- Table View
- List View
Biodiversity Hotspot of the Himalaya (Biodiversity Hotspots of the World)
by T. PullaiahBiodiversity is declining at an alarming rate due to anthropogenic activities around the world. This book is the second volume in the new series Biodiversity Hotspots of the World, which highlights the 36 hotspot regions of the world, regions that have been designated as reaping maximum benefit from preservation efforts. This series is our humble attempt to document these hotspots as a conservation and preservation measure.The concise volumes in this series focus on the most interesting and important properties of these hotspots, covering physiography and climatology; vegetation and forest types; amphibian and reptile biodiversity; genetic diversity of crops, plants, fishes, butterflies, insects, birds, mammals, angiosperms, and gymnosperms; and much more. And of course, the unique threats and conservation efforts for the areas are addressed as well.The Himalayan Mountains are the highest mountain range in the world and include Mount Everest as well as eight other highest peaks of the world. While it is difficult to document the biodiversity of this inhospitable terrain, we do know that out of the 9,000 different species of plants recorded in the area, 3,500 plants are endemic to the Eastern Himalaya region. Anthropogenic activities including deforestation, fragmentation of habitats, pollution, high population, climate change, and poaching of wildlife pose serious threats to the biodiversity of the region. The highlands have exceptionally rich biodiversity, high endemism, and over 160 globally threatened species, including the densest population of Bengal tigers and the three largest herbivores on the continent: the Asian elephant, greater one-horned rhinoceros, and wild water buffalo. The region boasts the world’s richest counts of alpine flora within its temperate broad-leaved forests, with a total of 10,000 species of plants.This volume, Biodiversity Hotspot of the Himalayas, as well as the other volumes in this series, will be essential resources for researchers and practitioners in the fields of conservation biology, ecology, and evolution as the series concisely records the existing biodiversity of these hotspots of the world.
Biodiversity Hotspot of the Himalaya (Biodiversity Hotspots of the World)
Biodiversity is declining at an alarming rate due to anthropogenic activities around the world. This book is the second volume in the new series Biodiversity Hotspots of the World, which highlights the 36 hotspot regions of the world, regions that have been designated as reaping maximum benefit from preservation efforts. This series is our humble attempt to document these hotspots as a conservation and preservation measure.The concise volumes in this series focus on the most interesting and important properties of these hotspots, covering physiography and climatology; vegetation and forest types; amphibian and reptile biodiversity; genetic diversity of crops, plants, fishes, butterflies, insects, birds, mammals, angiosperms, and gymnosperms; and much more. And of course, the unique threats and conservation efforts for the areas are addressed as well.The Himalayan Mountains are the highest mountain range in the world and include Mount Everest as well as eight other highest peaks of the world. While it is difficult to document the biodiversity of this inhospitable terrain, we do know that out of the 9,000 different species of plants recorded in the area, 3,500 plants are endemic to the Eastern Himalaya region. Anthropogenic activities including deforestation, fragmentation of habitats, pollution, high population, climate change, and poaching of wildlife pose serious threats to the biodiversity of the region. The highlands have exceptionally rich biodiversity, high endemism, and over 160 globally threatened species, including the densest population of Bengal tigers and the three largest herbivores on the continent: the Asian elephant, greater one-horned rhinoceros, and wild water buffalo. The region boasts the world’s richest counts of alpine flora within its temperate broad-leaved forests, with a total of 10,000 species of plants.This volume, Biodiversity Hotspot of the Himalayas, as well as the other volumes in this series, will be essential resources for researchers and practitioners in the fields of conservation biology, ecology, and evolution as the series concisely records the existing biodiversity of these hotspots of the world.
Multi-Stakeholder Contribution in Asian Environmental Communication (Routledge Studies in Environmental Communication and Media)
Multi-Stakeholder Contribution in Asian Environmental Communication focuses on how diverse actors can come together to promote sustainable environmental practices.Bringing together 25 environmental communication scholars and practitioners across 15 innovative chapters, this book explores the dynamic roles of stakeholders – ranging from governmental bodies and non-profit organisations to local communities and industry players – involved in advancing environmental communication across the Asian continent. Drawing on a rich tapestry of case studies and interdisciplinary perspectives, the book sheds light on the interplay of religious, cultural, political, and economic factors that shape environmental communication strategies and public perception in Malaysia, Indonesia, Bangladesh, China, Thailand, Iran, Japan, and Pakistan. It probes into contemporary issues such as Islamic environmental communication, gender roles, social media, political communication, the role of games and gaming companies, as well as the portrayal of ecological messages in film. Overall, this book aims to bridge the gap between theory and practice and will make a significant contribution to the growing literature on multi-stakeholder contribution in environmental communication, particularly in the Asian context.This volume will be of great interest to practitioners, policymakers, and researchers working in the field of environmental communication.
