Sedimentology and pedology Books
Nova Science Publishers Inc Heavy Metal Compounds in Soil: Transformation
Book SynopsisConcentrations (clarkes) of chemical elements in different components of the environment are indicative of the redistribution of the elements between the main spheres of the planet. Regional clarkes of chemical elements attest to the geochemical diversity of these spheres. The global ecological role of soil is that it, being a product of interaction between biotic and abiotic components of the environment, exerts its own considerable influence on them. This general statement acquires special significance under conditions of constantly growing technogenic impacts on the environment, including the hazardous chemical pollution. Furthermore, the real interaction between chemical elements in all the components of the biosphere is executed by various groups of chemical compounds specific for each of the components of the environment. In this context, the compounds of chemical elements in soils attract special attention.
£107.99
Rodale Press The Soil Will Save Us: How Scientists, Farmers,
Book SynopsisJournalist and bestselling author Kristin Ohlson makes an elegantly argued, passionate case for "our great green hope"—a way in which we can not only heal the land but also turn atmospheric carbon into beneficial soil carbon—and potentially reverse global warming.Thousands of years of poor farming and ranching practices—and, especially, modern industrial agriculture—have led to the loss of up to 80 percent of carbon from the world''s soils. That carbon is now floating in the atmosphere, and even if we stopped using fossil fuels today, it would continue warming the planet. As the granddaughter of farmers and the daughter of avid gardeners, Ohlson has long had an appreciation for the soil. A chance conversation with a local chef led her to the crossroads of science, farming, food, and environmentalism and the discovery of the only significant way to remove carbon dioxide from the air—an ecological approach that tends not only to plants and animals but also to the vast population of underground microorganisms that fix carbon in the soil. Ohlson introduces the visionaries—scientists, farmers, ranchers, and landscapers—who are figuring out in the lab and on the ground how to build healthy soil, which solves myriad problems: drought, erosion, air and water pollution, and food quality, as well as climate change. Her discoveries and vivid storytelling will revolutionize the way we think about our food, our landscapes, our plants, and our relationship to Earth.
£16.80
Nova Science Publishers Inc Soil Nutrients
Book SynopsisSoil nutrients are among the most important factors affecting plant growth and yield production as well as the environment. They are subjected to variations by different parameters such as climate, soil and plant. This book presents the effects of different parameters on soil nutrients by researchers and scientists from across the globe. The materials are suitable for students, researchers and scientists. A broad range of topics related to soil nutrients is covered in this book.
£185.99
Nova Science Publishers Inc Human Dimensions of Soil & Water Conservation: A
Book SynopsisDegradation of soil and water resources due to food and fibre production has been a concern for centuries in all societies on this planet. While some geographical regions of the world have experienced higher rates of degradation than others due to topography, rainfall, and level of technological development, societies in all regions of the globe have experienced reduced socio-economic viability due to soil displacement on agricultural land. Soil erosion frequently results in reduced productivity of crop land which contributes to loss of future farm income, decline in land value, and reduced output of food and fibre. This book presents and discusses the concerns and strategies being put into place in regards to soil and water conservation on a global level.
£232.49
Nova Science Publishers Inc Soil Erosion: Causes, Processes & Effects
Book Synopsis
£162.74
Nova Science Publishers Inc Soil Fertility: Characteristics, Processes &
Book Synopsis
£63.74
Nova Science Publishers Inc Soil Organic Matter: Ecology, Environmental
Book Synopsis
£149.99
Nova Science Publishers Inc Carbonates: Sedimentology, Geographical
Book SynopsisIn this book, the authors present current research in the study of the sedimentology, geographical distribution and economic importance of carbonates. Topics discussed in this compilation include the alternative procedures for the synthesis of linear carbonates from alcohol and carbon dioxide; functional polymers based on carbonates obtained from CO2; an experiment using soil micromorphology and image analysis for physical redistribution of calcium carbonate in soil pore systems; and the types of petroleum reservoirs in carbonate sediments of the Russian Basin.
£69.74
Nova Science Publishers Inc Soil Nutrients
Book SynopsisSoil nutrients are among the most important factors affecting plant growth and yield production as well as the environment. They are subjected to variations by different parameters such as climate, soil and plant. This book presents the effects of different parameters on soil nutrients by researchers and scientists from across the globe. The materials are suitable for students, researchers and scientists. A broad range of topics related to soil nutrients is covered in this book.
£99.74
Nova Science Publishers Inc Soil Carbon: Types, Management Practices &
Book SynopsisCarbon, a major constituent of structural and energy-releasing organic molecules, is essential to life. A substantial amount of C found in soils is available as soluble organic molecules (SOM) or particulate organic matter (POM) derived from plant primary production. Available atmospheric C as CO2, used by plants during photosynthesis, is part of a larger biogeochemical cycle, including the cyclic release of CO2 by respiration in living organisms and its fixation through photosynthesis. Carbon also is fixed through biological calcification and is eventually bound in carbonate-containing rocks, especially in aquatic and marine environments. This book focuses mainly on soil carbon and its environmental benefits.
£73.49
Callisto Reference Soil Science: Environmental and Applied Aspects
Book Synopsis
£84.99
Nova Science Publishers Inc Airborne Algae: Their Significance
Book SynopsisThis book is a compilation of information on airborne microalgae and cyanobacteria. This includes a survey of the literature, biology and ecology of airborne algae, mechanisms involved in their aerosolisation, the role of environmental factors in shaping the structure and composition of aero-algal communities, and information on methodological approaches used to study airborne algae. It also discusses the importance of airborne algae, including their ecological significance, as well as the role they could play in estimating the diversity and biogeography of different microalgal groups. Studies have shown that airborne algae may act as allergens. Since many reported airborne algae are known to produce toxins, they could also therefore be responsible for certain toxicoses. The book is intended to rejuvenate the academia''s interest in the above aspects of this fascinating group of microbes.
£67.99
Nova Science Publishers Inc Microbes in Soil & their Agricultural Prospects
Book SynopsisThe book Microbes in Soil and Their Agricultural Prospects is a collection of advantageous, informative, simulative and holistic viewpoints presenting basic and applied aspects of microbial functioning in soil. This book covers physiological, biochemical and molecular mechanisms of microbiomes pertaining to the production of available nitrogen (nitrogen fixation), phosphorus (P mobilization) and plant-growth promoting hormones for adaptation in agricultural soil. Responses between microbiomes and plants (known as plant-microbe interaction) corresponding to signal molecules and plant reactions to bacterial quorum sensing have been intricately presented as well. This book covers most of the agriculturally important microbes (Bacteria, Frankia, Burkholederia, Cyanobacteria, Arbuscular Mycorrhizal (AM) fungi, Bacteriophages, Trichoderma). It addresses various issues in agricultural practices to make it more understandable for various levels of academia. Analysis of microbial diversity and advances in development of microbial fertilizers have also been incorporated to introduce young researchers with biofertilizer. This expert compilation of data analyzes most of the microorganisms supporting soil fertility and crop productivity that is of significant value for sustainable agronomic practices. It is invaluable not only for experienced scientists, research leaders, and agriculturalists, but also undergraduate, postgraduate and postdoctoral researchers beginning their careers. Each chapter in this book has been a contribution from a qualified teachers or researchers of multiple expertise. The chapters are concentrated on microbial metabolism and its agricultural prospects. Concerted efforts have been made to make a quality compilation and presentation of microbiomes in soil. A lot of common queries and practices have been addressed to make it more interesting as well. Microbes in Soil and Their Agricultural Prospects will certainly serve as an invaluable, suitable and sustainable resource for students, teachers, and various scientists interested in sustainable agricultural practices for production of healthy foods.
£265.59
Nova Science Publishers Inc Soil Management: Technological Systems, Practices
Book SynopsisNatural ecosystems provide the basic conditions without which humanity could not survive. Goods and services provided by ecosystems include, for example, provisions of food, fibre and fuel, purification of water and air, cultural and aesthetic benefits, stabilisation and moderation of the Earth''s climate, generation and renewal of soil fertility, including nutrient cycling or maintenance of genetic resources as key inputs to crop varieties and livestock breeds, medicines, and other products. However, the ability of natural ecosystems to continue performing these services is seriously threatened since the diversity of plant species and soil are being seriously deteriorated and, in some cases, destroyed. Various studies worldwide have shown that soils do not support intensive annual plant cultivation without fertiliser applications, and even these may not maintain sustainability. Inappropriate silvicultural operations (or the use of land for intensive agricultural purposes) is one of the main causes of soil degradation, and there is therefore worldwide interest in quantifying the loss of soil quality generated by incorrect agricultural operations or forest management practices. This can only happen if people have the right information, skills, and organisations for understanding and dealing with soil and plant diversity issues. The book shows different studies and research works on the topic of soil management, such us soil degradation, microbiological soil properties, bio-fertiliser soil applications, water dynamics in soil profile, soil erosion and sustainability of soils among others. Transferring information and knowledge within the society is crucial for fighting soil management and soil deterioration. In addition, promoting the sustainable use of soil quality will be of growing importance for maintaining society and biodiversity in the years and decades to come.
£195.19
Workman Publishing The Complete Guide to Restoring Your Soil:
Book SynopsisHealthy soil is key to sustaining life on Earth. While more and more people are starting to see the need for soil restoration, there is very little understanding of just how it can be accomplished. There is a rapidly emerging demand for a “how to” manual for soil restoration. Dale Strickler is an expert on building healthy soil and restoring degraded soil, and in The Complete Guide to Restoring Your Soil, he presents the science of soil, along with proven methods of restoring depleted soil and agricultural practices from around the world that continue to build soil, rather than cause it to deteriorate. Strickler provides a solid foundation in the science of healthy soil, explaining how soil has become so degraded over time and the dire consequences for the human species, not just in terms of food scarcity but also the social, health, and environmental consequences of growing food in poor soil. He addresses the chemical, physical, and biological principles behind soil function, and presents actual farming practices that can be used to regenerate soil, techniques and strategies for remediating contaminated soil, and agriculture systems both past and present that functioned to build soil, such as the ancient chinampas systems of Mexico and the permaculture systems of today.
£17.09
Apple Academic Press Inc. Engineering Practices for Management of Soil
Book SynopsisAbiotic stresses are known to adversely impact agricultural productivity on millions of hectares globally, and it is projected that these problems are likely to increase, primarily due to anthropogenic interventions as well as climatic changes. Understanding abiotic stresses—especially salt stress on soil—calls for an interdisciplinary approach because salt-stressed soils need hydro-technical, chemical, and agronomic interventions as well as an understanding of plant response when exposed to these stresses. This volume explores and conveys the latest information on emerging technologies in the management of abiotic salt stress and their field applications. It brings together experts from various fields (academia, technology, and engineering) to provide the latest information and knowledge on this important challenge.Trade Review"A welcome addition to the literature. It presents a holistic interdisciplinary approach to resolve these global problems of irrigated and dry land regions."—Dr. Ashwani Kumar, Former Director, Directorate of Water Management, (Now ICAR- Indian Institute of Water Management), India "In the context of 800 million people remaining hungry currently, to feed 9.7 billion people in 2050 will be a real challenge. While some respite is foreseen through management of land and water resources, reclamation of degraded land and water resources provides an opportunity that needs to be unlocked. This volume presents some interdisciplinary keys to unlock the potential of salt affected saline/sodic soils for higher productivity."—Dr. C. L. Acharya, Former Director, ICAR- Indian Institute of Soil Science, Table of ContentsNomenclature and Reclamation of Sodic (Alkali) Soils Using Gypsum: A Review on Historical Perspective. Soil Salinity Management in Fruit Crops: A Review on Options and Challenges. Role of Conservation Agriculture in Mitigating Soil Salinity in the Indo-Gangetic Plains of India. Physiological and Biochemical Changes in Plants under Soil Salinity Stress: A Review. Biochemical, Physiological and Molecular Approaches for Improving Salt Tolerance in Crop Plants: A Review. Genomics Technologies for Improving Salt Tolerance in Wheat. Morpho-Biochemical and Molecular Markers for Screening and Assessing Plant Response to Salinity. Plants under Waterlogged Conditions: An Overview. Potential and Role of Halophytes Crops in Saline Environments. Approaches for Enhancing Salt Tolerance in Seed Spices.
