end result will be apocalyptic; the only question now is how bad it will be.Jackson and Jensen examine how geographic determinism shTrade Review“An Inconvenient Apocalypse pulls no punches. Wes Jackson and Robert Jensen, in this work of Anthropocenic soul-searching, offer an honest, accessible, and ruefully playful look at their own lives and at the predicament of human civilization during this century of upheaval and denial.” —Scott Slovic, co-editor of Ecoambiguity, Community, and Development“The problematic human/earth relationship will not be resolved anytime soon, and Jackson and Jensen’s book makes an important contribution to assessing our situation and envisioning a way forward. Anyone who has a nagging feeling that something is wrong and doesn’t understand the breadth and depth of the problem or how to grapple with it should read this book.” —Lisi Krall, author of Proving Up"While making no religious claims, Jackson and Jensen engage the core questions that religious people must ask, if their own witness is to be credible: Who are we, and where are we in history? Do we have the capacity to make drastic change for the sake of a decent human future? Can we live with humility and grace instead of arrogance and an infatuation with knowledge devoid of wisdom? Read and consider." —Ellen F. Davis, author of Scripture, Culture, and Agriculture"With intrepid honesty, tenderness, and grace, Jackson and Jensen lay out a clear framework for making sense of the most elusive complexities of climate crisis. Through kindred reflections and incisive analysis, they boldly enlighten readers of the probable and the possible in the decades to come. An affirmation and solace for the weary. A beacon for those seeking courage and understanding in unsettling times." —Selina Gallo-Cruz, author of Political Invisibility and Mobilization"The nature of all living organisms, so this book argues, is to go after 'dense energy,' resulting eventually in crisis. If that is so, then the human organism is facing a tough question: Can we overcome our own nature? Courageous and humble, bold and provocative, the authors of An Inconvenient Apocalypse do not settle for superficial answers." —Donald Worster, author of Shrinking the Earth"This is one of the most important books of our lifetime. An Inconvenient Apocalypse can help us face the difficult choices that confront us all and enable us to acknowledge the urgency of our current circumstance." —Frederick L. Kirschenmann, author of Cultivating an Ecological Conscience"Wes Jackson and Bob Jensen have written Common Sense for our time. This book might be the spark that catalyzes the American Evolution." —Peter Buffett, co-president of the NoVo Foundation“In this essential contribution to the public debate, Wes Jackson and Robert Jensen critique the capitalist forces accelerating the climate crisis and the intellectual-activists who have balked at calling for the radical changes in human behavior that could mitigate, if not prevent, environmental and societal collapse. Their contribution will prove as enduring as it is timely.” —Jason Brownlee, author of Authoritarianism in an Age of Democratization“If you’re already concerned about our species’ survival prospects, this book will take you to the next level of understanding. Jackson and Jensen are clear and deeply moral thinkers, and their assessment of humanity’s precarious status deserves to be widely read.” —Richard Heinberg, author of Power"Jackson and Jensen take a hard look at the near future as climate change intensifies and predict looming crises will lead to human suffering and radical changes. . . . [The authors] cut through pervasive denial about humanity's destiny in a more hostile environment. As in an effective seminar, they posit a situation and then raise questions that will resonate with readers." —Library Journal"Harrowing and accessible, this is just the thing for readers interested in a sociological