Biogeografi

”Denne bog kan redde verden” – Johan OlsenHvordan virker evolutionsteorien? Hvem opdagede hullet i ozonlaget? Hvorfor fryser pingviner ikke om fødderne? Og er vi på vej mod endnu en masseudryddelse?Alt dette og meget mere får du svaret på i denne fascinerende bog, som udforsker de største emner inden for natur og miljø fra de tidligste klassificeringer af verdens dyr og planter til de udfordringer kloden står over for i dag. Rejsen op igennem naturhistorien starter med et inspirerende forord af den anerkendte musiker, forfatter, biolog og forsker, JOHAN OLSEN, der fortæller om, hvordan det første gang gik op for ham, at naturen er større og vildere, end vi nogensinde kan forstå.Skrevet i lettilgængeligt sprog, krydret med flotte illustrationer og oplysende grafikker, samt citater fra naturhistoriens største personligheder præsenterer BOGEN OM NATUR & MILJØ de største ideer og de begivenheder, der har formet vores verden. Bogen om Natur & Miljø har, som de øvrige titler i STORE IDEER-SERIEN, et letgenkendeligt og nemt overskueligt format, hvor du enten kan læse den fra ende til anden, eller måske bare bladre rundt og slå ned lige der, hvor indholdet pirrer din nysgerrighed.Bogen om Natur & Miljø er en del af den prisvindende og internationalt anerkendte bogserie Store ideer enkelt forklaret, som har solgt millioner af eksemplarer verden over, og nu endeligt er udkommet på dansk i flotte opdaterede udgaver.

En skelsættende og central bog om verdens fremtid og masseudryddelsen af planetens artsrigdom, der udspiller sig for øjnene af os. I løbet af den sidste halve milliard år har der været fem masseudryddelser, hvor mangfoldigheden af liv på jorden er faldet pludseligt og dramatisk. Forskere verden over registrerer i øjeblikket en sjette udryddelse af arter, der spås til at blive den mest omfattende siden asteroide-nedslaget på Yucatanhalvøen i Mexico for 66 millioner år siden, da dinosaurerne blev udslettet. Men denne gang kommer katastrofen ikke udefra. Det er os, der skaber den: menneskeheden.I Den sjette masseuddøen formidler videnskabsjournalist og forfatter Elizabeth Kolbert feltarbejdet i biodiversitetens frontlinje, som snesevis af forskere inden for et halvt dusin discipliner har foretaget gennem de seneste årtier. Hun tager almindelige læsere med derud, hvor masseudryddelsen er i fuld gang: til bunden af dybhavet, hvor geologerne studerer borekerner og dokumenterer krisen i oceanerne; til trægrænsen, der klatrer højere og højere op ad Andesbjergene til stor bekymring for botanikerne; til Great Barrier Reef, hvor havbiologerne ser livet rinde ud i korallerne. På levende og øjenåbnende vis introducerer Elizabeth Kolbert også læseren til et dusin utrolige arter, som for nogles vedkommende allerede er væk, mens andre står over for udryddelse og kun holdes i live i unaturlige omgivelser, for eksempel den panamanske gyldne tudse, alkefuglen og sumatranæsehornet.Gennem sine beretninger fra felten leverer Kolbert en bevægende beretning om udryddelsen af arter, der finder sted overalt omkring os, og samtidig undersøger hun artsudryddelsens begrebshistorie, fra pioneren Georges Cuvier i Paris i 1800-tallet og frem til i dag, hvor det snart står klart for enhver, at udryddelsen er et faktum, og at menneskeheden bærer et hovedansvar. Det bliver næppe de syv vidundere, månelandingen og internettet, som vil stå tilbage som menneskehedens verdensarv, men den sjette udryddelse. Som Kolbert skriver, tvinger det os til at genoverveje det grundlæggende spørgsmål om, hvad det vil sige at være menneske.Elizabeth Kolbert vandt en Pulitzer Prize for Den sjette masseuddøen, og den er nr. 1 på The Guardians "100 Best Nonfiction Books of All Time".

