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Ritual and Religion in the Making of Humanity
by Roy A. RappaportThis book argues that religion can and must be reconciled with science. Combining adaptive and cognitive approaches, it is a comprehensive analysis of religion's evolutionary significance, and its inextricable interdependence with language. It is also a detailed study of religion's main component, ritual, which constructs the conceptions that we take to be religious and therefore central in the making of humanity's adaptation. The text amounts to a manual for effective ritual, illustrated by examples drawn from a range of disciplines.
River Algae
by Orlando NecchiThe content is focused on benthic communities showing howthey play an in important role in the river ecosystems. Provides alsoinformation on taxonomy of river-inhabiting algal groups, including phylogeny, distribution, collection, preservationand description of the most representative genera of algae in river benthicalgal communities. The book also approaches the ecologyof river algae not to mention the ecological factors influencing abundance,distribution and diversity of river benthic algal communities and their use as bio-indicators,providing an up-to-date information on taxonomy, ecology, methodology and uses,and a great source of research to everyone interested in freshwater algae,limnology, water quality assessment and biodiversity in river ecosystems.
River Basin Environment: Evaluation, Management and Conservation
by Fusheng Li Yoshio Awaya Koji Kageyama Yongfen WeiThis book provides updated and comprehensive information on the evaluation of the river basin environment, along with its management and conservation. The chapters collected the latest cutting-edge research achievements in vegetation function evaluation, remote sensing monitoring and analysis, water quality evaluation and control, water and wastewater treatment, soil remediation, forest resource management, microbial disease diagnosis and more, the key components that link directly with the safety, security and sustainability of river basin environment. This book emphasizes the important aspects for better and more effective evaluation, management and conservation of the river basin environment, the foundation for its sustainable utilization and development, the foundation for achieving water and food security, and the United Nations’ SDGs for No Poverty (1), Zero Hunger (2) and Clean Water and Sanitation (6), as well as Affordable and Clean Energy (7), Sustainable Cities and Communities (11), Climate Action (13), Life below Water (14) and Life on Land (15). This book will benefit the research community and environmental education. It will prove useful to students, water and forest resource managers, hydrologists and all those engaged or interested in any aspect of evaluation, management, and conservation of the river basin environment. The book also has the potential to inform multi-regional and sectoral policies in all regions of the world and contribute to sustainable development solutions through better management of water, soil, and vegetation resources.
River Conservation and Water Resource Management (Advances in Geographical and Environmental Sciences)
by Praveen Kumar RaiThis book presents an up-to-date, systematic and scientific analysis of water resource problems in India and suggests measures to overcome them through effective water management. In addition, the book provides an overview of how changes in legislation, policies, institutional responsibilities, science, technology, practical techniques and public perception have influenced the ways of river management over the past years. River water conservation is a planned activity connected with various habitat features and outlines how to conserve all river water spread across the world. The restoration and conservation of river water must be of the highest priority for sustaining humanity and ecology for the present and future generations. In order to solve the water problems, conservation and recycling of water should be made mandatory for all domestic, industrial and agricultural projects. Apart from the priority to watershed development, rainwater harvesting and other appropriate conservation measures should be adopted to create awareness among the public so that their mind-set, attitudes and habits change proactively and they adopt sustainable practices rather than wait for legislation and regulations. The book augments the knowledge base of behaviour of rivers and evaluates the issues related to rivers so as to develop river system management techniques emerging from in-depth scientific analyses. It is useful for students, researchers, water resource managers, hydrologists and all those who are engaged or interested in any aspect of river water conservation and management of water resources in the country.
River Dynamics and Flood Hazards: Studies on Risk and Mitigation (Disaster Resilience and Green Growth)
by Manish Pandey Hazi Azamathulla Jaan H. PuThis edited book covers all aspects of River related disasters, challenges, and opportunities. Step-by-step descriptions are provided of river dynamics and associated hazards, and their applications in hazard assessments, accompanied by several experimental, filed and numerical studies. In addition, a systematic table of content is given to aid in identifying River hazards challenges and opportunities. Essential information is provided on River dynamics, hydrological processes and climate change issues, and an individual chapter is devoted to ecological restoration and river hazard management. Further topics include the stability of hydraulic structures, sediment transport, and debris flow in the hilly streams. This book will provide students, researchers, scientists, water resources managers with a comprehensive overview of the River dynamics and flood hazards in various sectors of water-related disasters and will enable them to explore the scope of application of the computational techniques and will enable them to explore the scope of River related disasters, allied branches and their field-specific problems. Professionals and policymakers may also explore the implementation of these approaches in their workplace to tackle complex river dynamics and hydrological phenomena occurring in their study area.