or philosophical examination of the climate crisis." —Publishers Weekly"A hard-hitting philosophical reckoning with climate breakdowns, and with the social collapses that they may entail. ... Climate disasters may render hope for the future tenuous, but the philosophical book An Inconvenient Apocalypse asserts that working toward social justice is still purpose-giving." —Foreword Reviews (starred review)"The goal of An Inconvenient Apocalypse isn’t to try to convince people of the reality of humankind’s environmental and societal crises. . . . Instead the book takes these threats as a starting point and spends the majority of its lean page count exploring their implications and how we might best respond to them. It succeeds commendably in this regard." —Resilience"In An Inconvenient Apocalypse, authors Wes Jackson and Robert Jensen style themselves as heralds of some very bad news: societal collapse on a global scale is inevitable, and those who manage to survive the mass death and crumbling of the world as we know it will have to live in drastically transformed circumstances. . . . The current way of things is doomed, and it’s up to us to prepare as best we can to ensure as soft a landing as possible when the inevitable apocalypse arrives." —The Guardian"Global warming is headed in a calamitous direction. Even if humans can limit the increase in the Earth’s temperature, other factors are pushing us to an apocalypse. . . . This a sobering examination of current trends in human behavior and likely existential consequences." —Intelligencer: Journal of U.S. Intelligence Studies"We are in the midst of a major environmental catastrophe for which we are little prepared, but for which action is desperately needed. An Inconvenient Apocalypse seeks to engage this problem with a deep concern for social justice, equality, and reverence for us and the planet that we have so deeply scarred." —New York Journal of Books"Unlike many works in the eco-catastrophe genre, An Inconvenient Apocalypse isn’t strident, angry, or panicked about the impending collapse. It’s more of an elegy for a dying civilization, which takes a pragmatic but soft-spoken approach to the problems we face; so soft-spoken that it’s a slight shock when we realize what the authors are saying." —Medium"An Inconvenient Apocalypse is one powerful book. It will move many of its readers out of the past and into a reasonable, informed, and passionate space for assessing a difficult future." —Ecological Economics"Read this personal manifesto of wisdom and passion for our suffering planet, a very important, timely, and riveting book." —CounterPunch"Few books can shake up and awaken long-time climate activists, environmental activists, and sustainability activists to expansive new levels of understanding of the big picture of our major crises, but this is one of those books." —Job One for Humanity Climate Blog“Right now, the questions posed by Jackson and Jensen carry more potency than the answers we are being led to believe will resolve the predicaments we are in. That is because we have been asking the wrong questions. Jackson and Jensen ask new, and inconvenient, questions. Get the book and start asking the same questions.” —Rainbow Juice“The authors seek to redefine what hope can be, as the day-to-day expectations of most of us are off the table... Compulsory reading.” —Hastings Independent Press"If we are to see a better future realized, not only do we need to rethink our individual patterns of behavior, but we must also resist cultural formations that reduce our humanity to marketplace identities. . . . If we decide this is who we are, our future may still be bright, even if it is not convenient." —The Christian CenturyTable of ContentsIntroductions: Who are we? 1. Who is “we”? 2. Four hard questions: Size, scale, scope, speed 3. We are all apocalyptic now 4. Saving remnant 5. Ecospheric grace Conclusions: The sum of all hopes and fears

