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Trooper: The Bobcat Who Came in from the Wild
by Forrest Bryant JohnsonWhenever middle-aged desert tour guide Forrest Bryant Johnson went out on his daily walks into the Mojave, all was usually peaceful and serene. But one beautiful summer day in 1987, Forrest heard a cry of distress. Following the cries, he came upon a small bobcat kitten, injured, orphaned, and desperately in need of help. So Forrest took his new feline friend home for a night. But when the little “trooper” clearly needed some more time to recoup, that night turned into two nights, a week, and eventually nineteen years. And so Trooper became a part of the Johnson family. And in those nineteen years, Trooper lived his nine lives to the fullest. He explored desert flora and fauna around him, befriending kit foxes, jackrabbits, desert tortoises, and other creatures and getting into mischief along the way. Trooper became a “big brother” to stray tabby Little Brother, teaching, guiding, and protecting Brother on the pair’s adventures and misadventures. He became a beloved patient at his local vet, and cherished housemate of Forrest’s wife, Chi. And Trooper even managed to melt the icy heart of a tough guy neighbor. But most of all, throughout his nineteen years, Trooper became Forrest’s best friend, as the two shared each other’s worries and frustrations, musings and rants, joys and laughter. Harrowing and heartfelt, Trooper: The Bobcat Who Came in from the Wild is for any reader who ever had their heart stolen by their pet.
Trophic Ecology
by James E. Garvey Matt WhilesThis book is a bridge between ecological paradigms – organismal/community approaches to food web dynamics and ecosystem-level approaches to production. The unification of organismal, community, and ecosystem approaches in ecology is emerging due to the growing availability of new techniques for assessing trophic interactions and their implications for ecosystems. Trophic Ecology is a formal text for both newcomers to the discipline as well as seasoned professionals looking for new ideas and refreshers on old topics. A wide range of topics are explained including autotrophy, heterotrophy, omnivory, decomposition, foraging behavior and theory, trophic cascades, bioenergetics, and production. The audience is upper-level undergraduate students and entry-level graduate students interested in autecological, organismal approaches to ecology, community and ecosystem ecology. It is also a reference text for instructors teaching upper-division courses, providing examples from the literature, quantitative approaches to teach, and new hypotheses yet to be fully tested by ecologists.
Trophy Hunting
by Adam Hart Nikolaj BichelThis book gets to the heart of trophy hunting, unpacking and explaining its multiple facets and controversies, and exploring why it divides environmentalists, the hunting community, and the public. Bichel and Hart provide the first interdisciplinary and comprehensive approach to the study of trophy hunting, investigating the history of trophy hunting, and delving into the background, identity and motivation of trophy hunters. They also explore the role of social media and anthropomorphism in shaping trophy hunting discourse, as well as the viability of trophy hunting as a wildlife management tool, the ideals of fair chase and sportsmanship, and what hunting trophies are, both literally and in terms of their symbolic value to hunters and non-hunters. The analyses and discussions are underpinned by a consideration of the complex moral and practical conflicts between animal rights and conservation paradigms. This book appeals to scholars in environmental philosophy, conservation and environmental studies, as well as hunters, hunting opponents, wildlife management practitioners, and policymakers, and anyone with a broad interest in human–wildlife relations.
Tropic of Chaos: Climate Changes and the New Geography of Violence
by Christian ParentiFrom Africa to Asia and Latin America, the era of climate wars has begun. Extreme weather is breeding banditry, humanitarian crisis, and state failure. In Tropic of Chaos, investigative journalist Christian Parenti travels along the front lines of this gathering catastrophe--the belt of economically and politically battered postcolonial nations and war zones girding the planet's midlatitudes. Here he finds failed states amid climatic disasters. But he also reveals the unsettling presence of Western military forces and explains how they see an opportunity in the crisis to prepare for open-ended global counterinsurgency. Parenti argues that this incipient "climate fascism"--a political hardening of wealthy states-- is bound to fail. The struggling states of the developing world cannot be allowed to collapse, as they will take other nations down as well. Instead, we must work to meet the challenge of climate-driven violence with a very different set of sustainable economic and development policies.
