An evolving, living organic/inorganic covering, soil is in dynamic equilibrium with the atmosphere above, the biosphere within, and the geology below. It acts as an anchor for roots, a purveyor of water and nutrients, a residence for a vast community of microorganisms and animals, a sanitizer of the environment, and a source of raw materials for co
An evolving, living organic/inorganic covering, soil is in dynamic equilibrium with the atmosphere above, the biosphere within, and the geology below. It acts as an anchor for roots, a purveyor of water and nutrients, a residence for a vast community of microorganisms and animals, a sanitizer of the environment, and a source of raw materials for construction and manufacturing. To develop lasting solutions to the challenges of balanced use and stewardship of the Earth, we require a fundamental understanding of soil—from its elastic, porous three-phase system to its components, processes, and reactions. Now in two volumes, Handbook of Soil Sciences, Second Edition is a comprehensive and cohesive reference on the discipline of soil science. It contains definitive descriptions of each major area in the discipline, including fundamental principles, appropriate methods to measure each property, variations in properties in different soils throughout the world, and guidelines for the interpretation of the data for various applications in agriculture, engineering, and environmental sciences. Completely revised and updated, the handbook assembles core knowledge from all fields encompassed within the soil sciences. The first volume presents fundamental principles and recent advances in the traditional areas of soil science: soil physics, soil chemistry, soil mineralogy, soil biology and biochemistry, and pedology. The second volume covers interfacial interactions between the physical, chemical, and biological regimes within the soil; the factors that control the availability of plant nutrients and microelements; interdisciplinary aspects of soil science, including salinity, sodicity, and soil erosion; and soil databases for assessing worldwide soil resources. Critical elements addressed in each section include: Descriptions of concepts and theories Definitions, approaches, methodologies, and procedures Data in tabular and figure format Extensive references Compiled by leading scientists, this handbook provides a resource rich in data and gives professional soil scientists, agronomists, engineers, ecologists, biologists, naturalists, and students their first point of entry into a particular aspect of the soil sciences.
With unprecedented attention on global change, the current debate revolves around the availability and sustainability of natural resources and how to achieve equilibrium between what society demands from natural environments and what the natural resource base can provide. A full understanding of the range of issues, from the consequences of the changing resource bases to the degradation of ecological integrity and the sustainability of life, is crucial to the process of developing solutions to this complex challenge. Authored by world-class scientists and scholars, The Encyclopedia of Natural Resources provides an authoritative reference on a broad spectrum of topics such as the forcing factors and habitats of life; their histories, current status, and future trends; and their societal connections, economic values, and management. The content presents state-of-the-art science and technology development and perspectives of resource management. Written and designed with a broad audience in mind, the entries clearly elucidate the issues for readers at all levels. Volume I – Land includes 98 entries that cover the topical areas of renewable and nonrenewable natural resources such as forest and vegetative; soil; terrestrial coastal and inland wetlands; landscape structure and function and change; biological diversity; ecosystem services, protected areas, and management; natural resource economics; and resource security and sustainability. In Volume II, Water includes 59 entries and Air includes 31 entries. The Water entries cover topical areas such as fresh water, groundwater, water quality and watersheds, ice and snow, coastal environments, and marine resources and economics. The Air entries cover air pollutants, atmospheric oscillation, circulation patterns and atmospheric water storage, as well as agroclimatology, climate change, and extreme events. Additional topics in meteorology include acid rain, drought, ozone depletion, water storage, and more. Natural resources represent such a broad scope of complex and challenging topics that a reference book must cover a vast number of subjects in order to be titled an encyclopedia. The Encyclopedia of Natural Resources does just that. The topics covered help readers face current and future issues in the maintenance of clean air and water as well as the preservation of land resources and native biodiversity.
Authored by world-class scientists and scholars, the Handbook of Natural Resources, Second Edition, is an excellent reference for understanding the consequences of changing natural resources to the degradation of ecological integrity and the sustainability of life. Based on the content of the bestselling and CHOICE awarded Encyclopedia of Natural Resources, this new edition demonstrates the major challenges that the society is facing for the sustainability of all wellbeing on planet Earth. The experience, evidence, methods, and models used in studying natural resources are presented in six stand-alone volumes, arranged along the main systems: land, water, and air. It reviews state-of-the-art knowledge, highlights advances made in different areas, and provides guidance for the appropriate use of remote sensing data in the study of natural resources on a global scale. The six volumes in this set cover: Terrestrial Ecosystems and Biodiversity; Landscape and Land Capacity; Wetlands and Habitats; Fresh Water and Watersheds; Coastal and Marine Environments; and finally Atmosphere and Climate. Written in an easy-to-reference manner, the Handbook of Natural Resources, Second Edition, as a complete set, is essential for anyone looking for a deeper understanding of the science and management of natural resources. Public and private libraries, educational and research institutions, scientists, scholars, and resource managers will benefit enormously from this set. Individual volumes and chapters can also be used in a wide variety of both graduate and undergraduate courses in environmental science and natural science courses at different levels and disciplines, such as biology, geography, Earth system science, ecology, etc.
