Science: general issues Books

Book Synopsis Teaches the design of programs for scientific computation in C++ Introduces unique C++ classes, defines the particular relationships among these classes, and demonstrates their use in a dozen of the most powerful current applications Presents a set of practices that allows programmers to embrace the attractive features of C++ without incurring undesired side effects and hidden costs Includes a collection of source code files downloadable from the Wiley ftp site Originally announced as Scientific Program Design: C++ for Native Fortran Writers Trade Review"...teaches the design of programs for scientific computation in C++." (SciTech Book News, Vol. 25, No. 4, December 2001) "With a view to teaching the design of programs...the author introduces unique C++ classes for vectors, dense matrices, and sparse matrices...demonstrates their use..." (Mechanical Engineering, www.wemagazine.org, April 2, 2002)Table of ContentsPreafce. Overview. Vector ad Matrix Basics. Sparse Matrix Basics. Conjugate-Gradient Methods. Triangular Matrices. Householder Matrix Methods. Singular Value Decomposition. Cholesky Decomposition. Automatic Derivatives. Constrained Optimization. Interior-Point Extensions. LU Factorization. Complex Arrays. Fourier Transforms. References. Index.

Read more less

Book SynopsisAsk questions not on the agenda Explore ideas wherever they lead Pursue goals because they''re important Create options not yet perceived According to premier researcher Don Braben, these are the vital intellectual processes that underlie all human achievement, the kinds of risk-taking activities that have made our civilization what it is today. Yet, warns Braben, the same pioneer spirit that fueled our meteoric industrial and scientific growth is now being undermined by a growing climate of corporate caution and conformity. In this groundbreaking manifesto on the importance of scientific freedom, Braben asserts that the greatest long-term risks facing humanity will not come from weapons of mass destruction, prolonged global war, devastating disease or famine, or even from extinction by a huge wayward meteor. Rather they will come from the debilitating attrition caused by the rising tides of bureaucracy and control that are steadily stTrade Review“…I undeservedly recommend this book to anyone who has puzzled over the growing malaise of contemporary scientific research…Braben is literate, pithy and personable...” (Nature, Vol.433, 27th January 2005) “Braben lays out his thesis effectively in the introduction, drawing the reader to commit to the book…a stimulating read” (www.felixonline.co.uk, 2004) “…(I) recommend this book to anyone involved in or worried about science.” (Chemistry World, October 2004)Table of ContentsForeword. Preface. Introduction, Chapter 1: Dissent and Research: The Supreme Stimulants. Chapter 2: The Power of Dissent: From Primates to Superpower. Chapter 3: The Rise from Oblivion. Chapter 4: Taming Research: The Problems of Success. Chapter 5: The Bureaucratic Jungle. Chapter 6: Prospects for Economic Growth. Chapter 7: Re-Creating the Golden Age. Chapter 8: Venture Research. Appendix 1: Some Results from the Venture Research Initiative Sponspored by British Petroleum. Appendix 2: The Venture Research Group. Bibliography. Index.

Read more less

Book SynopsisProvides a comprehensive overview of direct and indirect effects of air pollutants on plant life. This book covers both physiological and biochemical impacts as well as effects at the whole plant/ecological level.Trade Review"...should be studied by many, whose interest lies in the preservation of air quality..." (International Journal of Environment Studies, Vol.60, No.2, 2003) "...Bell and Treshow have produced what I suspect will be a classic. (Times Higher Educational Supplement, 30 May 2003)Table of ContentsIntroduction (Nigel Bell & Michael Treshaw) Historical Perspective (Michael Treshaw & Nigel Bell) Emissions, Dispersion, Atmospheric Transformation (Roy Colville) Deposition and Uptake by Vegetation (David Fowler) Effects of Oxidants at the Biochemical, Cell and Physiological Levels with Particular Reference to Ozone (Stephen Long and Shawna Naidu) Effects of Oxidants at the Whole Plant and Community level (Michael Ashmore) Nitrogen Oxides: Old Problems and new Challenges (Terry Mansfield) Effects of Sulphur Dioxide (Allan Legge & Sagar Krupa) Effects of Fluorides (Len Weinstein & Del McCune) Effects of Volatile Organic Compounds (Christopher Collins & Nigel Bell) Effects of Particulates (Andrew Farmer) Effects of Increased Nitrogen Deposition (Roland Bobbink & Leon Laners) Effects of Wet Deposited Acidity (Trevor Ashenden) Effects of Pollutant Mixtures (Andreas Fangmeier, Juergen Bender, Hans-Joachim Weigel & Hans-Juergen Jager) Forest Decline and Air Pollution: An Assessment of "Forest Health" in the Forests of Europe, the Northeastern United States and Southeastern Canada (John Innes & John Skelly) Effects of Acidic Deposition on Aquatic Ecosystems (Ronald Harriman, Richard Batterbee & Don Monteith) Effects on Bryophytes and Lichens (Jeffrey Bates) Modification of Plant Response by Environmental Conditions (Gina Mills) Air Pollutant - Abiotic Stress Interactions (Alan Davison & Jeremy Barnes) Effects of Air pollutants on Biotic Stresses (Walter Fluckiger, Sabine Braun & Erika Hiltbrunner) Effects of Air Pollutants in Developing Countries (Fiona Marshall) Air Quality Guidelines and their Role in Pollution Control Policy (Michael Ashmore) Air Pollution and Climate Change (Victor Runeckles) Future Research Priorities and Directions (Nigel Bell)

Read more less

Book SynopsisProvides a comprehensive overview of the direct and indirect effects of air pollutants on plant life. This book also covers both physiological and biochemical impacts as well as larger-scale effects at the whole plant/ecological level. It is useful for students in Environmental Science, and Biological Science and Agriculture.Trade Review"...should be studied by many, whose interest lies in the preservation of air quality..." (International Journal of Environment Studies, Vol.60, No.2, 2003) "...Bell and Treshow have produced what I suspect will be a classic. (Times Higher Educational Supplement, 30 May 2003)Table of ContentsIntroduction (Nigel Bell & Michael Treshaw) Historical Perspectives (Michael Treshaw & Nigel Bell) Emissions, Dispersion and Atmospheric Transformation (Roy Colville) Deposition and Uptake by Vegetation (David Fowler) Effects of Oxidants at the Biochemical, Cell and Physiological Levels with Particular Reference to Ozone (Stephen Long and Shawna Naidu) Effects of Oxidants at the Whole Plant and Community Level (Michael Ashmore) Nitrogen Oxides: Old Problems and New Challenges (Terry Mansfield) Effects of Sulphur Dioxide (Allan Legge & Sagar Krupa) Effects of Fluorides (Len Weinstein & Del McCune) Effects of Volatile Organic Compounds (Christopher Collins & Nigel Bell) Effects of Particulates (Andrew Farmer) Effects of Increased Nitrogen Deposition (Roland Bobbink & Leon Laners) Effects of Wet Deposited Acidity (Trevor Ashenden) Effects of Pollutant mixtures (Andreas Fangmeier, Juergen Bender, Hand-Joachim Weigel & Hans-Juergen Jager) Forest Decline and Air Pollution: An Assessment of "Forest Health" in the Forests of Europe, the Northeastern United States and Southeastern Canada (John Innes & John Skelly) Effects of Acidic Deposition on Aquatic Ecosystems (Ronald Harriman, Ricahrd Battarbee & Don Monteith) Effects on Bryophytes and Lichens (Jeffrey Bates) Modifications of Plant Response by Environmental Conditions (Gina Mills) Air Pollutant - Abiotic Stress Interactions (Alan Davison & Jeremy Barnes) Effects of Air Pollutants on Biotic Stresses (Walter Fluckiger, Sabine Braun & Erika Hiltbrunner) Effects of Air Pollutants in Developing Countries (Fiona Marshall) Air Quality Guidelines and their Role in Pollution Control Policy (Michael Ashmore) Air Pollution and Climate Change (Victor Runeckles) Future Research Priorities and Directions (Nigel Bell)

Read more less

Book SynopsisContains seven articles on orchid science, covering such issues as ecology, biological development, physiology, pollination, the orchid production industry and the history of orchid botany. An appendix features many practical methods of pest control.Table of ContentsLong-Long Misis Bilong Plaua (A. Millar). HISTORY. History of Orchids in Europe, from Antiquity to the 17th Century(P. Jacquet). ECOLOGY. Interactions Between Orchids and Ants (R. Peakall). DEVELOPMENT. Resupination (R. Ernst & J. Arditti). PHYSIOLOGY. Physiology of Orchid Flowers (P. Avadhani, et al.). ECONOMICS-HORTICULTURE. Orchid Cut-Flower Production in ASEAN Countries (C. Hew). POLLINATION. Fly Pollination in the Orchidaceae (D. Christensen). Appendix. Indexes.

