Böcker utgivna av Island Press

Presents an overview of the silicon cycle and issues associated with it. This book summarizes the major outcomes of the project Land-Ocean Interactions: Silica Cycle, initiated by the Scientific Community on Problems of the Environment (SCOPE) of the International Council of Scientific Unions (ICSU).

Today, there is a growing demand for designed landscapes-from public parks to backyards-to be not only beautiful and functional, but also sustainable. Sustainability means more than just saving energy and resources. It requires integrating the landscapes we design with ecological systems. With Principles of Ecological Landscape Design, Travis Beck gives professionals and students the first book to translate the science of ecology into design practice. This groundbreaking work explains key ecological concepts and their application to the design and management of sustainable landscapes. It covers biogeography and plant selection, assembling plant communities, competition and coexistence, designing ecosystems, materials cycling and soil ecology, plant-animal interactions, biodiversity and stability, disturbance and succession, landscape ecology, and global change. Beck draws on real world cases where professionals have put ecological principles to use in the built landscape. The demand for this information is rising as professional associations like the American Society of Landscape Architects adopt new sustainability guidelines (SITES). But the need goes beyond certifications and rules. For constructed landscapes to perform as we need them to, we must get their underlying ecology right. Principles of Ecological Landscape Design provides the tools to do just that.

Bridges the gap between those scientists who study landscapes and the planners and conservationists who must then decide how best to preserve and build environmentally-sound habitats. The authors explain specific tools and concepts to measure a landscape's structure, form, and change over time.

Is it possible for a group of the world's most respected environmental scientists to truly practice what they preach? This title tells a story that is suitable for those who has ever thought about doing a 'green' rehab, has tried to build green, or just wonders what's actually possible.

Each day, headlines warn that baby bottles are leaching dangerous chemicals, nonstick pans are causing infertility, and plastic containers are making us fat. What if rather than toxics, our economy ran on harmless, environmentally-friendly materials? This title tackles the hazards of ordinary consumer products.

Anyone working in biodiversity conservation or field ecology should understand and utilize the common-sense process of scientific inquiry: observing surroundings, framing questions, answering those questions through well-designed studies, and, in many cases, applying results to decision making. Yet the interdisciplinary nature of conservation means many workers are not well versed in the methods of science and may misunderstand or mistrust this indispensable tool.Designing Field Studies for Biodiversity Conservation addresses that problem by offering a comprehensible, practical guide to using scientific inquiry in conservation work. In an engaging and accessible style, award-winning tropical ecologist and teacher Peter Feinsinger melds concepts, methods, and intellectual tools into a unique approach to answering environmental questions through field studies. Focusing on the fundamentals of common sense, independthinking, and natural history, he considers: framing the question and designing the study; interpreting and applying results; taking natural history into account; monitoring and assessing progress through approaches such as "e;bioindicator species"e; or "e;species diversity measures"e;; and helping other interested parties use scientific inquiry in addressing their own concerns. Throughout, the author challenges the reader to integrate conceptual thinking with on-the-ground practice in order to make conservation truly effective. Feinsinger concentrates on examples from Latin America but his approach applies to local conservation concerns or field biology questions in any landscape.Designing Field Studies for Biodiversity Conservation is an essential handbook for staff and researchers working with conservation institutions or projects worldwide, as well as for students and professionals in field ecology, wildlife biology, and related areas.

Nearly half the buildings that will be standing in 2030 do not exist today. That means we have a tremendous opportunity to reinvent our urban areas, making them more sustainable and livable for future generations. This book providing statistics about changes in population, jobs, housing, non-residential space, and other key factors.

Climate change is a global problem, but the problem begins locally. Cities consume 75% of the world's energy and emit 80% of the world's greenhouse gases. Changing the way we build and operate our cities can have major effects on greenhouse gas emissions. Fortunately, communities across the U.S. are responding to the climate change problem by making plans that assess their contribution to greenhouse gas emissions and specify actions they will take to reduce these emissions.This is the first book designed to help planners, municipal staff and officials, citizens and others working at local levels to develop Climate Action Plans. CAPs are strategic plans that establish policies and programs for mitigating a community's greenhouse gas (GHGs) emissions. They typically focus on transportation, energy use, and solid waste, and often differentiate between community-wide actions and municipal agency actions. CAPs are usually based on GHG emissions inventories, which indentify the sources of emissions from the community and quantify the amounts. Additionally, many CAPs include a section addressing adaptation-how the community will respond to the impacts of climate change on the community, such as increased flooding, extended drought, or sea level rise.With examples drawn from actual plans, Local Climate Action Planning guides preparers of CAPs through the entire plan developmprocess, identifying the key considerations and choices that must be made in order to assure that a plan is both workable and effective.

