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Philip's RGS Infant's School Atlas (Philip's World Atlas #27)
by David Wright Jill Wright Philip's MapsWritten for 5 to 7 year-old this atlas is ideal for teaching Key Stage 1, helping to cover geography, history, science, citizenship and literacy requirements- Written by experts Professor David Wright and Rachel Noonan- Published in association with the Royal Geographical Society- 50 pages of clear, child-friendly maps showing our world today- Countries of the world brought to life with flags, illustrations and photos- Bold text, simple words and short sentences to encourage reading skills- Starts with the Earth as a Planet then zooms into each of the world's regions with maps and illustrations- Numbered balloons on each map link to photos of a real placeFully revised and updated, the atlas is for children aged 5-7 in the early stages of reading, with simple text to explain what is happening on the maps and illustrations - all compatible with National Curriculum Key Stage 1.Clear, child-friendly maps are combined with vibrant photographs and facts about the world to provide essential geographical information for young children. Guidance is given at the beginning of the atlas on how to use the maps, encouraging the early development of map skills and knowledge of the world. Each colourful spread is illustrated with photographs and packed with fact boxes, curiosities, flags, stamps and simple quiz questions. Philip's RGS Infant School Atlas is both fun to use and easy to understand. The text is simple and uncomplicated to encourage early reading skills.
Philip's RGS Junior School Atlas (Philip's World Atlas #28)
by Philip's MapsThe 11th edition of the market-leading atlas for primary school pupils, Philip's RGS Junior School Atlas has been fully revised and updated with all the latest facts and curriculum requirements. - The essential atlas for primary schools with clear and easy-to-follow maps and diagrams - updated for 2021/22- Published in association with the Royal Geographical Society- Recommended for Key Stage 2 of the National Curriculum - and all 7-11 year olds - An excellent introduction to mapping concepts such as scale, direction, symbols, longitude and latitude- 22-page Britain and Ireland section with clear thematic charts, diagrams and large-scale regional maps- 22-page section on The World, with political maps - and thematic treatment of key themes, from volcanoes and earthquakes to transport and tourism- Continents section with physical and political maps- Easy-to-follow map references and 1,000-place indexThe market-leading atlas for pupils at primary schools, Philip's RGS Junior School Atlas is a stimulating and authoritative first introduction to the world of maps, and is recommended for Key Stage 2 of the National Curriculum.The introductory section describes the meaning of scale, how to measure distances using the maps, and explains the symbols on the maps.The following section is devoted to the United Kingdom and Ireland. Thematic maps cover topics such as mountains and rivers, climate and weather, population and cities, farming and fishing, industry and energy, transport, tourism and conservation. Regional maps of England and Wales, Scotland and Ireland complete this section.The rest of the atlas is made up of world thematic maps and world continental maps. Included are topics such as the world's climate, vegetation, agriculture, energy sources, and environmental concerns, such as global warming. A simple letter-figure index completes the atlas - a useful introduction to help the young reader find his/her way around the maps. Available in both hardback and paperback editions.
Philip's RGS Junior School Atlas (Philip's World Atlas #28)
by Philip's MapsThe 11th edition of the market-leading atlas for primary school pupils, Philip's RGS Junior School Atlas has been fully revised and updated with all the latest facts and curriculum requirements. - The essential atlas for primary schools with clear and easy-to-follow maps and diagrams - updated for 2021/22- Published in association with the Royal Geographical Society- Recommended for Key Stage 2 of the National Curriculum - and all 7-11 year olds - An excellent introduction to mapping concepts such as scale, direction, symbols, longitude and latitude- 22-page Britain and Ireland section with clear thematic charts, diagrams and large-scale regional maps- 22-page section on The World, with political maps - and thematic treatment of key themes, from volcanoes and earthquakes to transport and tourism- Continents section with physical and political maps- Easy-to-follow map references and 1,000-place indexThe market-leading atlas for pupils at primary schools, Philip's RGS Junior School Atlas is a stimulating and authoritative first introduction to the world of maps, and is recommended for Key Stage 2 of the National Curriculum.The introductory section describes the meaning of scale, how to measure distances using the maps, and explains the symbols on the maps.The following section is devoted to the United Kingdom and Ireland. Thematic maps cover topics such as mountains and rivers, climate and weather, population and cities, farming and fishing, industry and energy, transport, tourism and conservation. Regional maps of England and Wales, Scotland and Ireland complete this section.The rest of the atlas is made up of world thematic maps and world continental maps. Included are topics such as the world's climate, vegetation, agriculture, energy sources, and environmental concerns, such as global warming. A simple letter-figure index completes the atlas - a useful introduction to help the young reader find his/her way around the maps. Available in both hardback and paperback editions.
