Forest Health and Biotechnology
Forest Health and Biotechnology

Author: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine

Publisher: National Academies Press

Published: 2019-04-01

Total Pages: 241

ISBN-13: 0309482887

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The American chestnut, whitebark pine, and several species of ash in the eastern United States are just a few of the North American tree species that have been functionally lost or are in jeopardy of being lost due to outbreaks of pathogens and insect pests. New pressures in this century are putting even more trees at risk. Expanded human mobility and global trade are providing pathways for the introduction of nonnative pests for which native tree species may lack resistance. At the same time, climate change is extending the geographic range of both native and nonnative pest species. Biotechnology has the potential to help mitigate threats to North American forests from insects and pathogens through the introduction of pest-resistant traits to forest trees. However, challenges remain: the genetic mechanisms that underlie trees' resistance to pests are poorly understood; the complexity of tree genomes makes incorporating genetic changes a slow and difficult task; and there is a lack of information on the effects of releasing new genotypes into the environment. Forest Health and Biotechnology examines the potential use of biotechnology for mitigating threats to forest tree health and identifies the ecological, economic, and social implications of deploying biotechnology in forests. This report also develops a research agenda to address knowledge gaps about the application of the technology.

The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity: Ecological and Economic Foundations
The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity: Ecological and Economic Foundations

Author: Pushpam Kumar

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2012-12-20

Total Pages: 455

ISBN-13: 1136538798

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Human well-being relies critically on ecosystem services provided by nature. Examples include water and air quality regulation, nutrient cycling and decomposition, plant pollination and flood control, all of which are dependent on biodiversity. They are predominantly public goods with limited or no markets and do not command any price in the conventional economic system, so their loss is often not detected and continues unaddressed and unabated. This in turn not only impacts human well-being, but also seriously undermines the sustainability of the economic system. It is against this background that TEEB: The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity project was set up in 2007 and led by the United Nations Environment Programme to provide a comprehensive global assessment of economic aspects of these issues. This book, written by a team of international experts, represents the scientific state of the art, providing a comprehensive assessment of the fundamental ecological and economic principles of measuring and valuing ecosystem services and biodiversity, and showing how these can be mainstreamed into public policies. This volume and subsequent TEEB outputs will provide the authoritative knowledge and guidance to drive forward the biodiversity conservation agenda for the next decade.

Sustainable Development Indicators in Ecological Economics
Sustainable Development Indicators in Ecological Economics

Author: Philip A. Lawn

Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing

Published: 2006-01-01

Total Pages: 476

ISBN-13: 1845428951

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The book covers a wide range of concepts pertaining to the sustainable development and successfully captures the inter-connectivity of environmental preservation and sustainable development. International Journal of Ecological Economics and Statistics . . . this book is authoritative, objective and essential reading for academics and policymakers concerned with the application of indicators of sustainable development. It takes great care to emphasize what has worked, what has not and what should be our future priorities for research; the combination of these features certainly sets it apart from some other texts in the field. Lee M. Stapleton, Journal of Environmental Planning and Management This book presents a comprehensive collection of essays from some of the world s leading experts, surveying and highlighting both the potential and the limitations of a number of indicators specifically designed to measure sustainable development. Illustrative applications are presented throughout in order to demonstrate the value of the approaches discussed. This book is highly recommended for all those who are interested in a better understanding of what sustainable development is and its likely associated indicators, and ultimately aims to contribute to a better foundation for public decision-making. Paulo A.L.D. Nunes, Venice International University, Cà Foscari University, Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei, Venice, Italy and Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands Since the late 1980s and early 1990s, national governments have introduced a range of policy measures designed to steer their economies along a more sustainable path. Yet how are we to know how successful these have been? This significant new book discusses the ways in which sustainable development indicators can be improved in order to both assess the impact of past policies and avoid the repetition of previous failings. Covering a broad range of indicators relating to national accounts, aggregate welfare, natural capital, ecosystem health and human environment interactions, this volume provides an important assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of each. With contributions from some of the most eminent scholars in the field, the book competently analyses the various methods of measuring the sustainable development performance of nations, and suggests many ways in which these can be developed and improved. While the contributors might offer conflicting views, the message they convey is universal the quest for appropriate sustainable development indicators is critically important if we are ever to bring about a fairer, sustainable and more efficient world.

Abrupt Climate Change
Abrupt Climate Change

Author: National Research Council

Publisher: National Academies Press

Published: 2002-04-23

Total Pages: 252

ISBN-13: 0309133041

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The climate record for the past 100,000 years clearly indicates that the climate system has undergone periodic-and often extreme-shifts, sometimes in as little as a decade or less. The causes of abrupt climate changes have not been clearly established, but the triggering of events is likely to be the result of multiple natural processes. Abrupt climate changes of the magnitude seen in the past would have far-reaching implications for human society and ecosystems, including major impacts on energy consumption and water supply demands. Could such a change happen again? Are human activities exacerbating the likelihood of abrupt climate change? What are the potential societal consequences of such a change? Abrupt Climate Change: Inevitable Surprises looks at the current scientific evidence and theoretical understanding to describe what is currently known about abrupt climate change, including patterns and magnitudes, mechanisms, and probability of occurrence. It identifies critical knowledge gaps concerning the potential for future abrupt changes, including those aspects of change most important to society and economies, and outlines a research strategy to close those gaps. Based on the best and most current research available, this book surveys the history of climate change and makes a series of specific recommendations for the future.

Sustainable Development Goals
Sustainable Development Goals

Author: Pia Katila

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Published: 2019-12-12

Total Pages: 653

ISBN-13: 1108486991

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A global assessment of potential and anticipated impacts of efforts to achieve the SDGs on forests and related socio-economic systems. This title is available as Open Access via Cambridge Core.

Handbook of Ecological Indicators for Assessment of Ecosystem Health
Handbook of Ecological Indicators for Assessment of Ecosystem Health

Author: Sven E. Jorgensen

Publisher: CRC Press

Published: 2005-01-27

Total Pages: 472

ISBN-13: 9780203490181

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The field of ecosystem health explores the interactions between natural systems, human health, and social organization. As decision makers require a sound, modular approach to environmental management and sustainable development, ecosystem health assessment indicators are increasingly used across any number of applications. The Handbook of Ecologic

Groundwater-Surface Water Interactions
Groundwater-Surface Water Interactions

Author: Habil. Jörg Lewandowski

Publisher: MDPI

Published: 2020-12-10

Total Pages: 438

ISBN-13: 3039289055

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Recent years have seen a paradigm shift in our understanding of groundwater–surface water interactions: surface water and aquifers were long considered discrete, separate entities; they are now understood as integral components of a surface–subsurface continuum. This book provides an overview of current research advances and innovative approaches in groundwater–surface water interactions. The 20 research articles and 1 communication cover a wide range of thematic scopes, scales, and experimental and modelling methods across different disciplines (hydrology, aquatic ecology, biogeochemistry, and environmental pollution). The book identifies current knowledge gaps and reveals the challenges in establishing standardized measurement, observation, and assessment approaches. It includes current hot topcis with environmental and societal relevance such as eutrophication, retention of legacy, and emerging pollutants (e.g., pharmaceuticals and microplastics), urban water interfaces, and climate change impacts. The book demonstrates the relevance of processes at groundwater–surface water interfaces for (1) regional water balances and (2) quality and quantity of drinking water resources. As such, this book represents the long-awaited transfer of the above-mentioned paradigm shift in understanding of groundwater–surface water interactions from science to practice.