Investigating Climate And Human Induced Landscape Change For Improving Social Ecological System Resilience

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Investigating Climate and Human Induced Landscape Change for Improving Social-ecological System Resilience

Author : Susan Kotikot
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 0 pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (142 download)

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Book Synopsis Investigating Climate and Human Induced Landscape Change for Improving Social-ecological System Resilience by : Susan Kotikot

Download or read book Investigating Climate and Human Induced Landscape Change for Improving Social-ecological System Resilience written by Susan Kotikot and published by . This book was released on 2023 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Arid and Semi-Arid Landscapes (ASALs) support millions of people worldwide yet these livelihoods and landscapes are increasingly vulnerable in the face of multiple environmental stressors. In recent decades, climate change and variability of rainfall -- from droughts to increasingly patchy rainfall - have exacerbated this vulnerability and worsened aridity in many ASALs. Climate change is also expected to cause shifts in climate suitability of crops and increase the suitability of some crop disease vectors, pests, and diseases, potentially leading to further decrease in productivity of crops and pastoral systems. Increasing demand for row crop agriculture has further caused unsustainable intensification and expansion of cropland into ASALs and forests leading to continuous degradation of the ecological landscape. Such dynamics collectively change the structure and function of ASALs in unknown ways that reduce social-ecological system (SES) resilience. Recent expansion of cropland into arid and semi-arid land and forests further threatens traditional livelihoods and ecosystem services. Successful mainstreaming of climate change adaptation policies requires integrative approaches that span the socioeconomic and biophysical spheres, especially within complex social-ecological systems. Limited studies have been done to characterize dynamics of agropastoral landscapes in the sub-Saharan region where vulnerability to climate change is highest, and where local assessment of impact is necessary to adequately determine adaptation strategies. My dissertation research investigated landscape dynamics of the agropastoral landscape of Narok, Kenya -- as a case study site, focusing on the nature and impacts of climate induced changes in rainfall patterns, and historical legacies of land policies to understand how the resultant landscape supports ecosystem services abundance and access to address local vulnerability. To begin with, in Chapter 2, I investigated the influence of historical land policies on contemporary patterns of land use and land cover to determine potential impacts on ecosystem services. In Chapter 3, I characterized the spatial and temporal patterns of rainfall variability. In Chapter 4, I explored local perceptions of change in rainfall patterns, and its impacts. Collectively, my dissertation generated essential knowledge on dynamics of a complex and vulnerable agropastoral landscape that are necessary for determining contextualized adaptation strategies and enhancing social-ecological resilience.

An Ecosystem Services Approach to Assessing the Impacts of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico

Author : National Research Council
Publisher : National Academies Press
ISBN 13 : 0309288487
Total Pages : 246 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (92 download)

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Book Synopsis An Ecosystem Services Approach to Assessing the Impacts of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico by : National Research Council

Download or read book An Ecosystem Services Approach to Assessing the Impacts of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico written by National Research Council and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2013-12-20 with total page 246 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: As the Gulf of Mexico recovers from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, natural resource managers face the challenge of understanding the impacts of the spill and setting priorities for restoration work. The full value of losses resulting from the spill cannot be captured, however, without consideration of changes in ecosystem services--the benefits delivered to society through natural processes. An Ecosystem Services Approach to Assessing the Impacts of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico discusses the benefits and challenges associated with using an ecosystem services approach to damage assessment, describing potential impacts of response technologies, exploring the role of resilience, and offering suggestions for areas of future research. This report illustrates how this approach might be applied to coastal wetlands, fisheries, marine mammals, and the deep sea -- each of which provide key ecosystem services in the Gulf -- and identifies substantial differences among these case studies. The report also discusses the suite of technologies used in the spill response, including burning, skimming, and chemical dispersants, and their possible long-term impacts on ecosystem services.

