- Table View
- List View
Vegetation Ecology of Socotra
by Bruno Mies Gary BrownAlthough the unique flora of the Socotra Archipelago with its high degree of endemism has received much attention recently, little information is available on the vegetation and related ecological aspects. Based on their extensive field experience of the region, the authors have assimilated a vast amount of knowledge to produce this book, which gives a detailed insight into the plant ecology of Socotra, designated as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2008. The book is divided into seven chapters. After a brief introduction and overviews of important abiotic features, various aspects of the vascular flora are presented in Chapter 4, together with accounts of the bryophyte and lichen flora. Ecology and adaptive strategies of the plants are dealt with in Chapter 5, and Chapter 6 gives a concise description of the main vegetation units. Finally, important management issues of the vegetation are discussed, an essential topic to ensure preservation of the natural heritage of the archipelago.
Vegetation Fires and Pollution in Asia
by Krishna Prasad Vadrevu Toshimasa Ohara Chris JusticeVegetation 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 resulted from 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.
Vegetation History and Cultural Landscapes: Case Studies from South-west Slovakia (Springer Geography)
by Alexander FehérThis book focuses on the vegetation history of the cultural landscape in southwestern Slovakia, which was established and adopted by mankind and has since constantly evolved in response to ongoing changes (in environmental conditions, biodiversity, land use, etc.). The book analyses four dominant ecosystems typical for the cultural landscape and affected by humans: woodlands, wetlands, grasslands and agricultural land. Each ecosystem is discussed in separate chapters. The chapters include (a) basic information, general aspects, development processes, trends and interpretations, (b) a published or non-published case study based on the author’s own research, and (c) an extensive bibliography. A set of maps on the vegetation history and indices of geographical names and plants names serve to round out the coverage. The work provides an essential point of departure for describing the typical regional characteristics of the cultural landscape, with an eye to its future preservation.
Vegetation and Climate
by Siegmar-W. Breckle M. Daud RafiqpoorVegetation, soil and climate are the most important components of ecological systems. The book represents a compact synthesis of our current knowledge about the ecology of the Earth and is thus the basis for understanding the major interrelationships in a global perspective. In the first part, with a rich endowment of illustrations and photographic material, the well-introduced book deals with the essential processes and operations on the Earth's surface that lead to the formation of the vegetation cover with its distinctive zonation. In the second part, the individual vegetation zones as large-scale ecosystems (i.e. zonobiomes of the biosphere) are consistently described comparatively according to certain criteria. In a short and compact form, the main characteristics and structures as well as examples of ecosystem processes are discussed. The large-scale ecosystems are at the same time the basis and reference system for all anthropogenic changes that have drastically altered the vegetation in the last millennia, but especially in the 20th century.This book is a translation of the original German 1st edition Vegetation und Klima by Siegmar-W. Breckle and M. Daud Rafiqpoor, published by Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature in 2019. The translation was done with the help of artificial intelligence (machine translation by the service DeepL.com). A subsequent human revision was done primarily in terms of content, so that the book will read stylistically differently from a conventional translation. Springer Nature works continuously to further the development of tools for the production of books and on the related technologies to support the authors.
Vegetation and Landscape Dynamics of the Iberian Pyrenees During the Last 3000 Years: The Montcortès Palynological Record (Ecological Studies #251)
by Valentí Rull Teresa Vegas-VilarrúbiaThe high-resolution palynological study of the varved sediments of Lake Montcortès has provided a unique record of the regional vegetation shifts over the last 3000 years and of the natural and anthropogenic drivers of ecological change, unparalleled in the Mediterranean. This book shows in detail how the terrestrial ecosystems of Montcortès have responded to climatic events such as the Medieval Climate Anomaly or the Little Ice Age, as well as to varying intensities of anthropogenic pressure from the Bronze Age to the present. The knowledge gained from this palaeoecological study is useful not only for understanding how the modern landscapes of the Pyrenees were shaped, but also for conserving biodiversity and ecosystems in the face of future environmental changes related to ongoing global change. The book is aimed at researchers, university teachers and advanced graduate students in a wide range of disciplines including ecology, palaeoecology, environmental science, biodiversity, geography, sedimentology, archaeology, anthropology, and biodiversity conservation.
