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Biological homogenization is the dominant process shaping the future global biosphere. As global transportation becomes faster and more frequent, it is inevitable that biotic intermixing will increase. Unique local biotas will become extinct only to be replaced by already widespread biotas that can tolerate human activities. This process is affecting all aspects of our world: language, economies, and ecosystems alike. The ultimate outcome is the loss of uniqueness and the growth of uniformity. In this way, fast food restaurants exist in Moscow and Java Sparrows breed on Hawaii. Biological homogenization qualifies as a global environmental catastrophe. The Earth has never witnessed such a broad and complete reorganization of species distributions.
Evolutionary biology has witnessed breathtaking advances in recent years. Some of its most exciting insights have come from the crossover of disciplines as varied as paleontology, molecular biology, ecology, and genetics. This book brings together many of today's pioneers in evolutionary biology to describe the latest advances and explain why a cross-disciplinary and integrated approach to research questions is so essential. Contributors discuss the origins of biological diversity, mechanisms of evolutionary change at the molecular and developmental levels, morphology and behavior, and the ecology of adaptive radiations and speciation. They highlight the mutual dependence of organisms and th...
This volume broadens the horizon of educational research in North America by introducing a comprehensive dialogue between Eastern and Western philosophies and perspectives on the subject of curriculum theory and practice. It is a very timely work in light of the progressively globalized nature of education and educational studies and the increasingly widespread attunement to Eastern educational theories in the West. By introducing Eastern perspectives, this book questions taken-for-granted thinking in Western educational thought about the foundations of teaching and learning, curriculum theory, educational policy, and educational issues such as teaching for social justice, service-learning i...
Courts have emerged as a crucial battleground in efforts to regulate climate change. Over the past several years, tribunals at every level of government around the world have seen claims regarding greenhouse gas emissions and impacts. These cases rely on diverse legal theories, but all focus on government regulation of climate change or the actions of major corporate emitters. This book explores climate actions in state and national courts, as well as international tribunals, in order to explain their regulatory significance. It demonstrates the role that these cases play in broader debates over climate policy and argues that they serve as an important force in pressuring governments and emitters to address this crucial problem. As law firms and public interest organizations increasingly develop climate practice areas, the book serves as a crucial resource for practitioners, policymakers and academics.
"This is the book I have been waiting for! Written by experts in each field, this Encyclopedia provides a wealth of information not only about the tidepool and shore life but also the oceanography associated with these habitats. This will be a major reference guide for years to come."--Dr. Nigella Hillgarth, Executive Director, Birch Aquarium at Scripps, Scripps Institution of Oceanography "The "Encyclopedia of Tidepools and Rocky Shores" covers much more than one might guess. It ranges from oceanography, to physiology, biomechanics, and conservation science, along with the expected treatment of the diverse groups of organisms that live in those habitats. The coverage of each topic is kept s...
An essential, up-to-date look at the critical interactions between biological diversity and climate change that will serve as an immediate call to action The physical and biological impacts of climate change are dramatic and broad-ranging. People who care about the planet and manage natural resources urgently need a synthesis of our rapidly growing understanding of these issues. In this all-new sequel to the 2005 volume Climate Change and Biodiversity, leading experts in the field summarize observed changes, assess what the future holds, and offer suggested responses. Edited by distinguished conservationist Thomas E. Lovejoy and climate change biologist Lee Hannah, this comprehensive volume includes the latest research and explores emerging topics. From extinction risk to ocean acidification, the future of the Amazon to changes in ecosystem services, and geoengineering to the power of ecosystem restoration, this volume captures the sweep of climate change transformation of the biosphere. An authoritative, up-to-date reference, this is the new benchmark synthesis for climate change scientists, conservationists, managers, policymakers, and educators.
Environmental education has reached an interesting crossroads. There has never before been such media attention on hard-to-grasp issues such as climate change, nor has there ever been such scientific understanding and agreement about the varied aspects of the environmental crisis, the loss of biodiversity, and the health effects of human-made toxins and pollutants. In addition, there has never been so much high quality research within environmental education, with new journals flourishing in Canada, Australia, and South Africa to give just a few examples. Yet, despite all this knowledge and attention, there has not been a significant shift in the way the economy operates, the way governments...
How our growing knowledge of the evolution of complex ecosystems, using the latest genetic tools, can help us heal them - and survive This is not another Chicken Little book about the environment. Every reader already knows how overpopulation, ignorance and tribalism are contributing to environmental destruction and breakdowns in public health. We are all aware of the grim possibility that during our lifetimes the Earth might "flip" to a new ecological equilibrium, threatening our very survival. Why Ecosystems Matter explores an exciting new way to avoid such threats, by using our exponentially-growing knowledge of how evolution has shaped and is continuing to shape the complex communities o...
Space, place and mapping have become key concepts in literary and cultural studies. The transformational effects of postcolonialism, globalization, and the rise of ever more advanced information technologies helped to push space and spatiality into the foreground, as traditional spatial or geographic limits are erased or redrawn. Teaching Space, Place and Literature surveys a broad expanse of literary critical, theoretical, historical territories, as it presents both an introduction to teaching spatial literary studies and an essential guide to scholarly research. Divided into sections on key concepts and issues; teaching strategies; urban spaces; place, race and gender and spatiality, periods and genres, this comprehensive book is the ideal way to approach the teaching of space and place in the humanities classroom.