Creating Resilient Landscapes in an Era of Climate Change

Author : Amin Rastandeh
Publisher : Taylor & Francis
ISBN 13 : 1000823008
Total Pages : 300 pages
Book Rating : 4.0/5 (8 download)

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Book Synopsis Creating Resilient Landscapes in an Era of Climate Change by : Amin Rastandeh

Download or read book Creating Resilient Landscapes in an Era of Climate Change written by Amin Rastandeh and published by Taylor & Francis. This book was released on 2022-12-30 with total page 300 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book delivers a realistic and feasible framework for creating resilient landscapes in an era of anthropogenic climate change. From across six continents, this book presents fifteen case studies of differing sociocultural, economic, and biophysical backgrounds that showcase opportunities and limitations for creating resilient landscapes throughout the world. The potential to create socio-ecological resilience is examined across a wide range of landscapes, including agricultural, island, forest, coastal, and urban landscapes, across sixteen countries: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Guatemala, Japan, Mexico, Norway, Samoa, South Africa, the United States, Turkey, Uruguay, and Vanuatu. Chapters discuss current and future issues around creating a sustainable food system, conserving biodiversity, and climate change adaptation and resilience, with green infrastructure, nature-based architecture, green-tech, and ecosystem services as just a few of the approaches discussed. The book emphasizes solution-oriented approaches for an "ecological hope" that can support landscape resiliency in this chaotic era, and the chapters consider the importance of envisioning an unpredictable future with numerous uncertainties. In this context, the key focus is on how we all can tackle the intertwined impacts of climate change, biodiversity loss, and large-scale land-cover conversion in urban and non-urban landscapes, with particular attention to the concept of landscape resiliency. The volume provides that much-needed link between theory and practice to deliver forward-thinking, practical solutions. This book will be of great interest to students, researchers, practitioners and policymakers who are interested in the complex relationship between landscapes, climate change, biodiversity loss, and land-based conversion at local, national and global scales.

Nature-based Solutions for Resilient Ecosystems and Societies

Author : Shalini Dhyani
Publisher : Springer Nature
ISBN 13 : 9811547122
Total Pages : 474 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (115 download)

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Book Synopsis Nature-based Solutions for Resilient Ecosystems and Societies by : Shalini Dhyani

Download or read book Nature-based Solutions for Resilient Ecosystems and Societies written by Shalini Dhyani and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2020-07-07 with total page 474 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Over the past few decades, the frequency and severity of natural and human-induced disasters have increased across Asia. These disasters lead to substantial loss of life, livelihoods and community assets, which not only threatens the pace of socio-economic development, but also undo hard-earned gains. Extreme events and disasters such as floods, droughts, heat, fire, cyclones and tidal surges are known to be exacerbated by environmental changes including climate change, land-use changes and natural resource degradation. Increasing climate variability and multi-dimensional vulnerabilities have severely affected the social, ecological and economic capacities of the people in the region who are, economically speaking, those with the least capacity to adapt. Climatic and other environmental hazards and anthropogenic risks, coupled with weak and wavering capacities, severely impact the ecosystems and Nature’s Contributions to People (NCP) and, thereby, to human well-being. Long-term resilience building through disaster risk reduction and integrated adaptive climate planning, therefore, has become a key priority for scientists and policymakers alike. Nature-based Solutions (NbS) is a cost-effective approach that utilizes ecosystem and biodiversity services for disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation, while also providing a range of co-benefits like sustainable livelihoods and food, water and energy security. This book discusses the concept of Nature-based Solutions (NbS) – both as a science and as art – and elaborates on how it can be applied to develop healthy and resilient ecosystems locally, nationally, regionally and globally. The book covers illustrative methods and tools adopted for applying NbS in different countries. The authors discuss NbS applications and challenges, research trends and future insights that have wider regional and global relevance. The aspects covered include: landscape restoration, ecosystem-based adaptation, ecosystem-based disaster risk reduction, ecological restoration, ecosystem-based protected areas management, green infrastructure development, nature-friendly infrastructure development in various ecosystem types, agro-climatic zones and watersheds. The book offers insights into understanding the sustainable development goals (SDGs) at the grass roots level and can help indigenous and local communities harness ecosystem services to help achieve them. It offers a unique, essential resource for researchers, students, corporations, administrators and policymakers working in the fields of the environment, geography, development, policy planning, the natural sciences, life sciences, agriculture, health, climate change and disaster studies.