Philip's RGS Junior School Atlas (Philip's World Atlas #28)
by Philip's MapsThe 12th edition of the market-leading atlas for primary school pupils, Philip's RGS Junior School Atlas has been fully revised and updated with all the latest facts and curriculum requirements.- The essential atlas for primary schools with clear and easy-to-follow maps and diagrams - updated for 2024/2025- Published in association with the Royal Geographical Society- Recommended for Key Stage 2 of the National Curriculum - and all 7-11 year olds - An excellent introduction to mapping concepts such as scale, direction, symbols, longitude and latitude- 22-page Britain and Ireland section with clear thematic charts, diagrams and large-scale regional maps- 22-page section on The World, with political maps - and thematic treatment of key themes, from volcanoes and earthquakes to transport and tourism- Continents section with physical and political maps- Easy-to-follow map references and 1,000-place indexThe introductory section describes the meaning of scale, how to measure distances using the maps, and explains the symbols on the maps.The following section is devoted to the United Kingdom and Ireland. Thematic maps cover topics such as mountains and rivers, climate and weather, population and cities, farming and fishing, industry and energy, transport, tourism and conservation. The rest of the atlas is made up of world thematic maps and world continental maps. Included are topics such as the world's climate, vegetation, agriculture, energy sources, and environmental concerns, such as global warming. A simple letter-figure index completes the atlas. Available in both Hardback and Paperback editions.
Philip's RGS Junior School Atlas (Philip's World Atlas #28)
by Philip's MapsThe 12th edition of the market-leading atlas for primary school pupils, Philip's RGS Junior School Atlas has been fully revised and updated with all the latest facts and curriculum requirements.- The essential atlas for primary schools with clear and easy-to-follow maps and diagrams - updated for 2024/2025- Published in association with the Royal Geographical Society- Recommended for Key Stage 2 of the National Curriculum - and all 7-11 year olds - An excellent introduction to mapping concepts such as scale, direction, symbols, longitude and latitude- 22-page Britain and Ireland section with clear thematic charts, diagrams and large-scale regional maps- 22-page section on The World, with political maps - and thematic treatment of key themes, from volcanoes and earthquakes to transport and tourism- Continents section with physical and political maps- Easy-to-follow map references and 1,000-place indexThe introductory section describes the meaning of scale, how to measure distances using the maps, and explains the symbols on the maps.The following section is devoted to the United Kingdom and Ireland. Thematic maps cover topics such as mountains and rivers, climate and weather, population and cities, farming and fishing, industry and energy, transport, tourism and conservation. The rest of the atlas is made up of world thematic maps and world continental maps. Included are topics such as the world's climate, vegetation, agriculture, energy sources, and environmental concerns, such as global warming. A simple letter-figure index completes the atlas. Available in both Hardback and Paperback editions.