£125.10
Apple Academic Press Inc. Rice Science: Biotechnological and Molecular
Book SynopsisA significant crop in our global society, rice is a staple food product for over half of the world’s population. New technologies are being researched and utilized for increasing the overall production of strong rice crops throughout the world. This book focuses on the new areas of research on the most recent biotechnological and molecular techniques to aid in this endeavor. The researchers who have contributed to this compendium are international leaders in their respective fields. The original research included in the volume is strengthened through the addition of surveys, reviews, success stories, and other aspects that impact the global agricultural industry.Table of ContentsEmerging Trends of A20/AN1 Zinc-Finger Proteins in Improving Rice Productivity Under Abiotic Stress. Potent Avenues for Conferring Salinity Tolerance in Rice. Salt Stress Responses of Glycophytic Rice and Halophytic Rice: Physiological, Biochemical and Molecular Aspects. Technological Development for Abiotic Stress (AbS) in Rice. Assessment of Aromatic Content and In-Vitro Responses in Traditional Indian Rice Varieties. Biochemical Evaluation of Irrigated Flooded Transplanted and Aerobic Rice (Oryza sativa L.): A Review. Agrobacterium-Mediated Genetic Transformation Practices for Improvement of Rice Quality and Production. Molecular Markers and Marker Assisted Selection (MAS) Towards Yield and Quality Improvement in Rice. The CRISPR/Cas Genome Editing System and Its Application in Rice Improvement. Role of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology as Molecular Advance Tool and Trend in Quality Improvement of Rice Crop. Association Mapping in Rice: High Resolution Mapping Technique for Complex Traits.
£117.90
Goose Lane Editions Waterfalls of Cape Breton Island: A Guide
Book SynopsisFrom the author of the bestselling Waterfalls of Nova Scotia.Benoit Lalonde travels to the bountiful sights of Nova Scotia’s most fabled island in Waterfalls of Cape Breton Island.What Cape Breton Island lacks in size, it makes up for in the number, diversity, and sheer drama of its waterfalls. Bringing together one hundred of the Island’s greatest waterfalls and hidden gems from the Fleur de Lys, Marconi, Bras d’Or Ceilidh, and Cabot trails, this new guide explores iconic and little-known falls from all parts of the Island, including Uisge Bàn Falls and the tallest waterfall in Nova Scotia, Rocky Brook Falls. And yes, each entry includes useful information on the hiking distance to each waterfall, the best seasons to visit, the source, and the height of the fall itself.Complimented by gorgeous colour photographs, full-colour maps, and bonus features, Waterfalls of Cape Breton Island is an invaluable reference for explorers and outdoor enthusiasts.
£18.69
Arcler Education Inc Laboratory Manual of Microbiology and Soil
Book SynopsisThis book aims to give detailed information on various instruments, techniques and experiment protocols of microbiology and soil biology. The beauty of this book as it comprises chapters for the beginner’s viz. basic microbiological techniques and media preparation for biologists as well as the incorporation of advanced techniques for post graduate and research scholars. This laboratory manual gives a comprehensive idea about the various instruments, their working, troubleshooting and their applications based on student’s feedback, teacher’s input and authors own experiences of 14 years of teaching and research.
£166.40
Apple Academic Press Inc. Sustainable Practices in Surface and Subsurface
Book SynopsisThis new book, Sustainable Practices in Surface and Subsurface Micro Irrigation, offers a vast amount of knowledge and techniques necessary to develop and manage a drip/trickle or micro irrigation system. The information covered has worldwide applicability to irrigation management in agriculture. Focusing on both subsurface and surface micro irrigation, chapters in the book cover a variety of new research and information on:• Irrigation water requirements for tanier, vegetables, bananas, plantains, beans, and papaya• Irrigating different types of soils, including sandy soils, wet soils, and mollisols• New applications for micro irrigation using existing technology, such as meteorological instruments and MicroCAD• Meteorological instruments for water managementTable of ContentsForeword by Gajendra Singh. Foreword by Miguel Muñoz Muñoz. Foreword by R K Sivanappan. Foreword by Marvin J Jensen. Preface. Part I: Subsurface Micro Irrigation. Wetting Pattern Simulation of Subsurface Micro Irrigation: Part I, Model Development. Wetting Pattern Simulation of Subsurface Micro Irrigation: Part II, Model Validation. Micro Irrigation in Egyptian Sandy Soil: Hydraulic Barrier Technique. Micro irrigation Design using MicroCAD. Part II: Micro Irrigation Research Advances and Applications. Sustainable Subsurface Drip Irrigation in Australia: Vegetables. Mechanics of Clogging in Sustainable Micro Irrigation System. Water Movement in Drip Irrigated Sandy Soils. Crop Coefficients: Sustainable Trickle Irrigated Common Beans. Water Requirements for Papaya on a Mollisol Soil. Water Requirements for Tanier (Xanthosoma spp.). Water Requirements for Tanier (Xanthosoma spp.) on a Mollisol Soil. Water Requirements for Banana on a Mollisol Soil. Water Requirements for Banana on an Oxisol Soil. Water Requirements for Plantains on a Mollisol Soil. Sustainable Drip Irrigation Management: Plantain and Banana. Biometric Response of Eggplant under Sustainable Micro Irrigation with Municipal Wastewater. Appendixes. Index.
£78.84
Apple Academic Press Inc. Sustainable Management of Land Resources: An
Book SynopsisThe depletion of land resources is one of the greatest challenges for mankind in this millennium. Shrinking land resources, weather aberrations, deterioration of land quality, and the globalization and liberalization of market economies have become intertwined to influence the sustainable management of land resources and land use plans. This important volume, Sustainable Management of Land Resources: An Indian Perspective, addresses these challenges. This comprehensive volume, covering important research, much of it gathered with the use of new technology, tools, and applications, is organized into four sections: (add bullets) land resource inventory and characterization geospatial technologies in land resource mapping and management soil nutrient status and management land use planning and livelihood security The volume looks at how scientists translate their knowledge and experience in sustainable land resources and management into implementable policy decisions, with a particular focus on India. Since India is an agrarian economy, the land resources assume a very critical role affecting the livelihood of a vast majority of populace in the country. The information gathered—and the methods by which it is gathered—is applicable globally. This comprehensive publication will be highly useful for the researchers, academicians, extension workers, policymakers, planners, officials of land resources survey, planning and management institutions/agencies/departments, and others. Trade Review"Grouped into four sections, namely land resource inventory and characterization; geospatial technologies in land resource mapping and management; soil nutrient status and management; and land use planning and livelihood security. I appreciate and congratulate the editors of the volume for this excellent achievement. . . . Extremely valuable for students, researchers, planners and policymakers. . . . Highly beneficial for the better understanding of the land resources and to formulate future research, development, and extension programs in optimizing land resources for sustainable agricultural land use planning."—From the Foreword by Alok K. Sikka, Deputy Director General (NRM), Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR), New Delhi, India"First of its kind. Edited by eminent scholars in their respective fields, the volume’s main thrust is the sustainable management of natural resources by employing the latest techniques. It is very interesting to link the nutrient status with managerial skills for livelihood security. Moreover, now with the fast-changing global scenario, the geospatial techniques will help to generate data more quickly and accurately for land resource mapping and management, which is amply documented and effectively explained. This publication of high academic caliber definitely will be of immense use for teachers, research scholars, students and planners."—Dr. G. S. Sidhu, Former National Consultant, Soil Health Card Programme, Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, New Delhi, and Former Head & Principal Scientist, ICAR-National Bureau of Soil Survey & Land Use Planning, Regional Centre Delhi, IndiaTable of ContentsLand Resource Inventory, Mapping and Management: An Indian Perspective. Soil Management and Land Use Planning: An Indian Perspective. Land Resource Inventory and Evaluation for Agricultural Land Use Planning in Semi-Arid Ecosystem of Western India. Characterization and Classification of Soils of Purna Valley in Semi-Arid Regions of Central India. Evaluation of Shrink-Swell Soils in Semi-Arid Regions of Central India for Soil Resource Management and Sustainable Agriculture. Mapping and Characterization of Salt Affected Soils for Reclamation and Management: A Case Study from the Trans-Gangetic Plain of India. Characterization of Coastal Soils for Enhancement of Productivity and Livelihood Security: A Case Study from the Coastal Plains of West Bengal, India. Assessment of Land Degradation Vulnerability: A Case Study from Part of Western Ghats and West Coast of India. Major and Trace Element Geochemistry in Ferruginous Soils Developed Under Hot Humid Malabar Region, India. Geospatial Tools and Techniques in Land Resource Inventory. Morphometric Analysis Using GIS Techniques: A Case Study from Basaltic Terrain of Central India. Digital Terrain Analysis and Geomorhological Mapping Using Remote Sensing and GIS: A Case Study from Central India. Time Series Satellite Data and GIS for Crop Acreage Estimation: A Case Study from Central India. Assessment of Gross Primary Productivity in Semi Arid Agricultural Region of Central India Using Temporal Modis Data. Land Suitability Evaluation for Soybean Using Temporal Satellite Data and GIS: A Case Study from Central India. Geospatial Technologies in Development of Soil Information System and Prototype Geoportal. Geo-Referenced Soil Fertility Monitoring for Optimized Fertilizer Use: A Case Study from the Semi-Arid Region of Western India. Assessment of Soil Fertility Status in Soybean Growing Soils: A Case Study from Semi-Arid Region of Central India. Soil Acidity and Poor Nutrient Status: Emerging Issues for Agricultural Land Use Planning in the Jamtara District of Jharkhand. Spatial Distribution of Available Nutrients in Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) Grown Soils of Farmer Fields in Andhra Pradesh. Management of Sodic Black Calcareous Soils: A Case Study from Central India. Impact of Land Configuration and Integrated Nutrient Management on Productivity of Rainfed Cotton in Vertisols of Central India. Impact of Tank Silt on Soil Quality and Crop Productivity in Rainfed Areas: A Case Study from Central India. Impact of Treated Domestic Sewage Water Irrigation on Soil Properties, Maize Yield and Plant Uptake: A Case Study from Nagpur City, Central India. Status of Land Use Planning in India. Land Resource Inventory Towards Village Level Agricultural Land Use Planning. a Decade of Bt Cotton in India: Land Use Changes and Other Socio-Economic Consequences. Land Evaluation for Rainfed Cotton: A Case Study from Central India. Nutrient Optima-Based Productivity Zonality and Rationale of Fertilizer Use in Citrus. Impact of Mahatma Gandhi Nregs on Land Use Pattern and Natural Resource Management in Drought Prone Rayalaseema Region of Andhra Pradesh, India.
£78.84
Liverpool University Press Introducing Sedimentology
Book SynopsisSediments and sedimentary rocks are fundamental to our understanding of the Earth and the array of environments that characterise its surface. Since some 70% of the rocks on the Earth’s surface are sedimentary in origin and sediments are of great economic importance, there is a very good chance that we encounter a sedimentary rock or an associated sedimentary process at some point every day of our lives. Introducing Sedimentology covers all the rudimentary aspects of sedimentology including different types of sedimentary rocks, sedimentary structures, and environments of deposition of sediments. The application of sedimentology in the search for valuable economic resources is explained and how sedimentary rocks play a key role for subsurface storage of carbon dioxide and hydrogen as part of the low-carbon energy transition. Written for students, amateur enthusiasts and professional geologists, Introducing Sedimentology provides a succinct and accessible introduction to the science of sedimentology. It is generously illustrated with many explanatory line diagrams and colour photographs.Trade Review'I cannot recommend Introducing Sedimentology highly enough. The book’s quality and standard are testament to the expertise of the author, together with the resourcefulness of the publisher in putting together the “Introducing…” series, which helps make what can be quite complex science accessible to the widest audience.' Gordon Neighbour, Geoscientist MagazineTable of Contents1. What is Sedimentology? 2. Sediment to sedimentary rock; 3. Sedimentary structures; 4. The sedimentary environments; 5. Fossils and sediments; 6. The riches from sedimentary rocks. Glossary. Further Reading.
