Landscape Disturbance and Biodiversity in Mediterranean-Type Ecosystems

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Publisher : Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN 13 : 366203543X
Total Pages : 460 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (62 download)

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Book Synopsis Landscape Disturbance and Biodiversity in Mediterranean-Type Ecosystems by : Philip W. Rundel

Download or read book Landscape Disturbance and Biodiversity in Mediterranean-Type Ecosystems written by Philip W. Rundel and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2013-04-17 with total page 460 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Human impact on natural landscapes through urbanization and agricultural expansion are becoming more and more dramatic and are the cause of serious environmental problems. This volume examines the effect of landscape disturbance on plant and animal diversity in the five mediterranean-climate regions of the world. It begins with three introductory chapters broadly reviewing the issues of landscape degradation. Further contributions describe regional land use conflicts in each of the five regions. Landscape disturbance and plant diversity, and landscape disturbance and animal diversity are treated in separate chapters. Four contributions deal with demography and ecophysiology in vegetation succession following disturbance. The volume closes with a consideration of the future addressing aspects of environmental politics.

Landscape Disturbance and Biodiversity in Mediterranean-Type Ecosystems

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Author :
Publisher : Springer
ISBN 13 : 9783540644750
Total Pages : 451 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (447 download)

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Book Synopsis Landscape Disturbance and Biodiversity in Mediterranean-Type Ecosystems by : Philip W. Rundel

Download or read book Landscape Disturbance and Biodiversity in Mediterranean-Type Ecosystems written by Philip W. Rundel and published by Springer. This book was released on 1998-10-20 with total page 451 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Human impact on natural landscapes through urbanization and agricultural expansion are becoming more and more dramatic and are the cause of serious environmental problems. This volume examines the effect of landscape disturbance on plant and animal diversity in the five mediterranean-climate regions of the world. It begins with three introductory chapters broadly reviewing the issues of landscape degradation. Further contributions describe regional land use conflicts in each of the five regions. Landscape disturbance and plant diversity, and landscape disturbance and animal diversity are treated in separate chapters. Four contributions deal with demography and ecophysiology in vegetation succession following disturbance. The volume closes with a consideration of the future addressing aspects of environmental politics.

Mediterranean-Type Ecosystems

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Publisher : Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN 13 : 3642788815
Total Pages : 383 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (427 download)

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Book Synopsis Mediterranean-Type Ecosystems by : George W. Davis

Download or read book Mediterranean-Type Ecosystems written by George W. Davis and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2012-12-06 with total page 383 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Human activities are causing species extinctions at a rate and magnitude rivaling those of past geologic extinction events. Exploring mediterranean-type ecosystems - the Mediterranean Basin, California, Chile, Australia, and South Africa - this volume addresses the question whether biological diversity plays a significant role in the functioning of natural ecosystems, and to what extent that diversity can be reduced without causing system malfunction. Comparative studies in ecosystems that are similar in certain respects, but differ in others, offer considerable scope for gaining new insights into the links between biodiversity and ecosystem functioning.

The Biology of Mediterranean-Type Ecosystems

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Author :
Publisher : Oxford University Press
ISBN 13 : 019105965X
Total Pages : 368 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (91 download)

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Book Synopsis The Biology of Mediterranean-Type Ecosystems by : Karen J. Esler

Download or read book The Biology of Mediterranean-Type Ecosystems written by Karen J. Esler and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2018-03-09 with total page 368 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The world's mediterranean-type climate regions (including areas within the Mediterranean, South Africa, Australia, California, and Chile) have long been of interest to biologists by virtue of their extraordinary biodiversity and the appearance of evolutionary convergence between these disparate regions. These regions contain many rare and endemic species. Their mild climate makes them appealing places to live and visit and this has resulted in numerous threats to the species and communities that occupy them. Threats include a wide range of factors such as habitat loss due to development and agriculture, disturbance, invasive species, and climate change. As a result, they continue to attract far more attention than their limited geographic area might suggest. This book provides a concise but comprehensive introduction to mediterranean-type ecosystems. It is an accessible text which provides an authoritative overview of the topic. As with other books in the Biology of Habitats Series, the emphasis in this book is on the organisms that dominate these regions although their management, conservation, and restoration are also considered.