Tropical Africa (Routledge Introductions to Development)
by Tony BinnsTropical Africa is a complex and dynamic region. Occupying a marginal position in the world economic system, the region has seemingly insurmountable problems. This book breaks through the complexities with a straightforward and systematic text supported by concise case studies. Covering topics such as population, environment and rural and urban Africa, it builds from an historical base to an understanding of present day patterns and processes and an assessment of future priorities and development strategies. Tropical Africa will prove an invaluable resource for those embarking on any study of this fascinating region.
Tropical Agroecosystems (Advances in Agroecology)
by John H. VandermeerTropical areas present ecological, cultural, and political problems that demand analysis that is distinct from general ecological analysis. The tropical environment is special in many ways, from the lack of a biological down season (winter), to generally poor soil conditions, to a reliance on traditional methods of agriculture in an undeveloped society. Presenting a broad range of approaches to agroecosystem analysis, this book addresses specific ecological issues associated with agricultural production, examines two case studies of agricultural transformation and its effect on biodiversity, and discusses key landscape relationships between agroecosystems, wildlife, and human disease.
Tropical Arctic: Lost Plants, Future Climates, and the Discovery of Ancient Greenland
by Jennifer C. McElwain Marlene Hill Donnelly Ian J. GlasspoolAn illustrated visit to the tropical arctic of 205 million years ago when Greenland was green. While today’s Greenland is largely covered in ice, in the time of the dinosaurs the area was a lushly forested, tropical zone. Tropical Arctic tracks a ten-million-year window of Earth’s history when global temperatures soared and the vegetation of the world responded. A project over eighteen years in the making, Tropical Arctic is the result of a unique collaboration between two paleobotanists, Jennifer C. McElwain and Ian J. Glasspool, and award-winning scientific illustrator Marlene Hill Donnelly. They began with a simple question: “What was the color of a fossilized leaf?” Tropical Arctic answers that question and more, allowing readers to experience Triassic Greenland through three reconstructed landscapes and an expertly researched catalog of extinct plants. A stunning compilation of paint and pencil art, photos, maps, and engineered fossil models, Tropical Arctic blends art and science to bring a lost world to life. Readers will also enjoy a front-row seat to the scientific adventures of life in the field, with engaging anecdotes about analyzing fossils and learning to ward off polar bear attacks.Tropical Arctic explains our planet’s story of environmental upheaval, mass extinction, and resilience. By looking at Earth’s past, we see a glimpse of the future of our warming planet—and learn an important lesson for our time of climate change.
Tropical Asian Style
by Luca Invernizzi Tettoni William WarrenTropical Asian Style contains over 400 colour photos by world-renowned photographer Luca Invernizzi Tettoni. Well-known architects, designers and authorities on Asia's cultural heritage provide insightful views on the houses and their design elements. A final section on tropical decorating provides helpful tips on selecting Asian fabrics, furniture and artifacts.
Tropical Circulation Systems and Monsoons
by Kshudiram SahaThis is a book on the practical side of tropical meteorology which in its 3 Parts covered in 12 chapters reviews several current theories and ideas on tropical circulations and monsoons, offering new definitions and ideas to facilitate a systematic development of the subject. The book emphasizes the need for a system's approach to tropical circulations in general and monsoons in particular to facilitate orderly and systematic development of the topic.
