The book deals with agroecological aspects of nutrients essential to crop production. A new concept termed 'AGROSPHERE' has been introduced in the book. A brief description about agrosphere, its expanse, contrasting features and interactions with other ecospheres, global nutrient dynamics and food production trends within various agro ecosystems forms the introductory chapter. The book encompasses discussions on the major agroecosystems/ cropping belts that contribute to global food grain harvests, fruits and other beneficial commodities.
"The agricultural sky" is a dominant natural entity that has influenced, interacted with, and guided the evolution of crops, farming practices, and cropping systems. The sky—and all its components—above and near agricultural areas is an important aspect of an agricultural enterprise—as important as soils, water, and crop species. The blue sky above crops that is seemingly clear, tranquil or sometimes filled with clouds, is really a repository of a large number of gases, mineral or organic particulate matter, dust, mist, turbulent wind, innumerable species of micro-organisms, tiny biotic flora/fauna, seeds, insects, etc. The agrarian sky supports complex interactions of biotic and abiotic aspects with perhaps immediate and/or delayed influence on crops sown on the ground. This volume helps us to better understand the importance of the sky above crop fields, with the goal to encourage revolutionary agronomic procedures that lead to higher yield. It is a comprehensive treatise on the agriculture sky, covering basic definitions, limits, and explanations about atmospheric layers like troposphere, stratosphere, and the phyllosphere. The volume addresses the nutrient dynamics in the sky and their relevance to crop productivity. It looks at both natural biotic and manmade abiotic factors in the sky and how they affect what goes on below, such as from dust storms, at cloudy and/or windy locations, and from high-altitude jet streams. The author discusses wind and solar power generation in the agrarian sky and explores aeroponics to revolutionize crop production. The volume delves into several types of aerial robots, employing AI and other technology, to provide aerial spectral data that are capable of analyzing procedures, soil conditions, irrigation, insect pests, weed detection, herbicide application, soil fertility, and much more. The book includes examples from the North American Great Plains, Pampas of Argentina, Sahelian production zones of West Africa, Indo-Gangetic Plains, etc. This eye-opening book, The Agricultural Sky: A Concept to Revolutionize Farming, will be useful to students and professors in universities as well as to researchers in industry dealing with aerial aspects of farming.
This book describes new energy saving methods and technologies for heat power engineering. The book is devoted to topical issues of energy and related industries. Leading Ukrainian scientists from both scientific institutes and educational universities took part in its creation. The research results are presented in 6 parts: electrical engineering, heat power engineering, nuclear power engineering, fossil fuels, cybersecurity and computer science, environmental safety. Results of regulating of operating modes and applicability of model checking technique in power systems are showed. Separate block of questions regarding the functioning of nuclear power plants, their waste and preventive measures of protection against negative effects on living organisms (including, for example, the Chernobyl nuclear power plant) is considered. The results of the peculiarities of the extraction, purification and use of fossil fuels are presented. In some chapters, presented the results on improving the cybersecurity of energy systems and its resilience to various threats, including the use of 5G technology. Traditionally for this series, issues of ecological safety, the impact of different energy systems on the environment and its protection are considered. A book is for researchers, engineers, as well as lecturers and postgraduates of higher education institutions dealing with energy sector, power systems, ecological safety, etc.
A beloved folk singer presents an impassioned account of the fall and rise of the small American towns she cherishes. Dubbed by the New Yorker as "one of America's very best singer-songwriters," Dar Williams has made her career not in stadiums, but touring America's small towns. She has played their venues, composed in their coffee shops, and drunk in their bars. She has seen these communities struggle, but also seen them thrive in the face of postindustrial identity crises. Here, in an account that "reads as if Pete Seeger and Jane Jacobs teamed up" (New York Times), Williams muses on why some towns flourish while others fail, examining elements from the significance of history and nature to the uniting power of public spaces and food. Drawing on her own travels and the work of urban theorists, Williams offers real solutions to rebuild declining communities. What I Found in a Thousand Towns is more than a love letter to America's small towns, it's a deeply personal and hopeful message about the potential of America's lively and resilient communities.
This book is a comprehensive volume that brings together vast knowledge about agricultural prairies in one place, providing concise information and providing concise descriptions of natural resources and their influence on crop productivity. It provides detailed descriptions about natural settings as well as lucid discussions on soil fertility and
In this book, the authors focus on the improvement of the scientific base for the development of environmental risk indicators measured by the presence of pollutants in water and porous media. In pursuit of a correct and complete numerical approach, they deliver insight into the understanding of integrated process, and also of modeling capabilities.
Rapid advances in tomography and imaging techniques and their successful application in soil and plant science are changing our sciences today. Many more articles using imaging and tomography are being published currently compared to 20 years ago. Soil–Water–Root Processes: Advances in Tomography and Imaging is a unique assemblage of contributions exploring applications of imaging and tomography systems in soil science—it provides an updated collection of X-ray computed tomography, synchrotron microtomography, neutron imaging, magnetic resonance imaging, geophysical imaging tools, and other tomography techniques for evaluating soils and roots. Exciting new procedures and applications have been developed, with the promise to propel forward our understanding of soil and plant properties and processes.
This Encyclopedia of Agrophysics will provide up-to-date information on the physical properties and processes affecting the quality of the environment and plant production. It will be a "first-up" volume which will nicely complement the recently published Encyclopedia of Soil Science, (November 2007) which was published in the same series. In a single authoritative volume a collection of about 250 informative articles and ca 400 glossary terms covering all aspects of agrophysics will be presented. The authors will be renowned specialists in various aspects in agrophysics from a wide variety of countries. Agrophysics is important both for research and practical use not only in agriculture, but also in areas like environmental science, land reclamation, food processing etc. Agrophysics is a relatively new interdisciplinary field closely related to Agrochemistry, Agrobiology, Agroclimatology and Agroecology. Nowadays it has been fully accepted as an agricultural and environmental discipline. As such this Encyclopedia volume will be an indispensable working tool for scientists and practitioners from different disciplines, like agriculture, soil science, geosciences, environmental science, geography, and engineering.
