Forest Ecology in India: Colonial Maharashtra 1850-1950 takes a look at the human interactions that have shaped up the ecosystem specifically of Maharashtra, under the British colonial rule. This work is a culmination of extensive analysis of secondary sources and numerous archival primary sources including vernacular material hitherto unexamined from the perspective of Environmental History. It traces the evolution of political, socio-cultural and religious attitudes and administrative policies that had an impact on the forest ecology of Maharashtra. The study goes beyond a chronological narrative of events and it adopts a fresh approach where it examines the impact of the forest policies and subsequent responses from the tribals, peasants and artisans. It looks at landmark events and struggles that shaped the resistance to the new environmental and forest laws as well as the spillover of these developments into the anti-colonial struggles of the early twentieth century. This book would be of interest to students of Environmental History and Environmental Justice.
Forests play important role in combating desertification, preventing erosion problems, other protective functions, climatic change and acting as carbon reservoirs and sinks. Forests, the biodiversity they contain and the ecological function they maintain, are a heritage of mankind. The vital role of forests in protecting fragile ecosystems, watersheds and freshwater reservoirs and as storehouses of rich biodiversity should be recognized. Forests contain not only woody species and wild animals but also a wealth of other species of actual or potentially socio-economic importance at the global, national and local levels, including wild relatives of important crop species. Biodiversity is the variety and variability of plant, animal and micro organism in a ecosystem. Biodiversity, in wild and domesticated forms, is the source for most of humanity food, medicine, clothing and housing, most of the cultural diversity and most of the intellectual and spiritual inspirations. In other words, it is the very basis of man s being. Currently, there is severe and widespread loss of biodiversity because of a variety of factors and therefore its conservation is of utmost importance. Conservation and development are partners in the process of environmental protection. To maintain and increase the ecological, biological, climatic, socio-cultural and economic contributions of forests, their conservation and management are urgently required. Biological diversity (biodiversity) is also to be preserved to achieve sustainable development. The book is a sincere effort of the authors to provide compiled information on the subject matter of forest environment and diversity. It includes the impact of forests on environment, basic concept, status and extent of biodiversity, its loss and suggests ways and means of conservation for achieving sustainable development. Contents Chapter 1: Introduction; Chapter 2: Land Use, Forest Area and Population; Chapter 3: History of Forestry in India; Chapter 4: Ecological Perceptions; Chapter 5: Ecology of Indian Forests; Chapter 6: Forests and Environments; Chapter 7: Ecosystem Theory and Application; Chapter 8: Forests and Environment: Soil Erosion and Floods; Chapter 9: Wildlife and Biosphere Reserves; Chapter 10: Atmosphere; Chapter 11: Socio-Economic Effects and Constraints; Chapter 12: Women and Environment; Chapter 13: Macro Issues: Pressure on Forests; Chapter 14: Forestry and Rural Development; Chapter 15: Peoples Participation in Afforestation; Chapter 16: Environmental Considerations; Chapter 17: The Environmental Scenario; Chapter 18: Environmental Problems; Chapter 19: Introduction to Environmental Impact Assessment; Chapter 20: Methods of Impact Analysis; Chapter 21: Some Case Studies of Environmental Impact Assessment; Chapter 22: Pollution: An Appraisal; Chapter 23: Air Pollution; Chapter 24: Water Pollution; Chapter 25: Biological Diversity; Chapter 26: Management of Forests for Wildlife; Chapter 27: Conservation of Biodiversity; Chapter 28: Action Plan for National Biodiversity Strategy; Chapter 29: Social Biota for Biodiversity; Chapter 30: Biodiversity Loss and Threat; Chapter 31: Biological Diversity Convention; Chapter 32: Conservation of Biodiversity in Indian Scenario; Chapter 33: Diversity in Community; Chapter 34: Bioresources Protection; Chapter 35: Biodiversity of Threatened Species of Medicinal Plants in India: An Appraisal; Chapter 36: Vegetative Propagation; Chapter 37: Tree Improvement through Biotechnological Tools; Chapter 38: Forest Resources and its Management; Chapter 39: Production and Receipt of Forest Products. C
Fencing the Forest draws on archival and printed sources to shed fresh light on the ecological dimensions of the colonial impact on South Asia. The changing responses of rural forest users and the fortunes of the land they lived on are the key themes of this study.