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn this entertaining collection of intriguing, educational, and fun braintwisters, acclaimed author and physicist Christopher Jargodzki and physicist Franklin Potter join forces to explore the curiosities of physics and provide answers intriguing conundrums.Table of ContentsPreface ix Acknowledgments xiii To the Reader xv Chapter 1 Temperature Risin’ 1 Chapter 2 Color My World 1 3 Chapter 3 Splish! Splash! 25 Chapter 4 Fly like an Eagle 4 1 Chapter 5 Good Vibrations 53 Chapter 6 Opposites Attract 65 Chapter 7 Bodies in Motion 79 Chapter 8 Stairway to Heaven 101 Chapter 9 Life in the Fast Lane 1 1 1 Chapter 10 Born to Run 121 Chapter 1 1 Third Stone from the Sun 131 Chapter 12 Across the Universe 143 Answers Temperature Risin’ 155 Color My World 166 Splish! Splash! 1 7 5 Fly like an Eagle 185 Good Vibrations 194 Opposites Attract 209 Bodies in Motion 219 Stairway to Heaven 239 Life in the Fast Lane 247 Born to Run 255 Third Stone from the Sun 269 Across the Universe 283 Index 298

Read more less

Book SynopsisPlant Breeding Reviews presents state-of-the-art reviews on plant genetics and the breeding of all types of crops by both traditional means and molecular methods. Many of the crops widely grown today stem from a very narrow genetic base; understanding and preserving crop genetic resources is vital to the security of food systems worldwide. The emphasis of the series is on methodology, a fundamental understanding of crop genetics, and applications to major crops. It is a serial title that appears in the form of one or two volumes per year.Table of ContentsDedication: Robert W. Allard, Population Geneticist and Agronomist(M. Clegg). Bacillus Thuringiensis and Its Use as a Biological Insecticide (A.Aronson). Development of Virus Resistant Plants via Engineering (R.Grumet). Carbon Isotope Discrimination and Plant Breeding (A. Hall, etal.). In Vitro Adaptation for Drought and Cold Hardiness in Wheat (G.Galiba). The Ideotype Concept and the Genetic Improvement of Tree Crops (D.Dickmann, et al.). Application of DNA Markers for Identification and Breeding ofPerennial Fruit Crops (U. Lavi, et al.). Heterosis in Plant Breeding (C. Stuber). Breeding of Seed-Planted Artichoke (J. Basnizki & D.Zohary). Concepts and Methods for Analyzing Regional Trial Data for Cultivarand Location Selection (C. Lin & M. Binns). Indexes.

Read more less

Book SynopsisPart of a series which presents papers of topical interest relating to the breeding of plants important to agriculture and horticulture.Table of ContentsContributors. 1 Dedication: Ernest Robert Sears (191D-1991) Geneticist par Excellence, Cytogeneticist Extraordinaire, and a Good Man (George P. Redei). 2 Molecular Biology of Cytoplasmic Male Sterility (Mark E. Williams and Charles S. Levings, III). I. Introduction. II. Plant Mitrochondria. III. cms-T of Maize. IV. Chimeric DNA Sequences Associated with CMS. V. Correlation of the T-urf13 and pcf Genes with Male Sterility. VI. Restorer Genes. VII. Mechanisms of CMS. VIII. Epilogue. Literature Cited. 3 Plant Metabolism and Heterosis (David Rhodes, Grace C. Iu, Wen-Iu Yang, and Yiannis Samaras). I. Introduction. II. Genetic Models of Heterosis. III. The Metabolic Balance and Physiological Bottleneck Concepts of Heterosis. IV. The Metabolic Basis of Dominance. V. Genetic and Metabolic Distance. VI. Concluding Discussion. Literature Cited. 4 Lethal Equivalents and Genetic Load (Neil O. Anderson, Peter D. Ascher, and Richard E. Widmer). I. Introduction. II. Lethal Equivalents and Genetic Diversity. III. Comparisons Between Formulae Using Multiple Inbred Generations. IV. Lethal Equivalents as Predictive Tools for Inbred Line Development. V. Implications. Literature Cited. 5 Breeding for Heat Tolerance (Anthony E. Hall). I. Introduction. II. Sensitivity to Heat of Different Stages of Plant Development and Plant Processes. III. Characterizing Production Environments to Determine the Extent to Which Heat is Reducing Yield. IV. Genotype Differences in Heat Tolerance, Inheritance, and Associations with Other Characters. V. Selection Techniques and Breeding Methods. VI. Progress in Breeding for Heat Tolerance and Conclusions. Literature Cited. 6 Chromosome Manipulations and Genetic Analysis in Medicago (T. J. McCoy and C. S. Echt). 1. Introduction. II. Chromosome Manipulations in Medicago. III. Genetic Analysis of Medicago. IV. Summary. Literature Cited. 7 Common Bean Improvement in the Tropics (Shree P. Singh). I. Introduction. II. History of Improvement in the Tropics. III. Breeding Objectives and Strategies. IV. Breeding Progress. V. Testing. VI. Conclusions and Prospects. Literature Cited. 8 Breeding Cold Hardy Peaches and Nectarines (Richard E. C. Layne). I. Introduction. II. Morphological Responses to Low Temperatures. III. Physiological Responses to Low Temperatures. IV. Biochemical Responses to Low Temperatures. V. Physical Responses to Low Temperatures. VI. Germplasm Variability and Heritability. VII. Selection for Cold Hardiness. VIII. Screening Systems for Cold Hardiness. IX. Summary and Conclusions. Literature Cited. 9 Genetic Resistance in the Cucurbitaceae to Insects and Spider Mites (R. W Robinson). I. Introduction. II. Sources of Resistance. III. Testing Techniques. IV. Resistance Mechanisms. V. Inheritance of Resistance. VI. Breeding for Insect Resistance. Literature Cited. Subject Index. Cumulative Subject Index. Cumulative Contributor Index.

Read more less

Book SynopsisPlant Breeding Reviews is an ongoing series presenting state-of-the art review articles on research in plant genetics, especially the breeding of commercially important crops. Articles perform the valuable function of collecting, comparing, and contrasting the primary journal literature in order to form an overview of the topic. This detailed analysis bridges the gap between the specialized researcher and the broader community of plant scientists.Table of ContentsDedication: Royce S. Bringhurst--Pre-Eminent Strawberry Breeder (J.Hancock). The Diallel Cross: Design, Analysis, and Use for Plant Breeders (B.Christie & V. Shattuck). Biochemical and Molecular Markers in Plant Breeding (C.Stuber). Homeotic Floral Mutations (G. Acquaah, et al.). Recurrent Restricted Phenotypic Selection (G. Burton). Recurrent Selection in Maize (A. Hallauer). Breeding of Quality Protein Maize (QPM) (M. Bjarnason & S.Vasal). Breeding Potatoes for Long-Day, Temperate Climates (T. Tarn, etal.). Genetics of Apple (S. Brown). Pollen-Incompatibility and Self-Fertility in Sweet Cherry (G.Tehrani & S. Brown). Indexes.

Read more less

Book SynopsisNot only an invaluable reference to what is known about lichen bionts and their interactions but also a guide to future studies. Compares various aspects of lichen-forming bionts with those of other fungi, algae and cyanobacteria. Features in-depth descriptions of culture methods.Table of ContentsThe Mycobiont (Fungal Symbiont). The Photobiont (Photosynthetic Symbiont). Biont Interactions I--Development of Synthetic and NaturalLichens. Biont Interactions II--Carbohydrate Movement. Biont Interactions III--Physiology of Lichens. Lichens, Bionts, and Air Pollution. Molecular Biology of Lichens. Appendix. Literature Cited. Indexes.

Read more less

Book SynopsisShows how you can easily put together any number of 14 clever and inexpensive science theme parties. This book also includes fun illustrated invitations that can be photocopied and personalized.Table of ContentsFossils and Dinos. Mad Scientists. Color Your World. I Spy. Paper and Sculpting. Bubble Blast. Lemon Aide. Watt's Up, Doc?. Eat Your Experiments. It's Magic. Slime Time. Science at Night. Eggsperiments. Eau d'Odor. ``Just in Case'' Activities.