Principles for Building Resilience

Author : Reinette Biggs
Publisher : Cambridge University Press
ISBN 13 : 110708265X
Total Pages : 317 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (7 download)

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Book Synopsis Principles for Building Resilience by : Reinette Biggs

Download or read book Principles for Building Resilience written by Reinette Biggs and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2015-04-02 with total page 317 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Reflecting the very latest research, this book provides an in-depth review of the role of resilience in the management of social-ecological systems and the ecosystem services they provide. Leaders in the field outline seven principles for building resilience in social-ecological systems, examining how these can be applied to advance sustainability.

Ecological Resilience

Author : Kimberly Etingoff
Publisher : CRC Press
ISBN 13 : 1771883111
Total Pages : 366 pages
Book Rating : 4.7/5 (718 download)

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Book Synopsis Ecological Resilience by : Kimberly Etingoff

Download or read book Ecological Resilience written by Kimberly Etingoff and published by CRC Press. This book was released on 2016-03-30 with total page 366 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book presents the latest research on resilience strategies around the world. Research such as this is necessary to create new ideas and to evaluate established ones in an effort to make communities more adaptable and to increase people's survival and quality of life while living with the reality of climate change. The book offers definitions of resilience and various ways of measuring it, since resilience is still a concept in transition. It also describes general strategies for increasing communities’ resilience at multiple levels, then dives into specific dimensions of resilience, tying it to energy infrastructure and systems and public health.

Towards a framework for assessing the sustainability of social-ecological landscapes

Author : Atampugre, Gerald
Publisher : IWMI
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 30 pages
Book Rating : 4./5 ( download)

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Book Synopsis Towards a framework for assessing the sustainability of social-ecological landscapes by : Atampugre, Gerald

Download or read book Towards a framework for assessing the sustainability of social-ecological landscapes written by Atampugre, Gerald and published by IWMI. This book was released on 2022-12-01 with total page 30 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The report proposes a framework for assessing the sustainability of social-ecological landscapes (SEL) to be used by the West and Central African Food Systems Transformation (TAFS-WCA) initiative for research, planning, and implementation of its Work Package 3 (WP3). It builds on existing assessment frameworks from relevant fields (e.g., Eco agriculture, Agroecology, Integrated Landscape Management, etc.). At the center of a Sustainable Social-Ecological Landscape (SSEL) is the improvement of the management of land and the natural resource base in such a way that land use concurrently meets three goals: (i) provision of products (e.g., food) and services on a sustainable basis, (ii) support for sustainable livelihoods for all social groups and (iii) conservation of the full complement of biodiversity and ecosystem services. Globally, SSEL related approaches like eco-agriculture, agroecology, and landscape approaches are already being applied, with promising results, especially in places where food production, poverty alleviation, and conservation of biodiversity, water, and ecosystem services are all high priorities. However, a comprehensive framework for measuring/monitoring landscape status and performance vis-a-vis competing landscape uses and management interventions has not been given much priority in the literature. Different forms of land use, such as forestry, agriculture, extraction of minerals, conservation/protected areas, and settlements, are interdependent. Therefore, landscape performance and monitoring frameworks that focus exclusively on protecting natural resources or the intensification of agriculture and other land uses can only give an incomplete viewpoint/overview of landscapes with all their uses and stakeholders. Considering the SSEL goals above, a holistic conceptual framework for landscape-based assessment is needed; such a framework must consider the drivers and effects of land use and the individual management interventions as well as the complex interactions among different land uses and interventions across the landscape. The present study proposes the Drivers-Pressure-State-Impact-Response (DPSIR) framework for SEL. It is important to emphasize that this study recognizes that different individuals and organizations under the TAFS-WCA initiative may have different interests in understanding the status and performance of selected SELs. The research envisages two important applications of a framework for measuring and understanding SEL: i) it can facilitate inclusive decision-making by multiple stakeholders working in the same landscape by explaining interactions, synergies, and trade-offs among SSEL goals and landscape components, and ii) when SSEL-related management innovations are successful (or otherwise), the framework can help document the same, reinforcing the case for adopting and scaling up innovations.