Vegetation and Soils: A World Picture
by S. R. EyreVegetation and Soils is an introduction to the study of vegetation and soil distribution. In this accessible work, S. R. Eyre describes the distributions of these two important elements in the landscape. The book progresses regionally, and the land areas of the earth are subdivided according to the distribution of their main vegetation and soil types. The author argues that the nature of the soil is not determined by vegetation any more than it is determined by climate, but the nature of the vegetation always has some bearing on the nature of the soil, and vice versa.Eyre studies the ways in which plant communities and soil profiles develop and the complexity of the vegetation-climatic relationship. The middle and high latitudes are examined, as well as the tropical regions. In order to avoid broad generalizations of vast regions, the example of the British Isles is used to show that vegetation and soil maps can be misleading on a continental scale. The book concludes with a series of vegetation maps, which show the distribution of plant formations. Also included are tables providing climatic correlations with vegetation and a glossary of relevant terms.This classic work shows the intimate connection between vegetation development and soil development. For this reason, this book is a major contribution to the study of the physical aspects of geography and will be of particular interest to students of geography, botany, and agriculture.
Vegetation of the Canary Islands (Plant and Vegetation #16)
by Marcelino J. del Arco Aguilar Octavio Rodríguez DelgadoThe volcanic and oceanic nature of the Canary Islands, its rich plant biodiversity and high rate of endemism, as well as the relict character of some of its plant communities make it a territory of great biological interest. The main geographic, climatic, bioclimatic, biogeographic and floristic features of the Islands are shown and related to the distributional pattern of potential communities along an altitudinal gradient. Current vegetation units and their ecology are described and illustrated with numerous pictures. Potential vegetation units are summarized and comprehensive maps of the potential natural vegetation for each island are given. Human impact on the natural landscape, the occurrence of invasive plants, and the probable impact of climate change on the flora and vegetation are discussed. The conservation status of flora and vegetation are assessed. Four appendixes include a syntaxonomical scheme, a brief history of botanical studies and explorations in the Islands, ethnobotanical notes, and a list of selected literature.
Vehicle-to-Grid: A Sociotechnical Transition Beyond Electric Mobility (Energy, Climate and the Environment)
by Benjamin K. Sovacool Lance Noel Gerardo Zarazua de Rubens Johannes KesterThis book defines and charts the barriers and future of vehicle-to-grid technology: a technology that could dramatically reduce emissions, create revenue, and accelerate the adoption of battery electric cars. This technology connects the electric power grid and the transportation system in ways that will enable electric vehicles to store renewable energy and offer valuable services to the electricity grid and its markets. To understand the complex features of this emergent technology, the authors explore the current status and prospect of vehicle-to-grid, and detail the sociotechnical barriers that may impede its fruitful deployment. The book concludes with a policy roadmap to advise decision-makers on how to optimally implement vehicle-to-grid and capture its benefits to society while attempting to avoid the impediments discussed earlier in the book.
Velocity-Free Localization Methodology for Acoustic and Microseismic Sources
by Longjun Dong Xibing LiIn this book, we proposed velocity-free localization methods for acoustic and microseismic sources. This method does not require predetermination of wave velocity, which is a dynamically adjusted free real-time parameter. These methods solve the problem of large localization error caused by the difference between measured wave velocity and actual wave velocity in the source area and greatly improve the positioning accuracy. They are suitable for complex structures where the wave velocity changes dynamically in time and space, such as mines, bridges, buildings, pavements, loaded mechanical structures, dams, geothermal mining, oil extraction, and other engineering fields. This book includes progress in the development of localization methods, factors affecting the accuracy of source localization, analytical methods without the pre-measured wave velocity, velocity-free numerical methods for localizing acoustic sources, combined optimal velocity-free localization methods, velocity-free source localization considering complex paths of spatial structures, and theories as well as some cases of engineering applications of these methods.