Tropical Constrained Environments and Sustainable Adaptations: Businesses and Communities (Managing the Asian Century)
by Simona Azzali K ThirumaranThis book investigates resource-constrained environments in the tropics and subtropics where people’s lives and businesses are affected, and adaptations occur periodically. Constrained environments are unique territories characterised by challenging circumstances, limited land and natural resources. They can be places with a small municipal boundary or cities in which parts around them may be consumed by ocean, bay or mountains. Those places face hard physical boundaries like coastlines and mountains, which in addition to policy decisions that may limit height or density, can also serve to limit capacity for expansion. Successful communities and businesses tend to survive in a changing environment given their strong intuitive and forward-looking adaptations.This book delves into the role of urban planning and design in the promotion of business and adaptations of people and communities. Additionally, the focus takes into account impact analysis and the effects of an expanding populations, including growing migrant flows, and business needs on the built environment of land-constrained territories
Tropical Cyclone Activity over the North Indian Ocean
by L. S. Rathore M. Mohapatra B. K. BandyopadhyayThis book deals primarily with understanding, monitoring and prediction of Tropical Cyclones (TCs) over the North Indian Ocean (NIO). There is special emphasis on TC genesis, intensification, movement and associated adverse weather like heavy rainfall and gale winds. It highlights the current state of research on TCs over the NIO and recent improvements in early warning systems due to advances in observational, analytical and numerical weather prediction techniques. The chapters in the book are authored by leading experts from research and operational environments. The chapters presented in the book intend to stimulate thinking and hence further research in the field of TCs, especially over the NIO region. They provide high quality reference material for all experts working in the field of TC related disaster management. This book is relevant to TC forecasters and researchers, managers, policy makers, graduate and undergraduate students.
Tropical Deltas and Coastal Zones: Food Production, Communities and Environment at the Land–Water Interface
by Chu T. Hoanh Brian W. Szuster Kam Suan-Pheng Abdelbagi M. Ismail Andrew D. NobleFocusing on the developing countries of Asia, Africa and South America, chapters of the book explore the diverse livelihoods of people in these areas and the impact of land-water management on the environment. New techniques and methodologies are explored in land and water management to try and solve the conflicts between rice-based agriculture, aquaculture, fisheries and the environment in tropical delta regions.
Tropical Dry Deciduous Forest: Research Trends and Emerging Features
by J. S. Singh R. K ChaturvediTropical dry deciduous forests (TDFs) can be found in severe and extremely variable climates characterized by low annual rainfall, 5-6 dry months within the annual cycle, and nutrient-poor soil. Several terms have been used for this vegetation type such as seasonally dry tropical forest (SDTF), tropical dry deciduous forest, monsoon forest, caatinga, cuabal, etc. More than any other factor, the lack of precipitation during a prolonged portion of the year is what produces true dry forest, an ecosystem type characterized by plants and animals with specific adaptations to survive the long dry season. Deciduousness is the single most important adaptation among plants to the extended droughts. Most of the trees drop their leaves after the rains end, and essentially halt photosynthesis, as they would otherwise be unable to survive the water loss during the dry season. TDFs are subject to intensive anthropogenic disturbances and are among the most at-risk ecosystems in the world. In order to assess the conservation status of this forest type, information is required on its distribution pattern, climate, the structure and functional traits of its vegetation, phenology, strategies for coping with drought and nutrient poverty, and disturbances and their effects. In this book, we review important studies on TDFs around the globe, particularly those in the northern dry deciduous forests of India. We put forward the claim that those TDFs that experience drought and arise on nutrient-poor sites feature adaptations such as deciduousness, as well as a variety of nutrient conservation strategies. They also experience biotic disturbances, which can result in fragmentation and ecosystem conversion, and therefore exhibit changes in biomass, productivity, and soil microbial biomass, etc.