Resilience and the Cultural Landscape

Author : Tobias Plieninger
Publisher : Cambridge University Press
ISBN 13 : 1139789511
Total Pages : pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (397 download)

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Book Synopsis Resilience and the Cultural Landscape by : Tobias Plieninger

Download or read book Resilience and the Cultural Landscape written by Tobias Plieninger and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2012-10-18 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: All over the world, efforts are being made to preserve landscapes facing fundamental change as a consequence of widespread agricultural intensification, land abandonment and urbanisation. The 'cultural landscape' and 'resilience' approaches have, until now, largely been viewed as distinct methods for understanding the effects of these dynamics and the ways in which they might be adapted or managed. This book brings together these two perspectives, providing new insights into the social-ecological resilience of cultural landscapes by coming to terms with, and challenging, the concepts of 'driving forces', 'thresholds', 'adaptive cycles' and 'adaptive management'. By linking these research communities, this book develops a new perspective on landscape changes. Based on firm conceptual contributions and rich case studies from Europe, the Americas and Australia, it will appeal to anyone interested in analysing and managing change in human-shaped environments in the context of sustainability.

Adapting Institutions

Author : Emily Boyd
Publisher : Cambridge University Press
ISBN 13 : 9780521897501
Total Pages : 312 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (975 download)

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Book Synopsis Adapting Institutions by : Emily Boyd

Download or read book Adapting Institutions written by Emily Boyd and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2011-10-27 with total page 312 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Global environmental change is occurring at a rate faster than humans have ever experienced. Climate change and the loss of ecosystem services are the two main global environmental crises facing us today. As a result, there is a need for better understanding of the specific and general resilience of networked ecosystems, cities, organisations and institutions to cope with change. In this book, an international team of experts provide cutting-edge insights into building the resilience and adaptive governance of complex social-ecological systems. Through a set of case studies, it focuses on the social science dimension of ecosystem management in the context of global change, in a move to bridge existing gaps between resilience, sustainability and social science. Using empirical examples ranging from local to global levels, views from a variety of disciplines are integrated to provide an essential resource for scholars, policy-makers and students, seeking innovative approaches to governance.

Principles of Ecosystem Stewardship

Author : F Stuart Chapin III
Publisher : Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN 13 : 0387730338
Total Pages : 407 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (877 download)

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Book Synopsis Principles of Ecosystem Stewardship by : F Stuart Chapin III

Download or read book Principles of Ecosystem Stewardship written by F Stuart Chapin III and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2009-06-12 with total page 407 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The world is undergoing unprecedented changes in many of the factors that determine its fundamental properties and their in- ence on society. These changes include climate; the chemical c- position of the atmosphere; the demands of a growing human population for food and ?ber; and the mobility of organisms, ind- trial products, cultural perspectives, and information ?ows. The magnitude and widespread nature of these changes pose serious challenges in managing the ecosystem services on which society depends. Moreover, many of these changes are strongly in?uenced by human activities, so future patterns of change will continue to be in?uenced by society’s choices and governance. The purpose of this book is to provide a new framework for n- ural resource management—a framework based on stewardship of ecosystems for human well-being in a world dominated by unc- tainty and change. The goal of ecosystem stewardship is to respond to and shape change in social-ecological systems in order to s- tain the supply and opportunities for use of ecosystem services by society. The book links recent advances in the theory of resilience, sustainability, and vulnerability with practical issues of ecosystem management and governance. The book is aimed at advanced undergraduates and beginning graduate students of natural resource management as well as professional managers, community leaders, and policy makers with backgrounds in a wide array of d- ciplines, including ecology, policy studies, economics, sociology, and anthropology.