Venerable Trees: History, Biology, and Conservation in the Bluegrass
by Tom Kimmerer“Will likely become a classic among books about Kentucky’s natural history and environment, because it covers so much new information.” —Lexington Herald-LeaderWhen the first settlers arrived in the Bluegrass region of Kentucky, they found an astonishing landscape of open woodland grazed by vast herds of bison. Farmers quickly replaced the bison with cattle, sheep, and horses, but left many of the trees to shade their pastures. Today, central Kentucky and central Tennessee still boast one of the largest populations of presettlement trees in the nation, found in both rural and urban areas.In Venerable Trees: History, Biology, and Conservation in the Bluegrass, Tom Kimmerer showcases the beauty, age, size, and splendor of these ancient trees and the remaining woodland pastures. Documenting the distinctive settlement history that allowed for their preservation, Kimmerer explains the biology of Bluegrass trees and explores the reasons why they are now in danger. He also reveals the dedication and creativity of those fighting to conserve these remarkable three-hundred- to five-hundred-year-old plants—from innovative, conscientious developers who build around them rather than clearing the land to farmers who use lightning rods to protect them from natural disasters.Featuring more than one hundred color photographs, this beautifully illustrated book offers guidelines for conserving ancient trees worldwide while educating readers about their life cycle. Venerable Trees is an informative call to understand the challenges faced by the companions so deeply rooted in the region’s heritage and a passionate plea for their preservation.“A fascinating book about a unique landscape in the Bluegrass Region of Kentucky.” —Frans Vera, author of Grazing Ecology and Forest History
Venomous Earth: How Arsenic Caused the World's Worst Mass Poisoning
by Andrew MehargVenomous Earth is the compelling story of the worst chemical disaster in human history - unfolding now. It explores the geology, politics and biology of why tens thousands of people are dying, hundreds of thousands developing cancer and tens of millions of people are at risk in Bangladesh, India and beyond, from arsenic-contaminated well water. <p><p> Andrew Meharg compares this scenario with that in other areas of the world where drinking water is tainted with arsenic, such as extensive areas of South Western USA, the Alto Plano of South America and New Zealand's volcanic regions. He details historical precedents spanning thousands of years in mining and smelting communities, and due to the widespread use of arsenic in alchemy, farming, medicine and manufacturing. His tale takes in William Morris, Paracelsus, George W Bush and a cosmetic that killed two popes. <p> Finally Venomous Earth looks at how the current arsenic crisis is to be tackled and highlights new challenges to our ongoing struggle with the toxic element.
Venture Meets Mission: Aligning People, Purpose, and Profit to Innovate and Transform Society
by Gerard George Arun Gupta Thomas FewerThe world is facing dramatic geopolitical, environmental, and technological shifts. Venture Meets Mission argues that if Business, Government, and Society come together, rebuild trust, and collaborate, we have a generational opportunity to address societal challenges—climate change, cybersecurity, disease outbreaks, food insecurity, and education. The book explains, with hope and passion, how our existing entrepreneurial ecosystem, with the ideals of democracy, can be the foundation for a new mission-driven capitalism. The good news is the components of this problem-solving ecosystem already exist. The authors explain what is required to join people, purpose, and profit together for world-changing impact—starting with rebuilding trust among Business, Government, and Society. The authors draw on their leadership experience with Silicon Valley innovation, venture capital, and work at the highest levels of the federal government. The book tells engaging stories of successful entrepreneurs, with diverse perspectives and intersectional experiences, who combine mission and venture to solve critical societal problems. This book seeks to inspire a generation of students, young professionals, and entrepreneurial executives to pursue mission-driven ventures that can make the world a better place. Venture Meets Mission also explains why and how forward-thinking government officials and policymakers can harness private sector entrepreneurship and innovation to solve society's problems.