Transdisciplinary Challenges in Landscape Ecology and Restoration Ecology - An Anthology

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Author :
Publisher : Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN 13 : 1402044224
Total Pages : 426 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (2 download)

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Book Synopsis Transdisciplinary Challenges in Landscape Ecology and Restoration Ecology - An Anthology by : Zev Naveh

Download or read book Transdisciplinary Challenges in Landscape Ecology and Restoration Ecology - An Anthology written by Zev Naveh and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2007-06-06 with total page 426 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Capitalizing on forty years of intensive ecological studies, this anthology presents a collection of widely dispersed major publications on theoretical and practical Mediterranean, global environmental and landscape issues. Each chapter features a comprehensive study of ecological and landscape issues, synthesized in the introduction, and woven with autobiographical experiences. The concluding chapter calls for a transdisciplinary shift in all environmental scientific fields and particularly in landscape and restoration ecology, to cope with the complex, closely interwoven ecological, socio-economical, political and cultural crises facing human society during the present crucial transition from the industrial to the post-industrial, global information age. Updating and broadening the scope of the groundbreaking Springer book on Landscape Theory and Applications by the author and Lieberman (1994), this is a unique transdisciplinary attempt based on advanced systems complexity theories, which link the natural and human sciences.

Ecosystems of Disturbed Ground

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Publisher : Elsevier
ISBN 13 : 9780080550848
Total Pages : 868 pages
Book Rating : 4.5/5 (58 download)

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Book Synopsis Ecosystems of Disturbed Ground by : L.R. Walker

Download or read book Ecosystems of Disturbed Ground written by L.R. Walker and published by Elsevier. This book was released on 1999-12-17 with total page 868 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: As the human population inexorably grows, its cumulative impact on the Earth's resources is hard to ignore. The ability of the Earth to support more humans is dependent on the ability of humans to manage natural resources wisely. Because disturbance alters resource levels, effective management requires understanding of the ecology of disturbance. This book is the first to take a global approach to the description of both natural and anthropogenic disturbance regimes that physically impact the ground. Natural disturbances such as erosion, volcanoes, wind, herbivory, flooding and drought plus anthropogenic disturbances such as foresty, grazing, mining, urbanization and military actions are considered. Both disturbance impacts and the biotic recovery are addressed as well as the interactions of different types of disturbance. Other chapters cover processes that are important to the understanding of disturbance of all types including soil processes, nutrient cycles, primary productivity, succession, animal behaviour and competition. Humans react to disturbances by avoiding, exacerbating, or restoring them or by passing environmental legislation. All of these issues are covered in this book. Managers need better predictive models and robust data-collections that help determine both site-specfic and generalized responses to disturbance. Multiple disturbances have a complex effect on both physical and biotic processes as they interact. This book provides a wealth of detail about the process of disturbance and recovery as well as a synthesis of the current state of knowledge about disturbance theory, with extensive documentation.

Disturbance Ecology and Biological Diversity

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Publisher : CRC Press
ISBN 13 : 0429530498
Total Pages : 284 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (295 download)

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Book Synopsis Disturbance Ecology and Biological Diversity by : Erik A. Beever

Download or read book Disturbance Ecology and Biological Diversity written by Erik A. Beever and published by CRC Press. This book was released on 2019-10-30 with total page 284 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book presents cascading effects of ecological disturbances on a multitude of ecosystem components. It includes agricultural development, large infrequent disturbances, forest harvesting, non-native grazing in deserts, ground transportation, powerline corridors, fires, urban ecology, disturbance in aquatic ecosystems, land-use dynamics on diversity, habitat fragmentation, sedimentation of wetlands, and contemporary climate change. The book facilitates users in understanding why disturbances are occurring while recommending mitigation and remediation strategies.

Resilience in mediterranean-type ecosystems

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Publisher : Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN 13 : 9400948220
Total Pages : 174 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (9 download)

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Book Synopsis Resilience in mediterranean-type ecosystems by : Bernard Dell