Rangeland Systems

Author : David D. Briske
Publisher : Springer
ISBN 13 : 3319467093
Total Pages : 661 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (194 download)

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Book Synopsis Rangeland Systems by : David D. Briske

Download or read book Rangeland Systems written by David D. Briske and published by Springer. This book was released on 2017-04-12 with total page 661 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book is open access under a CC BY-NC 2.5 license. This book provides an unprecedented synthesis of the current status of scientific and management knowledge regarding global rangelands and the major challenges that confront them. It has been organized around three major themes. The first summarizes the conceptual advances that have occurred in the rangeland profession. The second addresses the implications of these conceptual advances to management and policy. The third assesses several major challenges confronting global rangelands in the 21st century. This book will compliment applied range management textbooks by describing the conceptual foundation on which the rangeland profession is based. It has been written to be accessible to a broad audience, including ecosystem managers, educators, students and policy makers. The content is founded on the collective experience, knowledge and commitment of 80 authors who have worked in rangelands throughout the world. Their collective contributions indicate that a more comprehensive framework is necessary to address the complex challenges confronting global rangelands. Rangelands represent adaptive social-ecological systems, in which societal values, organizations and capacities are of equal importance to, and interact with, those of ecological processes. A more comprehensive framework for rangeland systems may enable management agencies, and educational, research and policy making organizations to more effectively assess complex problems and develop appropriate solutions.

Resilience, Environmental Justice and the City

Author : Beth Schaefer Caniglia
Publisher : Taylor & Francis
ISBN 13 : 1317311892
Total Pages : 254 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (173 download)

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Book Synopsis Resilience, Environmental Justice and the City by : Beth Schaefer Caniglia

Download or read book Resilience, Environmental Justice and the City written by Beth Schaefer Caniglia and published by Taylor & Francis. This book was released on 2016-12-08 with total page 254 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Urban centres are bastions of inequalities, where poverty, marginalization, segregation and health insecurity are magnified. Minorities and the poor – often residing in neighbourhoods characterized by degraded infrastructures, food and job insecurity, limited access to transport and health care, and other inadequate public services – are inherently vulnerable, especially at risk in times of shock or change as they lack the option to avoid, mitigate and adapt to threats. Offering both theoretical and practical approaches, this book proposes critical perspectives and an interdisciplinary lens on urban inequalities in light of individual, group, community and system vulnerabilities and resilience. Touching upon current research trends in food justice, environmental injustice through socio-spatial tactics and solution-based approaches towards urban community resilience, Resilience, Environmental Justice and the City promotes perspectives which transition away from the traditional discussions surrounding environmental justice and pinpoints the need to address urban social inequalities beyond the build environment, championing approaches that help embed social vulnerabilities and resilience in urban planning. With its methodological and dynamic approach to the intertwined nature of resilience and environmental justice in urban cities, this book will be of great interest to students, scholars and practitioners within urban studies, environmental management, environmental sociology and public administration.

Resilience Thinking

Author : Brian Walker
Publisher : Island Press
ISBN 13 : 1597266221
Total Pages : 192 pages
Book Rating : 4.5/5 (972 download)

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Book Synopsis Resilience Thinking by : Brian Walker

Download or read book Resilience Thinking written by Brian Walker and published by Island Press. This book was released on 2012-06-22 with total page 192 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Increasingly, cracks are appearing in the capacity of communities, ecosystems, and landscapes to provide the goods and services that sustain our planet's well-being. The response from most quarters has been for "more of the same" that created the situation in the first place: more control, more intensification, and greater efficiency. "Resilience thinking" offers a different way of understanding the world and a new approach to managing resources. It embraces human and natural systems as complex entities continually adapting through cycles of change, and seeks to understand the qualities of a system that must be maintained or enhanced in order to achieve sustainability. It explains why greater efficiency by itself cannot solve resource problems and offers a constructive alternative that opens up options rather than closing them down. In Resilience Thinking, scientist Brian Walker and science writer David Salt present an accessible introduction to the emerging paradigm of resilience. The book arose out of appeals from colleagues in science and industry for a plainly written account of what resilience is all about and how a resilience approach differs from current practices. Rather than complicated theory, the book offers a conceptual overview along with five case studies of resilience thinking in the real world. It is an engaging and important work for anyone interested in managing risk in a complex world.