Read more less

Book SynopsisA critical, synthetic and comprehensive account offering discussion of early environments, the history of thought on land plant origins, various approaches used to study early plant evolution and the characteristics of green algae. Includes new ideas regarding evolution, comparative studies of fossil plants and carbon availability.Table of ContentsEarly Silurian and Late Ordovician Environments. Approaches to an Understanding of Early Land Plant Evolution. The Charophycean Algae. Morphology, Ecology, and Physiology of Charophytes. Gaps Between Charophycean Algae and Land Plants. The Evolution of Plant Morphology: Cell Walls, Cytoskeleton, Cytokinesis, Intercellular Communication, and Histogenesis. Evolution of Plant Sexual Reproduction. The Origin of Plant Signal Transduction Systems, Phytohormones, Photomorphogenesis, and Secondary Metabolism. Land Plant Origins--A Summary. Literature Cited. Index.

Read more less

Book SynopsisOrganized by body system and ailment makes it easy to locate appropriate therapies. Includes background on the physiology of major systems and ailments so readers can understand how and why a pharmaceutical, botanical, or dietary supplement works. Broad coverage includes green plants, fungi, and microorganisms.Trade Review"...an extremely good read...a productive mine of information...laced liberally with humour, human observation and practical examples..." (Plant Talk, May 2004)Table of ContentsProprietary Registered and Trademark Names and Owners. Preface. Acknowledgements. 1. Introduction. 2. Complementary and Alternative Medicine. PART I: INJURIOUS PLANTS. 3. Internal Poisons. 4. Immune System and Cell Modifiers. 5. Allergies. PART II: REMEDIAL PLANTS. 6. Cancer. 7. Musculoskeletal System. 8. Peripheral Nervous System. 9. Heart and Circulation. 10. Metabolism. 11. Sensory Organs: Eye and Ear. 12. Oral Hygiene. 13. Gastrointestinal Tract. 14. Respiratory System. 15. Urogenital System. 16. Skin. 17. Deterrents: Antibiotics, Antiseptics, Pesticides, and Herbicides. 18. Panaceas, Adaptogens, and Tonics. PART III: PSYCHOACTIVE PLANTS. 19. Central Nervous System and Psychiatry. 20. Stimulants. 21. Hallucinogens. 22. Depressants. Appendix A: Outline Classification of Plants. Appendix B: Bibliography of Traditional and Herbal Medicine and Ethnobotany. Glossary. Index.

Read more less

Book SynopsisPlant Breeding Reviews presents state-of-the-art reviews on plant genetics and the breeding of all types of crops by both traditional means and molecular methods. Many of the crops widely grown today stem from a very narrow genetic base. Understanding and preserving crop genetic resources is vital to the security of food systems worldwide.Table of ContentsList of Contributors. 1. Dedication: Stanley J. Peloquin. Potato Geneticist and Cytogeneticist (Rodomiro Ortiz, Luigi Frusciante, and Domenico Carputo). 2. Politics of Plant Breeding (Cary Fowler and Richard L. Lower). I. Introduction. II. Germplasm, Plant Breeding, and the Fight for Rights. III. The Debate Over Biotechnology. IV. Plant Breeders’ Choices. Literature Cited. 3. Doubled Haploids in Genetics and Plant Breeding (Brian P. Forster and William T. B. Thomas). I. Introduction. II. Doubled Haploid Technology. III. Doubled Haploid Populations in Genetics. IV. Doubled Haploids in Breeding. V. Prospects. Literature Cited. 4. Biochemistry and Genetics of Flower Color (R. J. Griesbach). I. Introduction. II. Flavonoid Chemistry. III. Anthocyanin Biosynthesis. IV. Mendelian Inheritance. V. Transgene Technology. Literature Cited. 5. The Influence of Mitochondrial Genetics on Crop Breeding Strategies (Sally A. Mackenzie). I. Introduction. II. Structure of the Mitochondrial Genome in Plants. III. Cytoplasmic Male Sterility. IV. Occurrence and Developmental Implications of Nuclear-Cytoplasmic Incompatibility. V. Some Implications of Cytoplasmic Genetics for the Plant Breeder. Literature Cited. 6. Genetic and Cytoplasmic-Nuclear Male Sterility in Sorghum (Belum V. S. Reddy, S. Ramesh, and Rodomiro Ortiz). I. Introduction. II. Genetic Male Sterility (GMS). III. Cytoplasmic-Nuclear Male Sterility (CMS). IV. Molecular Characterization of Cytoplasms. V. DNA Polymorphism and Mapping Restorer Genes. VI. Factors Influencing CMS Systems Use. VII. Diversification of CMS Systems. VIII. Heterosis and Hybrid Development. IX. Conclusion. Literature Cited. 7. Improving Drought Tolerance in Maize (T. Barker, H. Campos, M. Cooper, D. Dolan, G. Edmeades, J. Habben, J. Schussler, D. Wright, and C. Zinselmeier). I. Introduction. II. Physiology of the Response of Maize Under Drought. III. Experimental Methods. IV. Applied Breeding Methods. V. Molecular Breeding. VI. Conclusions. Literature Cited. 8. The Origins of Fruits, Fruit Growing, and Fruit Breeding (Jules Janick). I. Introduction. II. The Horticultural Arts. III. Origin, Domestication, and Early Culture of Fruit Crops. IV. Genetic Changes and Cultural Factors in Domestication. Literature Cited. Subject Index. Cumulative Subject Index. Cumulative Contributor Index.

Read more less

Book SynopsisA straightforward, practical guide to extreme value modeling for today''s world Measuring and interpreting data for extreme values presents a unique and important challenge that has far-reaching implications for all aspects of modern engineering and science. Extreme Value and Related Models with Applications in Engineering and Science reflects the latest information in this growing field. The book incorporates illuminating real-world examples from such areas as structural engineering, hydraulics, meteorology, materials science, highway traffic analysis, environmetrics, and climatology, and is designed to help engineers, mathematicians, statisticians, and scientists gain a clearer understanding of extreme value theory and then translate that knowledge into practical applications within their own fields of research. The book provides: A unique focus on modern topics including data analysis and inference Specific data in such areas as wind, flood, chain stTrade Review“This text provides an extensive coverage of the distribution theory of extreme values…the text is well presented with clearly displayed equations and diagrams…a particularly useful reference book…” (International Statistical Institute, Vol 25 (2) August 2005)Table of ContentsPreface. I: DATA, INTRODUCTION AND MOTIVATION. 1. Introduction and Motivation. II: PROBABILISTIC MODELS USEFUL IN EXTREMES. 2. Discrete Probabilistic Models. 3. Continuous Probabilistic Models. III: MODEL ESTIMATION, SELECTION, AND VALIDATION. 4. Model Estimation. 5. Model Selection and Validation. IV: EXACT MODELS FOR ORDER STATISTICS AND EXTREMES. 6. Order Statistics. 7. Point Processes and Exact Models. V: ASYMPTOTIC MODELS FOR EXTREMES AND EXCEEDANCES. 8. Limit Distributions of Order Statistics. 9. Limit Distributions of Exceedances. 10. Multivariate Extremes. Appendix: Statistical Tables. Bibliography. Index.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis is an identification guide and information source for a major group of agriculturally important insects on a world-wide basis. It enables the non-specialist anywhere in the world to identify aphids found colonising crop plants, and offers summaries of available knowledge of each species.Table of ContentsINTRODUCTORY SECTION. Introduction and Aims of the Book. Systematics. Life Cycles. Host-Plant Relationships. Geographical Distribution. Morphology and Key Characters. THE CROPS AND THEIR APHIDS. Notes on the Use of this Section. List of Crop Plants and their English Names. Lists and Keys to Aphids on Each Crop. THE APHIDS. Introduction to the Section. Systematic Treatment of Genera (Alphabetical). TECHNIQUES. Collecting. Preservation and Mounting. Labelling and Storage. SOURCES OF INFORMATION. Regionally Classified Faunal Works. General Biology. Morphology, Anatomy and Physiology. Genetics and Development. Migration and Dispersal. Relationships with Other Insects. Host-Plant Relationships. Control. Bibliographies. REFERENCES. PHOTOGRAPHIC GUIDE.

