Ecosystem Function in Savannas

Ecosystem Function in Savannas PDF Author: Michael J. Hill
Publisher: CRC Press
ISBN: 9781439804711
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 624

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Book Description
Fascinating and diverse, savanna ecosystems support a combination of pastoral and agropastoral communities alongside wild and domestic herbivores that can be found nowhere else. This diversity has made the study of these areas problematic. Ecosystem Function in Savannas: Measurement and Modeling at Landscape to Global Scales addresses some of the discontinuities in the treatment of savannas by the scientific community and documents a range of measurements, methods, technologies, applications, and modeling approaches. Based on contributions from leading authorities and experts on savanna systems worldwide, the book describes the global savanna biome in terms of its broad ecological properties, temporal dynamics, disturbance levels, and human dimensions. The text examines carbon, water, energy, and trace gas fluxes for major global savanna regions. It looks at quantitative surface properties of savannas that can be retrieved using remote sensing and numerical approaches used to explore savanna dynamics. The authors also discuss how savanna modeling and measurement approaches might be unified. By presenting this confluence of information in a single resource, the book provides a platform for examining synergies, connections, integrative opportunities, and complementarities among approaches and data sources. This information can then be used to harmonize measurement and modeling methods among scales and across disciplinary boundaries. The book builds a bridge across the markedly different perspectives on savannas by which ecologists, biogeochemists, remote sensors, geographers, anthropologists, and modelers approach their science.

Ecosystem Function in Savannas

Ecosystem Function in Savannas PDF Author: Michael J. Hill
Publisher: CRC Press
ISBN: 9781439804711
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 624

Get Book

Book Description
Fascinating and diverse, savanna ecosystems support a combination of pastoral and agropastoral communities alongside wild and domestic herbivores that can be found nowhere else. This diversity has made the study of these areas problematic. Ecosystem Function in Savannas: Measurement and Modeling at Landscape to Global Scales addresses some of the discontinuities in the treatment of savannas by the scientific community and documents a range of measurements, methods, technologies, applications, and modeling approaches. Based on contributions from leading authorities and experts on savanna systems worldwide, the book describes the global savanna biome in terms of its broad ecological properties, temporal dynamics, disturbance levels, and human dimensions. The text examines carbon, water, energy, and trace gas fluxes for major global savanna regions. It looks at quantitative surface properties of savannas that can be retrieved using remote sensing and numerical approaches used to explore savanna dynamics. The authors also discuss how savanna modeling and measurement approaches might be unified. By presenting this confluence of information in a single resource, the book provides a platform for examining synergies, connections, integrative opportunities, and complementarities among approaches and data sources. This information can then be used to harmonize measurement and modeling methods among scales and across disciplinary boundaries. The book builds a bridge across the markedly different perspectives on savannas by which ecologists, biogeochemists, remote sensors, geographers, anthropologists, and modelers approach their science.

Biodiversity and Savanna Ecosystem Processes

Biodiversity and Savanna Ecosystem Processes PDF Author: Otto T. Solbrig
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 3642789692
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 224

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Book Description
Savannas are the most widespread ecosystem in the tropics and as such are subjected to great human pressure that may result in massive soil degradation. The book addresses the role of species in the function of savanna ecosystems. It is shown that savannas are enormously diverse and that four factors determine the function of savanna ecosystems: Plant Available Moisture; Plant Available Nutrients; Fire; Herbivores.

Ecology of Tropical Savannas

Ecology of Tropical Savannas PDF Author: B. J. Huntley
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 3642687865
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 677

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Book Description


Antelope Conservation

Antelope Conservation PDF Author: Jakob Bro-Jorgensen
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 1118409647
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 381

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Book Description
Antelopes constitute a fundamental part of ecosystems throughout Africa and Asia where they act as habitat architects, dispersers of seeds, and prey for large carnivores. The fascication they hold in the human mind is evident from prehistoric rock paintings and ancient Egyptian art to today's wildlife documentaries and popularity in zoos. In recent years, however, the spectacular herds of the past have been decimated or extripated over wide areas in the wilds, and urgent conservation action is needed to preserve this world heritage for generations to come. As the first book dedicated to antelope conservation, this volume sets out to diagnose the causes of the drastic declines in antelope biodiversity and on this basis identify the most effective points of action. In doing so, the book covers central issues in the current conservation debate, especially related to the management of overexploitation, habitat fragmentation, disease transmission, climate change, populations genetics, and reintroductions. The contributions are authored by world-leading experts in the field, and the book is a useful resource to conservation scientists and practitioners, researchers, and students in related disciplines as well as interested lay people.

Savanna Woody Plants and Large Herbivores

Savanna Woody Plants and Large Herbivores PDF Author: Peter Frank Scogings
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 1119081106
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 794

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Book Description
Insights on current research and recent developments in understanding global savanna systems Increasingly recognized as synonymous with tropical grassy biomes, savannas are found in tropical and sub-tropical climates as well as warm, temperate regions of North America. Savanna Woody Plants and Large Herbivores examines the interactions between woody plants and browsing mammals in global savannas—focusing primarily on the C4 grassy ecosystems with woody components that constitute the majority of global savannas—and discusses contemporary savanna management models and applications. This much-needed addition to current research examines topics including the varying behavior of browsing mammals, the response to browsing by woody species, and the factors that inhibit forage intake. Contributions from an international team of active researchers and experts compare and contrast different savanna ecosystems, offering a global perspective on savanna functioning, the roles of soil and climate in resource availability and organism interaction, and the possible impacts of climate change across global savannas. Fills a gap in literature on savanna management issues, including biodiversity conservation and animal production Applies concepts developed in other biomes to future savanna research Complements contemporary books on savanna or large herbivore ecology Focuses on the woody component of savanna ecosystems and large herbivore interactions in savannas Compares tree-mammal systems of savannas and other eco-systems of temperate and boreal regions Provides numerous case studies of plant-mammal interactions from various savanna ecosystems Savanna Woody Plants and Large Herbivores is a valuable addition to those in fields such as ecology, wildlife and conservation biology, natural resource management, and environmental science.