£23.47
CABI Publishing Land-Use Change Impacts on Soil Processes:
Book SynopsisThis book examines the effects that land-use changes (notably agricultural intensification, logging, soil erosion, urbanisation and mining) have on soil characteristics and processes in tropical and savannah environments. It covers a range of geographical regions and environments as impacts of land use change are often site specific. The effects of land use change on various aspects of the soil ecosystem from both a chemical and biological perspective will be examined.Table of Contents1: Land-use Change Impacts on Soil Processes in Tropical and Savannah Ecosystems: An Introduction 2: Effects of Land-use Changes on Biochemical and Microbial Parameters in Soils of the Andaman Islands, India 3: Evaluating the Impact of Oil Palm Agriculture and Logging on Soil Microbial Communities in South-east Asia 4: Microbial Functioning in Response to a Simulated Drought in Malaysian Rain Forest and Oil Palm Soils 5: Impact of Land-use Changes in the Amazon on Bacterial Diversity, Composition and Distribution 6: Acidification of Tropical Soils under Forest and Continuous Cropping in Thailand and Indonesia 7: The Importance of Soil Quality in the Safe Practice of Urban Agriculture in Zimbabwe, Kenya and South Africa 8: Urbanisation and Soil Nutrient Challenges and Opportunities: Lessons from Malawian Cities 9: Impact of Gold Mining on Mercury Contamination and Soil Degradation in Amazonian Ecosystems of French Guiana 10: Erosion and Sedimentation Effects on Soil Organic Carbon Redistribution in a Complex Landscape in Western Ecuador 11: Pastoralism and Kalahari Rangeland Soils 12: Changes in Soil Properties with Sugarcane Cropping in Mauritius 13: Patterns and Drivers of Soil Carbon Stocks And Isotopic Composition in Secondary Tropical Dry Forests of Costa Rica 14: Conversion of Pastures into Tectona grandis Plantations in Western Panamá: Effects on Soil Properties and the Mechanisms Underlying these Changes 15: Land-use Change Impacts on Soil Processes in Tropical and Savannah Ecosystems: Emerging Themes and Future Research Directions
£41.79
CABI Publishing Water Dynamics in Plant Production
Book SynopsisWater is the most basic essential for plant growth; an inadequate supply causes severe problems, as plants rely on the water transmitted by soil to meet their physiological and nutritional needs. Since the first edition was published, flooding and droughts throughout the world have made water an even more topical subject, as the importance and instability of our water supplies have been brought to the forefront of daily life. This new edition of Water Dynamics in Plant Production focuses on the dynamics of water through the hydrologic cycle and the associated mechanisms that plants employ to optimize growth and development. It describes the basic scientific principles of water transport in the soil-plant atmosphere continuum, and explains the linkage between transpirational water use and dry matter production. Paying particular attention to the various agronomic strategies for adaptation to climate-driven limitations of water resources, the efficiency of water use in plant production and in achieving an economic yield is presented in detail. This book offers a multidisciplinary introduction to the fundamentals and applications of water dynamics in natural and managed ecosystems. Including text boxes throughout, as well as online supplementary material, it provides an essential state of-the-art resource for students and researchers of soil and plant science, hydrology and agronomy. This book is enhanced with supplementary resources.Table of Contents1: The Role of Water in Plant Life 1.1: Functions of Water in the Plant Box 1.1: Light and water – prerequisites of photosynthesis 1.2: Adaptation Strategies of Plants to Overcome Water Shortage 1.3: Water and Net Primary Production 1.4: Water and Type of Vegetation 2: The Role of Water in Soil 2.1: Soil Genesis and Soil Functions 2.2: Soil Fauna and Vegetation Cover 3: The Interdependence of Soil Water and Vegetation 3.1: The Significance of the Soil for Water Storage 3.2: Transpiration and Seepage of Water with Different Types of Vegetation 4: Properties and Energy State of Water 4.1: Physical–Chemical Properties 4.2: The Concept of Water Potential and the Darcy Equation 5: Water Storage and Movement in Soil 5.1: Fundamentals and Principles Box 5.1: Measuring soil water 5.2: Evaporation 5.3: Infiltration and Water Transport Box 5.2: Soil structure and preferential flow 6: The Root – the Plant’s Organ for Water Uptake 6.1: The Role of the Root in the Plant 6.2: Structure of the Root Tip Box 6.1: Methods of studying roots 6.3: Root Systems 7: The Water Balance of the Plant 7.1: Water Potentials in Plant Cells 7.2: Water Uptake by Roots Box 7.1: Early experiments for determining water suction and water pressure of roots 7.3: Transpiration by Leaves 7.4: The Action of Stomatal Guard Cells 7.5: Water Transport within the Plant 7.6: Water Potentials in Plants Box 7.2: Searching for the cause of sap ascent 8: The Plant as a Link between Soil and Atmosphere:an Overview 8.1: The Soil–Plant–Atmosphere Continuum (SPAC) 8.2: Potential Evapotranspiration Box 8.1: Potential evaporation 8.3: Relations between Potential Evapotranspiration, Soil Water and Transpiration 9: Water Use by Crops 9.1: Growth of Roots and leaves 9.2: Leaf Area Index (LAI) and Transpiration 9.3: Root System Development and Water Uptake 9.4: How Much of the Soil Water is Extractable by Plant Roots? 9.5: Stomatal Control of Water Vapour Loss 9.6: Water Use Throughout the Growing Season 9.7: How to Determine the Components of the Field Water Balance 9.8: Numerical Simulation Box 9.1: How lysimeters work Box 9.2: Measurement of water flow through plants 10: Radiation and Dry Matter Production 10.1: Radiation and Net Photosynthesis of Single Leaves 10.2: Radiation Interception and Dry Matter Accumulation in Crop Stands 11: Water Use and Dry Matter Production 11.1: Relations and their Optimization Box 11.1: The saturation deficit of the air determines transpiration efficiency 11.2: The Transpiration Ratio and a Related Standard 11.3: Water Use and an Estimate of Dry Matter Production 12: Influence of Nutrient Supply on Water Use and Establishment of Yield 12.1: Yield Dependency on Water and Nutrient Supply 12.2: Influence of Nutrient Supply on the Relationship between Water Use and Yield 12.3: Transpiration Efficiency and Fertilizer Application 13: Development of Economic Yield under Inadequate Water Supply 13.1: Physiological Reactions and Assimilate Partitioning 13.2: Economic Yield 13.3: Water Shortage at Different Phenological Stages 13.4: Relation between Water Use and Economic Yield in Principal Crops 14: Water Stress in Plants 14.1: Measuring Water Stress in Plants 14.2: How Plants Perceive Water Stress Box 14.1: Signalling between roots and shoots 15: Climatic Factors Influencing Yield 15.1: Growth-limiting Climatic Factors 15.2: Climate Change 15.3: Plants, Soils and Cropping Pattern in a Changing Environment 16: Breeding for Yield and Water Use 16.1: Comparing Old and New Cultivars 16.2: Future Strategies in Plant Breeding 16.3: Application of Molecular Biology to Improve Crop Performance under Drought 17: Controlling the Soil’s Water Balance by Soil Management 17.1: Which of the Balance Components can be Changed? 17.2: Controlling Infiltration 17.3: Controlling Evaporation 17.4: Increasing the Quantity of Extractable Soil Water Box 17.1: Collection of water south of Sahel: a man, a hoe and barren land 17.5: Conservation Tillage 18: Controlling Water Use by Crop Management 18.1: Crop Rotation 18.2: Choice of Species and Cultivars 18.3: Seeding and Stand Density 18.4: Fertilizer Application 19: Irrigation 19.1: Need, Concerns, Problems 19.2: Tapping Water – the Basis of Early Civilizations 19.3: Water Requirement of Crops 19.4: Timing and Adjusting the Application of Water 19.5: Efficient Water Use 19.6: Irrigation Methods 20: Epilogue
£127.44
CABI Publishing Water Dynamics in Plant Production
Book SynopsisWater is the most basic essential for plant growth; an inadequate supply causes severe problems, as plants rely on the water transmitted by soil to meet their physiological and nutritional needs. Since the first edition was published, flooding and droughts throughout the world have made water an even more topical subject, as the importance and instability of our water supplies have been brought to the forefront of daily life. This new edition of Water Dynamics in Plant Production focuses on the dynamics of water through the hydrologic cycle and the associated mechanisms that plants employ to optimize growth and development. It describes the basic scientific principles of water transport in the soil-plant atmosphere continuum, and explains the linkage between transpirational water use and dry matter production. Paying particular attention to the various agronomic strategies for adaptation to climate-driven limitations of water resources, the efficiency of water use in plant production and in achieving an economic yield is presented in detail. This book offers a multidisciplinary introduction to the fundamentals and applications of water dynamics in natural and managed ecosystems. Including text boxes throughout, as well as online supplementary material, it provides an essential state of-the-art resource for students and researchers of soil and plant science, hydrology and agronomy. This book is enhanced with supplementary resources.Table of Contents1: The Role of Water in Plant Life 1.1: Functions of Water in the Plant Box 1.1: Light and water – prerequisites of photosynthesis 1.2: Adaptation Strategies of Plants to Overcome Water Shortage 1.3: Water and Net Primary Production 1.4: Water and Type of Vegetation 2: The Role of Water in Soil 2.1: Soil Genesis and Soil Functions 2.2: Soil Fauna and Vegetation Cover 3: The Interdependence of Soil Water and Vegetation 3.1: The Significance of the Soil for Water Storage 3.2: Transpiration and Seepage of Water with Different Types of Vegetation 4: Properties and Energy State of Water 4.1: Physical–Chemical Properties 4.2: The Concept of Water Potential and the Darcy Equation 5: Water Storage and Movement in Soil 5.1: Fundamentals and Principles Box 5.1: Measuring soil water 5.2: Evaporation 5.3: Infiltration and Water Transport Box 5.2: Soil structure and preferential flow 6: The Root – the Plant’s Organ for Water Uptake 6.1: The Role of the Root in the Plant 6.2: Structure of the Root Tip Box 6.1: Methods of studying roots 6.3: Root Systems 7: The Water Balance of the Plant 7.1: Water Potentials in Plant Cells 7.2: Water Uptake by Roots Box 7.1: Early experiments for determining water suction and water pressure of roots 7.3: Transpiration by Leaves 7.4: The Action of Stomatal Guard Cells 7.5: Water Transport within the Plant 7.6: Water Potentials in Plants Box 7.2: Searching for the cause of sap ascent 8: The Plant as a Link between Soil and Atmosphere:an Overview 8.1: The Soil–Plant–Atmosphere Continuum (SPAC) 8.2: Potential Evapotranspiration Box 8.1: Potential evaporation 8.3: Relations between Potential Evapotranspiration, Soil Water and Transpiration 9: Water Use by Crops 9.1: Growth of Roots and leaves 9.2: Leaf Area Index (LAI) and Transpiration 9.3: Root System Development and Water Uptake 9.4: How Much of the Soil Water is Extractable by Plant Roots? 