Read more less

Book SynopsisAn introduction to the principles of plant and crop experimentation and the statistics used in the design and analysis of experiments, this work aims to give the plant and crop scientist an understanding of the commonly used experimental techniques and the practical problems associated with them.Trade Review"This introduction to the principles of plant and crop experimentation avoid mathematical jargon in its explanations of how to plan and design an experiment, analyze results, interpret computer output, and present findings...presents the reasoning...before giving practical examples and offers step-by-step calculations..." (SciTech Book News, Vol. 25, No. 3, September 2001)Table of ContentsPreface. Basic Principles of Experimentation. Basic Statistical Calculations. Basic Data Summary. The Normal Distribution, the t-Distribution and ConfidenceIntervals. Introduction to Hypothesis Testing. Comparison of Two Independent Sample Means. Linear Regression and Correlation. Curve Fitting. The Completely Randomised Design. The Randomised Block Design. The Latin Square Design. Factorial Experiments. Comparison of Treatment Means. Checking the Assumptions and Transformation of Data. Missing Values and Incomplete Blocks. Split Plot Designs Comparison of Regression Lines and Analysis of Covariance. Analysis of Counts. Some Non-parametric Methods. Appendix 1: The Normal Distribution Function. Appendix 2: Percentage Points of the Normal Distribution. Appendix 3: Percentage Points of the t-Distribution. Appendix 4a: 5 Per Cent Points of the F-Distribution. Appendix 4b: 2.5 Per Cent Points of the F-Distribution. Appendix 4c: 1 Per Cent Points of the F-Distribution. Appendix 4d: 0.1 Per Cent Points of the F-Distribution. Appendix 5: Percentage Points of the Sample CorrelationCoefficient (r) When the Population Correlation Coefficient is 0and n is the Number of X,Y Pairs. Appendix 6: 5 Per Cent Points of the Studentised Range for Use inTukey and SNK Tests. Appendix 7: Percentage Points of the Chi-Square Distribution. Appendix 8: Probabilities of S or Fewer Successes in the BinomialDistribution with n 'trials' and p = 05. Appendix 9: Critical Values of T in the Wilcoxon Signed Rank orMatched Pairs Test. Appendix 10: Critical Values of U in the Mann-Whitney Test. References. Further Reading. Index.

Read more less

Book SynopsisGreenhouse Earth Annika Nilsson Climate change has become one of the major issues on the international environmental agenda. Predictions of a rising sea and devastating droughts have alerted politicians worldwide to the risks of continued increases in the emission of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases.Table of ContentsThe History of Our Future. The Greenhouse Earth. The Greenhouse Gases. Adding Up the Numbers. A Model World. Model Results--The Future Climate. Sea Level. Agriculture. Forestry. Natural Ecosystems. Water, Snow and Ice. Answering the Challenge. A Game of Science and Politics. Afterword: A Look Back. Further Reading.

Read more less

Book SynopsisIntroduces the methods of synoptic climatology (the spatial analysis of climates) and shows its vital importance in the understanding of environmental systems. Constructed around five environmental scenarios: tropospheric ozone concentration, surface wind flows, regional hydrology, local hydrology and acid rain.Table of ContentsManual Classification. Correlation-Based Map-Pattern Classification. Eigenvector-Based Classifications. Compositing, Indexing and Specification. Relationships Between the Atmospheric Circulation and the SurfaceEnvironment. The Future of Synoptic Climatology. References. Index.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis book fills a significant gap in the climatological literature; comprehensive assessment of the climates of the southern hemisphere. It is the first book of its type to provide a consolidated view of the climates of southern Africa, Australia, South America and Antarctica, addressing past and future climates as well as those in the present.Table of ContentsSouthern Hemisphere Overview. Present Climates of Southern Africa. Present Climates of Australia and New Zealand. Present Climates of South America. The Climate of the Antarctic Region. Past Climates of Southern Africa. Past Climates of Australasia. Past Climates of South America. Future Climate Scenarios for the Southern Continents.

Read more less

Book SynopsisDevelopments in the modelling of sediment transport in rivers and the interactions with the river-bed have been remarkable over the last two decades. This progress has increased the understanding of the nature of turbulence, and the ability to replicate mathematically simple flow-particle interactions which can be observed experimentally. In addition, quite elegant models of stratigraphic complexes have evolved because of the growing computational power available to scientists. As always, additional knowledge has raised even more intriguing questions and the quest for explanation of phenomena has led to increased specialisation. Therefore, there are few fluid dynamicists or sedimentologists who can successfully span the two disciplines. The intention of this book is to assist various specialists on keeping abreast of current developments in related areas. The book initially focuses on hydrodynamics of turbulent flow, followed by basic two and three-dimensional flow through straight andTable of ContentsPartial table of contents: Turbulent Flow in Rivers (J. Williams). The Fluid Dynamics of Small-scale Alluvial Bedforms (J.Best). Entrainment of Sediments from Deposits of Mixed Grain Sizes andDensities (P. Komar). Unsteady Transport of Sand Gravel Mixtures (R. Kuhnle). Modelling the Sediment Transport Process (A. Kelsey). Reconstructing Fluvial Channel Morphology from SedimentarySequences (C. Bristow). The Prediction and Modelling of Subsurface Fluvial Stratigraphy (C.North). Index.

Read more less

Book SynopsisRehabilitation of Rivers Principles and Implementation Edited by Louise C. de Waal Division of Environmental and Analytical Sciences, University of Wolverhampton, UK Andrew R. G. Large Department of Geography, University of Newcastle, UK and P. Max Wade Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Hertfordshire, UK River rehabilitation has become an issue at the top of the agenda for water authorities and river managers in many countries throughout the world. This challenging topic involves a wide range of themes, many of which are brought together in this volume. They concern planning strategy, implementation and project appraisal for a number of different types of river systems including upland, lowland and urban rivers. Topic areas addressed include hydrology, geomorphology, ecology and economics as, to be successful, rehabilitation of freshwaters must incorporate all of these subjects within a holistic framework. This volume covers a wide range of countries, provides comprehTrade Review"This reviewer will use this as a volume of reading for my students..." ----Geographical Journal, September 2000Table of ContentsPartial table of contents: PLANNING AND STRATEGY. Strategic Approaches to River Rehabilitation: River Leen and River Derwent (D. Hickie). Problems Associated with the Degradation of Rivers in Yorkshire and Initiatives to Achieve Rehabilitation (J. Pygott). Lowland Stream Restoration Projects in the Netherlands (P. Jasperse & M. Verbeek). Practical Methods for Nature Development (J. van Rijen). ECOLOGICAL SOUND REHABILITATION. Ecology and River Rehabilitation (G. Pinay). Integrated Approaches of Ecology and Engineering in River Rehabilitation (D. Borchardt). Ecologically Sound River Bank Design (J. Simons). IMPLEMENTATION, INCLUDING CASE STUDIES. The River Restoration Project (N. Holmes). Integrated Wetland and River Restoration in the Norfolk Broads (D. Prigmore). River Rehabilitation in Sweden (L. Vought). River Rehabilitation in Australia, New Zealand and Japan (C. Gippel). PROJECT APPRAISAL. Post Project Appraisal (E. Darby & E. Cranston).

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe concept of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) was developed as an alternative to chemical pesticides following the widespread realization or their horrifying and damaging effects on environment, human, animal and plant health, which were vividly portrayed in Rachel Carson s book Silent Spring. The IPM approach involves the use of different tactics in compatible combinations to keep pest populations below the levels at which they cause economics injury. Thus. the IPM approach minimizes the use of chemical pesticides and avoids their harmful effects. The development and implementation of IPM has been increasing in North America with successful results. However, its role in tropical agriculture is less well known. For this reason, the United Nations Environment Programine (UNEP), and the International Center for Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE) undertook a global review of IPM to assess the impact of related activities in tropical regions of Asia. Africa and South America. This volTable of ContentsPractice of Integrated Pest Management in Tropical and Sub-TropicalAfrica: An Overview of Two Decades (1970-1990) (O. Zethner). Practice of IPM in South and Southeast Asia (A. Raheja). Review of IPM in South America (C. Campanhola, et al.). Executive Summary and Recommendations. Index.