Read more less

Book SynopsisHuman life, and how we came to be, is one of the greatest scientific and philosophical questions of our time. This compact and accessible book presents a modern view of human evolution. Written by a leading authority, it lucidly and engagingly explains not only the evolutionary process, but the technologies currently used to unravel the evolutionary past and emergence of Homo sapiens. By separating the history of palaeoanthropology from current interpretation of the human fossil record, it lays numerous misconceptions to rest, and demonstrates that human evolution has been far from the linear struggle from primitiveness to perfection that we''ve been led to believe. It also presents a coherent scenario for how Homo sapiens contrived to cross a formidable cognitive barrier to become an extraordinary and unprecedented thinking creature. Elegantly illustrated, Understanding Human Evolution is for anyone interested in the complex and tangled story of how we came to be.Trade Review'For years, Ian Tattersall has been the go-to source for the latest facts and interpretations of human evolution. Here, in his clear, pithy style, he brings us up to date on the latest discoveries, weaving them skillfully into a coherent outline of hominid history extending back millions of years. It's all here-from the latest on DNA and radiometric dating of fossils, to the nature and origin of the still-mysterious self-consciousness that is unique to modern humans. A terrific resource and wonderful read!' Niles Eldredge, Curator Emeritus in the Division of Paleontology, American Museum of Natural History, USA'Ian Tattersall provides in this short and engaging book the story of how humans evolved, and, as importantly, how we have come to learn about our evolutionary history and the nature of being human through great discoveries and great scientific debates.' Robert Foley, Leverhulme Professor of Human Evolution, University of Cambridge, UK'Understanding Human Evolution provides a sweeping overview of the field of human evolution, giving equal attention to the history of the discipline as well as current thoughts and ideas about our attainment of the milestones of human evolution-upright posture and bipedal locomotion, the evolution of tool use, the expansion of the brain and human cognition, the development of language, and the spread of humans out of Africa around the globe. All of this is presented in a concise and accessible package by one of the most well-known popularizers of the field today. This is an excellent resource for anyone looking for an introduction to the fossil evidence for human evolution, as well as those who want to catch up on the current state of knowledge in this fast-moving discipline.' Leslie C. Aiello, FBA, Professor Emerita, University College London, UK'An enjoyable, highly informative, and scholarly read. Tattersall is at his best here. Engaging the reader with his inimitable style, he interprets and explains the convoluted evidence for how we became human. Written largely for the non-specialist, there is much here that will inform and even stimulate professional paleoanthropologists.' Donald Johanson, Founding Director of the Institute of Human Origins at Arizona State University, USATable of Contents1. Evolution; 2. Technology: dating, diets, and development; 3. Discovery and interpretation of the human fossil record: the early days; 4. Discovery and interpretation of the human fossil record: more recent developments; 5. Early bipeds; 6. The muddle in the middle; 7. Homo heidelbergensis and the Neanderthals; 8. The emergence and spread of Homo sapiens.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisClimate destruction is a problem of political power.We have the resources for a green transition, but how can we neutralize the influence of Exxon and Shell? Abolishing Fossil Fuels argues that the climate movement has started to turn the tide against fossil fuels, just too gradually. The movement’s partial victories show us how the industry can be further undermined and eventually abolished. Activists have been most successful when they’ve targeted the industry’s enablers: the banks, insurers, and big investors that finance its operations, the companies and universities that purchase fossil fuels, and the regulators and judges who make life-and-death rulings about pipelines, power plants, and drilling sites. This approach has jeopardized investor confidence in fossil fuels, leading the industry to lash out in increasingly desperate ways. The fossil fuel industry’s financi

Read more less

Book SynopsisIdentify Arizona succulents with this easy-to-use field guide, organized by shape and featuring full-color photographs and helpful information. Learn about a variety of cactus species in Arizona. With this famous field guide by Nora Bowers, Rick Bowers, and Stan Tekiela, cactus identification is simple and informative. The Cacti of Arizona Field Guide features 50 of the most common and widespread species found in the state, organized by shape. Just look at the overall plant or stem shape, then go to the correct section to learn what it is. Fact-filled information contains the particulars that you want to know, while professional photographs provide the visual detail needed for accurate identification. Inside you’ll find: Range maps and shape icons that help narrow your search More photos per cactus than any other field guide, making visual identification quick and easy Compare feature to help you decide between look-alikes Close-up images of spines, flowers, and fruit to aid identification Fascinating natural history about 50 cactus species This second edition includes updated photographs, expanded information, and even more of the authors’ expert insights. So grab the Cacti of Arizona Field Guide for your next outing to help ensure that you positively identify the cacti you see.Table of ContentsIntroduction Sample Pages The Cacti Pincushion Pineapple-Beehive Hedgehog Barrel Prickly Pear Cholla Cereus Organ Pipe Senita Saguaro Cactus-like Species Glossary Checklist/Index Photo Credits About the Authors Rulers

