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Dryland Ecosystems
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Book Synopsis Dryland Ecosystems by : Frank Radstake
Download or read book Dryland Ecosystems written by Frank Radstake and published by Asian Development Bank. This book was released on 2010-10-01 with total page 135 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The People's Republic of China (PRC) suffers from some large-scale land degradation problems, posing a significant threat to the lives of local residents and to the future economic welfare of the nation. The dryland areas of the western PRC, which cover approximately 40% of the country's land area, contain some of the most severely degraded land in the world. With only about 7% of the world's farmland and 6% of the world's annual water runoff, the PRC must feed 22% of the world's population. With the assistance of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the Asian Development Bank, the PRC government established the PRC-GEF Partnership on Land Degradation in Dryland Ecosystems to address land degradation issues, reduce poverty, restore dryland ecosystems, and conserve biodiversity through an effective integrated ecosystem management (IEM) approach.
Book Synopsis Dryland Ecohydrology by : Paolo D'Odorico
Download or read book Dryland Ecohydrology written by Paolo D'Odorico and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2006-01-09 with total page 358 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Ecohydrology emerges as a new field of research aiming at furthering our understanding of the earth system through the study of the interactions between the water cycle and vegetation. By combining the analysis of biotic and abiotic components of terrestrial ecosystems, this volume provides a synthesis of material on arid and semiarid landscapes, which is currently spread in a number of books and journal articles. The focus on water-limited ecosystems is motivated by their high sensitivity to daily, seasonal, and decadal perturbations in water availability, and by the ecologic, climatic, and economic significance of most of the drylands around the world. Conceived as a tool for scientists working in the area of the earth and environmental sciences, this book presents the basic principles of eco-hydrology as well as a broad spectrum of topics and advances in this research field. The chapters collected in this book have been contributed by authors with different expertise, who work in several arid areas around the World. They describe the various interactions among the biological and physical dynamics in dryland ecosystems, starting from basic processes in the soil-vegetation-climate system, to landscape-scale hydrologic and geomorphic processes, ecohydrologic controls on soil nutrient dynamics, and multiscale analyses of disturbances and patterns.
Book Synopsis A Guide for Desert and Dryland Restoration by : David A. Bainbridge
Download or read book A Guide for Desert and Dryland Restoration written by David A. Bainbridge and published by Island Press. This book was released on 2012-09-26 with total page 411 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Dryland degradation and desertification now affect almost a billion people around the world. Tragically, the biological resources and productivity of millions of acres of land are lost to desertification each year because people remain unaware of strategies and techniques that could improve yields, reduce risk, and begin healing the world's deserts. A Guide for Desert and Dryland Restoration is the first book to offer practical, field-tested solutions to this critical problem. Author David Bainbridge has spent more than 25 years actively involved in restoring lands across the American Southwest. A Guide for Desert and Dryland Restoration presents the results of his years of fieldwork, as well as research and experience from scientists and practitioners around the globe. The book discusses the ecology of desert plants, explores the causes of desertification and land abuse, and outlines the processes and procedures needed to evaluate, plan, implement, and monitor desert restoration projects. It sets forth economical and practical field-tested solutions for understanding site characteristics, selecting and growing plants, and ensuring that they survive with a minimal amount of water and care. Each chapter represents a guide to a critical topic for environmental restoration; extensive photographs, diagrams and drawings give detailed information for immediate application, and additional resources are included in appendixes. A Guide for Desert and Dryland Restoration is the first comprehensive book focused on restoring arid regions, and clearly demonstrates that arid lands can be successfully rehabilitated. In addition to restorationists, the book will be an invaluable resource for anyone working in arid lands, including farmers, ranchers, gardeners, landscapers, outdoor recreation professionals, and activists.
Download or read book Drylands written by Peter Beaumont and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2014-04-08 with total page 513 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Drylands, which cover over half the world's area, have witnessed rapid development, exploitation and change with the discovery of mineral reserves, urbanization and population growth. Environmental management is critical to the conservation and sustainable use of resources. This comprehensive text offers a systematic study of the physical nature of drylands and the history of human response to and uses of these harsh landscapes. Detailed case studies, including urban as well as pastoral drylands from California to Soviet Central Asia, the Middle East, the Sahara and Australia, contrast different management approaches and problems.