This edited book brings together a diverse group of environmental science, sustainability, and health researchers to address the challenges posed by global mass poisoning caused by chromium contamination of soil and plants. In recent years, contamination of the environment by chromium has become a major concern. Chromium is a non-degradable, harmful, and toxic pollutant which negatively affects the environment. It is unique among the heavy metals found in industrial wastewater and sewage and sludge, as it may exist as a trivalent cation and as anion in the hexavalent state in the pH range of agricultural soils. It is used on a large scale in many different industries, including metallurgy, electroplating, production of paints and pigments, tanning, wood preservation, chemical production, and pulp and paper production. These industries are contributing larger amount of chromium, which can ultimately have significant adverse effects on biological and ecological activities of ecosystem. Chromium enters the food chain through consumption of plant material. A high concentration of chromium has been found to be harmful to vegetation. As the chromium concentration in plants increases, it adversely affects several biological parameters and eventually renders the soil barren.The book sheds light on this global environmental issue and proposes solutions to contamination through multi-disciplinary approaches and case studies from different parts of the world.This book is a valuable resource to students, academicians, researchers, and environmental professionals who are doing field work on chromium contamination throughout the world.

Biogeochemistry may be defined as the science that combines biological and chemical perspectives for the examination of the Earth¿s surface, including the relations between the biosphere, lithosphere, atmosphere, and hydrosphere. Biogeochemistry is a comparatively recently developed science, that incorporates scientific knowledge and findings, research methodologies, and models linking the biological, chemical, and earth sciences. Therefore, while it is a definitive science with a strong theoretical core, it is also dynamically and broadly interlinked with other sciences. This book examines the complex science of biogeochemistry from a novel perspective, examining its comparatively recent development, while also emphasizing its interlinked relationship with the earth sciences (including the complementary science of geochemistry), the geographical sciences (biogeography, oceanography, geomatics, earth systems science), the biological sciences (ecology, wildlife studies, biological aspects of environmental sciences) and the chemical sciences (including environmental chemistry and pollution). The book covers cutting-edge topics on the science of biogeochemistry, examining its development, structure, interdisciplinary, multidisciplinary, and transdisciplinary relations, and the future of the current complex knowledge systems, especially in the context of technological, developments, and the computer and data fields.

Un parcours poignant dans les limbes de la pénitentiaire après un hold-up qui tourne mal. Dans une folle cavale suite à son évasion, l'auteur oppose moralité et mentalité où viendront se mêler action et philosophie. Un récit vivant, vrai et émouvant.

This comprehensive volume discusses the patterns and processes analyzed in macroecology with a distinct look at the theoretical and methodological issues underlying the discipline as well as deeper epistemological matters. The book serves as a synthesis of macroecological literature that has been published since Brown and Maurer proposed and defined the term ¿macroecology¿ in 1989. Author José Alexandre Felizola Diniz-Filho draws from the different disciplines and branches (ecology, evolutionary biology, physiology, behavioral sciences, climatology, and paleontology) that make up macroecology to present a full, holistic picture of where the discipline stands.Through ten chapters, Diniz-Filho moves from a discussion of what macroecology actually is to macroecological modeling to the more applied side of the discipline, covering topics such as richness and diversity patterns and patterns in body size. The book concludes with a synthesis of how macroecological researchis done in a theoretical and operational sense as well as unifying explanations for each of the macroecological patterns discussed, moving on to evaluate which theories and models are still useful and which ones can be abandoned. The book is intended for academics, young researchers and students interested in macroecology and conservation biogeography. In addition, because of the integrative nature of macroecology and the theoretical and methodological background in the book, it can be of interest to researchers working in related fields including but not limited to ecology and evolutionary biology.

This book presents a profile of the majority of hot springs in and around tourist destinations in Nepal.  In particular, there is a focus on  Pokhara, Jumla, the world- famous Annapurna region, Ruby Valley, and Api Nampa Conservation Area.  The chapter on health benefits of mineral hot springs provides a history of hot springs supported by a literature review and case study.   Further chapters explore the direct uses of geothermal energy for various purposes and power generation, together with a section on conventional hydrothermal resources.This book is of interest to the general  public, students, national and international researchers, energy planners, and health professionals.  The book is a valuable tool for sociologists who want to gain insight into the cultural and religious aspects of hot water mineral springs.