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis powerful anthology brings together thirty-four writers - educators, journalists, poets, and scientists - to share their emotions in the face of environmental crisis. They share their solastalgia, their beloved places, their vulnerability, their stories, their vision of what we can create.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis book examines the growing role and importance of 'Protection Gap Entities' (PGEs). The authors use practical examples from different countries to explain how PGEs step in to maintain disaster insurance and how their work can, but does not always, improve financial and physical resilience to disaster.Trade ReviewAs the rising frequency, severity and variety of catastrophic loss events challenge the efficacy - and perhaps even the relevance - of the traditional insurance model, the authors identify and analyze a diverse set of promising but ad hoc collaborative programs for managing catastrophe risks. From this survey emerges a practical framework through which governments, the private sector, and impacted communities may constructively engage to develop holistic and sustainable solutions to some of today's most difficult-to-insure risks. * Jason Schupp, Founder & Managing Member, Center for Better Insurance *How can individuals, cities and societies insure against increasingly extreme disasters? Protection Gap Entities, as organizational innovations created between market and state, are an answer. This important and superbly clear book shows how PGEs aim to correct insurance market disequilibrium and to re-imagine insurability in a riskier world. Based on immersion in PGEs across the globe, the authors demonstrate the varied operational challenges they face as they try to save insurance from its own paradoxes. But this is much more than a book about insurance; its subject matter is urgent and existential. For this reason, it should be read widely by social scientists and policymakers * Michael Power, Professor of Accounting, London School of Economics and Political Science *Who pays for our increasing global disasters? This brilliantly researched book highlights how this complex problem depends on a fine-tuned balancing of paradoxical tensions. Anyone that wants to make more transparent the hidden realities of disaster responses, financial markets and the paradoxical tensions that inform them must read this book * Wendy Smith. Dana J. Johnson Professor of Management, University of Delaware *This timely book is essential reading for anybody with a stake in insurability at a time of intensifying natural disasters: from risk specialists to those interested in building resilient systems in the face of climate change, such as governments, development and humanitarian organizations. The way the authors discuss Protection Gap Entities (PGEs) via interlinked paradoxes is illuminating. Readers will learn to appreciate the fine balance on which insurance is built, encompassing questions of knowledge, responsibility, and market structure. I would use the authors' conceptual framework not only to discuss specialist topics around disaster insurability, but also to teach insurance fundamentals to diverse audiences, from technical experts to policymakers. * Andreas Tsanakas, Professor of Risk Management, City, University of London *Many have observed the limitations of private insurance when it comes to financial protection from disasters. When people face disasters without insurance, harm and heartache multiplies. With this book, we finally have the tools to understand why those limitations exist and the critical role played by Protection Gap Entities (PGEs) when those limitations cannot be overcome by the private sector alone. This book is essential reading; not only for what it teaches us about the complex landscape of insurance today, but also for the ways it pushes us to think creatively about how to build more sustainable and humane forms of social protection in the future. A timely, stimulating, major contribution. * Rebecca Elliott, London School of Economics and Political Science *The frequency and intensity of weather extremes is increasing due to climate change. Most affected regions are well advised to establish new and strengthen already existing disaster risk pooling arrangements. The book provides strong evidence for the effectiveness of Protection Gap Entities (PGEs) in helping close the disaster loss gap, not least as they comprehensively convene risk owners and often incentivise prevention and preparedness. A must read for decision makers aiming to strengthen disaster resilience in a comprehensive and sustainable fashion * David N. Bresch, Professor for Weather and Climate Risks, ETH Zurich / MeteoSwiss *This book is essential and riveting reading for policymakers and risk professionals interested in how we build financial and physical resilience to disasters. It provides a ground-breaking exposition of the vital role public-private partnerships (Protection Gap Entities - PGEs) play in covering insurance protection gaps. It provides an insightful tour of developed and developing insurance markets confronting disasters from earthquake, flood, cyclone, and drought to terrorism. Based on an unprecedented multi-stakeholder dataset from 17 PGEs providing disaster insurance in 49 countries, Paula and her co-authors explain why PGEs are established, how they evolve, and imagine what future role they can play in enabling insurability in the face of escalating risk. * Julian Enoizi, Global Head of Public Sector Practice, Guy Carpenter *In face of extreme weather, terrorist attacks, seismological disasters, financial collapse, and other calamities, how can we do disaster insurance well? This timely and deeply researched book, based on hundreds of interviews and hours of fieldwork across multiple countries, provides essential learning lessons for academics and practitioners alike. An outstanding contribution to unveiling the complexities of the disaster insurance system, it also illuminates crucially how cross-sector collaborations can be leveraged to bring about economic stability and greater equity. * Nina Bandelj, Chancellor's Professor, University of California, Irvine *This book reimagines disaster insurance at times where the world is facing compounding crises that can further widen the protection gap. As the climate and disaster risk finance and insurance landscape is quickly evolving, especially in emerging markets and developing economies, this book provides the reader with the right tools to understand how protection gap entities can help governments, firms and households access disaster insurance solutions and reduce the protection gap. * Olivier Mahul, Global Lead and Program Manager, Disaster Risk Financing and Insurance Program, World Bank *Disaster Insurance Reimagined: Protection in a Time of Increasing Risk is a must-read book for all catastrophe insurance professionals and all others interested in the role insurance can play in dealing with the growing loss from both the rise in exposure and climate change. Clever and easy to read, this work provides framework, sets the issues at stake and makes explicit the underlying philosophy by which catastrophe insurance is provided in very different jurisdictions. * Francisco Espejo Gil, Consorcio de Compensacion de Seguros *Table of Contents1: Protection Gap Entities: Saving insurance from itself? 2: Paradoxes of origination: Between too little and too much knowledge 3: Shouldering the burden: Who controls the market and has responsibility for protection? 4: Problem solved? Between static remits and evolving environments 5: Limiting loss: Between financial and physical resilience 6: Reimagining disaster insurance: Towards a new equilibrium Appendix A: The disaster risk transfer process Appendix B: Methodology Glossary