River Flow 2012
by Rafael Murillo MuñozContaining the most recent theoretical accomplishments, numerical developments, experimental investigations and field studies in Fluvial Hydraulics, River Flow 2012 is an excellent resource for researchers, civil and environmental engineers, and practitioners in river-related disciplines.
River Futures: An Integrative Scientific Approach to River Repair (Science Practice Ecological Restoration)
by Gary J. Brierley Kirstie A. Fryirs Richard J. HobbsAcross much of the industrialized world, rivers that were physically transformed and ecologically ruined to facilitate industrial and agricultural development are now the focus of restoration and rehabilitation efforts. River Futures discusses the emergence of this new era of river repair and documents a comprehensive biophysical framework for river science and management. The book considers what can be done to maximize prospects for improving river health while maintaining or enhancing the provision of ecosystem services over the next 50 to 100 years. It provides a holistic overview of considerations that underpin the use of science in river management, emphasizing cross-disciplinary understanding that builds on a landscape template. The book*frames the development of integrative river science and its application to river rehabilitation programs *develops a coherent set of guiding principles with which to approach integrative river science*considers the application of cross-disciplinary thinking in river rehabilitation experiences from around the world *examines the crossover between science and management, outlining issues that must be addressed to promote healthier river futuresCase studies explore practical applications in different parts of the world, highlighting approaches to the use of integrative river science, measures of success, and steps that could be taken to improve performance in future efforts.River Futures offers a positive, practical, and constructive focus that directly addresses the major challenge of a new era of river conservation and rehabilitation--that of bringing together the diverse and typically discipline-bound sets of knowledge and practices that are involved in repairing rivers. It is a valuable resource for anyone involved in river restoration and management, including restorationists, scientists, managers, and policymakers, as well as students.
River Health Assessment: A Study on Mahananda River, India (Springer Geography)
by Suman Mitra Lakpa Tamang Sunil Kumar DeThis book provides in detail assessment of the health of Mahananda river, an important head water river system in the Darjeeling Sub-Himalayas which is getting altered rapidly with the pace of human interference. It covers all aspects of river health monitoring through an effective method combining geospatial analysis and field measurements for the assessment of the hydromorphological, hydrochemistry, and hydrobiological quality which indicates that it is neither maintaining its overall fluvial characteristics and functions, nor can quickly replenish, supporting local biota and sediment transport. This book also identifies the factors responsible for existing health condition and suggests target-oriented restoration measures for the sustenance of river health essential for restoring the hydro-ecological balance of one of the most degraded river. The book can be utilized as reference materials by academics, practitioners, and decision-makers for the health assessment of other river basins.
River Health and Ecology in South Asia: Pollution, Restoration, and Conservation
by Gouri Sankar Bhunia Pravat Kumar Shit Bidhan Chandra Patra Manojit BhattacharyaThis volume reviews recent hydrological and environmental issues resulting from human-induced water pollution practices while providing case studies on the physical, chemical, and eco-biological techniques used to mitigate the impacts of river ecosystem pollution in South Asian countries. The book demonstrates the key methods of measurement, monitoring, mapping, and modeling of river water quality and how it is impacted by pollution and incorporates contemporary geospatial technological applications for the management and sustainability of future water resources. The major topics that the book addresses are the fundamental concepts of river ecosystem health, riverine ecology and habitats, risk assessment of riverine pollution, and technology-based river pollution control strategies. The book will serve as an interdisciplinary guide for researchers, students, and GIS specialists working in various disciplines, including pollution hazards, river ecosystem restoration, water quality, remote sensing, zoology, natural resources management, and environmental geography.