Philosophical Basics of Ecology and Economy (Routledge Studies In Ecological Economics Ser.)
by Reiner Manstetten Malte FaberIn today's world – despite the dramatic anthropogenic environmental changes – a proper understanding of the relationship between humanity and nature requires a certain detachment. The pressing problems in their whole extent will only be fully understood and solved with comprehensive and patient analysis. Accordingly, this book develops new perspectives on fundamental questions of biology, ecology, and the economy, integrated within a framework of a terminology specially devised by the authors. By illuminating the epistemological backgrounds of ecological-economic research, the authors lay foundations for interdisciplinary environmental research and offer guidelines for practical action. In close contact to the findings of present-day biology and economics, they demonstrate the fruitfulness as well as the shortcomings of modern science for the understanding of the proper place of humankind in nature. Many of the book's central concepts are rooted in a tradition whose origins go back to European philosophy and literature of the 17th Century. Frequently current problems in the fields of economics, ecology, politics, philosophy and biology are discussed in a kind of "dialogue" with thinkers and poets like Bacon, Quesnay, Kant, Goethe and Novalis. This approach of the book, known in Continental European Philosophy as hermeneutics, offers a ‘map’, rather than marking out a specific course. On the other hand, the book offers traits of the Anglo-Saxon tradition of thought: a precise, analytical approach to theory and a pragmatic approach to action. Both approaches are used by the authors complementarily. Thus the authors lay the foundations for an ecological economical and political practice which is able to tackle concrete environmental problems on an encompassing and long-term basis. This translated volume will be of great use and interest to students of ecology, economics and in particular environmental education, sustainable development and environmental ethics.
Philosophical Urbanism: Lineages in Mind-Environment Patterns
by Abraham AkkermanThis book expands on the thought of Walter Benjamin by exploring the notion of modern mind, pointing to the mutual and ongoing feedback between mind and city-form. Since the Neolithic Age, volumes and voids have been the founding constituents of built environments as projections of gender—as spatial allegories of the masculine and the feminine. While these allegories had been largely in balance throughout the early history of the city, increasingly during modernity, volume has overcome void in city-form. This volume investigates the pattern of Benjamin's thinking and extends it to the larger psycho-cultural and urban contexts of various time periods, pointing to environ/mental progression in the unfolding of modernity.
Philosophies of Environmental Education and Democracy: Harris, Dewey, and Bateson on Human Freedoms in Nature
by Joseph WatrasThe project examines how three prominent philosophers of education - William Torrey Harris, John Dewey, and Gregory Bateson - each developed a world view that provides a philosophical basis for environmental education.
Philosophies of Multiculturalism: Beyond Liberalism (Studies for the International Society for Cultural History #9)
by Luís Cordeiro-Rodrigues Marko SimendićThis edited collection offers a comparative approach to the topic of multiculturalism, including different authors with contrasting arguments from different philosophical traditions and ideologies. It puts together perspectives that have been largely neglected as valid normative ways to address the political and moral questions that arise from the coexistence of different cultures in the same geographical space. The essays in this volume cover both historical perspectives, taking in the work of Hobbes, Tocqueville and Nietzsche among others, and contemporary Eastern and Western approaches, including Marxism, anarchism, Islam, Daoism, Indian and African philosophies.
Philosophy and Climate Science
by Eric WinsbergThere continues to be a vigorous public debate in our society about the status of climate science. Much of the skepticism voiced in this debate suffers from a lack of understanding of how the science works - in particular the complex interdisciplinary scientific modeling activities such as those which are at the heart of climate science. <P><P>In this book Eric Winsberg shows clearly and accessibly how philosophy of science can contribute to our understanding of climate science, and how it can also shape climate policy debates and provide a starting point for research.<P>Covering a wide range of topics including the nature of scientific data, modeling, and simulation, his book provides a detailed guide for those willing to look beyond ideological proclamations, and enriches our understanding of how climate science relates to important concepts such as chaos, unpredictability, and the extent of what we know.<P> Provides a comprehensive and accessible introduction to the philosophy of climate science.<P> Advances our understanding of how philosophy can contribute to debates in climate science.<P> Offers useful case studies and suggestions for further reading.