This is the first comprehensive science-based primer to highlight the unique ecosystem services provided by mangrove forests, and discuss how these services preserve the livelihoods of coastal populations. The book presents three decades of real-time data on Sundarbans and Bhitarkanika mangroves in India measuring carbon and nitrogen sequestration, as well as case studies that demonstrate the utility provided by mangroves for reducing the impact of storms and erosion, providing nutrient retention for complex habitats, and housing a vast reservoir of plant, animal and microbial biodiversity. Also addressed is the function of mangroves as natural ecosystems of cultural convergence, offering the resources and products necessary for thriving coastal communities. The book will be of interest to students, academics and researchers in the fields of oceanography, marine biology, botany, climate science, ecology and environmental geography, as well as consultants and policy makers working in coastal zone management and coastal biodiversity conservation.
The forest discourse in India has shifted decisively from questions of management to questions of governance. The essays in this book highlight and explore how this shift is occurring and what the challenges to democratic forest governance are. It covers questions of local management, wildlife conservation and forest conversion, as well as the changing socio-economic context of forestry in India.
Learn from this integrated approach to the management and restoration of ecosystems edited by an international leader in the field The Handbook of Ecological and Ecosystem Engineering delivers a comprehensive overview of the latest research and practical developments in the rapidly evolving fields of ecological and ecosystem engineering. Beginning with an introduction to the theory and practice of ecological engineering and ecosystem services, the book addresses a wide variety of issues central to the restoration and remediation of ecological environments. The book contains fulsome analyses of the restoration, rehabilitation, conservation, sustainability, reconstruction, remediation, and reclamation of ecosystems using ecological engineering techniques. Case studies are used to highlight practical applications of the theory discussed within. The material in the Handbook of Ecological and Ecosystem Engineering is particularly relevant at a time when the human population is dramatically rising, and the exploitation of natural resources is putting increasing pressure on planetary ecosystems. The book demonstrates how modern scientific ecology can contribute to the greening of the environment through the inclusion of concrete examples of successful applied management. The book also includes: A thorough discussion of ecological engineering and ecosystem services theory and practice An exploration of ecological and ecosystem engineering economic and environmental revitalization An examination of the role of soil meso and macrofauna indicators for restoration assessment success in a rehabilitated mine site A treatment of the mitigation of urban environmental issues by applying ecological and ecosystem engineering A discussion of soil fertility restoration theory and practice Perfect for academic researchers, industry scientists, and environmental engineers working in the fields of ecological engineering, environmental science, and biotechnology, the Handbook of Ecological and Ecosystem Engineering also belongs on the bookshelves of environmental regulators and consultants, policy makers, and employees of non-governmental organizations working on sustainable development.
: The last 50 years have witnessed a vast expansion of both interest and knowledge in ecology. There has been a widening public awareness of the importance of ecological interactions, with particular focus on issues such as global warming, climate change, extinction of species owing to habitat destruction and sustainable development. In parallel, a wide suite of advances in ecological understanding have been fuelled by progress in a number of other field’s notably genetic engineering and molecular biology. This great expansion in understanding has lead to a problem for the student of the subject, as leading textbooks have grown in size and complexity to accommodate new theories and new data. The present book intended to fulfill the long felt need of the students of graduate and post graduate of all Indian universities. The syllabi of all the universities have been kept in view during the preparation of this text. The language of the book is simple and lucid. Attempt has been made to arrange the subject matter in a systematic and well knit style.
The Western Ghats forests are endowed with large species and habitat diversity, which is nowadays under threat by increasing demographic pressure and changing land use. To address these challenges, a novel and comprehensive approach is sought from the principles of landscape ecology. Morpho-pedological features are used to delineate landscape units all over the Western Ghats of Kerala, among which the Western Anamalai region is chosen to elucidate the relative influence of physical factors, bioclimate and anthropogenic pressures on the characteristics of natural vegetation and on the status of the vertebrate fauna. Highlighting patterns of resource utilization by proximal and distant stakeholders, the book goes about identifying value-based management zones, while proposing management strategies for conservation and sustainable development.
This book is dedicated to forest ecology and conservation on ecological and conservation aspects of forest. The book is divided into two sections: the first section "Forest Ecology" with four chapters deals with forest ecological aspects, while the second section "Forest Conservation" with two chapters looks into new techniques for conserving the forests. This book will bridge the gaps in the knowledge about some new emerging issues on forest ecology and conservation. It will be an interesting and helpful resource to all those in the field of forestry working for its sustainable use and conservation.