Download or read book Resilience in mediterranean-type ecosystems written by Bernard Dell and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2012-12-06 with total page 174 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume contains the texts of invited papers presented at the Fourth International Conference on Mediterranean Ecosystems (MEDECOS) held in Perth, Western Australia during August 1984. It thus follows three previous meetings, Chile (1971), California (1977) and South Africa (1980). There has been no formal international body to organize these meetings, merely a continuity of purpose provided by the common interests of the scientists concerned in the English-speaking world. Following previous themes on structure, fire and role of nutrients in mediterranean ecosystems, MEDECOS was structured around the theme 'Resilience in Mediterranean Ecosystems'. The invited speakers were requested to deal with particu lar aspects of this subject, and offered papers were encouraged to do so as well. This provided a broad framework for discussions which at the same time highlighted many of the major conservation issues arising from extreme natural events and human-induced disturbances in the mediterranean regions. The proceed ings were issued on the last day of the conference and provided two-page accounts of each of the contributed papers and posters (Dell, B. (ed. ) 1984 Proceedings of the 4th International Conference on Mediterranean Ecosystems. Botany Dept. , University of Western Australia). This volume was reserved for the review papers whose aim was to explore general principles and unifying concepts at all levels in the study of resilience. Perth, December 1985. VII List of contributors B. Dell 1. E.

Mediterranean Island Landscapes

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Publisher : Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN 13 : 140205064X
Total Pages : 369 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (2 download)

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Book Synopsis Mediterranean Island Landscapes by : Ioannis N. Vogiatzakis

Download or read book Mediterranean Island Landscapes written by Ioannis N. Vogiatzakis and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2008-02-26 with total page 369 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Mediterranean islands exhibit many similarities in their biotic ecological, physical and environmental characteristics. There are also many differences in terms of their human colonization and current anthropogenic pressures. This book addresses in three sections these characteristics and examines the major environmental changes that the islands experienced during the Quaternary period. The first section provides details on natural and cultural factors which have shaped island landscapes. It describes the environmental and cultural changes of the Holocene and their effects on biota, as well as on the current human pressures that are now threats to the sustainability of the island communities. The second section focuses on the landscapes of the largest islands namely Sicily, Sardinia, Corsica, Cyprus, Crete, Malta and the Balearics. Each island chapter includes a special topic reflecting a particular characteristic of the island. Part three presents strategies for action towards sustainability in Mediterranean islands and concludes with a comparison between the largest islands. Despite several published books on Mediterranean ecosystems/landscapes there is no existing book dealing with Mediterranean islands in a collective manner. Students, researchers and university lecturers in environmental science, geography, biology and ecology will find this work invaluable as a cross-disciplinary text while planners and politicians will welcome the succinct summaries as background material to planning decisions.

Mediterranean Ecogeography

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Publisher : Routledge
ISBN 13 : 1317877136
Total Pages : 286 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (178 download)

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Book Synopsis Mediterranean Ecogeography by : Harriett Allen

Download or read book Mediterranean Ecogeography written by Harriett Allen and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2014-09-25 with total page 286 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A core textbook series that aims to provide students with accessible, up-to-date accounts of Ecogeography - the marriage of ecology with geography - in the primary terrestrial and marine environments. This is the first book in the series on Mediterranean Ecogeography. Biological diversity in the Mediterranean Basin is amongst the highest of any region on earth, both in terms of total species numbers and endemism. The flora is estimated at about 25,000 species of flowering plants and ferns, compared with about 6000 species in non-Mediterranean Europe. About 50% of these are endemic. Diversity amongst vertebrate animals is also high, though endemism rates are lower than for plants. The high levels of diversity contribute to, and are a reflection of, the considerable variability of landscape. This results from a combination of factors including geological and tectonic history, relief and physiography, climate, geomorphological processes, hydrology, soils, the incidence of fires and impact of human activities. The landscapes of the Mediterranean Basin are thus varied and fragmented; a mosaic of ecosystems and communities. Mediterranean Ecogeography aims to examine and explain this heterogeneity, and the approach is focused on the ecogeography of the region. Analysing the factors which account for the present distributions of plants and animals, and the functioning of ecosystems within the Mediterranean Basin can help in the understanding of the relationship between people and natural ecosystems. A key to the conservation of these ecosystems is the wise use of resources, biological and physical. In addition, it is vital to assess how the natural environments of the region will respond to further change. In the last twenty years, understanding of the functioning of mediterranean-type ecosystems has advanced through several international projects. This book draws upon the findings of these, and other research in the Mediterranean Basin, to present a comprehensive text on a key region of the world, and the problems and prospects of its environmental exploitation.