9.5: Stomatal Control of Water Vapour Loss 9.6: Water Use Throughout the Growing Season 9.7: How to Determine the Components of the Field Water Balance 9.8: Numerical Simulation Box 9.1: How lysimeters work Box 9.2: Measurement of water flow through plants 10: Radiation and Dry Matter Production 10.1: Radiation and Net Photosynthesis of Single Leaves 10.2: Radiation Interception and Dry Matter Accumulation in Crop Stands 11: Water Use and Dry Matter Production 11.1: Relations and their Optimization Box 11.1: The saturation deficit of the air determines transpiration efficiency 11.2: The Transpiration Ratio and a Related Standard 11.3: Water Use and an Estimate of Dry Matter Production 12: Influence of Nutrient Supply on Water Use and Establishment of Yield 12.1: Yield Dependency on Water and Nutrient Supply 12.2: Influence of Nutrient Supply on the Relationship between Water Use and Yield 12.3: Transpiration Efficiency and Fertilizer Application 13: Development of Economic Yield under Inadequate Water Supply 13.1: Physiological Reactions and Assimilate Partitioning 13.2: Economic Yield 13.3: Water Shortage at Different Phenological Stages 13.4: Relation between Water Use and Economic Yield in Principal Crops 14: Water Stress in Plants 14.1: Measuring Water Stress in Plants 14.2: How Plants Perceive Water Stress Box 14.1: Signalling between roots and shoots 15: Climatic Factors Influencing Yield 15.1: Growth-limiting Climatic Factors 15.2: Climate Change 15.3: Plants, Soils and Cropping Pattern in a Changing Environment 16: Breeding for Yield and Water Use 16.1: Comparing Old and New Cultivars 16.2: Future Strategies in Plant Breeding 16.3: Application of Molecular Biology to Improve Crop Performance under Drought 17: Controlling the Soil’s Water Balance by Soil Management 17.1: Which of the Balance Components can be Changed? 17.2: Controlling Infiltration 17.3: Controlling Evaporation 17.4: Increasing the Quantity of Extractable Soil Water Box 17.1: Collection of water south of Sahel: a man, a hoe and barren land 17.5: Conservation Tillage 18: Controlling Water Use by Crop Management 18.1: Crop Rotation 18.2: Choice of Species and Cultivars 18.3: Seeding and Stand Density 18.4: Fertilizer Application 19: Irrigation 19.1: Need, Concerns, Problems 19.2: Tapping Water – the Basis of Early Civilizations 19.3: Water Requirement of Crops 19.4: Timing and Adjusting the Application of Water 19.5: Efficient Water Use 19.6: Irrigation Methods 20: Epilogue
£45.60
CABI Publishing Conservation Agriculture in Subsistence Farming:
Book SynopsisConservation agriculture systems have long-term impacts on livelihoods, agricultural production, gender equity, and regional economic development of tribal societies in South Asia. This book presents South Asia as a case study, due to the high soil erosion caused by monsoon rainfall and geophysical conditions in the region, which necessitate conservation agriculture approaches, and the high percentage of people in South Asia relying on subsistence and traditional farming. The book takes an interdisciplinary approach to analyse systems at scales ranging from household to regional and national levels.Table of Contentsa: Foreword b: Preface 1: A brief history of conservation agriculture 2: Global perspectives on conservation agriculture for small households 3: Potential of conservation agriculture production systems (CAPS) for improving sustainable food and nutrition security in the hill regions of Nepal 4: Effect of tillage, intercropping and residue cover on crop productivity, profitability and soil fertility under tribal farming situations of Odisha, India 5: Assessment of maize-based conservation agricultural production systems (CAPS) in rainfed uplands of Odisha, India 6: Risk as a determinant of adoption of conservation agriculture by smallholder farmers in Malawi 7: Economic potential of conservation agricultural production systems (CAPS) for tribal farmers in the hill region of Nepal 8: Evaluation of tillage and farm yard manure on soil properties and maize yield in the mid-hills of Nepal 9: Soil quality in conservation agriculture production systems (CAPS) of rainfed, sloping land farming in the central mid-hills region of Nepal 10: Preferences for conservation agriculture in developing countries: a case study on tribal societies of India and Nepal 11: Empowering Women through Conservation Agriculture: Rhetoric or Reality? Evidence from Malawi 12: Gendered Implications of Introducing Conservation Agriculture (CA): A Case Study in the Hill Region of Nepal
£46.98
CABI Publishing Visual Soil Evaluation: Realizing Potential Crop
Book SynopsisVisual Soil Evaluation provides land users and environmental authorities with the tools to assess soil quality for crop performance. An important tool for ensuring food security, this book appraises the use of visual soil evaluation in determining the potential of different land types for carbon storage, greenhouse gas emissions and nutrient leaching. Providing a guide to diagnosing and rectifying soil problems, it includes: - Full colour illustrations throughout to show variation of soil quality and aid evaluation - A broad range of land types, from abandoned peats to prime arable land - Assessment of soil structure after quality degradation such as compaction, erosion or organic matter loss Essential reading for students, researchers and scientists interested in soil science and crop production, this book is also a valuable tool for policy makers and environmental authorities. A useful handbook assessing yield potential across a range of scales, it places visual soil evaluation in the context of the future sustainable intensification of agriculture.Table of Contents1: Describing soil structures, rooting and biological activity and recognising tillage effects, damage and recovery from damage in clayey and sandy soils 2: Assessing structural quality for crop performance and for agronomy (VESS, VSA, SOILpak, Profil Cultural, SubVESS) 3: Reduction of yield gaps and improvement of ecological function through local-to-global applications of visual soil assessment 4: Visual evaluation of grassland and arable management impacts on soil quality 5: Choosing and evaluating soil improvements by subsoiling and compaction control 6: Valuing the Neglected: lessons and methods from an organic, anthropic soil system in the Outer Hebrides 7: Evaluating land quality for carbon storage, greenhouse gas emissions and nutrient leaching 8: Soil structure under adverse weather/climate conditions 9: The expanding discipline and role of Visual Soil Evaluation
£103.82
CABI Publishing Soil Carbon: Science, Management and Policy for
Book SynopsisThis book brings together the essential evidence and policy opportunities regarding the global importance of soil carbon for sustaining Earth's life support system for humanity. Covering the science and policy background for this important natural resource, it describes land management options that improve soil carbon status and therefore increase the benefits that humans derive from the environment. Written by renowned global experts, it is the principal output from a SCOPE rapid assessment process project.Table of ContentsI: Foreword II: Acknowledgements III: Executive Summary Part I: Introduction, Overview and Integration 1: The global challenge for soil carbon 2: Soil carbon, a critical natural resource: Wide-scale goals, urgent actions 3: Soil carbon transition curves: reversal of land degradation through management of soil organic matter for multiple benefits 4: From potential to implementation: An innovation framework to realise the benefits of soil carbon 5: A strategy for taking soil carbon into the policy arena Part II: Soil Carbon in Earth’s Life Support System 6: Soil formation 7: Soil carbon dynamics and nutrient cycling 8: Soil hydrology and reactive transport of carbon and nitrogen in a multi-scale landscape Part III: The Multiple Benefits of Soil Carbon 9: Climate change mitigation 10: Soil carbon and agricultural productivity: Perspectives from sub-Saharan Africa 11: Soil as a support of biodiversity and functions 12: Water supply and quality 13: Wind erosion of agricultural soils and the carbon cycle 14: Historical and sociocultural aspects of soil organic matter and soil organic carbon benefits 15: The economic value of soil carbon Part IV: Quantification and Reporting of Soil Carbon 16: Measuring and monitoring soil carbon 17: Modelling soil carbon 18: Valuation approaches for soil carbon Part V: Influence of Human Activity on Soil Carbon 19: Current soil carbon loss and land degradation globally: Where are the hotspots and why there? 20: Climate change and soil carbon impacts 21: Impacts of land-use change on carbon stocks and dynamics in central-southern South American biomes: Cerrado, Atlantic forest and southern grasslands. Part VI: Managing Soil Carbon for Multiple Benefits 22: Basic principles of soil carbon management for multiple ecosystem benefits 23: Managing soil carbon for multiple ecosystems benefits: positive exemplars – Latin America 24: Managing soil carbon for multiple benefits: positive exemplars - North America 25: Managing soil carbon in Europe: paludicultures as a new perspective for peatlands 26: Managing soil organic carbon for multiple benefits: The case of Africa 27: Benefits of SOM in agro-ecosystems: A case of China 28: Assessment of organic carbon status in Indian soils Part VII: Governance of Soil Carbon 29: Policy frameworks 30: National implementation case study: China 31: Avoided land degradation and enhanced soil C storage: Is there a role for carbon markets?
£100.80
CABI Publishing Tropical Forage Legumes: Harnessing the Potential
Book SynopsisThe development of legume use in agricultural production in the tropics lags far behind the temperate areas and extensive research over recent decades has aimed to rectify the lack of available leguminous fodder species available for heavy clay soils. This book draws together that research and explores the importance of heavy clay soils to agricultural productivity in the tropics and subtropics and the identification of adapted, productive forage legumes for these environments. Covering over four decades of international research, Tropical Forage Legumes: · Includes a detailed analysis of the forage germplasm available which is adapted to heavy clay soils · Covers the adaptation of a wide range of forages on Australian clay soils, and the evaluation of successful native and exotic forage legume species that have potential for those in Belize · Explores the genetics of the most promising genera, Desmanthus and Stylosanthes, and looks at the results from countries where new genotypes have been found to be productive and persistent · Provides details of a number of exciting new species, especially those in Desmanthus which have the potential to be, or have been commercialized · Makes recommendations for future research Providing an invaluable example of how a global search for adapted and productive forage germplasm has been - and can be - undertaken, and allowing access to a significant body of knowledge that was acquired before the digitalization of reports, this book will be a key resource for new scientists and experienced researchers in the areas of agriculture and forage agronomy.Table of Contents1: Providing Pasture and Ley Legumes for Use on Clay Soils in Tropical and Subtropical Environments 2: The Collection and Initial Evaluation of a Wide Range of Pasture Legumes From Mexico, Belize and Guatemala: Implications for Genetic Resource Development for Tropical Countries 3: Developing and Utilizing Genetic Resource Collections: An Example From the Tropical Leguminous Genus Stylosanthes 4: Desmanthus, A Tropical and Subtropical Forage Legume: Developing Germplasm Resources for More Tropical and High Altitude Environments 5: A Numerical Analysis of Variation Patterns in the Genus Desmanthus: An Exploratory Study 6: Searching for Pasture Legumes for Heavy Clay Soils in the Australian Dry Tropics and Subtropics: I. Initial literature Reviews, Data Analysis and Choice of Material for Test 7: Searching for Pasture Legumes for Heavy Clay Soils in the Australian Dry Tropics and Subtropics: II. Ancillary Floristic, Climatic and Edaphic Studies 8: Searching for Pasture Legumes for Heavy Clay Soils in the Australian Dry Tropics and Subtropics: III. The Initial Evaluation of Introduced Material 9: Searching for Pasture Legumes for Heavy Clay Soils in the Australian Dry Tropics and Subtropics: IV. Evaluation in Western Queensland 10: Recent Development and Commercial Adoption of Legumes for Heavy Clay Soils in Queensland 11: Developing and Commercializing New Pasture Legumes for Clay Soils in the Semi-arid Rangelands of Northern Australia: The New Desmanthus Cultivars JCU 1–5 and the Progardes Story 12: The Cattle Industry of Belize: A Brief History of Research and Development to the Mid-1970s 13: Botanical Composition and Nutritive Value of Selected Native Pastures in Belize 14: Single Plant Trials of Potential Forage Legumes for Belizean Pastures on Clay Soils of the Upper Belize River and the Lowland Pine Ridge 15: Forage Legume Adaptation Strip Trials in Belize 16: Initial Screening for Persistence and Productivity of 20 Promising Native and Exotic Pasture Legume Species in Two Productive Contrasting Forage Grasses in Belize 17: Productivity of 16 Forage Legumes Under Cutting in Belize on Contrasting Soils: A High Alluvial Terrace and A Lowland Pine Savanna I. Dry Matter Yields 18: Productivity of 16 Forage Legumes in Mixed Swards Under Cutting in Belize on Contrasting Soils: A High Alluvial Terrace and A Lowland Pine Savanna II. Nutrient Levels and Feeding Value 19: A Summary of the Results of the IDRC-UWI/Belize Forage Legume Adaptation and Productivity Trials, 1973–1977