The environment that we construct affects both humans and our natural world in myriad ways. This title presents a diagnosis of - and offers treatment for - problems related to the built environment. Drawing on the scientific evidence, it imparts practical information, with an emphasis on demonstrated and promising solutions to the problems.

Presents a history of the field of ecological restoration as it has developed over the three decades. This title explores the development of the field and its importance to environmental management as well as to the larger environmental movement and our understanding of the world.

Examines past experience and future directions in the management of so-called 'wicked' environmental problems - those characterized by large-scale, long-term policy dilemmas and contentious political stalemates. This title offers approaches for managing environmental conflicts and shows how managers could apply these approaches.

Public transit is a tool for addressing a huge range of urban problems, including traffic congestion and economic development as well as climate change. This title supplies the basic tools, the critical questions, and the means to make smarter decisions about designing and implementing transit services.

There's a simple, straightforward way to cut carbon emissions - and we're rejecting it because of irrational political fears. This title weighs the merits of the four major approaches to curbing CO2: cap-and-trade; command and control regulation; government subsidies of alternative energy; and, carbon taxes.

Australia is similar to the United States in many ways, especially in its 'energy footprint.' This book looks at how 'green' solutions in Australia can benefit US cities. It describes 'green transport' projects, 'city farms,' renewable energy plans, green living programs, and more. It considers a host of public policy initiatives.

Restoration ecology is a field that integrates theory and knowledge from a range of disciplines, including the biological, physical, and social sciences as well as the humanities. This book offers a real-life introduction to the field and an interdisciplinary overview of the theory behind it.

Illustrating how architects and designers can use simple methods to address our innate needs for contact with nature. this book is an examination of how the inter-relationship between nature, architecture, and design is essential to human well-being. The author examines the inter-connectedness of people and nature.

The movemtoward creating more sustainable communities has been growing for decades, and in recyears has gained new prominence with the increasing visibility of planning approaches such as the New Urbanism. Yet there are few examples of successful and time-tested sustainable communities.Village Homes outside of Davis, California offers one such example. Built between 1975 and 1981 on 60 acres of land, it offers unique features including extensive common areas and green space; community gardens, orchards, and vineyards; narrow streets; pedestrian and bike paths; solar homes; and an innovative ecological drainage system. Authors Judy and Michael Corbett were intimately involved with the design, development, and building of Village Homes, and have resided there since 1977.In Designing Sustainable Communities, they examine the history of the sustainable community movemand discuss how Village Homes fits into the context of that movement. They offer an inside look at the developmof the project from start to finish, describing how the project came about, obstacles that needed to be overcome, design approaches they took, problems that were encountered and how those problems were solved, and changes that have occurred over the years. In addition, they compare Village Homes with other communities and developments across the country, and discuss the future prospects for the continued growth of the sustainable communities movement.The book offers detailed information on a holistic approach to designing and building successful communities. It represents an invaluable guide for professionals and students involved with planning, architecture, development, and landscape architecture, and for anyone interested increating more sustainable communities.

Citizens expect their governments to lead on sustainability. But from largely disappointing international conferences like Rio II to the U.S.'s failure to pass meaningful climate legislation, governments' progress has been lackluster. That's not to say leadership is absent; it just often comes from the bottom up rather than the top down. Action-on climate, species loss, inequity, and other sustainability crises-is being driven by local, people's, women's, and grassroots movements around the world, often in opposition to the agendas pursued by governments and big corporations.These diverse efforts are the subject of the latest volume in the Worldwatch Institute's highly regarded State of the World series. The 2014 edition, marking the Institute's 40th anniversary, examines both barriers to responsible political and economic governance as well as gridlock-shattering new ideas. The authors analyze a variety of trends and proposals, including regional and local climate initiatives, the rise of benefit corporations and worker-owned firms, the need for energy democracy, the Internet's impact on sustainability, and the importance of eco-literacy. A consistthread throughout the book is that informed and engaged citizens are key to better governance.The book is a clear-eyed yet ultimately optimistic assessmof citizens' ability to govern for sustainability. By highlighting both obstacles and opportunities, State of the World 2014 shows how to effect change within and beyond the halls of government. This volume will be especially useful for policymakers, environmental nonprofits, students of environmental studies, sustainability, or economics-and citizens looking to jumpstart significant change around the world.

Includes examples of sustainability that show how other cities can become greener and more livable. This title illustrates practices in urban planning.