Mediterranean Mountain Environments

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Publisher : John Wiley & Sons
ISBN 13 : 1118343980
Total Pages : 280 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (183 download)

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Book Synopsis Mediterranean Mountain Environments by : Ioannis Vogiatzakis

Download or read book Mediterranean Mountain Environments written by Ioannis Vogiatzakis and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2012-07-02 with total page 280 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Mediterranean mountains exhibit many similarities in their biotic ecological, physical and environmental characteristics. There are also many differences in terms of their human colonization pattern, historic land uses and current anthopogenic pressures. This book provides an introduction to these environments of mountainous areas in the Mediterranean and their changes in time and space in relation to both natural and cultural factors. Mediterranean Mountain Environments places its emphasis on physical geography while adopting an integrated approach to the whole subject area. The book draws examples from a wide range of environments, demonstrating the interaction between human and physical processes responsible for shaping mountain areas. Risks and conflicts, as well as methods and tools for the conservation and management of both the natural and cultural environment are covered in the light of future challenges for the sustainable development of the Mediterranean mountains. Emphasis on both mainland and island mountain ranges Combines natural and cultural approach in the topic Integrated approach: facing future challenges based on the study and understanding of the historical processes that have shaped the Mediterranean mountains Key references at the end of each chapter

2nd Interface Between Ecology and Land Development in California

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Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 634 pages
Book Rating : 4.F/5 ( download)

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Book Synopsis 2nd Interface Between Ecology and Land Development in California by : Jon E. Keeley

Download or read book 2nd Interface Between Ecology and Land Development in California written by Jon E. Keeley and published by . This book was released on 2000 with total page 634 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The 2nd Interface Between Ecology and Land Development Conference was held in association with Earth Day 1997, five years after the first Interface Conference. Rapid population growth in California has intensified the inevitable conflict between land development and preservation of natural ecosystems. Sustainable development requires wise use of diminishing natural resources and, where possible, restoration of damaged landscapes. These Earth Week Celebrations brought together resource managers, scientists, politicians, environmental consultants, and concerned citizens in an effort to improve the communication necessary to maintain our natural biodiversity, ecosystem processes and general quality of life. As discussed by our keynote speaker, Michael Soulé, the best predictor of habitat loss is population growth and nowhere is this better illustrated than in California. As urban perimeters expand, the interface between wildlands and urban areas increases. Few problems are more vexing than how to manage the fire prone ecosystems indigenous to California at this urban interface. Today resource managers face increasing challenges of dealing with this problem and the lead-off section of the proceedings considers both the theoretical basis for making decisions related to prescribed burning and the practical application. Habitat fragmentation is an inevitable consequence of development patterns with significant impacts on animal and plant populations. Managers must be increasingly resourceful in dealing with problems of fragmentation and the often inevitable consequences, including susceptibility to invasive oganisms. One approach to dealing with fragmentation problems is through careful landplanning. California is the national leader in the integration of conservation and economics. On Earth Day 1991, Governor Pete Wilson presented an environmental agenda that promised to create between land owners and environmentalists, agreements that would guarantee the protection of -endangered species and out of this grew the pioneering initiative, known as the Natural Communities Conservation Planning (NCCP) program. California's vast expanse of seemingly endless resources has traditionally been viewed as justification for abusive land use practices. The modem day recognition that resources are finite has led to greater concern, not only for conserving what is left, but for restoring abused landscapes. Ecological restoration is a new science devoted to returning disturbed environments to a semblance of their "pristine" state. Based on principles of "revegetation," restoration goes far beyond simple replanting, rather the ambition of ecological restoration is to return landscapes to functioning ecosystems and is the focus of the last section.

Fire in Mediterranean Ecosystems

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Publisher : Cambridge University Press
ISBN 13 : 0521824915
Total Pages : 523 pages
Book Rating : 4.5/5 (218 download)

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Book Synopsis Fire in Mediterranean Ecosystems by : Jon E. Keeley

Download or read book Fire in Mediterranean Ecosystems written by Jon E. Keeley and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2012 with total page 523 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Explores the role of fire in Mediterranean-type climate ecosystems, providing unique insights into the assembly and evolutionary convergence of ecosystems.

Insects and Diseases of Mediterranean Forest Systems

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Publisher : Springer
ISBN 13 : 3319247441
Total Pages : 892 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (192 download)

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Book Synopsis Insects and Diseases of Mediterranean Forest Systems by : Timothy D. Paine

Download or read book Insects and Diseases of Mediterranean Forest Systems written by Timothy D. Paine and published by Springer. This book was released on 2016-01-06 with total page 892 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Insect and disease issues are often specific to the Mediterranean forest systems rather than shared with the temperate forests. In addition to the specific native insects and diseases, the forests are subject to the invasion of exotic species. The forests are also at risk from high degrees of human activity, including changing patterns of forest fires, land management activities, intensive plantation forestry using introduced timber species from other Mediterranean climate zones, and atmospheric deposition. Combined with elements of global climate change that may disproportionately affect Mediterranean climate systems, this creates a number of significant management issues that are unique to the Mediterranean forests. It is our goal that the information contained in this volume will contribute to understanding the unique aspects of Mediterranean forest systems and to protecting these critical resources.