Tropical Dry Forests in the Americas: Ecology, Conservation, and Management
by Jennifer S. Powers Geraldo W. Fernandes Mauricio Quesada Arturo Sánchez-AzofeifaUnder threat from natural and human disturbance, tropical dry forests are the most endangered ecosystem in the tropics, yet they rarely receive the scientific or conservation attention they deserve. In a comprehensive overview, Tropical Dry Forests in the Americas: Ecology, Conservation, and Management examines new approaches for data sampling and
Tropical Ecology
by John KricherThis full-color illustrated textbook offers the first comprehensive introduction to all major aspects of tropical ecology. It explains why the world's tropical rain forests are so universally rich in species, what factors may contribute to high species richness, how nutrient cycles affect rain forest ecology, and how ecologists investigate the complex interrelationships among flora and fauna. It covers tropical montane ecology, riverine ecosystems, savanna, dry forest--and more.Tropical Ecology begins with a historical overview followed by a sweeping discussion of biogeography and evolution, and then introduces students to the unique and complex structure of tropical rain forests. Other topics include the processes that influence everything from species richness to rates of photosynthesis: how global climate change may affect rain forest characteristics and function; how fragmentation of ecosystems affects species richness and ecological processes; human ecology in the tropics; biodiversity; and conservation of tropical ecosystems and species.Drawing on real-world examples taken from actual research, Tropical Ecology is the best textbook on the subject for advanced undergraduates and graduate students. Offers the first comprehensive introduction to tropical ecology Describes all the major kinds of tropical terrestrial ecosystems Explains species diversity, evolutionary processes, and coevolutionary interactions Features numerous color illustrations and examples from actual research Covers global warming, deforestation, reforestation, fragmentation, and conservation The essential textbook for advanced undergraduates and graduate students Suitable for courses with a field component
Tropical Ecosystems and Ecological Concepts
by Patrick OsborneTropical habitats cover over one third of the Earth's terrestrial surface and harbor much of its biodiversity, with many areas rich in endemic species. However, these ecosystems are under significant and growing threat from issues such as deforestation, land degradation and ocean acidification. This introductory textbook provides a comprehensive guide to the major tropical biomes. It is unique in its balanced coverage of both aquatic and terrestrial systems and in its international scope. Each chapter is built around a particular tropical ecosystem, with descriptive case studies providing a framework around which ecological concepts and applied ecological topics are presented. This second edition has been thoroughly updated to reflect recent advances in the field and includes a greater focus on the impact of global climate change. The text is supported throughout by boxes containing supplementary material and is illustrated with over 200 clear, simple line diagrams, maps and photographs.
Tropical Ecosystems in Australia: Responses to a Changing World
by Dilwyn GriffithsOver the last century, the world has lived through changes more rapid than those experienced at any other time in human history, leading to pressing environmental problems and demands on the world’s finite resources. Nowhere is this more evident than across the world’s warm belt; a region likely to have the greatest problems and which is home to some of the world’s most disadvantaged people. This book reviews aspects of the biology of tropical ecosystems of northern Australia, as they have been affected by climatic, social and land-use changes. Tropical Australia can be regarded as a microcosm of the world’s tropics and as such, shares with other tropical regions many of the conflicts between various forms of development and environmental considerations. The book draws on a wide range of case studies of tropical Australian ecosystems ranging from coastal coral reefs and mangroves, known to be among the most vulnerable to the effects of the imposed changes, to cropping and pasture lands which, under careful management, have the potential remain as productive and sustainable agricultural or forestry ecosystems. Expert author Dilwyn Griffiths -emphasizes the importance of maintaining an active program for the establishment and management of national parks and environmental reserves -describes the effects of mining and other forms of industrial and urban development with particular reference to mine-site rehabilitation - explores problems relating to the restoration of marginally uneconomic farming land as alternative forms of land-use such as carbon farming through photosynthetically-driven carbon sequestration. This accessible reference work should find a place in educational libraries at all levels and become an essential resource for environmentalists and anyone with interests in various forms of land-use and development.
Tropical Environments: An Account Of The World's Theatre Seasons 1999-2000, 2000-2001 And 2001-2002 (Routledge Physical Environment Ser.)
by Martin Kellman Rosanne TackaberryTropical Environments presents a comprehensive introduction to the complex systems of the tropics. Covering a broad, cross-regional range of humid through to semi-arid tropical climate zones, the book features a wealth of case studies drawn from throughout the tropical world. The authors tackle the major problems within the tropics, from complex biological interactions and soil nutrient deficiencies, offering a balanced integration of biophysical and human management issues.
Tropical Forage Legumes: Harnessing the Potential of Desmanthus and Other Genera for Heavy Clay Soils
by Nazeer Ahmad John R. LazierThe 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.