Read more less

Book SynopsisBreathing with the Climate Crisis offers a hopeful narrative about the climate crisis, a new, different perspective that could unleash the courage to act. Young people and farmers from the East, South, North and West asked at a world biodynamic conference, How can we find our own breath? Do we need more facts? More head? More heart? Feeling? Poetry?' Theysuggest that you begin with your own inquiry process, ask yourself your burning questions'. Think further. Also, think with your head, heart and hands

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis book explores how Qatar became a major player in the global energy market. Part historical analysis, part in-the-room narrative, it is the definitive account of oil and gas development in Qatar.Trade ReviewFrom Black Gold to Frozen Gas is the definitive account of Qatar’s growth from a tiny backwater to a major force in global markets and regional politics. This book draws on Tusiani’s fifty years working in Qatar’s gas industry to provide a fascinating and well-told insider’s account, featuring both deep research and unique personal insight. -- Lisa Anderson, Columbia UniversityA unique historical account of Qatar’s energy industry. Tusiani and Johnson detail the country’s accomplishments as well as covering the challenges faced along the way. This book will be a must-read for anyone interested in the history of Qatar, global energy, and geopolitics. -- Talal Abdulla Al-Emadi, dean, Qatar University College of LawTable of ContentsForewordPrefaceList of AbbreviationsIntroduction1. Qatar Before Oil: A Historical Perspective2. Qatar’s First Oil Concession: Twists and Turns3. Eureka! Oil Is Discovered at Qatar’s Dukhan Field4. Choppy Waters: Qatar’s First Marine Oil Concession5. Qatar’s Ruler Presses for Better Oil Terms6. Labor Strikes, Another Abdication, and an Industrial Project7. Independence, First Gas Liquids Project, and a Bloodless Coup8. The Early Khalifa Years: 1970s Resource Nationalism9. Explosion Destroys Qatar’s First NGL Plant10. Crunch Time Looms for North West Dome Gas Field11. Partners Selected for Major North Field Gas Project12. Qatar Embarks on First Stage of North Field Gas Project13. Rocky Road for Qatar’s First LNG Project14. Tough Launch for Mobil’s RasGas LNG Project15. Financial Difficulties Mount After 1995 CoupEpilogue: North Field Gas Transforms Qatar into Energy SuperpowerAcknowledgmentsBibliographyIndexAbout the Authors

