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This book provides a current and comprehensive review of the Dipterocarpaceae, at the genetic, species, and community scales, incorporating a vibrant blend of ecology, biogeography, evolution, conservation, and management.
How old is our Universe? At what speed is our Universe expanding? Is our universe flat or curved? How is the hierarchical structure of the present Universe formed? The purpose of IAU Symposium 183 on the Cosmological Parameters and the Evolution of the Universe was to encourage a state-of-the-art discussion and assessment of cosmology by putting together the latest observational data and theoretical ideas on the evolution of the universe and cosmological parameters. In this volume, excellent reviews on these subjects by distinguished scientists are included. The first article by M.S. Longair, `Cosmological Parameters and the Evolution of the Universe: Progress and Prospect', is a magnificent general review which can be understood by non-specialists. The other reviews include Hubble Constants (W.L. Freedman, G.A. Tammann), Microwave Background Radiation (R.B. Partridge, N. Sugiyama), Galaxy Formation and Evolution (R.S. Ellis) and Alternative Cosmological Models (J.V. Narlikar). In addition to the reviews, recent observational and theoretical developments by outstanding active scientists are included.
For a nation with a long and proud military tradition, one token stands above all the others as a mark of recognition for the ultimate acts of individual feats of arms: the Victoria Cross. Awarded for one reason alone - to mark extreme acts of great heroism by British and Commonwealth servicemen in the face of the enemy - it is unquestionably the hardest club in the world to gain entrance to. Its holders, ordinary soldiers, sailors and airmen, are linked by an uncommon bond of exceptional bravery displayed often at great personal risk and against impossible odds. The VC has been awarded only sixteen times since the end of the Second World War in 1945. Some of these awards were made to recipients who paid the ultimate sacrifice while demonstrating gallantry beyond the call of duty. Forged in battle, from the shell-scarred hills of Korea, to the windswept marshland of East Falkland and today's counter-insurgency operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, each one of these VC has a uniquely inspiring tale to tell. These are their incredible stories.
The studies in this volume provide an ethnography of a plantation frontier in central Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo. Drawing on the expertise of both natural scientists and social scientists, the key focus is the process of commodification of nature that has turned the local landscape into anthropogenic tropical forests. Analysing the transformation of the space of mixed landscapes and multiethnic communities—driven by trade in forest products, logging and the cultivation of oil palm—the contributors explore the changing nature of the environment, multispecies interactions, and the metabolism between capitalism and nature. The project involved the collaboration of researchers specialising in...
Our knowledge of the ecology of tropical rain-forest trees is limited, yet a good understanding of the trees is essential to unravelling the workings of the forest itself. This book aims to summarise contemporary understanding of the ecology of tropical rain-forest trees, with particular emphasis on comparative ecology.
A special forum on critical issues in cosmology in celebraton of Princeton University's 250th birthday.The proceedings of this conference, held as part of Princeton University's 250th birthday celebrations, features lectures and discussions by many of the world's leading scientists on the status and future of modern cosmology.The volume offers the non-specialist a fascinating insight into the current status of cosmology and the issues of contention at the research frontiers of the science. It constitutes the proceedings of a special conference, held as part of Princeton University's 250 birthday celebrations, featuring lectures and discussions by many of the world's leading scientists on the...
At close inspection every galaxy appears to have its own individuality.A galaxy can be warped, lop-sided, doubly-nucleated, boxy or disky, ... in its own specific, peculiar way. Hence, for a complete description, galaxy taxonomy may ask for finer and finer classification schemes. However, for some applications it may be more fruitful to let details aside and focus on some global properties of galaxies. One is then seeking to measure just a few quantities for each galaxy, a minimum set of globalobservables that yet captures some essential aspect of these objects. One very successful example of this approach is offered by the scaling rela tions of galaxies, the subject of the international wor...
Biological diversity, or biodiversity, refers to the universal attribute of all living organisms that each individual being is unique - that is, no two organisms are identical. The biology of biodiversity must include all the aspects of evolutionary and ecological sciences analyzing the origin, changes, and maintenance of the di versity of living organisms. Today biodiversity, which benefits human life in vari ous ways, is threatened by the expansion of human activities. Biological research in biodiversity contributes not only to understanding biodiversity itself but also to its conservation and utilization. The Biology of Biodiversity was the specialty area of the 1998 International Prize f...
This volume focuses on new trends in monitoring biodiversity in the Asia-Pacific region, one of the most rapidly changing areas in the world. It provides reviews of the challenges in studying the spatial variability of biodiversity across various ecosystems. This book also describes newly developed concepts and methods for biodiversity observation including ubiquitous genotyping, systematic conservation, monitoring of the functions and services of ecosystems and biodiversity informatics. These contributions will lead to establishing integrative observations and assessments of biodiversity, essential for reporting the current status and for the effective conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity. This work will interest biodiversity researchers not only in the Asia-Pacific region but also across the entire globe.