£141.48
CABI Publishing Visual Soil Evaluation: Realizing Potential Crop
Book SynopsisVisual Soil Evaluation provides land users and environmental authorities with the tools to assess soil quality for crop performance. An important tool for ensuring food security, this book appraises the use of visual soil evaluation in determining the potential of different land types for carbon storage, greenhouse gas emissions and nutrient leaching. Providing a guide to diagnosing and rectifying soil problems, it includes: - Full colour illustrations throughout to show variation of soil quality and aid evaluation - A broad range of land types, from abandoned peats to prime arable land - Assessment of soil structure after quality degradation such as compaction, erosion or organic matter loss Essential reading for students, researchers and scientists interested in soil science and crop production, this book is also a valuable tool for policy makers and environmental authorities. A useful handbook assessing yield potential across a range of scales, it places visual soil evaluation in the context of the future sustainable intensification of agriculture.Table of Contents1: Describing soil structures, rooting and biological activity and recognising tillage effects, damage and recovery from damage in clayey and sandy soils 2: Assessing structural quality for crop performance and for agronomy (VESS, VSA, SOILpak, Profil Cultural, SubVESS) 3: Reduction of yield gaps and improvement of ecological function through local-to-global applications of visual soil assessment 4: Visual evaluation of grassland and arable management impacts on soil quality 5: Choosing and evaluating soil improvements by subsoiling and compaction control 6: Valuing the Neglected: lessons and methods from an organic, anthropic soil system in the Outer Hebrides 7: Evaluating land quality for carbon storage, greenhouse gas emissions and nutrient leaching 8: Soil structure under adverse weather/climate conditions 9: The expanding discipline and role of Visual Soil Evaluation
£42.99
ISTE Ltd and John Wiley & Sons Inc Soils as a Key Component of the Critical Zone 1:
Book SynopsisThis introductory book to the six volume series includes an introduction defining the critical zone for mankind that extends from tree canopy and the lower atmosphere to water table and unweathered rock. Soils play a crucial role through the functions and the services that they provide to mankind. The spatial and temporal variability of soils is represented by information systems whose importance, recent evolutions and increasingly performing applications in France and in the world must be underlined. The soil functions, discussed in this book, focus on the regulation of the water cycle, biophysicochemical cycles and the habitat role of biodiversity. The main services presented are those related to the provision of agricultural, fodder and forest products, energy, as well as materials and the role of soil as infrastructure support. They also include the different cultural dimensions of soils, their representations being often linked to myths and rites, as well as their values of environmental and archaeological records. Finally, the issue is raised of an off-ground world.Table of ContentsForeword xiii Chapter 1. Soils as a Key Component of the Critical Zone 1Jacques BERTHELIN, Guilhem BOURRIÉ, Michel-Claude GIRARD, Guillaume DHÉRISSARD and Christian VALENTIN 1.1. What are soils? 1 1.2. The Earth, land, soils, soil cover and the Critical Zone 2 1.3. The term “soil” has various meanings according to use and function processes 5 1.4. The concept of soil varies according to the user 6 1.4.1. Agricultural sector 7 1.4.2. Scientific communities 7 1.4.3. Urban communities 8 1.4.4. Current pressures and questions 8 1.5. The approaches and procedures of soil scientists and pedologists 9 1.6. Two principles to take into account: geographical continuity and multi-temporality 10 1.6.1. Principle of continuity 10 1.6.2. Principle of multi-temporality 13 1.7. Nature, organization and major modes of soil processes 15 1.7.1. Soils before the arrival of humans 15 1.7.2. Specifics and origins of the Earth’s soils 17 1.7.3. The parameters controlling differentiation and diversity of soils 18 1.8. The functions and services of soils 23 1.8.1. Major functions 23 1.8.2. Services provided by soils 24 1.8.3. The role of soils within our culture and our history 25 1.9. The need and significance of soil information systems 29 1.10. Conclusion and recommendation 29 1.11. Bibliography 30 Chapter 2. Understanding Soils for Their More Efficient Management: A National Soil Information System 35Marion BARDY, Dominique ARROUAYS, Claudy JOLIVET, Bertrand LAROCHE, Christine LE BAS, Manuel MARTIN, Céline RATIÉ, Anne C. RICHER-DE-FORGES, Nicolas SABY, Véronique ANTONI, Antonio BISPO, Michel BROSSARD, Jean-Luc FORT, Joëlle SAUTER and Chantal GASCUEL 2.1. Introduction 35 2.2. The inventory and monitoring of soils in Europe and in the world 36 2.3. National mechanisms for the acquisition of soil data 37 2.3.1. Issues and demands 37 2.3.2. Structuring of national data collection mechanisms 38 2.4. Data exploitation for the production of maps and indicators 44 2.5. Dissemination and availability of data 49 2.5.1. A national soil information system focused on data dissemination 49 2.5.2. A progressive enrichment of data and metadata supply 50 2.5.3. Assisting the use, improvement and control of data 52 2.6. Conclusion 52 2.7. Bibliography 53 Chapter 3. Soils and Regulation of the Hydrological Cycle 9Marc VOLTZ, Cécile DAGÈS, Laurent PRÉVOT and Ary BRUAND 3.1. The soil – facilitator within the hydrological cycle 59 3.2. Soil control mechanisms 61 3.2.1. Infiltration–runoff partition 61 3.2.2. Aquifer recharge 65 3.2.3. Evaporation and transpiration flows 67 3.2.4. Capillary rise 70 3.2.5. Soil water budget 71 3.2.6. Hydrological flows along hillslopes 72 3.3. Impacts on the hydrological cycle at soil cover scale 74 3.3.1. Influence of soil and land use variations 75 3.3.2. Influence of land use changes 77 3.3.3. Influence of landscape infrastructures 78 3.4. Conclusions 79 Chapter 4. Soils as Bio-physicochemical Reactors 81Fabienne TROLARD and Guilhem BOURRIÉ 4.1. What is a reactor? 81 4.2. Soil components 85 4.3. Reactivity drivers 86 4.4. Main reactions within soils 90 4.4.1. Master variables: pH and pe 90 4.4.2. Acid–base reactions 91 4.4.3. Reactions of oxido-reduction 94 4.4.4. Degradation of organic matter 95 4.5. Biogeochemical evolution of the Earth’s surface and the consequences for soils 96 4.5.1. Availability of chemical elements changed with the Earth’s evolution 96 4.5.2. The evolution of the Earth’s reactor imposed the evolution of living organisms 99 4.5.3. Emergence of the “soil” function within the Critical Zone 101 4.6. Soil, biogeochemical reactor of soil formation 103 4.6.1. Vertical dynamics of soils: the lowering of horizons within landscapes 105 4.6.2. Lateral dynamics of soil and transformations of soil covers 107 4.6.3. Lateral dynamics by epigenesis (replacement) 111 4.7. Soil structure: a case of “soft matter” 112 4.8. Bibliography 113 Chapter 5. Soils are Biosystems, Habitats and Reserves of Biodiversity 117Jacques BERTHELIN, Éric BLANCHART, Jean TRAP and Jean Charles MUNCH 5.1. Introduction 117 5.2. Emergence and development of microbial ecology and soil biology 118 5.2.1. Discovery of the microbial world, a turning point in the knowledge of the functioning of soil–plant systems 118 5.2.2. Discovery of the role of fauna and development of soil biology 119 5.3. Soil microbial communities 119 5.3.1. Richness and diversity of microbial communities 119 5.3.2. Evolution of methodologies in soil microbial ecology 123 5.4. Diversity of energy and nutritional pathways of microorganisms, key players in biogeochemical cycles 124 5.4.1. Heterotrophy, autotrophy and extreme environments 124 5.4.2. Soils, environments where life is active with or without oxygen 125 5.5. Richness and diversity of soil fauna 126 5.5.1. Diversity of soil fauna 126 5.5.2. Classification by size 127 5.5.3. Functional classification sensu lato 127 5.5.4. Characterization of the fauna 128 5.6. Soils, environments with energy and nutritional conditions favorable to microbial life and fauna 128 5.7. Determinants and remarkable sites of diversity and soil biological activities 129 5.7.1. Parameters and major activity sites 129 5.7.2. Impact of land use 130 5.7.3. Humus, integrators and developers of specific biological activities 131 5.7.4. The rhizosphere, a site of major interactions of soil–plant systems 132 5.8. Tools for understanding the habitats of soil organisms 133 5.9. Specificities of the soil fauna 133 5.9.1. Microregulators 134 5.9.2. The communities of organisms called “engineers” 134 5.10. Soil organisms: ecosystem service actors 135 5.11. Soil quality indicators 137 5.11.1. Soil organisms as indicators 137 5.11.2. Ecological functions as indicators 138 5.12. Conclusion and perspectives 138 5.13. Bibliography 139 Chapter 6. Soils, a Factor in Plant Production:Agroecosystems 147Claire CHENU, Jean ROGER-ESTRADE, Chantal GASCUEL and Christian WALTER 6.1. Introduction 147 6.2. Evolution of soil–agriculture relationship over the last few decades 148 6.3. Agricultural capability of soils 150 6.3.1. How do we define the agricultural capability of a soil? 150 6.3.2. Limited soil resources on a global scale 154 6.4. Agricultural practices that alter soil properties 155 6.5. Toward sustainable management of agricultural soils 158 6.6. Conclusion 161 Chapter 7. Forest Soils: Characteristics and Sustainability 163Jacques RANGER 7.1. Forest soils 163 7.2. Bioavailability of nutrients: soil–plant coevolution and the role of the biological cycle 165 7.3. Concept of forest soil fertility 170 7.4. Specificity of forest soils compared to agricultural soils 171 7.5. Threats to forest soils 175 7.5.1. Acidification 175 7.5.2. Physical degradation 177 7.5.3. The particular problem of organic carbon: soil fertility and climate change 179 7.5.4. Maintaining biodiversity 180 7.5.5. Pollution 181 7.5.6. Disappearance of forest soils 181 7.6. Conclusions 181 7.7. Bibliography 183 Chapter 8. Soils and Energy 187Isabelle FEIX 8.1. Soils at the heart of global issues 187 8.2. Energy context 188 8.3. Soils, energy supports and energy suppliers 190 8.3.1. Forest and agricultural biomass production: for bioenergy production 