Read more less

Book SynopsisPresents the understanding of dispersion processes in the marine environment in relatively simple terms in the hope that it will be helpful to oceanographers and scientists from other disciplines. Global case studies are included in this book.Table of ContentsFluid Dynamics - Homogeneous Flow. Fluid Dynamics - Stratified Flow. Turbulent Diffusion. Shear Dispersion. Modelling Dispersion. Methodology for Measurement and Observation. Studies of Well-Mixed Systems. Studies of Stratified Systems. Studies of Partially Stratified Systems. References. Index.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis book explores the rights and aspirations of the developing world, the need to balance ecology and economics, and the potential impact of policy on climate change, with a focus on the Southern Hemisphere. A thorough reference source valuable to readers in a variety of disciplines.Trade Review"...worthy of being on your bookshelf..." --Climatic Change, Vol 45, 2000Table of ContentsPartial table of contents: GLOBAL CHANGE PLURALITIES. North-South: Where Is the Divide? (R. Graetz & M. Wilson). Bridging the Climate Gaps (A. Henderson-Sellers). HEMISPHERE CLIMATE: GLOBAL MODELS. Coupled Climate Systems Modelling (K. Trenberth). Southern Hemisphere Climate: Comparing Models with Reality (P.Whetton, et al.). Modelling Climatic Variability (N. Nicholls). Palaeoclimatic Modelling: A Western Pacific Perspective (J.Chappell & J. Syktus). CLIMATE CHANGE: ECOLOGICAL AND HUMAN DIMENSIONS. Global Change and Terrestrial Biosphere: The Present and FutureFocus (R. Graetz). Human and Physical Aspects of Tropical Deforestation (A.Henderson-Sellers, et al.). Contextualizing the Effects of Climate Change in Pacific IslandCountries (J. Campbell). POLICY PERSPECTIVES. Climate Science and Politics: The Road to Rio and Beyond (R.Taplin). From Rio to Berlin: Managing Climate Change (D. Victor & J.Salt). The Natural Debt: North and South (K. Smith). Index.

Read more less

Book SynopsisWritten by a leading expert in the field, this volume provides an outstanding review of the potential effects of global warming on river flows and water resources.Trade Review"... a readable, tasty and nourishing catch." (David Favis-Mortlock, , Progress in Physical Geography)Table of ContentsGlobal Warming, River Flows and Water Resources Climate Change and Hydrological Processes Assessing the Effects of Climate Change The Great Britain Case Study: Catchments, Models and Scenarios Changes in Water Resources in Britain Changes in River Flows over Time Changes in Water Quality Implications for Water Resources and Water Management

Read more less

Book SynopsisTropical Climatology Second Edition Glenn R. McGregor, The University of Birmingham, UK Simon Nieuwolt (deceased) Formerly Adjunct Professor, University of Guelph, Canada Climatology, the scientific study of climate, is not only concerned with explaining why a location''s or region''s climate is like it is but also with describing the nature and availability of the climate resource for a wide range of human activities. This subject is of great relevance to the tropics as climate in many ways controls the lives and economic activities of the approximately 2400 million people living in tropical regions. Tropical climates also have effects that reach far beyond the limits of the regions where they actually prevail: the global general circulation is largely driven by the export of considerable amounts of heat energy from tropical to extratropical latitudes: a large part of all atmospheric water content originates from the tropics, and intermittent tropical phenomena, like El Nino Southern Table of ContentsUnderstanding the Laws of Weather and Climate. Radiation Conditions in the Low Latitudes. Tropical Temperatures. General Circulation of the Topics. Non-seasonal Variations of the Tropical Circulation. Seasonal Variations in Regional Circulation Systems: The Monsoons. Tropical Disturbances. Water in Tropical Atmosphere. Tropical Precipitation. Tropical Climates. Tropical Climates and Agriculture. Climate Change. References. Indexes.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe very word barrages is evocative. In the context of tidal waters it conjures up pictures of massive structures and environmental change. Barrages represent the engineer s success where King Canute failed to stop the tide coming in. They are hardly a new concept as man has for centuries tried to harness tidal power to drive his machinery, but a new breed of barrage is emerging, aimed at regenerating depressed urban areas. One of the primary aims of such schemes has been to drown unsightly mud flats. If you happen to be a wading bird used to enjoying the worms that live in intertidal mud flats you may not share that perspective. Indeed, many people today tend to side with the birds, fish and other ecological wonders and often find themselves in conflict with the promoters of a barrage scheme. How far are their fears justified? Are the negative impacts as bad as some people have predicted or even worse? How accurately can the impacts be predicted by scientific methods? Can the barrage Table of ContentsPartial table of contents: CONCEPTS AND ISSUES. Tidal Barrages - Learning From Experience (T. Burt & I. Cruickshank). The Tidal Barriers for the Venice Lagoon (G. Cecconi). ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATIONS. The Severn Estuary: To Barrage or Not to Barrage? (P. Williams & D. Worrall). Managing the Impact of a Barrage on Outdoor Recreation (C.McGarvey). CARDIFF BAY: HYDRAULIC REGIME. Physical Modelling - An Effective Tool for Assessment of Barrage Design and Performance(M. Littlewood, et al.). CARDIFF BAY BARRAGE. Cardiff Bay Barrage: Design (P. Hunter, et al.). ECOLOGICAL ISSUES. Impacts of Barrages on Saltmarshes and Other Wetlands (M.Hill). WATER QUALITY. The Impacts on Water Quality of the Venice Tidal Barriers (A.Bernstein & G. Cecconi). COSTS, BENEFITS AND DECISIONS.The Tees Barrage - A Success Story (D. Hall). Protecting Wetlands in Norfolk - The Benefits of a Bure Barrier (P. Barham, et al.). TAWE BARRAGE. Post Impoundment Fishery Investigations on the Tawe Barrage, SouthWales (D. Mee, et al.). RIVER FLOWS AND CONTROL. Environmental Impact Assessment of Barrages in Sindh Province,Parkistan (A. Rehan). PLANNING AND CONTROL. The Colne Barrier (S. Hayman & F. Burd).

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis invaluable overview of fluvial geomorphology provides river engineers and managers, who may lack specialist training, with useful insights into, and understanding of, natural channel forms and fluvial processes.Table of ContentsRiver Engineering and Management in the 21st Century (R.Hey). NATURAL CHANNEL STABILITY AND TIME PERSPECTIVES (M. Macklin). Channel, Floodplain and Drainage Basin Response to EnvironmentalChange (M. Macklin & J. Lewin). Short-Term Changes in Channel Stability (A. Werritty). RIVER CHANNEL AND VALLEY PROCESSES (J. Bathurst). Environmental Rive Flow Hydraulics (J. Bathurst). Sediment Erosion, Transport and Deposition (I. Reid, et al.). Bank Erosion and Instability (D. Lawler, et al.). CHANNEL MORPHOLOGY AND DYNAMICS (K. Richards). Channel Types and Morphological Classification (C. Thorne). Stable River Morphology (R. Hey). Styles of Channel Change (J. Hooke). Prediction of Morphological Changes in Unstable Channels (K.Richards & S. Lane). River Dynamics and Channel Maintenance (A. Brookes). CASE STUDIES AND APPLICATIONS (M. Newson). Case Studies in the Application of Geomorphology to RiverManagement (M. Newson, et al.). Application of Applied Fluvial Geomorphology: Problem and Potential(C. Thorne, et al.). Indexes.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe text describes the impact and management of rivers and covers issues of river channel stability, flood control, water quality, amelioration of detrimental impacts of utilitarian uses and provision of in-stream habitat in a generally arid continent.Trade Review"for bringing together some inherently fascinating case studies into a satisfying package, we should be grateful" (Zeitschrift fur Geomorphology, March 2001)Table of ContentsIntroduction (B. Finlayson S. Brizga). Some Human Impacts on Australian Stream Channel Morphology (I.Rutherfurd). Channel Planform Adjustments Along the Waiau River 1946-1992:Assessment of the Impacts of Flow Regulation (G. Brierley K.Fitchett). The Hydrological and Geomorphological Impacts of the Tinaroo FallsDam on the Barron River, North Queensland, Australia (B. Yu). Managing Regulated Rivers for Environmental Values: Selected CaseStudies from Southeastern Australia (C. Gippel). Geomorphic Effects of Extractive Industries and Their Implicationsfor River Management: The Case of the Hawkesbury-Nepean River, NewSouth Wales (W. Erskine D. Green). The Impact of Mining Waste on the Rivers Draining into Georges Bay,Northeast Tasmania (J. Bird). The Role of Stormwater Management in Sydney's Urban Rivers (R.Warner). The Dispersal and Storage of Trace Metals in the Hawkesbury RiverValley (M. Thoms, et al.). The Role of European Disturbance in the Metamorphosis of the LowerBega River (A. Brooks G. Brierley). The Management of Unstable Rivers: The Avon River, Victoria,Australia (S. Brizga B. Finlayson). Measuring Stream Condition (A. Ladson L. White). Conclusions: Future Directions (S. Brizga B. Finlayson). Index.

