Caatinga

Caatinga

Author: José Maria Cardoso da Silva

Publisher: Springer

Published: 2018-01-09

Total Pages: 487

ISBN-13: 331968339X

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This book provides in-depth information on Caatinga’s geographical boundaries and ecological systems, including plants, insects, fishes, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals. It also discusses the major threats to the region’s socio-ecological systems and includes chapters on climate change and fast and large-scale land-use changes, as well as slow and small-scale changes, also known as chronic human disturbances. Subsequent chapters address sustainable agriculture, conservation systems, and sustainable development. Lastly, the book proposes 10 major actions that could enable the transformation of Caatinga into a place where people and nature can thrive together. “I consider this book an excellent example of how scientists worldwide can mobilize their efforts to propose sound solutions for one of the biggest challenges of modern times, i.e., how to protect the world’s natural ecosystems while improving human well-being. I am sure this book will inspire more research and conservation action in the region and perhaps encourage other groups of scientists to produce similar syntheses about their regions.” Russell Mittermeier, Ph.D. Executive Vice-Chair, Conservation International


Neotropical Diversification: Patterns and Processes

Neotropical Diversification: Patterns and Processes

Author: Valentí Rull

Publisher: Springer Nature

Published: 2020-03-30

Total Pages: 816

ISBN-13: 3030311678

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This book provides a comprehensive overview of the patterns of biodiversity in various neotropical ecosystems, as well as a discussion on their historical biogeographies and underlying diversification processes. All chapters were written by prominent researchers in the fields of tropical biology, molecular ecology, climatology, paleoecology, and geography, producing an outstanding collection of essays, synthetic analyses, and novel investigations that describe and improve our understanding of the biodiversity of this unique region. With chapters on the Amazon and Caribbean forests, the Atlantic rainforests, the Andes, the Cerrado savannahs, the Caatinga drylands, the Chaco, and Mesoamerica – along with broad taxonomic coverage – this book summarizes a wide range of hypotheses, views, and methods concerning the processes and mechanisms of neotropical diversification. The range of perspectives presented makes the book a truly comprehensive, state-of-the-art publication on the topic, which will fascinate both scientists and general readers alike.


The Sipuncula

The Sipuncula

Author: Edward B. Cutler

Publisher: Cornell University Press

Published: 2018-10-18

Total Pages: 474

ISBN-13: 1501723642

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The Sipuncula, a group of ocean-dwelling worms related to annelids and mollusks, play a significant role in the bioerosion of coral reefs and are useful indicators of environmental conditions. The 155 species live in a wide variety of marine habitats at all depths, in sand and mud, in burrows in soft rock and dead coral, and inside such protective shelters as mollusk shells. Important food items for fish and invertebrate predators, they also recycle organic wastes and function as bioassay tools for human diseases such as cystic fibrosis and acute cholera. Edward B. Cutler brings together in this volume everything that is known about the entire phylum. An introduction, with practical information about collecting and handling the animals, is followed by Part One, which incorporates new systematic analyses made during the past twenty years and offers illustrated keys to all taxa, replacing the work of A.C. Stephen and S.J. Edmonds. Part Two reviews the past thirty years' work in such areas as ecology, muscular sysetms, blood chemistry, respiration, reproduction, and excretion. Part Three provides a new synthetic perspective on the phylum's zoogeography and evolutionary relationships, both to other phyla and within the phylum. It utilizes information from the fossil record, paleo-oceanographic data, and comparative studies of immunology, physiology, embryology, and anatomy.


Snakes of the World

Snakes of the World

Author: Van Wallach

Publisher: CRC Press

Published: 2014-04-22

Total Pages: 1260

ISBN-13: 1482208474

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Snakes of the World: A Catalogue of Living and Extinct Species—the first catalogue of its kind—covers all living and fossil snakes described between 1758 and 2012, comprising 3,509 living and 274 extinct species allocated to 539 living and 112 extinct genera. Also included are 54 genera and 302 species that are dubious or invalid, resulting in recognition of 705 genera and 4,085 species. Features: Alphabetical listings by genus and species Individual accounts for each genus and species Detailed data on type specimens and type localities All subspecies, synonyms, and proposed snake names Distribution of species by country, province, and elevation Distribution of fossils by country and geological periods Major taxonomic references for each genus and species Appendix with major references for each country Complete bibliography of all references cited in text and appendix Index of 12,500 primary snake names The data on type specimens includes museum and catalog number, length and sex, and collector and date. The listed type localities include restrictions and corrections. The bibliography provides complete citations of all references cited in the text and appendix, and taxonomic comments are given in the remarks sections. This standard reference supplies a scientific, academic, and professional treatment of snakes—appealing to conservationists and herpetologists as well as zoologists, naturalists, hobbyists, researchers, and teachers.