190 8.3.2. Physical supports of renewable energy: ground-mounted photovoltaic power plants and onshore wind turbines 190 8.3.3. Heat and freshness supplies: horizontal superficial geothermal energy and climatic wells 191 8.3.4. Peat: formerly used as a biofuel 191 8.4. The consequences of energy production on mobilization, occupation and land-use change 192 8.4.1. Comparison of land use intensities and land area occupations for energy production 194 8.4.2. Comparison of land use changes related to different energies 202 8.4.3. Consequences of energy policies for land mobilization and LUC 204 8.4.4. Optimization of land use 206 8.5. Impacts of energy production on soil loss, degradation and quality 207 8.5.1. Impacts common to all energies 207 8.5.2. Peat 208 8.5.3. Fossil fuels 208 8.5.4. Nuclear energy 208 8.5.5. Solar and wind energies 209 8.5.6. Bioenergies 210 8.6. Conclusion 217 8.7. Bibliography 219 Chapter 9. Soils, Materials, and Infrastructure Supports 233Guilhem BOURRIÉ and Fabienne TROLARD 9.1. The use of “raw” soils as building materials 233 9.2. Soils, infrastructure supports 236 9.3. The classical civil engineering versus the physical approach of granular media 237 9.4. Consumption of agricultural land, forest or natural areas by urban sprawl 239 9.5. The use of separate particle size fractions 242 9.5.1. The use of coarse fractions 242 9.5.2. The use of the clay fraction as material and reaction support 242 9.5.3. The use of the soil organic fraction 243 9.5.4. The use of soil oxides 243 9.6. The use of chemical elements after extraction and treatment 243 9.7. Bibliography 244 Chapter 10. Cultural Dimensions of Soils 247Suzanne MÉRIAUX and Michel-Claude GIRARD 10.1. Soil representations – the Earth celebrated 247 10.1.1. The written Earth 248 10.1.2. The illustrated Earth 251 10.1.3. The Earth with sound 254 10.2. Humanity, Earth and soil: myths and rites 258 10.2.1. Defining myths 259 10.2.2. Earth and soils in myths 259 10.2.3. Myths 261 10.2.4. Rites 268 10.2.5. Analogies with the pedological approach? 269 10.2.6. Links between humans and earth/soils 270 10.2.7. Conclusion 271 10.3. Bibliography 272 Chapter 11. Environmental and Societal Memories of Soils 275Marie-Agnès COURTY 11.1. Ancient soils: archives of human history 275 11.1.1. Objectives 275 11.1.2. Soil memory and climate change 276 11.1.3. Memory of ancient soils and societies 278 11.2. Methods of studying soil memory 279 11.2.1. The field approach 279 11.2.2. Analytical characterization 281 11.3. Reading the ancient soil memory 282 11.3.1. Foundations 282 11.3.2. Sedimentary features 283 11.3.3. Combustion features 285 11.3.4. Soil features 287 11.4. Conclusion and perspectives 294 11.5. Bibliography 295 Chapter 12. A Mesological Point of View 299Pierre DONADIEU 12.1. Soil ubiquity 299 12.2. Soil as 301 12.3. Off-ground? 303 12.4. Living off-ground 304 12.5. Limits of the off-ground 307 12.6. Conclusion 309 12.7. Bibliography 309 List of Authors 311 Index 315
£125.06
ISTE Ltd and John Wiley & Sons Inc Soils as a Key Component of the Critical Zone 2:
Book SynopsisThis volume comprises three parts: 1) from local to global, 2) what type of sustainable management? 3) territorial approaches. The first chapter demonstrates, from the French example, that better soil management is a societal issue. At the global level, the second chapter raises the question of land grabbing and land use conflicts. This book also raises the question of the legal status of the soil. It then shows how soils need to be integrated when defining sustainable agricultural systems. French and European examples illustrate how taking environmental problems into account depends as much on their acuity as on how problems are perceived by public and private, social or economic actors. Therefore, it is important to promote co-diagnosis involving the scientific community and the various other actors in order to improve the regulation on soils. This multi-actor soil governance is facilitated by the use of simple soil quality indicators. Finally, examples in France and Vietnam show how soils are to be considered as territorial commons within landscapes. This last chapter recommends in particular to put an end to the absolute right of soil ownership and to distribute the usufruct of land between various private and public beneficiaries.Table of ContentsForeword ix André MARIOTTI Part 1. Local and Global 1 Chapter 1. Effective Management of Agricultural Soils: A Challenge for Society 3Cécile CLAVEIROLE and Agnès COURTOUX 1.1. Introduction 3 1.2. Findings and issues 4 1.2.1. Ecosystem services created by the soil 4 1.2.2. The current major issues 5 1.3. Recommendations of the French Economic, Social and Environmental Council 6 1.3.1. Developing soil knowledge tools 7 1.3.2. Protecting the land and using land planning as a preservation tool 8 1.3.3. Supporting agricultural practices that promote good soil biological quality 9 1.3.4. Raising awareness about soil-related issues 11 1.4. Conclusion 12 1.5. Bibliography 12 Chapter 2. A New “Great Game” over the World’s Arable Land? 13 Alain KARSENTY 2.1. Introduction 13 2.2. The dynamic compound that is “land grabbing” 15 2.2.1. The powers behind the phenomenon 15 2.2.2. Quantitative estimates revised downward 16 2.2.3. A predominance of food production partly due to oil palm 18 2.2.4. Host countries and the origin of investors 19 2.2.5. The nature of investors 21 2.2.6. Land-use changes 22 2.2.7. The consequences for agricultural structures 24 2.3. Does the grabbing model have a future? 26 2.3.1. Local resistance pushes for proposals for contract farming 26 2.3.2. Possible mutual gains? 28 2.3.3. Multilateral efforts to introduce a soft law 30 2.3.4. The role of public policies 31 2.4. Conclusion 32 2.5. Bibliography 34 Part 2. Different Forms of Sustainable Management 39 Chapter 3. The Soil: A Strange Legal Notion 41Maylis DESROUSSEAUX 3.1. Introduction 41 3.2. The potential of law in the regulation of soil usage 44 3.2.1. The variability in the law’s understanding of soil 44 3.2.2. The lack of ecological soil governance 47 3.3. The necessary evolution of the legal status of soil 49 3.3.1. The protection of soil habitats recognized by law for the recovery of biodivesity 49 3.3.2. The acknowledgment of the soil as part of our common heritag 51 3.4. Conclusion 53 3.5. Bibliography 53 Chapter 4. Where is Soil in the Design and Management of Sustainable Farming Systems? The View of an Agronomist 57François LAURENT 4.1. Introduction 57 4.2. The soil of the agronomist: a field of diversity 58 4.3. Soil and fertility: relationships to revisit and the need for operational knowledge 59 4.4. Agroecology and global issues: emerging needs 66 4.5. Conclusion 70 4.6. Acknowledgement 70 4.7. Bibliography 71 Part 3. Territorial Approaches 75 Chapter 5. Common Governance of Soil Quality, Complex and Multi-player Dynamics 77Didier CHRISTIN and Guillaume DHÉRISSARD 5.1. Introduction 77 5.2. Return to some territorial experiments 78 5.2.1. Presentation of three cases in France, the Netherlands and Belgium 79 5.2.2. Key teachings from the viewpoint of soil governance 83 5.3. Learning about soil management in terms of common management 84 5.3.1. Soil management, a complex and multi-player issue 84 5.3.2. The total quality of the soils 85 5.3.3. Common management 87 5.4. Conclusion 90 5.5. Bibliography 91 Chapter 6. Moving Discussions Toward Co-diagnostics: Progressive Approaches 93Christine KING 6.1. Introduction 93 6.2. Scientists’ proposals 94 6.2.1. Clarifying, objectifying and representing the organization and soil quality 94 6.2.2. Increasing knowledge and awareness of the processes involved and the provided ecosystem services 97 6.2.3. Increasing trust in models and in projections 103 6.2.4. A better policy for raising awareness and transferring knowledge 105 6.2.5. Organizing the monitoring of scientific evidence 106 6.2.6. Developing and conducting a proper monitoring system 108 6.3. The science/society discussion 109 6.3.1. More and more interactions of the subject of soil and diagnostics 109 6.3.2. Current research and the contributions of human and social sciences 116 6.4. Conclusion 119 6.5. Bibliography 120 Chapter 7. The Soil as Territorial Commons: The Point of View of a Landscaper 127Pierre DONADIEU 7.1. Introduction 127 7.2. Territorial and landscaped commons 128 7.2.1. Territorial commons 129 7.2.2. Landscaped commons 131 7.2.3. Territorialism or landscaping? 134 7.2.4. Conclusion 137 7.3. Building territorial commons 137 7.3.1. Separating the rights of soil usage 137 7.3.2. Land use of the Morbihan Regional Nature Park: a landscape issue for local societies 138 7.3.3. Conserving the agricultural soil of the Pays de Caux: a common cause? 140 7.3.4. The Perfume River in Huế (Vietnam) 141 7.4. Conclusion 144 7.5. Bibliography 145 List of Authors 149 Index 151
£125.06
CABI Publishing Soil Carbon: Science, Management and Policy for
Book SynopsisThis book brings together the essential evidence and policy opportunities regarding the global importance of soil carbon for sustaining Earth's life support system for humanity. Covering the science and policy background for this important natural resource, it describes land management options that improve soil carbon status and therefore increase the benefits that humans derive from the environment. Written by renowned global experts, it is the principal output from a SCOPE rapid assessment process project.Table of ContentsI: Foreword II: Acknowledgements III: Executive Summary Part I: Introduction, Overview and Integration 1: The global challenge for soil carbon 2: Soil carbon, a critical natural resource: Wide-scale goals, urgent actions 3: Soil carbon transition curves: reversal of land degradation through management of soil organic matter for multiple benefits 4: From potential to implementation: An innovation framework to realise the benefits of soil carbon 5: A strategy for taking soil carbon into the policy arena Part II: Soil Carbon in Earth’s Life Support System 6: Soil formation 7: Soil carbon dynamics and nutrient cycling 8: Soil hydrology and reactive transport of carbon and nitrogen in a multi-scale landscape Part III: The Multiple Benefits of Soil Carbon 9: Climate change mitigation 10: Soil carbon and agricultural productivity: Perspectives from sub-Saharan Africa 11: Soil as a support of biodiversity and functions 12: Water supply and quality 13: Wind erosion of agricultural soils and the carbon cycle 14: Historical and sociocultural aspects of soil organic matter and soil organic carbon benefits 15: The economic value of soil carbon Part IV: Quantification and Reporting of Soil Carbon 16: Measuring and monitoring soil carbon 17: Modelling soil carbon 18: Valuation approaches for soil carbon Part V: Influence of Human Activity on Soil Carbon 19: Current soil carbon loss and land degradation globally: Where are the hotspots and why there? 20: Climate change and soil carbon impacts 21: Impacts of land-use change on carbon stocks and dynamics in central-southern South American biomes: Cerrado, Atlantic forest and southern grasslands. Part VI: Managing Soil Carbon for Multiple Benefits 22: Basic principles of soil carbon management for multiple ecosystem benefits 23: Managing soil carbon for multiple ecosystems benefits: positive exemplars – Latin America 24: Managing soil carbon for multiple benefits: positive exemplars - North America 25: Managing soil carbon in Europe: paludicultures as a new perspective for peatlands 26: Managing soil organic carbon for multiple benefits: The case of Africa 27: Benefits of SOM in agro-ecosystems: A case of China 28: Assessment of organic carbon status in Indian soils Part VII: Governance of Soil Carbon 29: Policy frameworks 30: National implementation case study: China 31: Avoided land degradation and enhanced soil C storage: Is there a role for carbon markets?