Read more less

Book SynopsisOne of four titles in Thames & Hudson's innovative new Big Idea' series, this well-informed and lucid book takes a comprehensive look at the incredible ideas and possibilities born from the simple question, What shape is space?'Trade Review'A kind of choose-your-own-adventure using fonts: paragraphs are set in type of differing sizes depending on their importance' - The Bookseller'Engaging … there is a great deal to recommend about Sparrow’s book for those wanting an approachable primer to this hugely complex question' - BBC Sky at Night'An invaluable resource … The explanations are clear, inspiring and memorable, and the information laid out in an easy-to-follow narrative. Definitely recommended' - SF2 ConcatenationTable of ContentsIntroduction: Does Space Have a Shape? • 1. Mapping Space • 2. The Expanding Universe • 3. The Omega Factor • 4. The Shape of the Multiverse • Conclusion: Life, the Multiverse and Everything

Read more less

Book SynopsisA collection of insightful and thought provoking essays from one of the greatest thinkers of the twentieth centuryA new edition of the most definitive collection of Albert Einstein's popular writings, gathered under the supervision of Einstein himself. The selections range from his earliest days as a theoretical physicist to his death in 1955; from such subjects as relativity, nuclear war or peace, and religion and science, to human rights, economics, and government.

Read more less

Book SynopsisTells a story about evolution, as well as a tale of the storms, scurvy, and shipwrecks that plagued the Pacific coast's explorers, naturalists, and scientists, many of whom led turbulent or tragic lives, with themes reflected in the wonder and danger of the coast itself.Trade Review"Wallace's easy-going style, mixing personal adventures with textbook science, makes paleontology as readable as narrative history." The California Territorial Quarterly "A fascinating narrative of adventures from the pioneer naturalists to modern scientists." -- Evelyne Bremond-Hoslet MammaliaTable of ContentsList of Illustrations Acknowledgments Prologue. Steller's Sea Ape 1 / Reefs in the Desert 2 / Amphibious Ambiguities 3 / Bird Teeth and Reptile Necks 4 / Tail Tales 5 / Cope's Elusive Ophidians 6 / Hooves into Flippers 7 / Marsh's Deceptive Desmostylians 8 / Emlong's Whale 9 / Paws into Flippers 10 / Sea Cows and Oyster Bears 11 / The Long, Warm Summer 12 / Emptying Bays 13 / Punctuated Pinnipeds and Darwinian Sirenians 14 / Advent of Autumn 15 / Ice Age Invasions 16 / Hands into Paddles 17 / Pileated Woodpecker's Boat 18 / The End of the Earth 19 / An Industrial Interlude 20 / Intimations of Communication Epilogue. The Old Man of the Sea Notes Bibliography Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe fish faunas of continental South and Central America constitute one of the greatest concentrations of aquatic diversity on Earth, consisting of about 10 per cent of all living vertebrate species. This title explores the evolutionary origins of this unique ecosystem. It addresses central themes in the study of tropical biodiversity.Trade Review"An essential reference for anyone wanting to learn more about the diversity or history of South American fishes." -- Anne E. Magurran Frontiers Of Biogeography "An extremely important new addition to the library of anyone interested into Neotropical freshwater fishes or the Neotropics in general." Systematic Biology "Indispensible for every researcher in this area ... useful for students to understand the different traits of neotropic evolution." Bulletin Of Fish Biology

Read more less

Book SynopsisExplores the beach - one of the planet's most dynamic environments - from tourist beaches to Arctic beaches strewn with ice chunks to steaming hot tropical shores. This book tells how beaches work, explains why they vary so much, and shows how dramatic changes can occur on them in a matter of hours.Trade Review"A comprehensive, readable guide to the physical features of many kinds of beaches and some of the threats they face." New York Times "A well-illustrated introduction to the geology and ecology of beaches." Scienceblogs.com/The Guardian "If one wonders how beach systems work and cares about the future, then this is the book to own, read, and share." -- PR Pinet Choice "This book has a wide appeal... Written in an engaging style." Reference & Research Book News / Scitech Book NewsTable of ContentsDedication Page (Santa Aguila Foundation) PREFACE (ACKNOWLEDGMENTS) LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS LIST OF TABLES Part I: THE GLOBAL CHARACTER OF BEACHES Chapter 1: A WORLD OF BEACHES Beaches: Crossroads of History Beaches: Avenues of Commerce Beaches: Nature's Most Dynamic Environment Beaches: Varied Materials Beaches: Obstacle Courses Beaches: To Be or Not To Be Beaches: Comber's Delight or Nature's Trash Collector? Beaches: A Natural Laboratory Chapter 2: BEACHES OF THE WORLD What is a Beach? Recipe for Making a Beach Classification of Coasts and Beaches Classifications and a Global Model Beach Sediments and the Plate Tectonic Setting Beaches as Landforms Climate and Types of Coasts We Stand on Their Shoulders Chapter 3: OF WHAT ARE BEACHES MADE: SEDIMENTS Beach Sediments Grain Size, Sorting and Shape Grain Composition Terrigenous Sediments Heavy Minerals Carbonate Sediments Other Beach Materials Chapter 4: HOW BEACHES WORK: WAVES, CURRENTS, TIDES AND WIND The Most Dynamic Place on Earth Waves Wave Energy Wave Types Breakers Wave Refraction, Diffraction and Reflection Currents (Alongshore; Onshore; Offshore) Wave-Current-Sediment Interaction Tsunamis Tides Tides and Beach Groundwater Other Water Level Changes Surges El Nino Wind The Global Picture Chapter 5: THE FORM OF THE BEACH: CRABS-EYE AND BIRDS-EYE VIEWS Beach Profiles: The Crab's Eye View Profile Changes Beach Plans: The Bird's Eye View Berms and Cusps Washover Fans Offshore Bars Part II: HOW TO READ A BEACH Chapter 6: THE BEACH SURFACE UP-CLOSE: IMPRINTS OF TIDES, CURRENTS, AND WAVES Near-Shore, Beach, and Tidal Flat Features Ripple Marks Modified Ripple Marks Swash and Backwash Features Other Surface Features Chapter 7: ESCAPE FROM WITHIN: AIR AND WATER IN THE BEACH Knee Deep in Sand: Airy Beaches Air Escape Structures Watery Beaches and Water Escape Structures Chapter 8: WHICH EVER WAY THE WIND BLOWS: REWORKING THE BEACH SURFACE Wind on Wet Sand and Mud Wet-to-Dry Transition Structures Wind on Dry Sediment Dunes and Dune Structures Dune Plants: Surviving in a Desert Chapter 9: BEACH CREATURES: TRACKS, TRAILS, AND TRACES Beach Animals from Micro to Macro Macrofaunal Clues Molluscs (clams and snails) Crustaceans Chelicerata Polychaetes Other Invertebrate Animals Vetebrates Evidence of the Habitat Role of Animals Chapter 10: CARBONATE BEACHES: SEA SHELLS AND THE STORIES THEY TELL Carbonate Shells, Skeletons, and Secretions Other Carbonate Sediments Non-Calcareous Plant and Animal Remains Shell Abundance Where do Seashells Come From? The Significance of Broken Seashells Shell Rounding Orientation of Shells on the Beach Secondary Shell Color Shell Collecting: An Environmental Afterthought Chapter 11: DIGGING THE BEACH: INTO THE THIRD DIMENSION Bedding Black Sands and Cross Bedding Burrows and Bioturbation Part III: THE GLOBAL THREAT TO BEACHES Chapter 12: BEACHES AND PEOPLE Coastal Engineering Hard Stabilization Soft Stabilization Other Damaging Activities Water Pollution Oil Spills The Environmental Truths About Beaches Chapter 13: EPILOGUE The Urbanized Beach: From Middens to the Maelstrom of Development GLOSSARY REFERENCES