It's a tough time to be a scientist: universities are shuttering science departments, federal funding agencies are facing flat budgets, and many newspapers have dropped their science sections altogether. But according to Marc Kuchner, this antiscience climate doesn't have to equal a career death knell-it just means scientists have to be savvier about promoting their work and themselves. In Marketing for Scientists, he provides clear, detailed advice about how to land a good job, win funding, and shape the public debate.As an astrophysicist at NASA, Kuchner knows that "e;marketing"e; can seem like a superficial distraction, whether your daily work is searching for new planets or seeking a cure for cancer. In fact, he argues, it's a critical componof the modern scientific endeavor, not only advancing personal careers but also society's knowledge.Kuchner approaches marketing as a science in itself. He translates theories about human interaction and sense of self into methods for building relationships-one of the mcritical skills in any profession. And he explains how to brand yourself effectively-how to get articles published, give compelling presentations, use social media like Facebook and Twitter, and impress potential employers and funders.Like any good scientist, Kuchner bases his conclusions on years of study and experimentation. In Marketing for Scientists, he distills the strategies needed to keep pace in a Web 2.0 world.

Outlines a tested interdisciplinary 'process model' for urban design. This title explains how to design a specific city precinct or public space, but to describe useful steps to approach the transformation of urban spaces. It illustrates the different stages in which the process is organized, using theories, techniques, images, and case studies.

Offers a challenge to students and professionals in urban planning, design, and policy to change the rules of city-building, using regulations to reinvigorate, rather than stifle, our communities. This title demonstrates that rules like zoning and subdivision regulation are primary determinants of urban form.

Offers an analysis of agricultural development and transitions toward more sustainable management in one region. Suitable for researchers, policymakers, and students alike, this title examines approaches to make agricultural landscapes healthier for both the environment and people.

Animals such as wolves, sea otters, and sharks exert a disproportionate influence on their environment; dramatic ecological consequences can result when they are removed from-or returned to-an ecosystem.In The Wolf's Tooth, scientist and author Cristina Eisenberg explores the concept of "e;trophic cascades"e; and the role of top predators in regulating ecosystems. Her fascinating and wide-ranging work provides clear explanations of the science surrounding keystone predators and considers how this notion can help provide practical solutions for restoring ecosystem health and functioning.Eisenberg examines both general concepts and specific issues, sharing accounts from her own fieldwork to illustrate and bring to life the ideas she presents. She considers how resource managers can use knowledge about trophic cascades to guide recovery efforts, including how this science can be applied to move forward the bold vision of rewilding the North American continent. In the end, the author provides her own recommendations for local and landscape-scale applications of what has been learned about interactive food webs.At their mfundamental level, trophic cascades are powerful stories about ecosystem processes-of predators and their prey, of what it takes to survive in a landscape, of the flow of nutrients. The Wolf's Tooth is the first book to focus on the vital connection between trophic cascades and restoring biodiversity and habitats, and to do so in a way that is accessible to a diverse readership.

On her deathbed, Sue asked her sister for one thing: to write about the connection between the industrial pollution in their hometown and the rare cancer that was killing her. Fulfilling that promise has been Nancy Nichols' mission for more than a decade. This title tells the story of her investigation.

Though seasonally dry tropical forests are equally as important to global biodiversity as tropical rainforests, and are one of the mrepresentative and highly endangered ecosystems in Latin America, knowledge about them remains limited because of the relative paucity of attention paid to them by scientists and researchers and a lack of published information on the subject.Seasonally Dry Tropical Forests seeks to address this shortcoming by bringing together a range of experts in diverse fields including biology, ecology, biogeography, and biogeochemistry, to review, synthesize, and explain the currstate of our collective knowledge on the ecology and conservation of seasonally dry tropical forests.The book offers a synthetic and cross-disciplinary review of recwork with an expansive scope, including sections on distribution, diversity, ecosystem function, and human impacts. Throughout, contributors emphasize conservation issues, particularly emerging threats and promising solutions, with key chapters on climate change, fragmentation, restoration, ecosystem services, and sustainable use.Seasonally dry tropical forests are extremely rich in biodiversity, and are seriously threatened. They represscientific terrain that is poorly explored, and there is an urgneed for increased understanding of the system's basic ecology. Seasonally Dry Tropical Forests represents an important step in bringing together the mcurrscientific information about this vital ecosystem and disseminating it to the scientific and conservation communities.

David Orr has been one of the leading voices of the environmental movement, championing the cause of ecological literacy in higher education, helping to establish and shape the field of ecological design. This title brings together Professor Orr's most important works. It offers an introduction to the writings of David Orr.

Offers a road map for securing future energy supply while safeguarding wildlife. This title shows how science can help craft solutions to conflicts between wildlife and energy development by delineating core areas, identifying landscapes that support viable populations, and forecasting future development scenarios to aid in conservation design.