River Hydraulics: Hydraulics, Water Resources and Coastal Engineering Vol. 2 (Water Science and Technology Library #110)
by V. P. Singh Ramakar Jha Vivekanand Singh L. B. Roy Roshni ThendiyathThis book presents key principles of the hydraulics of river basins, with a unique focus on the interplay between stream flows and sediment transport. Addressing a number of basic topics related to the hydraulics of river systems, above all it emphasizes applicative aspects in order to provide the reader with a solid grasp of river engineering. The understanding of the river hydraulics is essential for the assessment of optimum locations for the conservation of water resources and its structures. This book will be interesting to readers and researchers working in the specialized area of river hydraulics of Ganga basin, Narmada, Tapi, Godavari, and other basins of India. It consists of review on hydraulics of meandering river; hydraulic design of reservoir in permeable pavement; optimization of hydraulic design; hydraulic investigations to optimize the design of spillway and design of energy dissipater; and analysis of performance of orifice spillway using computational fluid dynaics
River Morphodynamics and Stream Ecology of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau
by Zhaoyin Wang Zhiwei Li Mengzhen Xu Guoan YuThis book focuses on the river morphodynamics and stream ecology of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The objective of the book is to summarize and synthesize the recent studies based on field surveys undertaken in the period 2007-2014. This book was written to serve as a graduate-level text for a course in river dynamics and stream ecology and as a refer
River Out of Eden: A Darwinian View of Life (SCIENCE MASTERS)
by Richard Dawkins Prof Richard DawkinsThe No.1 SUNDAY TIMES bestseller. A fascinating explanation of how evolution works, from bestselling author of THE GOD DELUSION, Richard Dawkins.The river of Dawkins's title is a river of DNA, flowing through time from the beginning of life on earth to the present - and onwards. Dawkins explains that DNA must be thought of as the most sophisticated information system imaginable: 'Life is just bytes and bytes of information,' he writes. Using this perspective, he describes the mechanisms by which evolution has taken place, gradually but inexorably, over a period of three thousand million years. It is the story of how evolution happens, rather than a narrative of what has actually happened in evolution. He discusses current views on the process of human evolution, including the idea that we all trace back to a comparatively recent African 'Eve', and speculates that the 'information explosion' that was unleashed on Earth when DNA came into being has almost certainly happened in other places in the universe.
River Out of Eden: A Darwinian View of Life (SCIENCE MASTERS)
by Richard Dawkins Prof Richard DawkinsThe river of Dawkins's title is a river of DNA, flowing through time from the beginning of life on earth to the present - and onwards. Dawkins explains that DNA must be thought of as the most sophisticated information system imaginable: 'Life is just bytes and bytes of information,' he writes. Using this perspective, he describes the mechanisms by which evolution has taken place, gradually but inexorably, over a period of three thousand million years. It is the story of how evolution happens, rather than a narrative of what has actually happened in evolution. He discusses current views on the process of human evolution, including the idea that we all trace back to a comparatively recent African 'Eve', and speculates that the 'information explosion' that was unleashed on Earth when DNA came into being has almost certainly happened in other places in the universe.A bite-sized science classic, narrated by the author.(p) 1998 Orion Publishing Group
River Profiles: The People Restoring Our Waterways
by Pete HillCenturies of mismanagement and destructive development have gravely harmed American waterways, with significant consequences for the ecosystems and communities built around them. But a range of passionate and committed people have stepped up to restore streams and rivers around the United States. A husband-and-wife scientist team in Pennsylvania lead projects to unclog the sediment left by early colonists’ dams. Members of the Tulalip Tribes in western Washington State bring beavers back to headwater streams. A public servant in Milwaukee drives the sewer department to remove concrete channels and reduce flood risk. Community activists in Atlanta push for environmental justice in river restoration.Telling these stories and many more, Pete Hill—a twenty-year veteran of the field of watershed restoration—provides a deep dive into the world of river and stream conservation. He profiles the practitioners, scientists, and activists from all walks of life who take part in restoration efforts, exploring their differing, sometimes controversial approaches. Through their stories, Hill illustrates the challenges and rewards of river restoration and the evolving scientific understanding in the field. Underscoring the need for a variety of strategies adapted to different local contexts, he shows that new ideas have come from a wide range of people—from those operating the machinery to those researching stream ecology—and that Indigenous knowledge offers vital resources. At once personal and learned, insightful and inspiring, this book shines a light on the people working to heal our streams and rivers.