Book Synopsis The nature of drylands : diverse ecosystems, diverse solutions by :
Download or read book The nature of drylands : diverse ecosystems, diverse solutions written by and published by IUCN. This book was released on with total page 44 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Book Synopsis Dryland Opportunities by : Michael Mortimore
Download or read book Dryland Opportunities written by Michael Mortimore and published by World Conservation Union. This book was released on 2009 with total page 100 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Drylands cover 41 percent of the earth' s terrestrial surface. The urgency of and international response to climate change have given a new place to drylands in terms both of their vulnerability to predicted climate change impacts and their potential contribution to climate change mitigation. This book aims to apply the new scientific insights on complex dryland systems to practical options for development. A new dryland paradigm is built on the resources and capacities of dryland peoples, on new and emergent economic opportunities, on inward investment, and on the best support that dryland science can offer.
Book Synopsis Landscape Dynamics of Drylands across Greater Central Asia: People, Societies and Ecosystems by : Garik Gutman
Download or read book Landscape Dynamics of Drylands across Greater Central Asia: People, Societies and Ecosystems written by Garik Gutman and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2020-04-14 with total page 236 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume is a compilation of studies on interactions of changes in land cover, land use and climate with people, societies and ecosystems in drylands of Greater Central Asia. It explores the effects of collapse of socialist governance and management systems on land use in various parts of Central Asia, including former Soviet Union republics, Mongolia and northern drylands of China. Often, regional land-atmosphere feedbacks may have large global importance. Remote sensing is a primary tool in studying vast dryland territories where in situ observations are sporadic. State-of-the-art methods of satellite remote sensing combined with GIS and models are used to tackle science questions and provide an outlook of current changes at land surface and potential scenarios for the future. In 10 chapters, contributing authors cover topics such as water resources, effects of institutional changes on urban centers and agriculture, landscape dynamics, and the primary drivers of environmental changes in dryland environment. Satellite observations that have accumulated during the last five decades provide a rich time series of the dynamic land surface, enabling systematic analysis of changes in land cover and land use from space. The book is a truly international effort by a team of scientists from the U.S., Europe and Central Asia. It is directed at the broad science community including graduate students, academics and other professionals at all levels within natural and social sciences. In particular, it will appeal to geographers, environmental and social scientists, economists, agricultural scientists, and remote sensing specialists.
Book Synopsis Wetlands in a Dry Land by : Emily O'Gorman
Download or read book Wetlands in a Dry Land written by Emily O'Gorman and published by University of Washington Press. This book was released on 2021-07-13 with total page 284 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the name of agriculture, urban growth, and disease control, humans have drained, filled, or otherwise destroyed nearly 87 percent of the world’s wetlands over the past three centuries. Unintended consequences include biodiversity loss, poor water quality, and the erosion of cultural sites, and only in the past few decades have wetlands been widely recognized as worth preserving. Emily O’Gorman asks, What has counted as a wetland, for whom, and with what consequences? Using the Murray-Darling Basin—a massive river system in eastern Australia that includes over 30,000 wetland areas—as a case study and drawing on archival research and original interviews, O’Gorman examines how people and animals have shaped wetlands from the late nineteenth century to today. She illuminates deeper dynamics by relating how Aboriginal peoples acted then and now as custodians of the landscape, despite the policies of the Australian government; how the movements of water birds affected farmers; and how mosquitoes have defied efforts to fully understand, let alone control, them. Situating the region’s history within global environmental humanities conversations, O’Gorman argues that we need to understand wetlands as socioecological landscapes in order to create new kinds of relationships with and futures for these places.
Book Synopsis Dryland Ecohydrology by : Paolo D'Odorico
Download or read book Dryland Ecohydrology written by Paolo D'Odorico and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2006-03-14 with total page 331 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: By combining the analysis of biotic and abiotic components of terrestrial ecosystems, this volume provides a synthesis of material on arid and semiarid landscapes, which is currently scattered in a number of books and journal articles. The focus on water-limited ecosystems is motivated by their high sensitivity to daily, seasonal, and decadal perturbations in water availability, and by the ecologic, climatic, and economic significance of most of the world's drylands. Conceived as a tool for scientists working in the area of the earth and environmental sciences, this book presents the basic principles of eco-hydrology as well as a broad spectrum of topics and advances in this research field. The chapters have been contributed by authors with different expertise, who work in several arid areas around the world. They describe the various interactions among the biological and physical dynamics in dryland ecosystems, starting from basic processes in the soil-vegetation-climate system, to landscape-scale hydrologic and geomorphic processes, ecohydrologic controls on soil nutrient dynamics, and multiscale analyses of disturbances and patterns.