The Palgrave Handbook of Climate Resilient Societies

Author : Robert C. Brears
Publisher : Palgrave Macmillan
ISBN 13 : 9783030424619
Total Pages : 2311 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (246 download)

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Book Synopsis The Palgrave Handbook of Climate Resilient Societies by : Robert C. Brears

Download or read book The Palgrave Handbook of Climate Resilient Societies written by Robert C. Brears and published by Palgrave Macmillan. This book was released on 2021-12-04 with total page 2311 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The effects of climate change are beginning to be felt around the world with rising temperatures, changing precipitation levels, more frequent and severe storms and longer more intensive droughts threatening human life and livelihoods and damaging property and infrastructure. As such, society in all countries – both developing and developed – need to increase their resilience to the impacts of climate change, where resilience is the ability of a system to absorb stresses and adapt in ways that improve the overall sustainability of the system; enabling it to be better prepared for future climate change impacts. In this context, a climate resilient society is one that is: reflective (learns from experiences); robust (both people and infrastructure can withstand the impacts of extreme conditions); forward-thinking (with plans made to ensure systems function during extreme events); flexible (so systems and plans can change, evolve or adopt alternative strategies); resourceful (to respond quickly to extreme events); inclusive (so all communities including the vulnerable are involved in planning); and integrated (so people, systems, decision-making and investments are mutually supportive of common goals). The Climate Resilient Societies Major Reference Work includes chapters covering a range of themes that provide readers with an invaluable overview on how various levels of government have attempted to create climate resilient societies. In particular, each chapter, under its respective theme, will address how a government, or series of governments, at various levels in non-OECD and/or OECD countries, have implemented innovative climate resilient policies that seek synergies across strategies, choices and actions, in an attempt to build a climate resilient society. Each chapter will address one specific sub-theme out of the population of themes covered in the Major Reference Work: Water, Energy, Agriculture and Food, Built environment and Infrastructure, Transport, Human health, Society, Disaster, Business and Economy, and Financing Climate Resilience.

The Routledge Handbook of Sustainable Cities and Landscapes in the Pacific Rim

Author : Yizhao Yang
Publisher : Routledge
ISBN 13 : 1000532496
Total Pages : 942 pages
Book Rating : 4.0/5 (5 download)

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Book Synopsis The Routledge Handbook of Sustainable Cities and Landscapes in the Pacific Rim by : Yizhao Yang

Download or read book The Routledge Handbook of Sustainable Cities and Landscapes in the Pacific Rim written by Yizhao Yang and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2022-03-17 with total page 942 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This handbook addresses a growing list of challenges faced by regions and cities in the Pacific Rim, drawing connections around the what, why, and how questions that are fundamental to sustainable development policies and planning practices. These include the connection between cities and surrounding landscapes, across different boundaries and scales; the persistence of environmental and development inequities; and the growing impacts of global climate change, including how physical conditions and social implications are being anticipated and addressed. Building upon localized knowledge and contextualized experiences, this edited collection brings attention to place-based approaches across the Pacific Rim and makes an important contribution to the scholarly and practical understanding of sustainable urban development models that have mostly emerged out of the Western experiences. Nine sections, each grounded in research, dialogue, and collaboration with practical examples and analysis, focus on a theme or dimension that carries critical impacts on a holistic vision of city-landscape development, such as resilient communities, ecosystem services and biodiversity, energy, water, health, and planning and engagement. This international edited collection will appeal to academics and students engaged in research involving landscape architecture, architecture, planning, public policy, law, urban studies, geography, environmental science, and area studies. It also informs policy makers, professionals, and advocates of actionable knowledge and adoptable ideas by connecting those issues with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations. The collection of writings presented in this book speaks to multiyear collaboration of scholars through the APRU Sustainable Cities and Landscapes (SCL) Program and its global network, facilitated by SCL Annual Conferences and involving more than 100 contributors from more than 30 institutions. The Open Access version of chapters 1, 2, 4, 11, 17, 23, 30, 37, 42, 49, and 56 of this book, available at http://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/e/9781003033530, have been made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives 4.0 license.