Verantwortungsvolle Unternehmensführung: Corporate Governance, Compliance Management und Corporate Social Responsibility
by Claudia KreiplIn diesem Lehrbuch beschreibt Claudia Kreipl in kompakter Form unternehmerische Verantwortung als Zusammenspiel ökonomischer, rechtlicher und ethischer Verantwortung. Basierend auf einer systematischen Betrachtung der verschiedenen Ebenen sowie der Zielgruppen verantwortungsvollen Handelns entwickelt sie einen ganzheitlichen Ansatz. Analysiert werden alle drei Handlungsfelder – Corporate Governance, Compliance Management und Corporate Social Responsibility – hinsichtlich ihrer Hintergründe und Facetten sowie ihrer Bedeutung für die unternehmerische Praxis. Daraus entwickelt die Autorin ein Gesamtkonzept, das den Unternehmenserfolg nachhaltig sichert.
Verkehrsdynamik und -simulation
by Martin Treiber Arne KestingDas Lehrbuch liefert eine umfassende Darstellung der Modellierung und Dynamik des Straßenverkehrs. Es erschließt Studierenden ein Gebiet, das bisher nur in der englischsprachigen Originalliteratur dargestellt wurde. Aktuelle Anwendungen in Bereichen wie Verkehrsmanagement, Fahrer-Assistenzsysteme oder Verkehrstelematik stellen den Praxisbezug her, zahlreiche Abbildungen und Übungsaufgaben vertiefen das Verständnis. Das Buch richtet sich an Physik- und Verkehrsingenieurstudenten sowie Studierende der Informatik, Mathematik und technischer Richtungen.
Vermiculture Technology: Earthworms, Organic Wastes, and Environmental Management
by Rhonda Sherman Clive A. Edwards Norman Q. AranconCo-edited by international earthworm expert Clive A. Edwards, Vermiculture Technology: Earthworms, Organic Wastes, and Environmental Management is the first international, comprehensive, and definitive work on how earthworms and microorganisms interact to break down organic wastes on a commercial basis. Many books cover the importance of composting
Vermont's Marble Industry
by Catherine MiglorieThe marble deposits in Vermont are some of the richest in the world. Vermont's Marble Industry takes readers deep inside the quarries of the Green Mountain State to show how stone was sawed and raised from the earth to be cut, polished, and carved into monuments and structures that today are spread across the country. During the late 1800s, the marble industry flourished and the mighty Vermont Marble Company was started by a local family. The patriarch of the Proctor family built the Vermont Marble Company into the largest stone company in the world. They hired immigrant workers to fuel the company, and the region became a melting pot of nationalities. After World War II, demand for blocks of heavy dimension stone diminished and the slow demise of the Vermont Marble Company began. Vermont's Marble Industry proudly tells the history of the marble workers, their skilled craftsmanship, and the communities that relied on this industry.
Vernacular Regeneration: Low-income Housing, Private Policing and Urban Transformation in inner-city Johannesburg
by Aidan MosselsonUrban regeneration is currently taking place in inner-city Johannesburg. This book presents an alternative, multi-layered account for reading the process of urban change and renewal. The provision of social and affordable housing and the spread of private security are explored through the lenses of neoliberal urbanism, gentrification, the privatisation of public space and revanchist policing. This book interrogates these concepts and challenges their assumptions based on new qualitative and ethnographic evidence emerging out of Johannesburg. Dated concepts in Critical Urban Studies are re-evaluated and the book calls for an alternative, adaptable approach, focusing on how we develop a vocabulary and creative understanding of urban regeneration. This book is an outstanding contribution to theoretical and comparative approaches to understanding cities and processes of urban change. It offers practical insights and experiences which will be of considerable use to practitioners, policy-makers and urban planning students.
