This is the first comprehensive environmental history of California’s Great Central Valley, where extensive freshwater and tidal wetlands once provided critical habitat for tens of millions of migratory waterfowl. Weaving together ecology, grassroots politics, and public policy, Philip Garone tells how California’s wetlands were nearly obliterated by vast irrigation and reclamation projects, but have been brought back from the brink of total destruction by the organized efforts of duck hunters, whistle-blowing scientists, and a broad coalition of conservationists. Garone examines the many demands that have been made on the Valley’s natural resources, especially by large-scale agriculture, and traces the unforeseen ecological consequences of our unrestrained manipulation of nature. He also investigates changing public and scientific attitudes that are now ushering in an era of unprecedented protection for wildlife and wetlands in California and the nation.
Environmental and Pollution Science, Third Edition, continues its tradition on providing readers with the scientific basis to understand, manage, mitigate, and prevent pollution across the environment, be it air, land, or water. Pollution originates from a wide variety of sources, both natural and man-made, and occurs in a wide variety of forms including, biological, chemical, particulate or even energy, making a multivariate approach to assessment and mitigation essential for success. This third edition has been updated and revised to include topics that are critical to addressing pollution issues, from human-health impacts to environmental justice to developing sustainable solutions. Environmental and Pollution Science, Third Edition is designed to give readers the tools to be able to understand and implement multi-disciplinary approaches to help solve current and future environmental pollution problems. - Emphasizes conceptual understanding of environmental systems and can be used by students and professionals from a diversity of backgrounds focusing on the environment - Covers many aspects critical to assessing and managing environmental pollution including characterization, risk assessment, regulation, transport and fate, and remediation or restoration - New topics to this edition include Ecosystems and Ecosystem Services, Pollution in the Global System, Human Health Impacts, the interrelation between Soil and Human Health, Environmental Justice and Community Engagement, and Sustainability and Sustainable Solutions - Includes color photos and diagrams, chapter questions and problems, and highlighted key words