New Models for Ecosystem Dynamics and Restoration

Author : Richard J. Hobbs
Publisher : Island Press
ISBN 13 : 1610911385
Total Pages : 366 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (19 download)

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Book Synopsis New Models for Ecosystem Dynamics and Restoration by : Richard J. Hobbs

Download or read book New Models for Ecosystem Dynamics and Restoration written by Richard J. Hobbs and published by Island Press. This book was released on 2013-03-19 with total page 366 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: As scientific understanding about ecological processes has grown, the idea that ecosystem dynamics are complex, nonlinear, and often unpredictable has gained prominence. Of particular importance is the idea that rather than following an inevitable progression toward an ultimate endpoint, some ecosystems may occur in a number of states depending on past and present ecological conditions. The emerging idea of “restoration thresholds” also enables scientists to recognize when ecological systems are likely to recover on their own and when active restoration efforts are needed. Conceptual models based on alternative stable states and restoration thresholds can help inform restoration efforts. New Models for Ecosystem Dynamics and Restoration brings together leading experts from around the world to explore how conceptual models of ecosystem dynamics can be applied to the recovery of degraded systems and how recent advances in our understanding of ecosystem and landscape dynamics can be translated into conceptual and practical frameworks for restoration. In the first part of the book, background chapters present and discuss the basic concepts and models and explore the implications of new scientific research on restoration practice. The second part considers the dynamics and restoration of different ecosystems, ranging from arid lands to grasslands, woodlands, and savannahs, to forests and wetlands, to production landscapes. A summary chapter by the editors discusses the implications of theory and practice of the ideas described in preceding chapters. New Models for Ecosystem Dynamics and Restoration aims to widen the scope and increase the application of threshold models by critiquing their application in a wide range of ecosystem types. It will also help scientists and restorationists correctly diagnose ecosystem damage, identify restoration thresholds, and develop corrective methodologies that can overcome such thresholds.

Advancing the Science of Climate Change

Author : National Research Council
Publisher : National Academies Press
ISBN 13 : 0309145880
Total Pages : 526 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (91 download)

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Book Synopsis Advancing the Science of Climate Change by : National Research Council

Download or read book Advancing the Science of Climate Change written by National Research Council and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2011-01-10 with total page 526 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Climate change is occurring, is caused largely by human activities, and poses significant risks for-and in many cases is already affecting-a broad range of human and natural systems. The compelling case for these conclusions is provided in Advancing the Science of Climate Change, part of a congressionally requested suite of studies known as America's Climate Choices. While noting that there is always more to learn and that the scientific process is never closed, the book shows that hypotheses about climate change are supported by multiple lines of evidence and have stood firm in the face of serious debate and careful evaluation of alternative explanations. As decision makers respond to these risks, the nation's scientific enterprise can contribute through research that improves understanding of the causes and consequences of climate change and also is useful to decision makers at the local, regional, national, and international levels. The book identifies decisions being made in 12 sectors, ranging from agriculture to transportation, to identify decisions being made in response to climate change. Advancing the Science of Climate Change calls for a single federal entity or program to coordinate a national, multidisciplinary research effort aimed at improving both understanding and responses to climate change. Seven cross-cutting research themes are identified to support this scientific enterprise. In addition, leaders of federal climate research should redouble efforts to deploy a comprehensive climate observing system, improve climate models and other analytical tools, invest in human capital, and improve linkages between research and decisions by forming partnerships with action-oriented programs.