River Quality: Dynamics and Restoration
by Antonius Laenen and David A. DunnetteWhat is involved in restoring a river? River Quality: Dynamics and Restoration answers this question through a series of articles and case studies written by some of the field's leading researchers and practitioners. The first part of the book covers the physical, chemical, and biological dynamics of a river system. The second part describes monitoring programs and remedial measures used to restore river systems back to healthy and functional states. The Willamette River in Oregon and the Vistula River in Poland are used to illustrate the dynamic and restoration processes. Each river is in a different stage of restoration and is subjected to different degrees of stress from agriculture, industry, and urbanization. The Willamette is an internationally cited example of a restored river, while the Vistula is a river that has just recently begun the restoration process. Contrasts and comparisons of the two river systems enable readers to learn the limitations of restoration processes and what is involved in the different stages of restoration.
River Republic: The Fall and Rise of America's Rivers
by Daniel McCoolDaniel McCool not only chronicles the history of water development agencies in America and the way in which special interests have abused rather than preserved the country's rivers, he also narrates the second, brighter act in this ongoing story: the surging, grassroots movement to bring these rivers back to life and ensure they remain pristine for future generations. The culmination of ten years of research and observation, McCool's book confirms the surprising news that America's rivers are indeed returning to a healthier, free-flowing condition. The politics of river restoration demonstrates how strong grassroots movements can challenge entrenched powers and win. Through passion and dedication, ordinary people are reclaiming the American landscape, forming a "river republic" of concerned citizens from all backgrounds and sectors of society. As McCool shows, the history, culture, and fate of America is tied to its rivers, and their restoration is a microcosm mirroring American beliefs, livelihoods, and an increasing awareness of what two hundred years of environmental degradation can do. McCool profiles the individuals he calls "instigators," who initiated the fight for these waterways and, despite enormous odds, have succeeded in the near-impossible task of challenging and changing the status quo. Part I of the volume recounts the history of America's relationship to its rivers; part II describes how and why Americans "parted" them out, destroying their essence and diminishing their value; and part III shows how society can live in harmony with its waterways while restoring their well-being—and, by extension, the well-being of those who depend on them.
River Sand Mining Modelling and Sustainable Practice: The Kangsabati River, India (Environmental Science and Engineering)
by Nilanjana Das Chatterjee Raj Kumar BhattacharyaWorldwide demand for sand and gravel is increasing daily, as the need for these materials continues to rise, for example in the construction sector, in land filling and for transportation sector based infrastructural projects. This results in over-extraction of sand from channel beds, and hampers the natural renewal of sediment, geological setup and morphological processes of the riverine system. In India, illegal sand mining (of alluvial channels) and gravel mining (of perennial channels) are two anthropogenic issues that negatively affect the sustainable drainage system. Along the Kangsabati River in India, the consequences of sand mining are very serious. The construction of Mukutmonipur Dam (1958) on the river causes huge sediment deposition along the middle and downstream areas, these same areas are also intensely mined for sand (instream and on the flood plain). Geospatial models are applied in order to better understand the state and the resilience of stream hydraulics, morphological and river ecosystem variables during pre-mining and post-mining stages, using micro-level datasets of the Kangsabati River. The book also includes practicable measures to minimize the environmental consequences of instream mining in respect to optimum sand mining. It discusses the threshold limits of each variable in stream hydraulics, morphological and river ecological regime, and also discusses the most affected variables. Consequently, all outputs will be very useful for students, researchers, academicians, decision makers and practitioners and will facilitate applying these techniques to create models for other river basins.
River Sedimentation: Proceedings of the 13th International Symposium on River Sedimentation (Stuttgart, Germany, 19-22 September, 2016)
by Silke Wieprecht Stefan Haun Karolin Weber Markus Noack Kristina TerheidenSediment dynamics in fluvial systems is of great ecological, economic and human-health-related significance worldwide. Appropriate management strategies are therefore needed to limit maintenance costs as well as minimize potential hazards to the aquatic and adjacent environments. Human intervention, ranging from nutrient/pollutant release to physical modifications, has a large impact on sediment quantity and quality and thus on river morphology as well as on ecological functioning. Truly understanding sediment dynamics requires as a consequence a multidisciplinary approach.River Sedimentation contains the peer-reviewed scientific contributions presented at the 13th International Symposium on River Sedimentation (ISRS 2016, Stuttgart, Germany, 19-22 September 2016), and includes recent accomplishments in theoretical developments, numerical modelling, experimental laboratory work, field investigations and monitoring as well as management methodologies.