Multi-Stakeholder Contribution in Asian Environmental Communication (Routledge Studies in Environmental Communication and Media)
by Huang Miao Mohamad Saifudin Mohamad Saleh Shaidatul Akma Adi KasumaMulti-Stakeholder Contribution in Asian Environmental Communication focuses on how diverse actors can come together to promote sustainable environmental practices.Bringing together 25 environmental communication scholars and practitioners across 15 innovative chapters, this book explores the dynamic roles of stakeholders – ranging from governmental bodies and non-profit organisations to local communities and industry players – involved in advancing environmental communication across the Asian continent. Drawing on a rich tapestry of case studies and interdisciplinary perspectives, the book sheds light on the interplay of religious, cultural, political, and economic factors that shape environmental communication strategies and public perception in Malaysia, Indonesia, Bangladesh, China, Thailand, Iran, Japan, and Pakistan. It probes into contemporary issues such as Islamic environmental communication, gender roles, social media, political communication, the role of games and gaming companies, as well as the portrayal of ecological messages in film. Overall, this book aims to bridge the gap between theory and practice and will make a significant contribution to the growing literature on multi-stakeholder contribution in environmental communication, particularly in the Asian context.This volume will be of great interest to practitioners, policymakers, and researchers working in the field of environmental communication.
Everyday Agri-Environmental Governance: The Emergence of Sustainability through Assemblage Thinking (Routledge Focus on Environment and Sustainability)
by Jérémie Forney Dana Bentia Angga DwiartamaRevitalising the way the social sciences question agri-environmental governance, this book introduces "the everyday governance approach" as a means to improving the sustainability of agriculture and food systems.The "everyday" refers to localised practices, specific networks, and practical norms that emerge in a process of interaction, translation, and reinterpretation. The authors build this approach on assemblage thinking and theory, which focuses on the collective production of the social through complex sets of connections. For this reason, assemblage thinking becomes a particularly productive guide in exploring how everyday governance is co-produced in the interaction between numerous social processes involving a diversity of actors and instruments. The authors navigate between original and contrasting case studies from Switzerland, Indonesia, and the European Union in order to reorient attention to the transformative nature of governance, which they locate along four different dimensions of the everyday: (1) the interdependence of instruments within a wider governance assemblage; (2) the uncertainty and unpredictability of effects in agri-environmental governance; (3) the distributed nature of agency and its implication for power relations; (4) the importance of capacities in the transformation of agri-food systems. This book calls for a redesigning of agri-environmental governance that should move away from the setting of fix and precise objectives and solutions, and rather aim for a consolidation of sound foundations on which desirable futures can emerge.The book will be an essential read for students and scholars interested in sustainable agriculture and food systems, governance modes and approaches, and sustainability more broadly.
Everyday Agri-Environmental Governance: The Emergence of Sustainability through Assemblage Thinking (Routledge Focus on Environment and Sustainability)
by Jérémie Forney Dana Bentia Angga DwiartamaRevitalising the way the social sciences question agri-environmental governance, this book introduces "the everyday governance approach" as a means to improving the sustainability of agriculture and food systems.The "everyday" refers to localised practices, specific networks, and practical norms that emerge in a process of interaction, translation, and reinterpretation. The authors build this approach on assemblage thinking and theory, which focuses on the collective production of the social through complex sets of connections. For this reason, assemblage thinking becomes a particularly productive guide in exploring how everyday governance is co-produced in the interaction between numerous social processes involving a diversity of actors and instruments. The authors navigate between original and contrasting case studies from Switzerland, Indonesia, and the European Union in order to reorient attention to the transformative nature of governance, which they locate along four different dimensions of the everyday: (1) the interdependence of instruments within a wider governance assemblage; (2) the uncertainty and unpredictability of effects in agri-environmental governance; (3) the distributed nature of agency and its implication for power relations; (4) the importance of capacities in the transformation of agri-food systems. This book calls for a redesigning of agri-environmental governance that should move away from the setting of fix and precise objectives and solutions, and rather aim for a consolidation of sound foundations on which desirable futures can emerge.The book will be an essential read for students and scholars interested in sustainable agriculture and food systems, governance modes and approaches, and sustainability more broadly.
Cloudspotting For Beginners
by Gavin Pretor-PinneyAn introduction to the wondrous world of clouds, by the internationally bestselling founder of the Cloud Appreciation Society and a prize-winning children's book author and illustratorHave you ever watched a cloud being born?Clouds come in all manner of shapes and sizes, from low-lying Stratus to high-flying Cirrus via roll clouds, banner clouds and tornados. This beautifully illustrated guide reveals the facts, secrets and stories of all the major cloud types, and how they shape the weather around them. We learn their fancy Latin names, explore the parts of the sky where they like to hang out, marvel at the ways they play with sunlight – and even visit them on other planets, where they are sometimes made of acid.Cloudspotting for Beginners will inspire curious minds with a lifelong sense of meteorological wonder.