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis(Edition updated in 2023) MICHELIN Wales, The Midlands, South West England Regional Map scale 1/400,000 will provide you with an extensive coverage of primary, secondary and scenic routes for this region. In addition to Michelin's clear and accurate mapping, this regional map includes all the practical information for a trouble free journey, including major town plans as well as tourism information to make the most of your journey. With MICHELIN Regional Maps, find more than just your way! MICHELIN REGIONAL MAPS include practical information for a trouble free journey and show primary & secondary road networks. * Administrative boundaries * Scenic routes and tourist sights * Place name index * Time and distance charts * Plans for a selection of major towns * Practical information: danger alerts, service stations, picnic areas

Read more less

Book SynopsisCollage and Architecture remains an invaluable resource for students and practitioners as the first book to cover collage as a tool for analysis and design in architecture.Since entering the contemporary art world over a century ago, collage has profoundly influenced artists and architects throughout the twentieth century and into the twenty-first. In Collage and Architecture, Jennifer A. E. Shields explores its influence, using the artworks and built projects of leading artists and architects, such as Mies van der Rohe, Daniel Libeskind, and Teddy Cruz to illustrate the diversity of collage techniques. This new edition includes: A stronger focus on contemporary practices, including digital methods; New designers and architects, including Marshall Brown, WAI Architecture Think Tank, and Tatiana Bilbao, bringing their methods and work to life; An expanded global and diverse perspective of architecture as collagTable of ContentsPart 1. Collage Methodologies In Architectural Analysis + Design Speculation 1.1 Papier Collé and Found Materials - Le Corbusier and Charlotte Perriand / Bernhard Hoesli / Eduardo Chillida 1.2 Collage-drawing - Constructs Geometric Order / Mies van der Rohe / Daniel Libeskind / Ben Nicholson / James Corner / Mathur/da Cunha / Constructs: Narratives of social order / The Metabolists and Associates / Archigram / Superstudio / Rem Koolhaas / Time[scape]lab / Nathan Williams 1.3 Photomontage - Photo Fragments: Found Paper / Nils-Ole Lund / David Wild / Marshall Brown / Photo Pragments: Found Pixels / FELD studio / WAI Architecture Think Tank / Photo Fragments: Constructed / Gordon Matta-Clark / Mary Miss / Miralles Tagliabue (EMBT) Part 2. Contemporary Practice: Architecture as Collage 2.1 Introduction: Twentieth Century 2.2 Estudio Teddy Cruz + Fonna Forman 2.3 WEISS/MANFREDI 2.4 Point Supreme 2.5 Tatiana Bilbao Estudio

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe book establishes the importance of environmental education by tracing its history and the developments that have taken place subsequently to date. It provides basic understanding about environmental education as well as valuable suggestions for its effective incorporation in the school curriculum. The strength of the book lies in its content as all major areas of environmental education have been addressed such as school curriculum, professional development, and policies, especially in the context of India, thus making it a unique and go-to resource for all stakeholders working in the field of environmental education. The well-balanced content will help readers appreciate the nature of environmental education and its distinctiveness from other subject disciplines as well as environmental studies and environmental science substantiated with several examples and illustrations. What is striking about the book is its proposed road map which is critical for successful implementation