An Inventory of Brazilian Wetlands

An Inventory of Brazilian Wetlands

Author: Antônio Carlos Sant'Ana Diegues

Publisher: IUCN

Published: 1994

Total Pages: 232

ISBN-13: 9782831702179

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Introduction to wetlands of Brazil; Brazilian wetlands: natural wetlands, man-made wetlands, protected areas, environmental legislation, wetlands administration; The inventory; Amazon basin; Tocantins-Araguaia basin; Sao Francisco river basin; Plantina basin; Uruguay river basin; Parana river basin; Paraguay river basin; Pantanais Mato-Grossense; Pantanal Mato-Grossense National Park; Cara-Cara Federal Biological Reserve; Taiama (or Taima) Ecological Station; Summary of the socio-economic and environmental situation of the Paraguay basin; Northeast Basin; East basin; Southeastern-southern basin.


Nightjars and Their Allies

Nightjars and Their Allies

Author: D.T. Holyoak

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Published: 2001-07-19

Total Pages: 864

ISBN-13: 9780198549871

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"All the species are illustrated in 23 colour plates painted by Martin Woodcock. He has also contributed text drawings that illustrate behaviour and other features."--BOOK JACKET.


Soil Biodiversity in Amazonian and Other Brazilian Ecosystems

Soil Biodiversity in Amazonian and Other Brazilian Ecosystems

Author: F. M. S. Moreira

Publisher: CABI

Published: 2006

Total Pages: 296

ISBN-13: 1845930347

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The loss of biological diversity has become an increased concern over recent years and is now enshrined in international conventions. Most biodiversity in fact occurs in the soil. Soil organisms (especially bacteria, fungi and soil invertebrates) play a major role in the formation of soil structure and are primary agents of decomposition and are drivers of nutrient cycling, and hence agricultural production.This book reviews soil biodiversity in one of the key biodiversity hotspots of the world, i.e. the Amazon and nearby regions of Brazil. It covers both the tropical savannah and rain forests . The work reported is based on a project "Conservation and Sustainable Management of Below-Ground Biodiversity", executed by TSBF-CIAT with co-financing from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and implementation support from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). The book represents a major contribution to the literature and will interest those in biodiversity conservation, soil scienceand ecology and biodiversity conservation.


Convergent Evolution

Convergent Evolution

Author: Vincent L. Bels

Publisher: Springer Nature

Published: 2023-03-01

Total Pages: 594

ISBN-13: 3031114418

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This volume presents a series of case studies, at different levels of inclusivity, of how organisms exhibit functional convergence as a key evolutionary mechanism resulting in responses to similar environmental constraints in mechanically similar ways. The contributors to this volume have selected and documented cases of convergent evolution of form and function that are perceived to be driven by environmental abiotic and/or biotic challenges that fall within their areas of expertise. Collectively these chapters explore this phenomenon across a broad phylogenetic spectrum. The sequence of chapters follows the organizational principle of increasing phylogenetic inclusivity, rather than the clustering of chapters by perceived similarity of the phenotypic features or biomechanical challenges being considered. This is done to maintain focus on the evolutionary phenomenon that is the primary subject matter of the book, thereby providing a basis for discussion among the readership about what is necessary and sufficient to justify the recognition of functional convergence. All chapters stress the need for integrative approaches for the elucidation of both pattern and process as they relate to convergence at various taxonomic levels.


A Handbook of Tropical Soil Biology

A Handbook of Tropical Soil Biology

Author: Fatima M. S. Moreira

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2012-05-04

Total Pages: 258

ISBN-13: 1136573097

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This practical handbook describes sampling and laboratory assessment methods for the biodiversity of a number of key functional groups of soil organisms, including insects, earthworms, nematodes, fungi and bacteria. The methods have been assembled and the protocols drafted by a number of scientists associated with the UNEP-GEF funded Conservation and Sustainable Management of Below-Ground Biodiversity Project, executed by the Tropical Soil Biology and Fertility (TSBF) Institute of the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT). The methods provide a standardized basis for characterizing soil biodiversity and current land uses in terrestrial natural, semi-natural and agroecosystems in tropical forests and at forest margins. The aim is to assess soil biodiversity against current and historic land use practices both at plot and landscape scales and, further, to identify opportunities for improved sustainable land management through the introduction, management or remediation of soil biota, thus reducing the need for external inputs such as fertilizers and pesticides. The book also contains extensive advice on the handling of specimens and the allocation of organisms to strain or functional group type. Published with TSBF-CIAT, CTA, UNEP and GEF