River Systems of West Bengal: Water and Environments (Springer Water)
by Gautam Kumar DasThe book explains the basic concepts of river water quality index, river environments, shifting of river courses, dams and barrages – their merits and demerits, mutual interdependence of river and society etc. in the typical geomorphic set up of West Bengal. In India, West Bengal is a riverine state due to the towering Himalayas to the north and the Bay of Bengal to the south. In between the mountain and sea, due to the location of the Gangetic delta region and its stability with space and time, the rivers of this state are gradually dying. In addition to the stability of the delta, the river channel is being filled with sediments carried along the river course from upstream. The role of dams, barrages and reservoirs in the normal flow of rivers at different geographical locations deserves discussion which is included in the book. It is to be expected that the rivers of West Bengal can be an outstanding example of mutual interdependence of science and society, all of which are included in the book.The use of different physicochemical parameters adopted for the water quality index of different rivers described in this book will provide new directions in this regard. With discussions like water quality index, river environments, shifting of river courses, reservoirs, dams and barrages, and mutual interdependence of river and society, it is the intention that this book, River Systems of West Bengal - Water and Environments, will be useful for the research and higher studies in the river related field. This book will be of interest to students and researchers of riverine environments.
River and Coastal Engineering: Hydraulics, Water Resources and Coastal Engineering (Water Science and Technology Library #117)
by Vijay P. Singh Ramakar Jha Vivekanand Singh L. B. Roy Roshni ThendiyathThis book deals with important topics of current interest, such as climate change, floods, drought, and hydrological extremes. The impact of climate change on water resources is drawing worldwide attention in these days; water resources in many countries are already stressed and climate change along with burgeoning population, rising standard of living, and increasing demand are adding to the stress. Further, river basins are becoming less resilient to climatic vagaries. Fundamental to addressing these issues is hydrological modelling which is covered in these books. Further, integrated water resources management is vital to ensure water and food security. Integral to the management is groundwater and solute transport. The books encompass tools that will be useful to mitigate the adverse consequences of natural disasters. This book is useful for those working in river and coastal engineering. River Engineering is important for fluvial hydraulics, sediment transport, morphometry, desilting, trap efficiency, silting and desilting process. Coastal engineering includes storm surge forecast, optimization of harbour, wave modelling, and shoreline changes.
River out of Eden: A Darwinian View of Life
by Richard DawkinsHow did the replication bomb we call ”life” begin and where in the world, or rather, in the universe, is it heading? Writing with characteristic wit and an ability to clarify complex phenomena (the New York Times described his style as ”the sort of science writing that makes the reader feel like a genius”), Richard Dawkins confronts this ancient mystery.
River, Sediment and Hydrological Extremes: Causes, Impacts and Management (Disaster Resilience and Green Growth)
by Anil Kumar Gupta Manish Pandey Giuseppe OlivetoThis edited book provides a platform for knowledge sharing in all areas related to the rivers, sediment and hydrological extremes. It explains the hypothesis that river flow and sediment transport are intimately linked to erosion, scour and sediment deposition. Sediment transport, erosion and deposition are driven by local base-level changes and are highly variable in space and time. These concepts have serious implication for understanding the recent development of the River, Sediment and Hydrological Extremes.The natural hazards posed by hydrologic events and river systems depend on the uncertainty of hydrological events. This ability is affected by change in climatic conditions. Climate change studies have revealed that the frequency of extreme weather phenomena with increasing damage to human assets has gradually grown worldwide. As a consequence, rainfall events concentrated in time and space are expected to lead to serious local flooding and sediment transport in many parts of the world. Floods are remarkable hydro-meteorological phenomena and forceful agents of geomorphic evolution in most physical geographical belts and, from the viewpoint of human society, among the most important environmental hazards. According to the Indian Environment Agency, floods rank as number one on the list of natural disasters in India over the past decade.This book is an attempt to fill the gap in literature and bring forth evidence based latest research about precise estimation of erosion and scour, which is essential to reduce the hazards. The book explains that lack of preparedness and appropriate adaptation strategy makes people more risk-prone. It highlights the vulnerability in South Asia region about the impacts of flood, sediments, and river hazards because a large portion of its population depends on sensitive sectors like agriculture and forestry for livelihoods and several other reasons.The book is relevant for academician, researchers and students of disaster management, hydrology and ecology.