Tropical Ecological Systems

Tropical Ecological Systems PDF Author: F.B. Golley
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 3642885330
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 393

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Book Description
In 1971 the International Society of Tropical Ecology and the International Association for Ecology held a meeting on Tropical Ecology, with an emphasis on organic production in New Delhi, India. At this meeting a Working Group on Tropical Ecology was organized, consisting of K. C. Misra (India), F. Malaisse (Zaire), E. Medina (Venezuela) and F. Golley (U.S.A.). The object of this Working Group was to stimulate interaction between tropical ecologists through future scientific meetings and other exchanges and communications. A second meeting of ISTE and INTECOL was held in Caracas, Venezuela in 1973, under the direction of Medina and Golley and sponsored by the Depart ment of Ecology, Institute Venezolano Investigaciones Cientificas (lVIC). The basic structure of the meeting was provided by series of invited papers which considered topics of special interest from both an applied and theoretical view. These included physiological ecology (Pannier), populations (Rabinovich), tropical savannas (Lamotte), rivers (Sioli), estuaries (Rodriguez), and island ecosystems (Mueller-Dombois). Contributed papers considered details of these and other ecological topics, including the application of ecology to human problems. The present volume includes the invited papers listed above and a sampling of contributed papers which together illustrate the trends of research in tropical ecology. The papers show that tropical ecology is a vigorous subject of research. While the papers in this volume do not provide reviews of all the topics of study in tropical ecology, they do present authoritative statements on progress in the major subject in the field.

Ecological Effects of Fire in South African Ecosystems

Ecological Effects of Fire in South African Ecosystems PDF Author: P. de V. Booysen
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 3642698050
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 431

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Book Description
This is a stimulating tale of the interplay of observation, experimentation, working hypotheses, tentative conclusions, niggling and weightier doubts and great aspirations, on the part of some score of students, on varied ecological and other aspects of the regime and role of fire in relevant biomes and ecosystem- mainly in South Africa - and on other pertinent features of fire ecology. The impressive contents is a tribute to conveners and authors alike. One can expect a profound range and depth ofinvestigation and interpretation, a closeknit fabric of knowledge, delicately interwoven with wisdom, an exposition and quintessence of information. Admipable is the collective vision responsible for selecting appropriate topics: the wide sweeps of the brush picturing the nature of the biomes; ably describing the fire regimes - whether in grassland, savanna, fynbos or forest; skillfully defining the effects of such regimes - according to ecosystem - upon aerial and edaphic factors of the habitat, upon constituent biota, individually, specifically and as a biotic community; elucidating the basic implications in the structure and dynamics of the plant aspect of that community ... and unravelling to some degree the tangled knot of the conservation and dissipation of moisture and nutrients. Moreover, gratitude is owed for efforts exerted to understand the interplay of fire and faunal behaviour and dynamics as well as composition, together with the principle of adaptive responses of organisms of diverse kinds.

Remote Sensing of Savannas and Woodlands

Remote Sensing of Savannas and Woodlands PDF Author: Michael J Hill
Publisher: Mdpi AG
ISBN: 9783036519579
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 286

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Book Description
Savannas and woodlands are one of the most challenging targets for remote sensing. This book provides a current snapshot of the geographical focus and application of the latest sensors and sensor combinations in savannas and woodlands. It includes feature articles on terrestrial laser scanning and on the application of remote sensing to characterization of vegetation dynamics in the Mato Grosso, Cerrado and Caatinga of Brazil. It also contains studies focussed on savannas in Europe, North America, Africa and Australia. It should be important reading for environmental practitioners and scientists globally who are concerned with the sustainability of the global savanna and woodland biome.

Ecology and Management of the World's Savannas

Ecology and Management of the World's Savannas PDF Author: J. C. Tothill
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 408

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Book Description
Structural and functional aspects of the savanna ecosystems of the world. Land use and productive potential of savanna lands. Land use, problems and solutions managing savanna lands. Maintaining productivity of savannas. Farming systems in savanna lands. Pastoral use savanna lands. Mining and revegetation in savanna lands. Reserves and recreation in savanna lands.

Concepts of Ecosystem Ecology

Concepts of Ecosystem Ecology PDF Author: Lawrence R. Pomeroy
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 1461238420
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 388

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Book Description
In this volume 19 leading experts offer a timely and coherent overview of the fundamental principles of ecosystem science. They examine the flux of energy and biologically essential elements and their associated food webs in major terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, such as forests, grasslands, cultivated land, streams, coral reefs, and ocean basins. In each case, interactions between different eosystems, predictive models, and the application of ecosystem research to the management of natural resources are given special emphasis. A number of theoretical chapters provide a synthesis through critical discussion of current concepts of ecosystem energetics and dynamics.