Book Synopsis Dryland East Asia: Land Dynamics amid Social and Climate Change by : Jiquan Chen
Download or read book Dryland East Asia: Land Dynamics amid Social and Climate Change written by Jiquan Chen and published by Walter de Gruyter. This book was released on 2013-10-29 with total page 496 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Drylands in East Asia (DEA) are home to more than one billion people with an environment vulnerable to natural and anthropogenic changes. One of the critical needs in the region is to fully understand how dryland ecosystems respond to the changing climate and human activities in order to develop strategies to cope with continued climate change. This book provides state-of-the-art knowledge and information on drylands ecosystem dynamics, changing climate, society, and land use in the region. In addition to the synthesis of the existing research and knowledge of DEA, the book provides a role model for regional ecological assessment. With a wide spectrum of contributions from experts around the globe, the book should be of interest to researchers and students both internationally and in East Asia. Lessons learned from this synthesis effort in DEA should be useful for developing climate adaptation strategies for other similar regions around the globe.
Book Synopsis Dryland Climatology by : Sharon E. Nicholson
Download or read book Dryland Climatology written by Sharon E. Nicholson and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2011-10-27 with total page 529 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book provides a comprehensive overview of dryland climates and their relationship to the physical environment, vegetation, hydrology, and inhabitants. Packed with photographs and an extensive review of the primary literature, this is a unique interdisciplinary resource for researchers, environmental professionals and advanced students in fields from climatology to geomorphology.
Book Synopsis The Future of Drylands by : Cathy Lee
Download or read book The Future of Drylands written by Cathy Lee and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2008-11-14 with total page 816 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Drylands have been cradles to some of the world’s greatest civilizations, and contemporary dryland communities feature rich and unique cultures. Dryland ecosystems support a surprising amount of biodiversity. Desertification, however, is a significant land degradation problem in the arid, semi-arid and dry sub-humid regions of the world. Deterioration of soil and plant cover has adversely affected 70% of the world’s drylands as a result of extended droughts as well as mismanagement of range and cultivated lands. The situation is likely to worsen with high population growth rates and accompanying land-use conflicts. The contributions to The Future of Drylands – an international scientific conference held under the leadership of UNESCO – address these issues and offer practical solutions for combating desertification along with conserving and sustainably managing dryland ecosystems. Major themes include the conservation of dryland biological and cultural diversity and the human dryland interface. This volume documents how our improved understanding of drylands provides insight into the health and future prospects of these precious ecosystems that should help ensure that dryland communities enjoy a sustainable future.
Book Synopsis Biological Soil Crusts: An Organizing Principle in Drylands by : Bettina Weber
Download or read book Biological Soil Crusts: An Organizing Principle in Drylands written by Bettina Weber and published by Springer. This book was released on 2016-05-21 with total page 540 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume summarizes our current understanding of biological soil crusts (biocrusts), which are omnipresent in dryland regions. Since they cover the soil surface, they influence, or even control, all surface exchange processes. Being one of the oldest terrestrial communities, biocrusts comprise a high diversity of cyanobacteria, algae, lichens and bryophytes together with uncounted bacteria, and fungi. The authors show that biocrusts are an integral part of dryland ecosystems, stabilizing soils, influencing plant germination and growth, and playing a key role in carbon, nitrogen and water cycling. Initial attempts have been made to use biocrusts as models in ecological theory. On the other hand, biocrusts are endangered by local disruptions and global change, highlighting the need for enhanced recovery methods. This book offers a comprehensive overview of the fascinating field of biocrust research, making it indispensable not only for scientists in this area, but also for land managers, policy makers, and anyone interested in the environment.