Was Beethoven a Birdwatcher?: A Bird's Eye History of the World
by David TurnerThis humorous and insightful guide delves into literature, science, religion, fine art and popular culture to reveal how a bird can be far more than the sum of its parts. Worshipped as gods and damned as agents of the Devil, birds have fostered scientific breakthroughs and even helped incite a war. This is full of brilliant curios.
The Great Family of Life: Rethinking the place of Homo sapiens in the Biosphere
by David Rodríguez-RodríguezThis book explains the causes, consequences and desirable solutions to the unbalanced and unfair relationship between Homo sapiens and the other species that inhabit Planet Earth in a succinct, enjoyable and thought-provoking way. Major sociological, economic, political, educational, religious and phylosophical perspectives are reviewed in order to understand why we have reached the current alarming status of global biodiversity during the Anthropocene, and how we can react to it to attain not just human welfare, but global happiness. The target audience is wide, from the general public interested in the deep inner causes of environmental degradation, to college and university students and lecturers, notably in the fields of environmental ethics, environmental philosophy, environmental law and environmental politics.
Yellowstone's Destabilized Ecosystem: Elk Effects, Science, and Policy Conflict
by Frederic H. WagnerWagner, one of our most distinguished wildlife biologists, is a strong critic of ecological practices in the national parks. This book provides an assessment of the ecological history of Yellowstone's northern range, since before the park existed, showing the impact of US Park Service policies on the health of the areas they oversee. He demonstrates that elk had been historically rare throughout the region and that overgrazing by elk has seriously degraded the landscape and altered the structure of the area. This is a major contribution to reconstructing the ecology of this region over the course of the past 500 years. It is also a critique of US Park Service management policies and their stewardship of the nation's most cherished natural areas. Wagner's book will generate substantial attention and debate both in the scientific and policy/management communities.
Labeling Genetically Modified Food: The Philosophical and Legal Debate
by Paul WeirichFood products with genetically modified (GM) ingredients are common, yet many consumers are unaware of this. When polled, consumers say that they want to know whether their food contains GM ingredients, just as many want to know whether their food is natural or organic. Informing consumers is a major motivation for labeling. But labeling need not be mandatory. Consumers who want GM-free products will pay a premium to support voluntary labeling. Why do consumers want to know about GM ingredients? GM foods are tested to ensure safety and have been on the market for more than a decade. Still, many consumers, including some with food allergies, want to be cautious. Also, GM crops may affect neighboring plants through pollen drift. Despite tests for environmental impact, some consumers may worry that GM crops will adversely effect the environment. The study of risk and its management raises questions not settled by the life sciences alone. This book surveys various labeling policies and the cases for them. It is the first comprehensive, interdisciplinary treatment of the debate about labeling genetically modified food. The contributors include philosophers, bioethicists, food and agricultural scientists, attorneys/legal scholars, and economists.
Climate Governance at the Crossroads: Experimenting with a Global Response after Kyoto
by Matthew J HoffmannThe global response to climate change has reached a critical juncture. Since the 1992 signing of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the nations of the world have attempted to address climate change through large-scale multilateral treaty-making. These efforts have been heroic, but disappointing. As evidence for the quickening pace of climate change mounts, the treaty-making process has sputtered, and many are now skeptical about the prospect of an effective global response. Yet global treaty-making is not the only way that climate change can be addressed or, indeed, is being addressed. In the last decade myriad initiatives have emerged across the globe independently from, or only loosely connected to, the "official" UN-sponsored negotiations and treaties. In the face of stalemate in the formal negotiations, the world is experimenting with alternate means of responding to climate change. Climate Governance at the Crossroads chronicles these innovations--how cities, provinces and states, citizen groups, and corporations around the globe are addressing the causes and symptoms of global warming. The center of gravity in the global response to climate change is shifting from the multilateral treaty-making process to the diverse activities found beyond the negotiating halls. These innovations are pushing the envelope of climate action and demonstrating what is possible, and they provide hope that the world will respond effectively to the climate crisis. In introducing climate governance "experiments" and examining the development and functioning of this new world of climate policy-making, this book provides an exciting new perspective on the politics of climate change and the means to understand and influence how the global response to climate change will unfold in the coming years.
Agrometeorological Applications for Climate Resilient Agriculture
by S. D. Attri Nabansu Chattopadhyay Robert Stefanski Laxman Singh RathoreThis book offers perspectives on more productive, sustainable and resilient modes of agriculture. The chapters highlight successful, evidence-based local and regional practices across the globe that are resulting in more sustainable and viable methods of farming, particularly important within the context of weather variability and climate change. The efficient use of weather and climate services for agricultural applications are fundamental to these efforts. In the past, weather and climate services have not been used to their fullest potential for developing sustainable agriculture. But now more than ever, as this book documents, agrometeorology is an essential tool for current and future food production and security around the world. This book offers strategic recommendations for strengthening the role and availability of agrometeorological services around the globe.