Vegetation fires are prevalent in several regions of the world, including South/ Southeast Asia (S/SEA). Fire occurrence and spread are influenced by fuel type, topography, climate, weather, and lightning, among others. In S/SEA, human-initiated fires are responsible for most of the incidents in addition to natural factors. Through biomass burning, vegetation fires can emit large quantities of greenhouse gases and air pollutants such as CO2, CO, NOx, CH4, non-methane hydrocarbons, and other chemical species, including aerosols that can affect air quality and health at both local and regional scales. Moreover, biomass burning pollutants can travel long distances and impact regional climate. Therefore, quantifying vegetation fires and their impacts is critical at different spatial scales. This book includes contributions from renowned researchers from the USA and South/ Southeast Asia on various fire-related topics. The contributions resultedfrom several international meetings and workshops organized in Asia as part of the South/ Southeast Asia Research Initiative (SARI) under the NASA Land-Cover/Land-Use Change Program. The book is divided into three sections, each containing multiple contributions: a) Mapping, Monitoring, and Modeling of Vegetation Fires, b) Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Air Pollution, and c) Air Pollution Modeling and Decision Support Systems. These sections are preceded by an introductory chapter by the editors that highlights the latest satellite-derived fire statistics and the current fire situation in S/SEA. This book will be a valuable resource for remote sensing scientists, geographers, ecologists, atmospheric, climate, environmental scientists, including policymakers, and all who wish to advance their knowledge on vegetation fires and emissions in South/Southeast Asia.

The book provides a unique analysis of current air pollution in Germany by correlating results from chemical transport modelling and accumulation monitoring by moss.Results of most recent modelling of atmospheric concentration and deposition of the metal elements Cd, Hg and Pb are compared with the results of technical measurements and bioindication with mosses. These modelling results with status 2020 have a higher spatial resolution of 0.1° x 0.1° than the modelling results valid up to then (50 km x 50 km). This leads to partly slightly higher correlations between the findings of the modelling and those of the moss monitoring. In this study, descriptive and correlation-statistical parameters are calculated, results and recommendations drawn described. A statistically adequately deepened analysis and evaluation of the highresolution modelling results requires additional methodological tools, which are outlined in summary. It is particularly important to link the exposure data from modelling, technical measurements and the findings from moss monitoring with information on the receptors, the ecosystem types. This is the only way to ensure that the results of the present project contribute to a more differentiated assessment of the impacts on ecosystems from atmospheric heavy metal deposition than has been the case to date, thus enabling a targeted further development of risk assessments for German

After providing a historical overview, this book highlights the current state of knowledge, gaps in our knowledge, recent findings and future prospects with regard to the biological, chemical, geological, and geographical specificities of the Plitvice lakes in Croatia. The Plitvice lakes are a unique environment and home to tufa ¿ a type of calcium carbonate deposit that provides a substrate for living organisms. Its formation process has resulted in a vastly diverse environment of lakes, streams and riparian habitats. The Plitvice lakes have, therefore, historically been both an inspiration and a challenge for scientists, nature enthusiasts, artists, etc. Today, the lakes continue to offer an in-situ laboratory for new discoveries in all aspects of freshwater science.As in most habitats, global changes have become an important issue. Since the Plitvice lakes have remained largely untouched by direct human impacts and have a long historical tradition in research, they represent an ideal subject for assessing the effects of global changes in a temperate freshwater system. This book provides an ecological overview of the biogeochemical processes at work in a unique and virtually pristine European freshwater tufa-forming environment.

This book presents 41 selected articles written by leading researchers from the Vernadsky Institute of Geochemistry and Analytical Chemistry, part of the Russian Academy of Sciences. The articles are grouped by the following topics: (1) Geochemistry, (2) Meteoritics, Cosmochemistry, Lunar and Planetary Sciences, (3) Biogeochemistry and Ecology, and (4) Analytical Chemistry, Radiochemistry, and Radioecology. The articles present recent experimental data, theoretical investigations, critical reviews, the results of computer modeling in the above-mentioned fields.Intended to provide a scientific ¿snapshot¿ of the institute, the book also includes content on its history, main scientific achievements and current goals, together with detailed descriptions of its 25 laboratories and three museums so as to promote new international collaborations.Given its scope, the book will be of interest to all scientists and graduate students working in the areas of geochemistry, analytical chemistry and radiochemistry, earth and environmental sciences, biogeosciences, meteoritics and planetary science, and to those seeking new collaboration opportunities in these areas in Russia.