Vertical Urbanism: Designing Compact Cities in China (China Perspectives)
by Zhongjie Lin José L. GámezStudies of compact cities have evolved along with the rising awareness of climate change and sustainable development. Relevant debates, however, reveal that the prevailing definitions and practices of compact cities are tied primarily to traditional Western urban forms. This book reinterprets "compact city", and develops a ground-breaking discourse of "Vertical Urbanism", a concept that has never been critically articulated. It emphasizes "Vertical Urbanism" as a dynamic design strategy instead of a static form, distinguishing it from the stereotyped concept of "vertical city" or "towers in the park" dominant in China and elsewhere, and suggests its adaptability to different geographic and cultural contexts. Using Chinese cities as laboratories of investigation, this book explores the design, ecological, and sociocultural dimensions of building compact cities, and addresses important global urban issues through localized design solutions, such as the relationship between density and vitality, the integration of horizontal and vertical dimensions of design, and the ecological and social adaptability of combinatory mega-forms. In addition, through discussions with scholars from the United States, China, and Japan, this book provides an insight into the theoretical debates surrounding "compact city" and "Vertical Urbanism" in the global context. Scholars and students in architecture and urban planning will be attracted by this book. Also, it will appeal to readers with an interest in urban development and Asian studies.
Vertical and Decline Shaft Sinking: Good Practices in Technique and Technology, International Mining Forum 2015
by Jerzy KickiShaft sinking for underground transportation purposes is a very complex technological process in mining and geotechnology which requires specific and specially designed technological equipment. This technological process is dealt with for a long time, since mining is one of the oldest industries in the world.This book presents the te
Very British Weather: Over 365 Hidden Wonders from the World’s Greatest Forecasters
by The Met OfficeUPGRADE YOUR SMALL TALK GUIDED BY WORLD-LEADING WEATHER EXPERTS!From Foggy and Freezing to Scorching and Stormy, join the ultimate weather adventure through the great British seasons and uncover the extraordinary in every single day*.Are YOU the ultimate weather watcher?Do you know your drizzle from your mizzle?Ever wondered what rainbows are really made of?And could you pinpoint where lightning has struck twice?Pore over beautiful cloudscapes, learn the secrets of sunsets, discover freak weather and fogbows, and why forecasting was so important in British history, from D-Day to the Great Fire of London.Perfect for rainy days in or cloudspotting on the go, the Met Office share the best of almost 170 years of forecasting for the first time in this beautifully illustrated book. Packed with mythbusting, top trivia, stunning visuals and archive gems, shooting the breeze has never been so interesting!*Even when it is tipping it down.
Very Soft Organic Clay Applied for Road Embankment: Modelling and Optimisation Approach, UNESCO-IHE PhD, Delft, the Netherlands
by C. LimsiriIn this book strategies for using very soft organic clay as a fill material for road embankment constructions are compared, and an optimisation scheme is presented. Computer programs for simulation of evaporative drying, for simulation of consolidation, and for slope stability calculation were used to analyse clay behaviour. Field and laboratory te
Vesiculation and Crystallization of Magma: Fundamentals of the Volcanic Eruption Process (Advances in Volcanology)
by Atsushi ToramaruThis book comprehensively illustrates the elemental processes of vesiculation and crystallization recorded in volcanic products on the basis of the equilibrium and non-equilibrium theories. The book describes the derivation of equations and the basic physics behind them in detail. This textbook is fundamental in preparing for future volcanic hazards. The target readers are graduate students and researchers, but Parts I and IV are written to be understandable by undergraduate students as well, to inspire them to enter this field.