Tropical Forest Biomes (Greenwood Guides to Biomes of the World)
by Barbara A. HolzmanThe book is arranged with a general introduction to tropical forest biomes and chapters on the Tropical Rainforest Biome and Regional Expressions of the Tropical Rainforest Biome, and the Tropical Seasonal Forest Biome and Regional Expressions of the Tropical Seasonal Forest Biome.
Tropical Forests and the Human Spirit: Journeys to the Brink of Hope
by Roger D. Stone Claudia D'AndreaAn overview of the international events which in the last thirty years have caused the rapid destruction of the world's tropical forests and an argument for the case that the best way to conserve remaining forests is through the management of the land by the indigenous people who depend on the forest for their survival.
Tropical Gemstones
by Carol ClarkGemstones, both mythical and real, are deeply embedded in the arts, religions and cultures of Southeast Asia.<P><P> This Periplus Nature Guide provides an excellent introduction to the full range of superb gemstones mined and processed in the region, their physical characteristics, historical importance and countries of origin. Stunning color photographs and informative text by noted writer on gemstones, Carol Clark, will delight both gem collectors and lovers of fine jewelery alike.
Tropical Geomorphology
by Avijit GuptaAlthough similar geomorphic processes take place in other regions, in the tropics these processes operate at different rates and with varying intensities. Tropical geomorphology therefore provides many new discoveries regarding geomorphic processes. This textbook describes both the humid and arid tropics. It provides thoroughly up-to-date concepts and relevant case studies, and emphasises the importance of geomorphology in the management and sustainable development of the tropical environment, including climate change scenarios. The text is supported by a large number of illustrations, including satellite images. Student exercises accompany each chapter. Tropical Geomorphology is an ideal textbook for any course on tropical geomorphology or the tropical environment, and is also invaluable as a reference text for researchers and environmental managers in the tropics.
Tropical House Design Handbook: Bioclimatic, Safe, Comfortable, Economical and Respectful of the Environment
by Etik2aPacked with accessible information, this book covers all the technical and practical aspects of home design in tropical environments. . It begins by outlining the prerequisites needed to understand the issues involved (climate, heat, thermal comfort, etc.) and discusses the solutions offered by traditional housing. It then identifies current solutions for protecting buildings and their occupants from solar radiation and external heat, while promoting bioclimatic and environmentally friendly approaches. . The economic viability of the solutions identified is discussed, as are the advantages and disadvantages of the materials, depending on the context and standards in force. . Numerous examples illustrate how buildings can be adapted to local realities, from the avant-garde creations of Jean Prouvé to those of today’s architects who are committed to sustainable development, as well as specific projects incorporating the recommendations made in this book. More than 460 photos, drawings, diagrams, tables, maps, house plans, logos and pictograms illustrate this reference work for all those involved in construction in tropical regions, particularly students in the field and, more generally, anyone – from professionals to private individuals – looking for useful information on this subject.
Tropical Intraseasonal Variability and the Stochastic Skeleton Method (Mathematics of Planet Earth)
by Andrew J. Majda Samuel N. Stechmann Shengqian Chen H. Reed Ogrosky Sulian ThualIn this text, modern applied mathematics and physical insight are used to construct the simplest and first nonlinear dynamical model for the Madden-Julian oscillation (MJO), i.e. the stochastic skeleton model. This model captures the fundamental features of the MJO and offers a theoretical prediction of its structure, leading to new detailed methods to identify it in observational data. The text contributes to understanding and predicting intraseasonal variability, which remains a challenging task in contemporary climate, atmospheric, and oceanic science. In the tropics, the Madden-Julian oscillation (MJO) is the dominant component of intraseasonal variability. One of the strengths of this text is demonstrating how a blend of modern applied mathematical tools, including linear and nonlinear partial differential equations (PDEs), simple stochastic modeling, and numerical algorithms, have been used in conjunction with physical insight to create the model. These tools are also applied in developing several extensions of the model in order to capture additional features of the MJO, including its refined vertical structure and its interactions with the extratropics. This book is of interest to graduate students, postdocs, and senior researchers in pure and applied mathematics, physics, engineering, and climate, atmospheric, and oceanic science interested in turbulent dynamical systems as well as other complex systems.