Read more less

Book SynopsisGrowing from the seafloor and extending along the ocean surface in lush canopies, giant kelp provides an extensive vertical habitat in a largely two-dimensional seascape. This book provides a discussion of kelp species and forest ecology worldwide, with considerations of human uses and abuses, management and conservation, and more.Trade Review"A detailed, multifaceted synthesis of knowledge... Recommended." -- R. Schmid CHOICE connect "Remarkable... as comprehensive as could conceivably be attempted... A pleasure to read." -- John J. Bolton PhycologiaTable of ContentsPreface Acknowledgments Introduction PART I. THE BIOLOGY OF GIANT KELP 1. Introduction to Giant Kelp Forests Worldwide 2. The Structure, Function, and Abiotic Requirements of 3. The Abiotic Environment 4. Demography, Dispersal, and Connectivity of Populations PART II. THE GIANT KELP ECOSYSTEM 5. Giant Kelp Communities 6. Detached Giant Kelp Communities, Production, and Food / Control Webs 7. Facilitative and Competitive Interactions in Giant Kelp Forests 8. Grazing in Kelp Communities 9. Predation and Trophic Cascades in Kelp Communities PART III. HUMAN USAGE, MANAGEMENT, AND CONSERVATION 10. Anthropogenic Effects on Kelp Forests 11. Human Usage of Giant Kelp and Kelp Forest Organisms 12. Marine Protected Areas and Fisheries Effects PART IV. GLOBAL CHANGE AND THE FUTURE 13. Global Change 14. Giant Kelp Forests: Conclusions and Final Thought Afterword References Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisFire in California's Ecosystems describes fire in detailboth as an integral natural process in the California landscape and as a growing threat to urban and suburban developments in the state. Written by many of the foremost authorities on the subject, this comprehensive volume is an ideal authoritative reference tool and the foremost synthesis of knowledge on the science, ecology, and management of fire in California. Part One introduces the basics of fire ecology, including overviews of historical fires, vegetation, climate, weather, fire as a physical and ecological process, and fire regimes, and reviews the interactions between fire and the physical, plant, and animal components of the environment. Part Two explores the history and ecology of fire in each of California's nine bioregions. Part Three examines fire management in California during Native American and post-Euro-American settlement and also current issues related to fire policy such as fuel management, watershed management, air quality, invasive plant species, at-risk species, climate change, social dynamics, and the future of fire management. This edition includes critical scientific and management updates and four new chapters on fire weather, fire regimes, climate change, and social dynamics.Trade Review"The authors synthesize the theoretical and practical aspects of fire issues in a well-organized structure that makes it easy for the readers to find information on specific aspects of fire. This comprehensive volume will definitely improve understanding of fire regimes and their ecological impacts in order to 'manage wildlands and fire in harmony with nature.' " * Conservation Biology *Table of ContentsLIST OF CONTRIBUTORS ix FOREWORD xi JAMES K. AGEE PREFACE xv 1 Introduction: Fire and California Vegetation / 1 NEIL G. SUGIHARA, TODD KEELER-WOLF, AND MICHAEL G. BARBOUR PART ONE Introduction to Fire Ecology 2 California Fire Climate / 11 RICHARD A. MINNICH 3 Fire Weather Principles / 27 BRENDA L. BELONGIA AND RICHARD A. MINNICH 4 Fire as a Physical Process / 39 JAN W. VAN WAGTENDONK 5 Fire as an Ecological Process / 57 NEIL G. SUGIHARA, JAN W. VAN WAGTENDONK, AND JO ANN FITES-KAUFMAN 6 Characterizing Fire Regimes / 71 BRANDON M. COLLINS, JAY D. MILLER, JEFFREY M. KANE, DANNY L. FRY, AND ANDREA E. THODE 7 Fire and Physical Environment Interactions: Soil, Water, and Air / 87 PETER M. WOHLGEMUTH, KEN R. HUBBERT, TRENT PROCTER, AND SURAJ AHUJA 8 Fire and Plant Interactions / 103 AMY G. MERRILL, ANDREA E. THODE, ALEXANDRA M. WEILL, JO ANN FITES-KAUFMAN, ANNE F. BRADLEY, AND TADASHI J. MOODY 9 Fire and Animal Interactions / 123 KEVIN E. SHAFFER, SHAULA J. HEDWALL, AND WILLIAM F. LAUDENSLAYER, JR. PART TWO The History and Ecology of Fire in California’s Ecosystems 10 North Coast Bioregion / 149 SCOTT L. STEPHENS, JEFFREY M. KANE, AND JOHN D. STUART 11 Klamath Mountains Bioregion / 173 CARL N. SKINNER, ALAN H. TAYLOR, JAMES K. AGEE, CHRISTY E. BRILES, AND CATHY L. WHITLOCK 12 Southern Cascades Bioregion / 197 CARL N. SKINNER AND ALAN H. TAYLOR 13 Northeastern Plateaus Bioregion / 221 GREGG M. RIEGEL, RICHARD F. MILLER, CARL N. SKINNER, SYDNEY E. SMITH, CALVIN A. FARRIS, AND KYLE E. MERRIAM 14 Sierra Nevada Bioregion / 251 JAN W. VAN WAGTENDONK, JO ANN FITES-KAUFMAN, HUGH D. SAFFORD, MALCOLM P. NORTH, AND BRANDON M. COLLINS 15 Central Valley Bioregion / 281 ROBIN WILLS 16 Central Coast Bioregion / 299 MARK I. BORCHERT AND FRANK W. DAVIS 17 South Coast Bioregion / 319 JON E. KEELEY AND ALEXANDRA D. SYPHARD 18 Southeastern Deserts Bioregion / 353 MATTHEW L. BROOKS, RICHARD A. MINNICH, AND JOHN R. MATCHETT PART THREE Fire Management Issues in California’s Ecosystems 19 The use of Fire by Native Americans in California / 381 M. KAT ANDERSON 20 Fire Management and Policy since European Settlement / 399 SCOTT L. STEPHENS AND NEIL G. SUGIHARA 21 Fire and Fuel Management / 411 SCOTT L. STEPHENS, SUE J. HUSARI, H. TOM NICHOLS, NEIL G. SUGIHARA, AND BRANDON M. COLLINS 22 Fire, Watershed Resources, and Aquatic Ecosystems / 427 JAN L. BEYERS, ANDREA E. THODE, JEFFREY L. KERSHNER, KEN B. ROBY, AND LYNN M. DECKER 23 Fire, Air Quality, and Greenhouse Gases / 439 SURAJ AHUJA AND TRENT PROCTER 24 Fire and Invasive Plants / 459 ROBERT. C. KLINGER, MATTHEW L. BROOKS, AND JOHN M. RANDALL 25 Fire and At-Risk Species / 477 KEVIN E. SHAFFER AND SHAULA J. HEDWALL 26 Fire and Climate Change / 493 CHRISTINA M. RESTAINO AND HUGH D. SAFFORD 27 Social Dynamics of Wildland Fire in California / 507 SARAH M. MCCAFFREY, GUY L. DUFFNER, AND LYNN M. DECKER 28 The Future of Fire in California’s Ecosystems / 517 NEIL G. SUGIHARA, JAN W. VAN WAGTENDONK, SCOTT L. STEPHENS, KEVIN E. SHAFFER, ANDREA E. THODE, AND JO ANN FITES-KAUFMAN APPENDIX 1 523

Read more less

Book SynopsisDescribes the acceleration, deceleration, and inertial movement; fluid dynamics; and the motions of the earth, moon, planets, and comets. This title deals with the fundamental three laws of motion and the law of universal gravity, and more. It is suitable for scientists, scholars, and students.

Read more less

Book SynopsisDelves into the poetry of field biology, showing how nature eases our existential quandaries. This book is about the wonder of snakes, the beauty of studying and understanding natural history, and the importance of sharing the love of nature with humanity.Trade Review"Achingly beautiful... Greene succeeds in illuminating the world as a place of beauty, harmony, and danger, deeply interconnected and worthy of cherishing and preserving." Starred Review. Publishers Weekly "This scientist has a poet's heart... Tracks and Shadows is a sweet surprise; rarely has science been so tender." Booklist "As beautiful and nuanced as the landscapes it evokes." The Scientist "What a pleasure it is to read these meditations on a 'personal quest for wildness.' ... What makes this book so rich is [the author's] gift with language along with his thoughtful appreciation of what it means to study nature and to travel, if ever so briefly, on a living planet." -- Laurence A. Marschall Natural History "As packed with people and drama as a novel." -- Stuart Pimm Nature "Greene engages readers from beginning to end... The book leaves us with questions to ponder but also with inspiration to indulge our curiosity for nature." -- Frances Bonier Science "Fiercely honest and fascinating." -- Jules Pretty Times Higher Education "Greene has created a rare bridge between [artists and scientists] and told us what it feels like to be a deeply sensitive research scientist, working in a world where the ecosystems are falling to bits around us." -- Rick Shine Current Biology "[Reminds] us that appreciation of the natural world is important to us as individuals and collectively." -- Hollis Walker Santa Fe New Mexican "No one reading this paean for a respect of the outdoors and its inhabitants could fail to be enthused." International Journal of Environmental Studies "Harry Greene's exuberance for life infuses this scien- tific autobiography, which overflows with his passion for herpetology, the wild places that his beloved reptiles inhabit, and very human friendships." Conservation Biology "Many will be surprised at some of the events re-lived in these pages...Tracks and Shadows reiterates the impacts of pain and renewal that characterize a life's journey." -- Bill Branch Herpetological Review "It speaks more to the conservation ethic than anything since Aldo Leopold's Sand Country Almanac. In fact, Tracks and Shadows may well be the best conservation love poem ever written." -- Peter Kareiva Science Chronicles "With affable humor and abiding curiosity, Greene takes us on collecting trips, wisely explains the latest theories, and asks how we can not only co-exist with wild animals but appreciate them as neighbors. Part memoir, part classroom, part adventure, Tracks and Shadows takes us from detailed looks at the habits of reptiles to enticing discussions of predator and prey, nature and loss, science and discovery...this is a rousing and satisfying tribute to wild things." -- Bill Broyles Southwest Books of the Year 2013Table of ContentsList of Illustrations Acknowledgments PART ONE: DESCENT WITH MODIFICATION 1. Tracks and Shadows 2. Naturalist 3. Nerd 4. Field Biologist 5. Medic PART TWO: CONVERSING WITH SERPENTS 6. Graduate School 7. Hot Dry Places 8. Hot Wet Places 9. Giant Serpents 10. Venomous Serpents PART THREE: PRETTY IN SUNLIGHT 11. Friends 12. Loose Ends 13. Born-Again Predator 14. Field Biology as Art Notes Bibliography Index