Book Synopsis Climate Variability Impacts on Land Use and Livelihoods in Drylands by : Mahesh K. Gaur
Download or read book Climate Variability Impacts on Land Use and Livelihoods in Drylands written by Mahesh K. Gaur and published by Springer. This book was released on 2017-08-30 with total page 362 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This edited volume is devoted to the examination of the implications of the inevitable changes wrought by global change on the welfare and livelihoods of tens of millions of people who live in dryland regions. Global change is more than just climate change and the ramifications of changing trade patterns (geopolitical and economic aspects), the shift to the market economy, demographic factors (population growth, urbanization and re-settlement), receive attention here. Land use change specialists, policy makers and natural resource management agencies will find the book very useful. Chapters focus on examples that are drawn from a number of sources including previously unpublished studies on the impact of climate change, markets and economics on pastoralist and dryland farming households. The key focus is to provide readers with insights into the real world implications of change (including an analysis of the drivers of change) on these vulnerable groups within dryland societies. The role of humans as agents of these changes is canvassed. A regional analysis of the world's drylands is also performed including those in Australia, Argentina, India, North America, China, North Africa, Central Asia and Southern Africa.
Book Synopsis Ecosystems and Human Well-being by : Joseph Alcamo
Download or read book Ecosystems and Human Well-being written by Joseph Alcamo and published by . This book was released on 2003 with total page 272 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Ecosystems and Human Well-Being is the first product of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, a four-year international work program designed to meet the needs of decisionmakers for scientific information on the links between ecosystem change and human well-being. The book offers an overview of the project, describing the conceptual framework that is being used, defining its scope, and providing a baseline of understanding that all participants need to move forward. The Millennium Assessment focuses on how humans have altered ecosystems, and how changes in ecosystem services have affected human well-being, how ecosystem changes may affect people in future decades, and what types of responses can be adopted at local, national, or global scales to improve ecosystem management and thereby contribute to human well-being and poverty alleviation. The program was launched by United National Secretary-General Kofi Annan in June 2001, and the primary assessment reports will be released by Island Press in 2005. Leading scientists from more than 100 nations are conducting the assessment, which can aid countries, regions, or companies by: providing a clear, scientific picture of the current sta
Book Synopsis Arid Lands Management by : T. W. Hoekstra
Download or read book Arid Lands Management written by T. W. Hoekstra and published by University of Illinois Press. This book was released on 1999 with total page 298 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Offers various directions for both research and management.
Download or read book Drylands written by Victor Roy Squires and published by Nova Science Publishers. This book was released on 2019 with total page 414 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "This book Drylands: Biodiversity, Conservation and Management, edited by Victor R. Squires, Mahesh K. Gaur and Salah Attia Ismail, fills a gap in the literature admirably. It gets away from 'species lists' and designation of species and habitats as 'endangered' or 'at risk'. Instead, it opens up discussion on a range of issues relating to the important matters of biodiversity, land management and efforts at conservation (wise use) of natural resources that support an area's biodiversity. Dryland ecologists, land use change specialists, policy makers from UN agencies or from bilateral and multilateral donors and other natural resource management agencies will find the book very useful. It is also a valuable reference book for university students in ecology, geography, environmental studies and development studies in general. Key points: Provides a synoptic overview of the current problems and prospects for biodiversity conservation in a changing world based on a focus on selected ecosystems across Africa, Asia and the Middle East: Discusses the path forward to maintain and improve dryland ecosystems, conserve biodiversity and achieve land protection This edited volume is devoted to the examination of the implications of the inevitable changes wrought by global change on the welfare and livelihoods of tens of millions of people who live in dryland-dominated regions on all continents except Antarctica. Global change is more than just climate change. The shift to the market economy and demographic factors (population growth, urbanization and resettlement) receive attention here. The implications of change (including an analysis of the drivers of change) and the role of humans as agents of these changes are canvassed. Chapters by leading experts who live and work in lands focus on examples that are drawn from a number of sources including previously unpublished studies. The key purpose is to provide an up to date and in-depth global overview of drylands and give readers insights into the status of these vulnerable biomes and to alert readers to the consequences of a loss of biodiversity to the tens of millions of people, their livestock and the myriad of plants and animals that make up dryland ecosystems across the globe. Maintenance of biodiversity ensures the continued flow of ecosystems' goods and services on which most of us depend!"--