£52.15
CABI Publishing Plants for Soil Regeneration: An Illustrated
Book SynopsisThis book is a comprehensive, beautifully illustrated colour guide to the plants which farmers, growers and gardeners can use to improve soil structure and restore fertility without the use and expense of agrichemicals. Information based on the latest research is given on how to use soil conditioning plants to avoid soil degradation, restore soil quality and help clean polluted land. There are 11 chapters: 1 to 6 cover soil health, nitrogen fixation, green manures and herbal leys, bacteria and other microorganisms, phytoremediators and soil mycorrhiza (plant-fungal symbiosis). Chapter 7 has plant illustrations, with climate range and soil types, along with their soil conditioning properties and each plant is presented with a comprehensive description opposite a detailed illustration, in full colour. Chapters 8 to 10 examine soil stabilisers, weeds and invasive plants, and hedges and trees and the final chapter, contains 5 case studies with the most recent data, followed by an appendix and glossary. The book allows the reader to identify the plants they need quickly and find the information necessary to begin implementation of soil regeneration.Table of ContentsChapter 1: Soil Health Chapter 2: Nitrogen-fixing Plants Chapter 3: Cover Crops, Green Manures and Herbal Leys Chapter 4: Bacteria and Other Microorganisms Chapter 5: Mycorrhiza Chapter 6: Phytoremediators Chapter 7: Illustrations, with Information on Each Plant Chapter 8: Soil Stabilizers and Coastal Plants Chapter 9: Weeds and Invasive Plants Chapter Chapter 10: Hedges and Trees Chapter 11: Case Studies
£51.48
CABI Publishing Conservation Agriculture in Africa: Climate Smart
Book SynopsisTillage agriculture has led to widespread soil and ecosystem degradation globally, and more particularly in the developing regions. This is especially so in Africa where traditional agricultural practices have become unsustainable due to severe exploitation of natural resources with negative impacts on the environment and food system. In addition, agricultural land use in Africa today faces major challenges including increased costs, climate change and a need to transform to more sustainable production intensification systems. Conservation Agriculture has emerged as a major alternative sustainable climate smart agriculture approach in Africa and has spread to many African countries in the past decade as more development and research, including in sustainable mechanization, has enabled its extension and uptake. It is key to transforming Africa's agriculture and food system given its ability to restore soil health, biodiversity and productivity of millions of smallholder farms as well as larger-scale farms. This landmark volume is based on the material presented at the Second Africa Congress on Conservation Agriculture which was held in Johannesburg, South Africa, 9-12 October 2018. The main theme of the Congress was 'Making Climate Smart Agriculture Real in Africa with Conservation Agriculture: Supporting the Malabo Declaration and Agenda 2063'. The Congress was aligned to mobilize stakeholders in all agriculture sectors to provide greater technical, institutional, development and investment support, impetus and direction to the vision and agenda for transforming African agriculture as set out by the Malabo Declaration and Agenda 2063. This book is aimed at all agricultural stakeholders in the public, private and civil sectors in Africa engaged in supporting the transformation of conventional tillage agriculture to Conservation Agriculture. The book will be of interest to: researchers, academics, students, development stakeholders, public and private sector investors and policy makers as well as institutional libraries across the world.Table of ContentsPart 1: Making Climate Smart Agriculture Real in Africa 1: The Malabo Declaration and Agenda 2063: Making Climate Smart Agriculture Real with Conservation Agriculture in Africa 2: Development of Climate Smart Agriculture in Africa 3: Climate Smart Agriculture for Africa: The Potential Role of Conservation Agriculture in Climate Smart Agriculture Part 2: Mainstreaming of Conservation Agriculture 4: Mainstreaming of the Conservation Agriculture paradigm in Africa 5: Challenges and Approaches to Accelerating the Uptake of Conservation Agriculture in Africa and Europe 6: Conservation Agriculture in the Southern Highlands of Tanzania: Learnings from Two Decades of Research for Development 7: Historical Review and Future Opportunities for Wider Scaling of Conservation Agriculture in Tunisia 8: Assessing the Application and Practice of Conservation Agriculture in Malawi Part 3: Research for Conservation Agriculture Systems Development 9: Research and Technology Development Needs for Scaling Up Conservation Agriculture Systems, Practices and Innovations in Africa 10: Moving paradigms – Conservation Agriculture with Alternative Agronomics to Minimize Inputs 11: Economic and Yield Comparisons of Different Crop and Crop–Pasture Production Systems 12: Livestock Integration in Conservation Agriculture 13: Enhancing Climate Resilience Using Stress-tolerant Maize in Conservation Agriculture in Southern Africa 14: Tillage Effect on Agronomic Efficiency of Nitrogen Under Rainfed Conditions of Tanzania 15: Effect of Conservation Agriculture on Soil Properties and Maize Grain Yield in the Semi-Arid Laikipia County, Kenya 16: Increasing Adaptation to Climate Stress by Applying Conservation Agriculture in Southern Africa 17: What Drives Small-scale Farmers to Adopt Conservation Agriculture Practices in Tanzania? 18: Impact of Conservation Agriculture on Soil Health: Lessons from the University of Fort Hare Trial Part 4: Education and Training for Conservation Agriculture 19: Formal Education and Training for Conservation Agriculture in Africa 20: Strengthening Conservation Agriculture Education in Africa 21: Conservation Agriculture Innovation Systems Build Climate Resilience for Smallholder Farmers in South Africa 22: Lessons Learnt from Concern Worldwide's Conservation Agriculture Interventions in Malawi and Zambia, 2010–2018 23: Development of Adaptive Training Materials for Conservation Agriculture Promotion in Africa Part 5: Investing for Agricultural Transformation 24: Sustainable Agricultural Mechanization and Commercialization for Widespread Adoption of Conservation Agriculture Systems in Africa 25: Centres of Excellence in Conservation Agriculture: Developing African Institutions for Sustainable Agricultural Development 26: On-farm Experimentation for Scaling-out Conservation Agriculture Using an Innovation Systems Approach in the North West Province, South Africa 27: Conservation Agriculture for Climate Smart Agriculture in Smallholder Farming Systems in Kenya 28: Conservation Agriculture for Smallholder Farmers in Rainfed and Irrigated Systems in the Eastern Indo-Gangetic Plain: Lessons Learned 29: Evaluation of the Technical Capacity of Artisans to Fabricate the Animal-powered Direct Seeder Super-Eco in Sénégal Part 6: The Future 30: The Future: Towards Agenda 2063
£163.80
CABI Publishing New Land, New Life: A success story of new land
Book SynopsisThe Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna delta has newly emerged 'char' islands, resulting from the deposition of sediment, which are very vulnerable, socially, institutionally and environmentally. This book explains how the governments of Bangladesh and the Netherlands and the International Fund for Agricultural Development cooperated on a land-based rural development project to give settlers security and purpose. It details how they engaged communities and civil societies, and implemented an infrastructure aimed at reducing flooding, improving drainage, and providing adequate drinking water and sanitation. The book describes the project's application to crop and animal agriculture, and the development of value chains and encouragement of female participation. It considers the financial underpinning and infrastructure, as well as how to ensure the impacts of the scheme are enduring. The scheme serves as a model for support projects to vulnerable groups faced with climate change and other environmental challenges. This book is suitable for students, researchers, specialists and practitioners in rural development, water resources, land management and soil science.Table of Contents1: THE COASTAL CHARS OF BANGLADESH 2: THE BIRTH OF CDSP IV 3: MANAGING CHAR DEVELOPMENT AND SETTLEMENT: A COMPLEX PROCESS 4: INVOLVING THE COMMUNITIES AND CIVIL SOCIETY 5: ROLE OF WOMEN IN DEVELOPMENT 6: DEVELOPING THE INFRASTRUCTURE 7: THE LAND SETTLEMENT PROCESS 8: THE POWER OF AGRICULTURE 9: MONEY MATTERS – SAVINGS AND LOANS 10: ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENT WITH TREES 11: INCOME AND QUALITY OF LIFE 12: OUR PRIDE 13: WHEN THE PROJECT LEAVES
£36.57
Burleigh Dodds Science Publishing Limited Understanding and Preventing Soil Erosion
Book SynopsisThis collection reviews the range of research on understanding the mechanisms of soil erosion, as well as advances in techniques for measuring erosion. The book also addresses recent developments in mitigation strategies to reduce soil erosion such as zero/no-tillage, buffer strips and soil stabilisers.
£137.75
CABI Publishing No Tillage Seeding in Conservation Agriculture
Book SynopsisThis book is a much-expanded and updated edition of a previous volume, published in 1996 as "No-tillage Seeding: Science and Practice". The base objective remains to describe, in lay terms, a range of international experiments designed to examine the causes of successes and failures in no-tillage. The book summarizes the advantages and disadvantages of no tillage. It highlights the pros and cons of a range of features and options, without promoting any particular product.Topics added or covered in more detail in the second edition include:* soil carbon and how its retention or sequestration interacts with tillage and no-tillage* controlled traffic farming as an adjunct to no-tillage* comparison of the performance of generic no-tillage opener designs* the role of banding fertilizer in no-tillage* the economics of no-tillage* small-scale equipment used by poorer farmers* forage cropping by no-tillage* a method for risk assessment of different levels of machine sophisticationTable of Contents1: The 'What' and 'Why' of no-tillage farming, C J Baker and K E Saxton 2: The benefits of no-tillage, D R Reicosky and K E Saxton 3: The nature of risk in no-tillage, C J Baker, W (Bill) R Ritchie and K E Saxton 4: Seeding openers and slot shape, C J Baker 5: The role of slot cover, C J Baker 6: Drilling into dry soils, C J Baker 7: Drilling into wet soils, C J Baker 8: Seed depth, placement and metering, C J Baker and K E Saxton 9: Fertilizer placement, C J Baker 10: Residue handling, C J Baker, F Ribeiro, Instito Agronômico do Paraná (IAPAR), Ponta Grossa, Parana, Brazil and K E Saxton 11: Comparing surface disturbance and low-disturbance disc openers, C J Baker 12: No-tillage for forage production, C J Baker, W (Bill) and R Ritchie 13: No-tillage drill and planter design - large-scale machines, C J Baker 14: No-tillage drill and planter design - small-scale machines, F Ribeiro, S E Justice, P Hobbs and C J Baker 15: Managing a no-tillage seeding system, W (Bill) R Ritchie and C J Baker 16: Controlled traffic farming as a complementary practice to no-tillage, W C T Chamen 17: Reduced environmental emissions and carbon sequestration, D C Reicosk and K E Saxton 18: Some economic comparisons, C J Baker 19: Procedures for development and technology transfer, C J Baker"
£108.90
CABI Publishing Microbiological Methods for Assessing Soil
Book SynopsisThis book provides a selection of microbiological methods which are applicable or already applied in regional or national soil quality monitoring programmes. An overview is given of approaches to monitoring, evaluating and managing soil quality (Part I), followed by a selection of methods which are described in sufficient detail to use the book as a practical handbook in the laboratory (Part II). Finally a census is given of the main methods used in over 30 European laboratories. The book is aimed at different levels: soil scientists, technicians, policy makers, land managers and students.Table of ContentsPart I: Approaches to Defining, Monitoring, Evaluating and Managing Soil Quality 1: Introduction, A Benedetti and O Dilly 2: Defining Soil Quality, R G Burns, P Nannipieri, A Benedetti and D W Hopkins 3: Monitoring and Evaluating Soil Quality, J Bloem, A J Schouten, S J Sørensen, M Rutgers, A van der Werf and A M Breure 4: Managing Soil Quality, M Schloter, J C Munch and F Tittarelli 5: Conclusive Remarks, A Benedetti, P C Brookes and J M Lynch Part II: Selected Methods 6: Microbial Biomass and Numbers 7: Estimating soil microbial biomass, A Fließbach and F Widmer 8: Microbial biomass measurements by fumigation-extraction, P Brookes and R G Joergensen 9: Substrate-induced respiration, H Höper 10: Enumeration and Biovolume Determination of Microbial Cells, M Bölter, J Bloem, K Meiners and R Möller 11: Soil Microbial Activity 12: Estimating soil microbial activity , O Dilly 13: Soil respiration, M Pell, J Stenström and U Granhall 14: Soil nitrogen mineralization, S Canali and A Benedetti 15: Nitrification in soil, A Bollmann 16: Thymidine and leucine incorporation to assess bacterial growth rate, J Bloem and P R Bolhuis 17: N2O emissions and denitrification from soil, U Sehy, M Schloter, H Bothe and J C Munch 18: Enzyme activity profiles and soil quality, L J Shaw and R G Burns 19: Soil Microbial Diversity and Community Composition 20: Estimating soil microbial diversity and community composition, J D van Elsas and M Rutgers 21: Soil microbial community fingerprinting based on total community DNA or RNA, J D van Elsas, E M Top and K Smalla 22: Phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) analyses, A Palojärvi 23: Substrate utilisation in Biolog plates for analysis of CLPP, M Rutgers, A M Breure and H Insam 24: Plant-microbe Interactions and Soil Quality 25: Microbial ecology of the rhizosphere, P Lemanceau, P Offre, C Mougel, E Gamalero, Y Dessaux, Y Moënne-Loccoz and G Berta 26: Nodulating symbiotic bacteria and soil quality, A Hartmann, S Mazurier, D N Rodríguez-Navarro, F Temprano Vera, J-C Cleyet-Marel, Y Prin, A Galiana, M Fernández-López, N Toro and Y Moënne-Loccoz 27: Contribution of arbuscular mycorrhiza to soil quality and terrestrial ecotoxicology, S Gianinazzi, E Plumey-Jacquot, V Gianinazzi-Pearson and C Leyval 28: Concepts and methods to assess the phytosanitary quality of soils, C Alabouvette, J Raaijmakers, W de Boer, R Notz, G Défago, C Steinberg and P Lemanceau 29: Free-living plant-beneficial microorganisms and soil quality, Y Moënne-Loccoz, S L Woo, Y Okon, R Bally, M Lorito, P Lemanceau and A Hartman 30: Census of Microbiological Methods for Soil Quality, O Dilly
£41.32
CABI Publishing Architecture and Biology of Soils: Life in Inner