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe Promise of Planning explores the experience of planning internationally since the global financial crisis, focusing on South Africa. The book is a response to a decade-plus in which state-led planning has re-emerged as a putative means for achieving developmental goals (as indicated in global initiatives such as the New Urban Agenda) and where planning in South Africa has consolidated in terms of its legal and policy basis. However, the return of planning is happening in an inauspicious context, with economic fragilities, technological shifts, political populism, institutional complexities, and more, threatening to upturn the new promise of planning. The book provides a careful analytical account of planning in South Africa and how and why its promises have been difficult to achieve. Building on the authors' previous book, Planning and Transformation, the book sheds light on planning as an increasingly complex and diverse governmental practice

Read more less

Book SynopsisWhat makes a garden good? For Chris McLaughlin, it’s about growing the healthiest, most scrumptious fruits and veggies possible, but it’s also about giving back. How can your little patch of Earth become a sanctuary for threatened wildlife, sequester carbon, and nurture native plants? McLaughlin gives you all the tricks and tips you need to grow the sustainable garden of your dreams. Drawing from established traditions, such as permaculture and French intensive gardening, and McLaughlin’s hard-earned experience, The Good Garden is a joyful guide for newbies and experienced gardeners alike. It will teach you the fundamentals, including how to choose the right plant varieties for your microclimate, and proven methods to fight pests without chemicals. You will also discover the nuances of developing a green thumb, from picking species to attract specific types of pollinators to composting techniques based on time available. Lovely four-colour photography will show you good gardening in action. Most importantly, The Good Garden will help you foster a sense of meaning in your garden. Maybe the goal is to reduce food miles and plastic waste by growing delicious berries. Maybe it’s to meet neighbours who also care about the planet through a seed-swap. Maybe it’s a quiet moment patting the bunny whose manure will replace toxic fertilisers in the soil. A good garden offers endless possibilities, and The Good Garden offers a wealth of knowledge and inspiration.Trade Review"Chris McLaughlin understands that your garden is more than just a plot of land - it's an ecosystem. In this positive, upbeat guide, she shows you how to nurture a thriving garden that includes native plants that support wildlife and how, in doing so, your own garden will reconnect to the greater ecosystem." --David Mizejewski, Naturalist, National Wildlife Federation "From rain barrels to planting choices, this book guides you to endless gardening possibilities and doing it in an all-natural way. Chris has made gardening simple and easy for all." --Lisa Mason Ziegler, author of Cool Flowers and Vegetables Love Flowers "This is the perfect guide to get you started in understanding how your garden functions as a part of the ecosystem. It can help you create a space for all to enjoy--from the tiniest insects to the domestic animal helpers--and for yourself!" --Jessi Bloom, ecological designer and author of Creating Sanctuary and Practical PermacultureTable of ContentsTable of Contents Introduction: What Makes a Good Garden? Chapter 1. Choose and Combine Sustainable Gardening Styles Chapter 2. Know Your Ecosystem Chapter 3. Welcome Pollinators and Wildlife Chapter 4. Control Weeds Naturally Chapter 5. Keep the Bad Bugs at Bay Chapter 6. Nourish Healthy Soil Chapter 7. Cultivate Healthy Food Chapter 8. Enlist Domestic Critters Chapter 9. Build Community Resources: Down the Sustainable Rabbit Hole Acknowledgements About the Author Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisTrade Review"A Choice Outstanding Academic Title of the Year""[A] wonderful book. . . . [This] timely and beautifully written work has the potential of enlightening potential learners on all levels."---Steve Dixon, Library Journal, starred review"[A] magnificently-illustrated portal to the secret lives of microbes, fungi, and mosses, squirrels, insects, and lizards alike."---Mike Lunsford, Tribune-Star"In a word, it is superb. James Nardi has done a magnificent job."---David Gascoigne, Travels with Birds"A tree may be bound to a single spot for the whole of its term. It may endure for centuries and seem heroically resigned, doomed even, to isolation. Yet its entire existence is one prolonged process of sharing. It is a lesson from trees we should heed. Nardi’s book is the perfect place to learn it."---Mark Cocker, New Statesman"Fascinating from a British perspective. The presentation in one volume of the sheer number of different species, their interdependence on each other . . . was certainly eye-opening. These organisms need to be less hidden for us all to appreciate and recognise the importance of trees as highly complex ecosystems, to increase the likelihood of them being treated with the respect they deserve."---Mary Cooper, Small Woodland Owners' Group"[The] illustrations are beyond charming and it’s just so packed with information."---Margaret Roach, A Way to Garden"This is a lovely book for anyone keen to dive deep into the wide variety of life supported and sustained by trees. Written by James Nardi . . . the book is a detailed natural history of trees and their interactions with microbes and animals, incorporating tree biology and a lot of entomology."---Penny Sarchet, Wild Wild Life, New Scientist"Highly recommended."---G.C. Stevens, Choice"Ideal for naturalists and examines these relationships [between trees and ecosystems] in an insightful way." * English Garden Magazine *"Wonderfully accessible . . . full of fascinating information and written by a research scientist. . . . Engaging with and encouraging the reader to linger and absorb what is being said at a leisurely pace."---Sean Sheehan, Pris"[A] beautifully presented and well-illustrated book on a unique ecosystem and obviously a real labour of love by the author and full of fascinating information and the latest science."---Roy Stewart, British Naturalists Association