Riverbank Erosion Hazards and Channel Morphodynamics: A Perspective of Fluvial Geomorphology
by Sujit Mandal Sourav DeyThis book explores fluvial processes and their consequences on river dynamics in India. It discusses the integration of geomorphic, hydrologic, and socio-economic data with various policies and decisions regarding sustainable river basin management. The volume looks at the origin and development of streams, chronology of fluvial geomorphology, fluvial system concept, process–form interaction, river dynamics, channel migration, flow regime, channel types, and hydraulic and morphometric parameters; and explains how changing hydro-geomorphological dynamics have influenced land use patterns, nature of fluids, behaviour of floods, etc. It examines channel migration vulnerability and bank erosion hazard vulnerability of the Torsa River in the eastern region of India as a case study using channel migration zone and Bank Erosion Hazard Index models. The book presents a new research framework based on field surveys, scientific investigations, and analytical techniques and methods to interpret key geoinformatics data. With its extensive illustrations, this book will be useful to students, teachers, and researchers of geography, earth sciences, environmental geology, and environment and disaster management. It will also interest geographers, civil engineers, hydrologists, geomorphologists, planners, and other individuals and organizations working on fluvial processes and riverbank erosion problems globally.
Riverine Ecology Volume 1: Eco-functionality of the Physical Environment of Rivers
by Susanta Kumar ChakrabortyThis book is part of a two-volume set that offers an innovative approach towards developing methods and tools for assigning conservation categories of threatened taxa and their conservation strategies by way of different phases of eco-restoration in the context of freshwater river systems of tropical bio-geographic zones. The set provides a considerable volume of research on the biodiversity component of river ecosystems, seasonal dynamics of physical chemical parameters, geo-hydrological properties, types, sources and modes of action of different types of pollution, river restoration strategies and methodologies for the ongoing ecological changes of river ecosystems. Volume 1 provides an in-depth analysis of different theories with international relevance pertaining to the functioning of river ecosystems, shaping their structure and contributing ecological services, and includes the principles of riverine ecology such as biogeochemical cycles, physiography, hydrogeology, and physico-chemical parameters. It covers the basic concepts and principles of water within riverine ecosystems, and the underlying ecological principles operating to ensure ecological stability and sustainability of the fluvial ecosystem. The book explains the ecofunctionality of different geo-morphological, geo-hydrological and physico-chemical factors and processes in changing time scales and spaces, with special emphasis on the tropical fresh water rivers in India.
Riverine Ecology Volume 2: Biodiversity Conservation, Conflicts and Resolution
by Susanta Kumar ChakrabortyThis book is part of a two-volume set that offers an innovative approach towards developing methods and tools for assigning conservation categories of threatened taxa and their conservation strategies by way of different phases of eco-restoration in the context of freshwater river systems of tropical bio-geographic zones. The set provides a considerable volume of research on the biodiversity component of river ecosystems, seasonal dynamics of physical chemical parameters, geo-hydrological properties, types, sources and modes of action of different types of pollution, river restoration strategies and methodologies for the ongoing ecological changes of river ecosystems.Volume 2 highlights biodiversity potential in aiding the resistance and resilience of riverine ecosystem functioning and their synergistic effects on ongoing environmental perturbations. Comprehensive information on the conservation of river-associated-wildlife is provided, covering the impacts of pollution, land-use changes, river policies, and ecosystem restoration strategies. The book offers an innovative approach towards developing methods and tools for assigning conservation categories of threatened taxa, and covers their conservation strategies by way of different phases of eco-restoration in the context of freshwater river systems of tropical bio-geographic zones.