Philosophy and the Climate Crisis: How the Past Can Save the Present (Routledge Environmental Ethics)
by Byron WillistonThis book explores how the history of philosophy can orient us to the new reality brought on by the climate crisis. If we understand the climate crisis as a deeply existential one, it can help to examine the way past philosophers responded to similar crises in their times. This book explores five past crises, each involving a unique form of collective trauma. These events—war, occupation, exile, scientific revolution and political revolution—inspired the philosophers to remake the whole world in thought, to construct a metaphysics. Williston distills a key intellectual innovation from each metaphysical system: • That political power must be constrained by knowledge of the climate system (Plato) • That ethical and political reasoning must be informed by care or love of the ecological whole (Augustine) • That we must enhance the design of the technosphere (Descartes) • That we must conceive the Earth as an internally complex system (Spinoza) • And that we must grant rights to anyone or anything—ultimately the Earth system itself—whose vital interests are threatened by the effects of climate change (Hegel). Philosophy and the Climate Crisis will be of great interest to students and scholars of climate change, environmental philosophy and ethics and the environmental humanities.
Philosophy in the American West: A Geography of Thought (Routledge Environmental Ethics)
by Josh Hayes Brian Treanor Gerard KuperusPhilosophy in the American West explores the physical, ecological, cultural, and narrative environments associated with the western United States, reflecting on the relationship between people and the places that sustain them. The American West has long been recognized as having significance. From Crèvecoeur’s early observations in Letters from an American Farmer (1782), to Thoreau’s reflections in Walden (1854), to twentieth-century thoughts on the legacy of a vanishing frontier, "the West" has played a pivotal role in the American narrative and in the American sense of self. But while the nature of "westernness" has been touched on by historians, sociologists, and, especially, novelists and poets, this collection represents the first attempt to think philosophically about the nature of "the West" and its influence on us. The contributors take up thinkers that have been associated with Continental Philosophy and pair them with writers, poets, and artists of "the West". And while this collection seeks to loosen the cords that tie philosophy to Europe, the traditions of "continental" philosophy—phenomenology, hermeneutics, deconstruction, and others—offer deep resources for thinking through the particularity of place. This book will be of great interest to students and scholars of Philosophy, as well as those working in Ecocriticism and the Environmental Humanities more broadly.
Philosophy of Education in the Anthropocene (Palgrave Studies in Educational Futures)
by Renaud Hétier Nathanaël WallenhorstThis book develops a philosophy of education for the Anthropocene, proposing that we think about education in the light of contemporary bioclimatic challenges. Education is seen as the political means of choice for containing the runaway Earth system change and ensuring the sustainability of human life in society. In this book, Hétier and Wallenhorst continue their work on the biogeophysical and socio-political analysis of the Anthropocene here, tracing the path toward the re-founding of a political education to prepare students to address the greatest challenge of our time: the gradual disappearance of the bioclimatic conditions necessary for our very existence.
Philosophy of Nature: Rethinking naturalness (Routledge Explorations in Environmental Studies)
by Svein Anders LieThe concept of naturalness has largely disappeared from the academic discourse in general but also the particular field of environmental studies. This book is about naturalness in general – about why the idea of naturalness has been abandoned in modern academic discourse, why it is important to explicitly re-establish some meaning for the concept and what that meaning ought to be. Arguing that naturalness can and should be understood in light of a dispositional ontology, the book offers a point of view where the gap between instrumental and ethical perspectives can be bridged. Reaching a new foundation for the concept of ‘naturalness’ and its viability will help raise and inform further discussions within environmental philosophy and issues occurring in the crossroads between science, technology and society. This topical book will be of great interest to researchers and students in Environmental Studies, Environmental Philosophy, Science and Technology Studies, Conservation Studies as well as all those generally engaged in debates about the place of ‘man in nature’.