Read more less

Book SynopsisNavigate your way around Bristol with detailed street maps from A-ZThis up-to-date, folded A-Z street map includes all of the 1,500 streets in and around Bristol. Detailed coverage of an area extending from Bishopston in the north to Knowle Golf Course in the south, and from Crew's Hole in the east to Leigh Woods in the west.The large scale 1 mile to 5.5 inch (1 km to 8.68 cm) street map includes the following:Places of interestOne-way streets and car parksIndex to streets, places of interest, place and area names, park and ride sites, national rail stations, hospitals and hospicesThe perfect reference map for finding your way around Bristol.

Read more less

Book SynopsisUrbanism for a Difficult Future: Practical Responses to the Climate Crisis is a much-needed guide to launching the next generation of land use planning and urbanism that will enable us to adapt to and survive the consequences of climate change.The book offers strong, straightforward measures for creating a landscape of resilience via pockets of self-sufficiencies. It demonstrates how to secure systems that sustain life (energy, water, food, waste, and production of essential goods) as well as political and social protocols enabling agile decision-making in managing these systems effectively at local levels. It also provides the design principles for creating a built environment that will enable the kind of localization we need for adaptation. The book explores how it is possible to create a life that does not depend on large-scale regional sustenance systems which are likely to be disrupted or fail. This book uncovers how to enable people to be creative, produTrade Review"Here is the rare book that anticipates with commonsense intelligence the most practical problems of how we will inhabit our landscape in the 21st century. The author recognizes the macro trends of downscaling and re-localization that will determine how we live in a coming period of industrial de-growth, changing climate, and social crisis. The writing is straightforward, clear, and muscular, conveying an urgent and purposeful spirit of facing the facts and getting things done."James Howard Kunstler, Author of The Geography of Nowhere, The Long Emergency, and World Made by Hand "In this ground-breaking book, Korkut Onaran tackles the inconvenient truth that humans must adapt to the accelerating impacts of climate change: where we’ll live, how we’ll live – and how we can successfully live together. This is an indispensable starting point for charting a resilient and humane future."Rick Cole, Executive Director of The Congress for the New Urbanism (CNU)Table of ContentsForeword by Andrés Duany 1. The Approach 2. Why Adaptation? 3. Adaptation Village: A Development Model 4. Enabling Relocation 5. Localizing Sustenance Systems 6. Social Organization and Governance 7. Design Principles 8. Life in the 21st Century 9. Conclusion Afterword by Paul Crabtree Bibliography Appendix A: Tools for Coding Appendix B: Essential Terms and concepts for Adaptation Urbanism

Read more less