Vesper Flights
by Helen MacdonaldAnimals don't exist in order to teach us things, but that is what they have always done, and most of what they teach us is what we think we know about ourselves. In this book, the author brings together a collection of her best loved essays, along with new pieces on topics ranging from nostalgia for a vanishing countryside to the tribulations of farming ostriches to her own private vespers while trying to fall asleep. Meditating on notions of captivity and freedom, immigration and flight, the author invites us into her most intimate experiences: observing the massive migration of songbirds from the top of the Empire State Building, watching tens of thousands of cranes in Hungary, seeking the last golden orioles in Suffolk's poplar forests. She writes with heart-tugging clarity about wild boar, swifts, mushroom hunting, migraines, the strangeness of birds' nests, and the unexpected guidance and comfort we find when watching wildlife.
Vesuvius: A Biography
by Alwyn ScarthThe volcano that has fascinated scientists, writers, and poets for two millenniaCapricious, vibrant, and volatile, Vesuvius has been and remains one of the world's most dangerous volcanoes. In its rage, it has destroyed whole cities and buried thousands alive. In its calm, its ashes have fertilized the soil, providing for the people who have lived in its shadows. For over two millennia, the dynamic presence of this volcano has fascinated scientists, artists, writers, and thinkers, and inspired religious fervor, Roman architecture, and Western literature. In Vesuvius, Alwyn Scarth draws from the latest research, classical and eyewitness accounts, and a diverse range of other sources to tell the riveting story of this spectacular natural phenomenon.Scarth follows Vesuvius across time, examining the volcano's destruction of Pompeii and Herculaneum in 79 A.D., its eruptions during the Counter-Reformation that were viewed as God's punishment of sinners, and the building of the world's first volcano observatory on Vesuvius in the 1840s. Scarth explores the volcano's current position overlooking a population of more than three million people and the complex attitudes maintained by the residents, at once reverent, protective, and fearful. He also considers the next major eruption of Vesuvius, which experts have indicated could be the most powerful since 1631. The longer Vesuvius remains dormant, the more violent its reawakening will be, and despite scientific advances for predicting when this might occur, more people are vulnerable than ever before.Exploring this celebrated wonder from scientific, historical, and cultural perspectives, Vesuvius provides a colorful portrait of a formidable force of nature.
Viability and Sustainability of Small-Scale Fisheries in Latin America and The Caribbean (MARE Publication Series #19)
by Ratana Chuenpagdee María José Barragán-Paladines Silvia SalasOne of the main goals in fisheries governance is to promote viability and sustainability in small-scale fishing communities. This is not an easy task given external and internal pressure, including environmental change and competition with other economic sectors searching for development in the coastal region. A comprehensive understanding of small-scale fisheries in their own context, and from a regional perspective, is an important step in supporting the implementation of the Voluntary Guidelines on Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries (SSF Guidelines). This book contributes to the global effort by offering knowledge, insights and lessons about small-scale fisheries in Latin America and the Caribbean. The 20 case studies included in the book make explicit the various dimensions that are intrinsic to small-scale fisheries in the region, and identify conditions and situations that affect the wellbeing of fishing communities. The book offers insights regarding the challenges faced by small-scale fisheries in the region, and, aligning with the objectives of the SSF Guidelines, provides lessons and experiences about how to make small-scale fishing communities viable while maintaining sustainable fisheries. This important book illustrates the complexity, diversity, and dynamics of small-scale fisheries in the Latin American and Caribbean region and presents experiences, tools, and approaches to lead towards sustainable and viable fisheries. The reader will gain a new understanding on the range of actions, approaches, and information needed for their successful management. John F. Caddy, International Fisheries ExpertThis book, prepared by the Too Big To Ignore partnership, constitutes a very valuable resource for policy makers, fisheries scientists, non-governmental organizations, civil society organizations, and fishing communities interested in putting in place sound management strategies, research, and actions to contribute to the sustainability of small-scale fisheries and food security in Latin America and the Caribbean region. Juan Carlos Seijo, Professor of Fisheries Bioeconomics at Marist University of Merida