Philosophy of the Environment: An Introduction
by Elena CasettaThis textbook offers a reasoned and accessible introduction to the philosophy of the environment and the current environmental crisis, designed for scholars and students in both philosophy and the natural and environmental sciences.The volume addresses the history and meanings of the concept of "environment", provides a theory of the relation between living beings and their environments, and tackles a wide spectrum of key philosophical issues related to the environment and the environmental crisis in a straightforward framework and accessible style. The book’s unique approach to environmental philosophy addresses the environment of all living beings and extends beyond environmental ethics to include conceptual history and analysis together with insights from evolutionary and developmental biology, ecology, and environmental and conservation sciences. The book consists of five chapters, each built around a specific thesis drawing upon philosophers and concepts including George Canguilhem, Rachel Carson, Donna Haraway, Lamarck’s and Darwin's evolutionary theories, Humboldt’s theory of nature, and the Gaia hypothesis. The final chapter introduces topics such as environmental denialism and post-natural environmentalism as conceptual tools for better understanding the current ecological crisis.Targeted at students and scholars in both philosophy and the environmental and life sciences, the book distinguishes itself through its approachable style and choice of topics, which are also well suited to junior researchers who seek to better understand the current environmental crisis.
Phnom Penh Water Story: Remarkable Transformation of an Urban Water Utility (Water Resources Development and Management)
by Asit K. Biswas Cecilia Tortajada Pawan K. SachdevaThis book analyses how a water utility from a developing country, Phnom Penh Water Supply Authority, that was totally dysfunctional, corruption-ridden and literally bankrupt in 1993, became one of the most successful water utilities of the developing world in only about 15 years. By 2010, some of the performance indicators of this public sector utility were even better than London, Paris or Los Angeles. The book further analyses the enabling conditions that made this remarkable transformation possible. Based on this analysis, a framework is recommended for water utilities from developing countries so that they can also be transformed into functional, efficient, equitable and financially viable institutions on a sustainable basis.
Phoenix Rising: Stories of Remarkable Women Walking Through Fire
by Kristen Moeller Leslie Alpin WhartonHow do you go on after you&’ve lost everything? True stories of surviving the Colorado wildfires and finding hope for the future. Over several terrifying summers, deadly wildfires raged across Colorado. Lives were lost, and the flames destroyed thousands of homes. When the smoke cleared and only rubble remained, survivors were left trying to find a way forward against devastating loss. The aftermath of that destruction would span many years, and its effects are still felt today. In Phoenix Rising, twenty women share their stories of fire, the terror they felt as flames engulfed their communities, and the dark desperation that followed. And how—in the ensuing weeks and months—they worked to recreate a life from the ashes. Their tales of fear and bravery, of deep compassion and heart-rending grief, offer an uplifting chronicle of human courage and resilience. &“[A] gem of a book . . . When it comes to withstanding and making meaning of the most painful twists of this mysterious life, or enjoying its surprising rewards, nothing compares to the company of other women and their stories.&” —Megan Feldman Bettencourt, author of Triumph of the Heart: Forgiveness in an Unforgiving World
Phonon Thermal Transport in Silicon-Based Nanomaterials (SpringerBriefs in Physics)
by Rui-Qin Zhang Hai-Peng LiIn this Brief, authors introduce the advance in theoretical and experimental techniques for determining the thermal conductivity in nanomaterials, and focus on review of their recent theoretical studies on the thermal properties of silicon–based nanomaterials, such as zero–dimensional silicon nanoclusters, one–dimensional silicon nanowires, and graphenelike two–dimensional silicene. The specific subject matters covered include: size effect of thermal stability and phonon thermal transport in spherical silicon nanoclusters, surface effects of phonon thermal transport in silicon nanowires, and defects effects of phonon thermal transport in silicene. The results obtained are supplemented by numerical calculations, presented as tables and figures. The potential applications of these findings in nanoelectrics and thermoelectric energy conversion are also discussed. In this regard, this Brief represents an authoritative, systematic, and detailed description of the current status of phonon thermal transport in silicon–based nanomaterials. This Brief should be a highly valuable reference for young scientists and postgraduate students active in the fields of nanoscale thermal transport and silicon-based nanomaterials.