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisBy the age of nine, Taylor had mastered the science of rocket propulsion.At eleven, his grandmother''s cancer diagnosis inspired him to seek new ways to produce medical isotopes.And by fourteen, Taylor had built a reactor which produces temperatures hotter than the sun, becoming the youngest person in history to achieve nuclear fusion.How did Taylor manage all this? And how did his parents find the courage to give their son the support and freedom he needed to succeed? Here is an astonishing story of audacity, perseverance and passion -- and a boy whose world seems to have no limits.

Read more less

Book SynopsisMany philosophers, theologians, physicists and mathematicians have speculated on the nature of time. Recent scientific work is said to explain why time runs forward from past to future. But time still contains many mysteries - black holes, big bangs, asymmetries and relativities, arrows and loops.Table of ContentsThe Contributors vii 1 Introduction 1 2 Time 'Paradoxes' in Relativity 6 3 Space, Time and Space--Time: A Philosopher's View 22 4 Big Bangs, Black Holes and 'Time's Arrow' 36 5 Time and Cosmology 63 6 Time and Dispersal: The Second Law 80 7 Time Asymmetry and Quantum Mechanics 99 8 The Open Future 125 9 Causal Loops 135 Glossary 170 Bibliography 180 Index 183

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis advanced undergraduate textbook examines major aspects of fungal physiology in relation to fungal behaviour in natural habitats and, in so doing, provides a firm link between the divergent disciplines of fungal physiology and fungal ecology.Table of ContentsConcepts; Evolution, Ecology and Physiology; Growth and Development; Resource acquisition and utilization; Growth dynamics and transformations; Constraints, limitations and extreme environments; Reproduction and Establishment; Induction and control of reproduction; Propagules: factors affecting survival; Dormancy and activation; Germination; Orientation; Interactions with other Heterotrophs; Microorganisms; Macroscopic animals; Animals as habitats

Read more less

Book SynopsisAn encyclopaedic treatment of plant diseases in Europe, this book is designed as a standard reference volume for the general working plant pathologist and those taking advanced training in plant pathology.Table of ContentsViruses I: General: Major virus groups. Viruses II: Minor virus groups and virus complexes. Viruses III: Ungrouped viruses and virus complexes. Viruses IV: Diseases assumed to be due to viruses. Mollicutes and rickettsia-like organisms. Bacteria I: Pseudomonas and Xanthomonas. Bacteria II: Agrobacterium, Corynebacterium, Erwinia and other bacteria. Oomycetes. Chytridiomycetes, Plasmodiophoromycetes, Zygomycetes. Ascomycetes I: General: Endomycetales, Taphrinales, Eurotiales, Erysiphales. Ascomycetes II: Clavicipitales, Hypocreales. Ascomycetes III: Ophiostomatales, Diaporthales, Polystigmatales, Sphaeriales, Diatrypales, Coryneliales. Ascomycetes IV: Dothideales. Ascomycetes V: Rhytismatales, Caliciales, Pezizales, Caliciales. Helotiales. Basidiomycetes I: Ustilaginales. Basidiomycetes II: Uredinales. Basidiomycetes III: Hymenomycetes. Pathogen index. Host index

Read more less

Book SynopsisConsiders the rapid microbiological techniques, which are being increasingly used in industry as alternatives to more conventional methods. In this volume, leading experts from research and industry review the wide variety of approaches that are needed in an industrial setting.Table of ContentsThe use of ATP bioluminescence for the analysis of beer in polyethylene terphthalate (PET) bottles and associated plant; Rapid assessment of the bacterial content of milk by bioluminscent techniques; DEFT: recent developments for food and beverages; The rapid estimation of bacterial counts on meat and poultry by the direct epifluorescent filter technique; Medical and pharmaceutical applications of the direct epifluorescent filter technique (DEFT); The use of image analysis for MIC determination and bioassay; Optimization of automated electrometric methods; Conductance techniques for the detection of contaminants in beer; Electrical methods for water quality testing; A conductance screen for enterobacteriaceae in foods; Electrical screening of powdered dairy products; An inter-laboratory evaluation of an electrometric method for detection of salmonellas in milk products

Read more less

Book SynopsisHuman illness attributed to foodborne pathogenic microorganisms has been prominent in the mass media in recent years. The Practical Food Microbiology Series has been devised to give practical and accurate information about specific organisms of concern to public health. The information is designed for use by those in the food industry working in manufacturing, retailing and quality assurance, those in associated professional sectors e.g. public health, and students in each of these areas. The series is unique in its practical approach as it draws on real life situations to highlight practical means for controlling the organism in foods. Salmonella species are arguably the most commonly reported food associated human pathogens in the developed world. They are zoonotic agents and many different animal reservoirs are known. They can be found widely in the environment and may also establish in food processing environments. Over 2000 serotypes of Salmonella have been identified toTable of ContentsForeword. 1. Background. 2. Outbreaks: Causes and Lessons to Be Learnt. 3. Factors Affecting Growth and Survival of Salmonella. 4. Industry Focus: Control of Salmonella. 5. Industry Action and Reaction. 6. Test Methods. 7. The Future. Glossary of Terms. References. Index.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe Practical Food Microbiology Series gives practical and accurate information about specific organisms of concern to public health. The information is designed for use by those in the food industry working in manufacturing, retailing and quality assurance, those in associated professional sectors e.g. public health, and students in each of these areas. Clostridium botulinum produces a toxin which causes the severe, often fatal illness, botulism. It is a potential hazard associated with a wide range of both ambient stable and chilled foods. Foodborne botulism still occurs all around the world. As new outbreaks are reported implicating yet more food types and food processes, so the food industry needs to regularly review processes and product characteristics to assure safety.Trade Review"Clostridium botulinum, the third in Blackwell Science's Practical Food Microbiology series (successor to Listeria and E. coli) is another triumph of concise, interesting and informative information" (International Food Safety News)Table of ContentsForeword. 1 Background. 2 Outbreaks: causes and lessons to be learnt. 3 Factors affecting growth and survival of Clostridium botulinum. 4 Industry focus: control of Clostridium botulinum. 5 Industry action and reaction. 6 Test methods. 7 The future. Glossary of terms. References. Index.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis very basic textbook aims to provide nursing students with the essential bioscience they will need to complete their Common Foundation Programme. The book will explore the relevant basic scientific principles, apply these principles to clinical situations and then ask review questions.Table of ContentsPreface; Introduction; Chapter One: Atoms; Chapter Two: Water and electrolyte balance; Chapter Three: Acids and bases; Chapter Four: Biomolecules; Chapter Five: Cells; Chapter Six: Genetics; Chapter Seven: Microorganisms; Chapter Eight: Immunology; Chapter Nine: Fluids, liquids and gases; Chapter Ten: Nutrition and metabolism; Chapter Eleven: Energy - Electromagnetic radiation; Chapter Twelve: Temperature and Heat; Chapter Thirteen: Forces and mechanics; Chapter Fourteen: Electricity; Periodic table of the elements; Glossary; Answers; Index

Read more less