Book SynopsisSoil is a fundamental and critical, yet often overlooked, component of terrestrial ecosystems. It is an extremely complex environment, supporting levels of diversity far greater than any ecosystem above ground. Bringing together existing knowledge in the areas of soil biology and physics, this book explores the key characteristics of soil spatial architecture, including how it develops and the consequences this has for life underground. The effects of soil's physical and biological components on their interactions and functions are used to demonstrate their roles in ecosystem dynamics.Table of Contents1: Views of the Underworld: in situ Visualization of Soil Biota 2: Modelling Soil Structure and Processes 3: Microbial Regulation of Soil Structural Dynamics 4: The Zoological Generation of Soil Structure 5: Biotic Regulation: Plants 6: Biota-Mineral Interactions 7: How do the Microhabitats Framed by Soil Structure Impact Soil Bacteria and the Processes that they Regulate? 8: Fungal Growth in Soils 9: Sensory Ecology in Soil Space 10: Managing the Interactions between Soil Biota and their Physical Habitat in Agroecosystems 11: Contaminated Soils and Bioremediation: Creation and Maintenance of Inner Space 12: Biological Interactions within Soil Profiles Engineered for Sport and Amenity Use
£104.17
CABI Publishing Applied Mycology
Book SynopsisThe fungal kingdom consists of a wide variety of organisms with a diverse range of forms and functions. Fungi have been utilized for thousands of years and their importance in agriculture, medicine, food production and the environmental sciences is well known. New advances in genomic and metabolomic technologies have allowed further developments in the use of fungi in industry and medicine, increasing the need for a compilation of new applications, developments and technologies across the mycological field. Applied Mycology brings together a range of contributions, highlighting the diverse nature of current research. Chapters include discussions of fungal associations in the environment, agriculture and forestry, long established and novel applications of fungi in fermentation, the use of fungi in the pharmaceutical industry, the growing recognition of fungal infections, current interests in the use fungal enzymes in biotechnology and the new and emerging field of myconanotechnology. Demonstrating the broad coverage and importance of mycological research, this book will be of interest to researchers and students in all biological sciences.Table of Contents1: Mycology: an Overlooked Megascience - David Hawksworth I: Environment, Agriculture and Forestry 2: Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi and Plant Symbiosis Under Stress Conditions: Ecological Implications of Drought, Flooding and Salinity - Ileana V. García and Rodolfo E. Mendoza 3: An Overview of Ochratoxin Research - János Varga, Sándor Kocsubé, Zsanett Péteri and Robert A. Samson 4: Improvement of Controlled Mycorrhiza Usage in Forest Nurseries - Robin Duponnois, D. Diouf. , A. Galiana and Y. Prin 5: Fungi in Tree Canopy: an Appraisal - K.R. Sridhar 6: Ecology of Endophytic Fungi Associated with Leaf Litter Decomposition - Takashi Osono and Dai Hirose II: Food, Food Products and Medicine 7: Brewing Yeast in Action: Beer Fermentation - Pieter J. Verbelen1 and Freddy R. Delvaux 8: Genomic Adaptation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae to Inhibitors Involving Lignocellulosic Biomass Conversion to Ethanol - Zonglin Lewis Liu and Mingzhou Joe Song 9: Spoilage Yeasts and Other Fungi: Their roles in Modern Enology - M. Malfeito-Ferreira and V. Loureiro 10: Medicinal Potential of Ganoderma lucidum - Daniel Sliva 11: Current Advances in Dematiaceous Mycotic Infections - Sanjay Revankar III: Biotechnology and Emerging Science 12: Biotechnological Aspects of Trichoderma spp. - A.M. Rincón, T. Benítez, A.C. Codón and M.A. Moreno-Mateos 13: Agrobacterium tumefaciens as a Molecular Tool for the Study of Fungal Pathogens - Carol M. McClell and and Brian L. Wickes 14: Myconanotechnology: a New and Emerging Science - Mahendra Rai, Alka Yadav, Paul Bridge, Aniket Gade 15: Current Advances in Fungal Chitinases - Duochuan Li and Anna Li 16: Extracellular Proteases of Mycoparasitic and Nematophagous Fungi - László Kredics, Sándor Kocsubé, Zsuzsanna Antal, Lóránt Hatvani, László Manczinger, Csaba Vágvölgyi
£108.90
CABI Publishing Soil Ecology and Management
Book SynopsisSoil ecology is the study of interactions between the physio-chemical components of the soil and organisms living within the soil. Humans are highly dependent upon the soil ecosystem, which provides food, fiber, fuel and ecological services, such as the recycling of atmospheric gases. It is therefore important to understand the function and nature of the soil ecosystem in order to predict and mitigate the long term consequences of present day actions. Soil Ecology and Management describes the organisms inhabiting the soil, their functions and interactions and the dimensions of human impact on the activity of soil organisms and soil ecological function. Chapters discuss basic soil characteristics and biogeochemical cycling, key soil flora and fauna, community-level dynamics (soil food webs) and the ecological and pedological functions of soil organisms. Unlike other soil biology and ecology textbooks, the authors also convey a better understanding of how human activities impact upon soil ecology in a section on ecosystem management and its effects on soil biota and provide a unique perspective on the utility of soil organisms.Table of Contents1: Fundamental properties of the soil ecosystem 2: Characteristics of soil organic matter 3: Nutrient cycling: nitrogen, phosphorus and sulphur 4: Ecological and pedological functions of soil biota 5: Soil food webs 6: Soil biological diversity 7: Ecosystem management and soil biota 8: Soil biota as indicators of soil quality
£38.00
CABI Publishing Advances in Mycorrhizal Science and Technology
Book SynopsisMycorrhizal symbioses are widespread and fundamental components of terrestrial ecosystems and have shaped plant evolution. Research in this field is rapidly evolving and recent findings have done much to improve our understanding of how these complex plant/fungal associations function. Providing either in-depth reviews or the results of previously unpublished scientific studies, the topics covered are of global interest and include plant/fungal communication, the interaction of mycorrhizal fungi with other soil microorganisms, the use of mycorrhizal fungi in plant-production systems, and the commercial harvesting of edible mycorrhizal forest mushrooms.Table of Contents1: Mycorrhizae in Canadian forest and agricultural ecosystems 2: From a germinating spore to an established arbuscular mycorrhiza: signalling and regulation 3: Growth and branching of asymbiotic, presymbiotic and extraradical AM fungal hyphae: clarification of concepts and terminology 4: Interactions between arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and soil microorganisms 5: Arbuscular mycorrhiza: where nature and industry meet 6: The relative field mycorrhizal dependency concept and its usefulness in agronomy 7: Extraction, propagation, and conservation of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi 8: Industrial perspective of applied mycorrhizal research in Canada 9: Mycorrhizal fungi in Canadian forest nurseries and field performance of inoculated seedlings 10: Ectomycorrhizal inoculation for boreal forest ecosystem restoration following oil sand extraction: the need for an initial three-step screening process 11: Technological transfer: the use of ectomycorrhizal fungi in conventional and modern forest tree nurseries in northern Africa 12: Ectomycorrhizae in the neotropics with emphasis on lowland forests 13: Ecophysiology of sporocarp development of ectomycorrhizal basidiomycetes associated with boreal forest gymnosperms
£81.45
CABI Publishing Soil Hydrology, Land Use and Agriculture:
Book SynopsisAgriculture is strongly affected by changes in soil hydrology as well as by changes in land use and management practices and the complex interactions between them. This book aims to expand our knowledge and understanding of these interactions on a watershed scale, using soil hydrology models, and to address the consequences of land use and management changes on agriculture from a research perspective. Case studies illustrate the impact of land use and management practices on various soil hydrological parameters under different climates and ecosystems.Table of Contents1: Introduction to soil hydrology 2: Hydrology past, present and future 3: Over-view of existing soil hydrology models 4: Modeling agricultural management systems with APEX 5: Application of WEPP model to hillslopes and small watersheds in the US 6: Application of WEPP a distributed hydrological model on some Austria Watersheds 7: Application of the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) for hydrological modelling in Germany 8: Spatially Distributed Hydrologic Modeling in Illinois River Drainage Area in Arkansas Using SWAT 9: Application of a distributed hydrological model for hydrological modeling in India 10: Application of RZWQM for hydrological modeling in Alcalde Basin of Northern New Mexico 11: A comprehensive, physically based model for surface and subsurface hydrology for small catchments 12: Effects of artificial drainage on water regime and solute transport at different spatial scales 13: Effect of land use and soil management on soil properties and processes 14: Land use and agricultural management systems effects on subsurface drain water quality and crop yields 15: Different types of climatic datasets for hydrological analysis 16: Climate change and soil hydrology: European perspective 17: Modeling the impacts of climate change on water balance and agricultural productivity in southern Portugal using SWAT 18: Soil hydrology, runoff, and soil erosion under future climate change 19: Remote sensing and soil hydrology
£108.90
Historic England Stonehenge Aerodrome and the Stonehenge
Book SynopsisBetween 1917 and 1921, Stonehenge had an aerodrome for a near-neighbour. Initially a Royal Flying Corps training establishment, from January 1918 it became the number one School of Aerial Navigation and Bomb Dropping, home to a contingent of RNAS Handley Page bombers. The aerodrome featured two camps either side of a take-off and landing ground, the first located close to Fargo Plantation, and a subsequent and more substantial technical and domestic site situated either side of what is now the A303, a few hundred yards west of Stonehenge. After the war, the aerodrome buildings became the focus of debate about what constituted unacceptable modern intrusions in the Stonehenge landscape. Following a public appeal the aerodrome and neighbouring farmland was purchased, the buildings dismantled and removed and thus the Stonehenge landscape was restored to something deemed more appropriate as a setting the for the monument.Table of Contents1. Introduction 2. Stonehenge aerodrome and the Stonehenge landscape - an overview 3. Fargo Cottages 4. Stonehenge aerodrome: background and origins 5. Use of the aerodrome 1917-1922 6. The development of the aerodrome 7. The aerodrome and archaeology - dameage to earthworks 8. Sale, auction and demolition 1918-1939 9. The disappearance of the aerodrome 10. Did the Royal Flying Corps - or anyone else - Really want to knock down Stonehenge? 11. Freeing the circle Bibliography
£30.40
Benediction Classics Farming and Gardening for Health or Disease
£12.84
Wild Goose Publications The Landscape Below: Soil, Soul and Agriculture
Book SynopsisAimed at all concerned about the environment, this book presents a radical vision of the future of farming and community life, based on hidden insights from the life and spirit of the soil and on the author's experiences of growing up in the small, agricultural community of Clatt in North-East Scotland.
£10.99
Whittles Publishing Soil and Rock Description in Engineering: 3rd
Book SynopsisThis is a revised and updated edition of the highly successful first and second editions. In the intervening period the procedures used in the description of soils and rocks have continued to develop and evolve and this new edition incorporates changes in the international standards EN ISO 14688 and 14689 and those resulting in the national standard, BS 5930:2015 and the 2020 amendment thereof. Close comparison is also made with US practice in description (ASTM D2488) and classification (ASTM D2487). Significant changes in rock description are included – the reintroduction of the Approaches 1 to 5 for rock weathering; Approach 1 for description and Approaches 2 to 5 (Rock Weathering Working Party) for classification when appropriate and helpful. Also covered is the reintroduction of the 12.5 MPa boundary and the term moderately weak in rock strength description: a significant boundary in design in rock. The book continues to provide invaluable practical guidance in carrying out engineering geological logging of soil and rock samples and exposures in the field. The systematic and codified approach is laid out in detail to ensure the defined descriptors are used in a consistent format, rendering mistakes less likely and the necessary communication from field to design more successful. The procedures, techniques and tips within this book continue to serve and guide young practitioners learning their craft, but also their seniors and mentors, including responsible experts who sign off the logs and report on behalf of their company. More than ever, the need to be aware of current practices in order in order to avoid costly mistakes is paramount.Trade ReviewPraise for the 1st and 2nd editions - '...This is a very thorough book and is well-presented and printed, with clear tables, helpful thumbnail photographs and figures and text boxes containing tips and example descriptions. ... Buy this book'. Geoscientist -------------------- '...It is crammed full of tables, figures, photographs, all in an authoritative text. ...The pictures (worth a thousand words!) are invariably clear and helpful... ... it is a reference book ... an endless source of information'. Bulletin of Engineering Geology and the Environment -------------------- '...David Norbury is uniquely placed to write such a book. .... will help both the practitioner and their colleagues and clients benefit from objective and consistent descriptions. ...is essential reading for anyone involved in the technical aspects of site characterisation – whether for risk assessment or remediation'. JISCMAIL forumTable of ContentsPreface; Definitions; Introduction; History of description in codification; Systematic description; Description of materials; Relative density and strength; Structure, fabric and texture; Colour; Secondary and tertiary fractions; Geological unit; Weathering; Discontinuity logging; Discontinuity state recording; Low density soils; Anthropogenic ground; Classification schemes; Description process boreholes; Description process field exposures; Appendix; References; Bibliography; Index
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