The book introduces readers to the heritage of St. Petersburg, sharing the geological history of a unique city, a world heritage site, and part of the UNESCO list. It also explains the role of small towns and fortresses near St. Petersburg, whose stone decoration played an essential role in the city¿s evolution and was key in the history of neighboring cultures. The book also describes the main architectural symbols of St. Petersburg, such as the Alexander Column, the Bronze Horseman, the Peter and Paul Fortress and more. In addition to five guided tours of the city center, it offers descriptions of historic quarries, some of which are now open-air museums.

The book reviews past and present mine waste management processes. It estimates global water consumption by major mining resources per annum. This consumption will lead land use resources (agriculture and water) to collide with mining interests expected in the near future. With the application of novel metal extraction processes and the adoption of ecological engineering as an approach to waste and water management, a reduction in water and land consumption can be achieved. Using these methodologies would make mining more sustainable. Together with ore and metal recycling, mining methods can be brought into the 21st century.The book describes natural weathering processes and the microbiology of extreme environments, also known as mine sites. The role of microbes in weathering and remediation is emphasized, along with case studies of the enhancement of various ecological processes which curtail weathering and transform pollutants, creating ore bodies of the future.This book has been written as an extension to a contribution to the Oxford Research Encyclopedia. It adds depth and many examples from 40 years of multidisciplinary work with experts from geology, hydrogeology, geomicrobiology and algal physiology and chemistry, items too extensive for the Encyclopedia.          

Med FISK – scaled-up får man et fuldstændig unikt billede af den dyregruppe, der befolker to tredjedele af vor klodes areal, her med specielt fokus på arter i danske farvande, og hvis livsbetingelser vi i højere og højere grad skal værne om. FISK – scaled-up er en reminder til os alle om deres skønhed og deres eksistensberettigelse.Bogens hovedattraktion er billederne, hvor Søren Skarbys objektiv har kunnet forstørre fiskene og tillade, at vi kommer helt, helt tæt på disse, overraskende, meget farvestrålende danske arter. Med sine utroligt skarpe og usædvanlige billeder og med tekstbeskrivelser af 27 danske fiskearter sættes der fokus på fisks skønhed og vores lokale havbiodiversitet. De 27 fotograferede arter repræsenterer de fleste fiskefamilier i både fersk- og saltvand herhjemme, og på den måde fortælles der om de fleste former for liv med finner i dansk farvand.Udgivelsen giver læseren mulighed for at se forskellige fiskearter med helt andre øjne og samtidigt læse en beskrivelse af hver enkelt art.Bogen er trykt med åben ryg (uden lim i ryggen), så fotografierne virkelig kommer til deres ret, når de breder sig over et helt opslag.Søren Skarby (f. 1964) er uddannet pressefotograf. Han har haft sin egen freelancevirksomhed siden 1990 primært med base i Svendborg, hvor han skriver og fotograferer for en lang række dag- og fagblade, magasiner, virksomheder og offentlige institutioner. Han har foretaget adskillige reportagerejser rundt i hele verden, men særligt Mellemøsten og Arktis har været et tilbagevendende rejsemål.

How did time begin? What conditions led to humans evolving on Earth? Will we survive the Anthropocene? And is it really true that we're all made from stars?Combining knowledge from chemistry, biology, and physics, with insights from the social sciences and humanities, A Brief History of the Last 13.8 Billion Years follows the continuum of historical change in the cosmos - from the Big Bang, through the evolution of life, to human history. In this compelling and revealing book, David Baker traces the rise of complexity in the cosmos, from the first atoms to the first life and then to humans and the things we have made. He shows us how simple clumps of hydrogen gas transformed into complex human societies. This approach - Big History - allows us to see beyond the chaos of human affairs to the overall trajectory. Finally, Baker looks at the dramatic and sudden changes we're making to our planet and its biosphere and how history hints at what might come next.

Colloids are known to be the often neglected phase for the transport of pollutants in aquatic ecosystems. The book covers the basics of abiotic colloid characterization, of biocolloids and biofilms, the resulting transport phenomena and their engineering aspects. The subject is presented from an international group of leading specialists devoted to colloidal sciences. The contributions include theoretical considerations, results from model experiments as well as field studies. The information given will serve students and scientists interested in the analytical, chemical, microbiological, geological and hydrological aspects of material transport in aquatic systems and soils.