Phosphate in Soils: Interaction with Micronutrients, Radionuclides and Heavy Metals (Emergent Environmental Pollution)
by H. Magdi SelimEdited by One of the Best Specialists in Soil ScienceRecent studies reveal that Phosphorus (P) in the form of phosphate, a macronutrient essential for plant growth, and crop yields can influence the bioavailability, retention, and mobility of trace elements, metal(loid)s, and radio nuclides in soils. When this occurs, phosphates can affect the dynamics of heavy metals and influence soil characteristics, impacting soil mobility and toxicity. Phosphate in Soils: Interaction with Micronutrients, Radionuclides and Heavy Metals utilizes the latest research to emphasize the role that phosphate plays in enhancing or reducing the mobility of heavy metals in soil, and the soil-water-plant environment. It provides an in-depth understanding of each heavy metal species, and expands on phosphate interactions in geological material.Composed of 12 chapters, this text: Provides an overview of the reactions of metal(loid)s and common P compounds that are used as fertilizer in soils Emphasizes the effect of phosphorus on copper and zinc adsorption in acid soils Discusses findings on the influence of phosphate compounds on speciation, mobility, and bioavailability of heavy metals in soils as well as the role of phosphates on in situ and phytoremediation of heavy metals for contaminated soils Places emphasis on the influence of phosphate on various heavy metals species in soils, and their solubility/mobility and availability Provides extensive information on testing various high phosphate materials for remediation of heavy metal, micronutrients, and radionuclides contaminated sites Explores the reactivity of heavy metals, micronutrients and radionuclides elements in several soils Presents a case study illustrating various remediation efforts of acidic soils and remediation of Cu, Zn, and lead (Pb) contaminated soils around nonferrous industrial plants Emphasizes the significance of common ions (cations and anions) on phosphate mobility and sorption in soils, and more The author includes analytical and numerical solutions along with hands-on applications, and addresses other topics that include the transport and sorption modeling of heavy metals in the presence of phosphate at different scales in the vadose zone.
Phosphorus
by Arne Jernelöv Mikhail ButusovThis book starts with depiction of the phosphorus role in life creation and evolution. Then it outlines in which vital processes different phosphates participate in life of all flora and fauna, from DNA molecules till body tissues. Crucial function of phosphates was noticed long ago, but only in XIX century discovery of mineral fertilizers made it possible to sustain the needs of growing global population, thus initiating a "green revolution". Though, for many decades after it, the complexity of interactions "fertilizer-soil-plant roots" was underrated, causing massive damages, such as soil destruction and eutrophication of waters. Still, mining of exhausting natural phosphate reserves continued worldwide. Lessons of what happened in XIX century due to scarcity of phosphates were ignored. In the meantime, production of phosphates reached its peak few years ago. Immediate implementation of phosphate recycling technologies from municipal wastes can help avoid imminent global disaster.
Phosphorus in Action
by Astrid Oberson Else K. Bünemann Emmanuel FrossardPhosphorus (P) is a finite resource which is essential for life. It is a limiting nutrient in many ecosystems but also a pollutant which can affect biodiversity in terrestrial ecosystems and change the ecology of water bodies. This book collects the latest information on biological processes in soil P cycling, which to date have remained much less understood than physico-chemical processes. The methods section presents spectroscopic techniques and the characterization of microbial P forms, as well as the use of tracers, molecular approaches and modeling of soil-plant systems. The section on processes deals with mycorrhizal symbioses, microbial P solubilization, soil macrofauna, phosphatase enzymes and rhizosphere processes. On the system level, P cycling is examined for grasslands, arctic and alpine soils, forest plantations, tropical forests, and dryland regions. Further, P management with respect to animal production and cropping, and the interactions between global change and P cycling, are treated.