An evolving, living organic/inorganic covering, soil is in dynamic equilibrium with the atmosphere above, the biosphere within, and the geology below. It acts as an anchor for roots, a purveyor of water and nutrients, a residence for a vast community of microorganisms and animals, a sanitizer of the environment, and a source of raw materials for co
Bringing together a wealth of knowledge, the Handbook of Environmental Management, Second Edition, gives a comprehensive overview of environmental problems, their sources, their assessment, and their solutions. Through in-depth entries, and a topical table of contents, readers will quickly find answers to questions about pollution and management issues. This six-volume set is a reimagining of the award-winning Encyclopedia of Environmental Management, published in 2013, and features insights from more than 500 contributors, all experts in their fields. The experience, evidence, methods, and models used in studying environmental management is presented here in six stand-alone volumes, arranged along the major environmental systems. Features of the new edition: The first handbook that demonstrates the key processes and provisions for enhancing environmental management. Addresses new and cutting -edge topics on ecosystem services, resilience, sustainability, food-energy-water nexus, socio-ecological systems and more. Provides an excellent basic knowledge on environmental systems, explains how these systems function and offers strategies on how to best manage them. Includes the most important problems and solutions facing environmental management today.
Unsaturated soil mechanics is now increasingly recognized as an integral part of mainstream soil mechanics, and the importance and relevance of unsaturated soil mechanics for the broad field of geotechnical engineering no longer needs to be emphasized. The two volumes making up Unsaturated soils include papers from the 4th Asia Pacific Confere
PRINT/ONLINE PRICING OPTIONS AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST AT [email protected] Containing case studies that complement material presented in the text, the vast range of this definitive Encyclopediaencompasses animal physiology, animal growth and development, animal behavior, animal reproduction and breeding, alternative approaches to animal maintenance, meat science and muscle biology, farmed animal welfare and bioethics, and food safety. With contributions from top researchers in their discipline, the book addresses new research and advancements in this burgeoning field and provides quick and reader-friendly descriptions of technologies critical to professionals in animal and food science, food production and processing, livestock management, and nutrition.
Principles and farm-tested practices for no-till market gardening--for healthier, more productive soil! From the host of the popular The No-Till Market Garden Podcast—heard around the world with nearly one million downloads! Discovering how to meet the soil’s needs is the key task for every market gardener. In this comprehensive guide, Farmer Jesse Frost shares all he has learned through experience and experimentation with no-till practices on his home farm in Kentucky and from interviews and visits with highly successful market gardeners in his role as host of The No-Till Market Garden Podcast. The Living Soil Handbook is centered around the three basic principles of no-till market gardening: Disturb the soil as little as possible Keep it covered as much as possible Keep it planted as much as possible. Farmer Jesse then guides readers in applying those principles to their own garden environment, with their own materials, to meet their own goals. Beginning with an exploration of the importance of photosynthesis to living soil, Jesse provides in-depth information on: Turning over beds Using compost and mulch Path management Incorporating biology, maintaining fertility Cover cropping Diversifying plantings through intercropping Production methods for seven major crops Throughout, the book emphasizes practical information on all the best tools and practices for growers who want to build their livelihood around maximizing the health of their soil. Farmer Jesse reminds growers that “as possible” is the mantra for protecting the living soil: disturb the soil as little as you possibly can in your context. He does not believe that growers should anguish over what does and does not qualify as “no-till.” If you are using a tool to promote soil life and biology, that’s the goal. Jesse’s goal with The Living Soil Handbook is to provide a comprehensive set of options, materials, and field-tested practices to inspire growers to design a soil-nurturing no-till system in their unique garden or farm ecosystem. "[A] practical, informative debut. . . .Gardeners interested in sustainable agriculture will find this a great place to start."—Publishers Weekly "Frost offers a comprehensive, science-based, sympathetic, wholly practical guide to soil building, that most critical factor in vegetable gardening for market growers and home gardeners alike. A gift to any vegetable plot that will keep on giving."—Booklist (starred review)
Following on from the first two volumes, published in 2002, volumes 3 and 4 of Characterisation and Engineering Properties of Natural Soils review laboratory testing, in-situ testing, and methods of characterising natural soil variability, illustrated by actual site data. Less well-documented soil types are highlighted and the various papers take i