Global Vegetation

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Publisher : Springer Nature
ISBN 13 : 3030498603
Total Pages : 858 pages
Book Rating : 4.0/5 (34 download)

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Book Synopsis Global Vegetation by : Jörg S. Pfadenhauer

Download or read book Global Vegetation written by Jörg S. Pfadenhauer and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2020-09-09 with total page 858 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This up-to-date textbook of global vegetation ecology, which comprises the current state of knowledge, is long overdue and much-needed. It is a translation of the textbook “Vegetation der Erde” (Springer-Spektrum, Heidelberg). A short introductory chapter deals with the fundamentals of vegetation ecology that are of importance for the delimitation and characterization of the global vegetation presented in this book (chorology, evolution of plants, physiognomic and structural characteristics, phytodiversity and the human impact on it as well as general terminology concerning both plant growth forms and on vegetation structure types). In the following chapters the zonal and azonal vegetation from the tropics to the polar regions including high mountains is described and discussed. The main focus is on the characterization of interactions between the spatial location of plants and plant communities on the one hand and site conditions, historic and genetic processes, spatial and temporal patterns, ecophysiology and anthropogenic influences on the other hand. Additional information on specific topics is provided in 51 boxes.

Transdisciplinary Challenges in Landscape Ecology and Restoration Ecology - An Anthology

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Author :
Publisher : Springer
ISBN 13 : 9789048171248
Total Pages : 0 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (712 download)

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Book Synopsis Transdisciplinary Challenges in Landscape Ecology and Restoration Ecology - An Anthology by : Zev Naveh

Download or read book Transdisciplinary Challenges in Landscape Ecology and Restoration Ecology - An Anthology written by Zev Naveh and published by Springer. This book was released on 2010-11-13 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Capitalizing on forty years of intensive ecological studies, this anthology presents a collection of widely dispersed major publications on theoretical and practical Mediterranean, global environmental and landscape issues. Each chapter features a comprehensive study of ecological and landscape issues, synthesized in the introduction, and woven with autobiographical experiences. The concluding chapter calls for a transdisciplinary shift in all environmental scientific fields and particularly in landscape and restoration ecology, to cope with the complex, closely interwoven ecological, socio-economical, political and cultural crises facing human society during the present crucial transition from the industrial to the post-industrial, global information age. Updating and broadening the scope of the groundbreaking Springer book on Landscape Theory and Applications by the author and Lieberman (1994), this is a unique transdisciplinary attempt based on advanced systems complexity theories, which link the natural and human sciences.

Ecology, Cognition and Landscape

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Author :
Publisher : Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN 13 : 9048131383
Total Pages : 161 pages
Book Rating : 4.0/5 (481 download)

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Book Synopsis Ecology, Cognition and Landscape by : Almo Farina

Download or read book Ecology, Cognition and Landscape written by Almo Farina and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2009-11-04 with total page 161 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: It is more and more evident that our living system is completely disturbed by human intrusion. Such intrusion affects the functioning of entire systems in ways we do not yet fully understand. We use paradigms such as the disturbance to cover large and deep gaps in our scienti?c knowledge. Human ecology is an uncertain terrain for anthropologists, geographers, and ecologists and rarely is expanded to include the social and economic realms. The integration of different disciplines and the application of their many paradigms to problems of environmental complexity remains a distant goal despite the many efforts that have been made to achieve it. Philosophical and semantic barriers are erected when such integration is pursued by pioneering scientists. Recently, evolutionary ecology has shown great interest in the spatial processes well described by the emerging discipline of landscape ecology. But this interest takes the form of pure curiosity or at worst, of skepticism toward the real capacity of landscape ecology to contribute to the advancement of ecological science. The past two centuries have been characterized by huge changes occurring in the entire ecosphere. Global changes are the effects of human intervention at a planetary scale, with consequent degradation of the environment creating an e- logical debt for future generations. On the other side of the issue, new technologies have improved the welfare of billions of people and have given hope to many other billions that they may also see such improvement in the near future.