Photobiogeochemistry of Organic Matter
by Davide Vione Khan M.G. Mostofa Takahito Yoshioka Abdul MottalebPhotoinduced processes, caused by natural sunlight, are key functions for sustaining all living organisms through production and transformation of organic matter (OM) in the biosphere. Production of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) from OM is a primary step of photoinduced processes, because H2O2 acts as strong reductant and oxidant. It is potentially important in many aquatic reactions, also in association with photosynthesis. Allochthonous and autochthonous dissolved organic matter (DOM) can be involved into several photoinduced or biological processes. DOM subsequently undergoes several physical, chemical, photoinduced and biological processes, which can be affected by global warming. This book is uniquely structured to overview some vital issues, such as: DOM; H2O2 and ROOH; HO*; Degradation of DOM; CDOM, FDOM; Photosynthesis; Chlorophyll; Metal complexation, and Global warming, as well as their mutual interrelationships, based on updated scientific results.
Photovoltaic Pumping Systems for Domestic Sustainable Water Access in Off-Grid Areas (Green Energy and Technology)
by Judith Alazraque Cherni Simon Meunier Loïc QuévalThis book offers practical guidance for practitioner engineers, policymakers, and other decision-makers on how to implement solar photovoltaic water pumping systems to provide domestic clean water in off-grid regions of developing countries. By championing genuine multidisciplinary research and generating interdisciplinary results, this book develops models and approaches which indicate how it might be possible to overcome some of the limitations that technocratic approaches to renewable energy and water access pose to truly sustainable development.The book addresses technical challenges often found when promoting photovoltaic water pumping systems. It offers practical guidance to stakeholders on how to successfully select, install, and maintain photovoltaic water pumps to promote sustainable options for the poorest underserved areas/populations. A main novelty of this book is that, by using theoretical, as well as real/actual field-work data, and advanced modelling, it successfully connects energy systems engineering, environmental and geographical information and hydrology with population surveys which reveal local needs and conditions.The book is timely and important. More than 665 700 million worldwide still do not have access to improved drinking water sources; eight out of ten live in rural areas typically located either in off-grid territory, or where connection to nearby grid is too expensive or unfeasible. Unsafe water is responsible for 1.2 million deaths each year, mainly correlated with the diarrheal diseases generated from drinking water from unimproved water sources. Sustainable Development Goal 6 (clean water and sanitation) may be achieved only if water is accessible to everyone, available when needed and free from contamination.
Phylogenetic Diversity: Applications and Challenges in Biodiversity Science
by Rosa A. Scherson Daniel P Faith“Biodiversity” refers to the variety of life. It is now agreed that there is a “biodiversity crisis”, corresponding to extinction rates of species that may be 1000 times what is thought to be “normal”. Biodiversity science has a higher profile than ever, with the new Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services involving more than 120 countries and 1000s of scientists. At the same time, the discipline is re-evaluating its foundations – including its philosophy and even core definitions. The value of biodiversity is being debated. In this context, the tree of life (“phylogeny”) is emerging as an important way to look at biodiversity, with relevance cutting across current areas of concern – from the question of resilience within ecosystems, to conservation priorities for globally threatened species – while capturing the values of biodiversity that have been hard to quantify, including resilience and maintaining options for future generations.This increased appreciation of the importance of conserving “phylogenetic diversity”, from microbial communities in the human gut to global threatened species, has inevitably resulted in an explosion of new indices, methods, and case studies. This book recognizes and responds to the timely opportunity for synthesis and sharing experiences in practical applications. The book recognizes that the challenge of finding a synthesis, and building shared concepts and a shared toolbox, requires both an appreciation of the past and a look into the future. Thus, the book is organized as a flow from history, concepts and philosophy, through to methods and tools, and followed by selected case studies. A positive vision and plan of action emerges from these chapters, that includes coping with inevitable uncertainties, effectively communicating the importance of this “evolutionary heritage” to the public and to policy-makers, and ultimately contributing to biodiversity conservation policy from local to global scales.