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Ecological Informatics is defined as the design and application of computational techniques for ecological analysis, synthesis, forecasting and management. The book provides an introduction to the scope, concepts and techniques of this newly emerging discipline. It illustrates numerous applications of Ecological Informatics for stream systems, river systems, freshwater lakes and marine systems as well as image recognition at micro and macro scale. Case studies focus on applications of artificial neural networks, genetic algorithms, fuzzy logic and adaptive agents to current ecological management issues such as toxic algal blooms, eutrophication, habitat degradation, conservation of biodiversity and sustainable fishery.
Perturbations linked to the direct and indirect impacts of human activities during the Anthropocene affect the structure and functioning of aquatic ecosystems to varying degrees. Some perturbations involve stress to aquatic life, including soil and water acidification, soil erosion, loss of base cations, release of trace metals/organic compounds, and application of essential nutrients capable of stimulating primary productivity. Superimposed onto these changes, climate warming impacts aquatic environments via altering species’ metabolic processes and by modifying food web interactions. The interaction stressors is difficult to predict because of the differential response of species and tax...
Ecological Modeling: An Introduction to the Art and Science of Modeling Ecological Systems, Volume 31, presents the skills needed to appropriately evaluate and use ecological models. Illustrated throughout with practical examples, the book discusses ecological modeling as both an art and a science, balancing the qualitative (artistic) side, with its foundations in common sense and modeling practice, against the quantitative (scientific) aspects of the modeling process. This book draws on the authors’ extensive experience in both teaching and using these techniques to provide readers with a practical, user-friendly guide that supports and encourages the appropriate, effective use of these tools. Provides readers with a commonsense understanding of the systems perspective and its foundations in general system theory Highlights the importance of a solid understanding of the qualitative aspects of the modeling process Facilitates the ability to appropriately evaluate and use ecological models Supports learning with a variety of simple examples to instill the desire and confidence to embark upon the modeling experience
Advanced Modelling Techniques Studying Global Changes in Environmental Sciences discusses the need for immediate and effective action, guided by a scientific understanding of ecosystem function, to alleviate current pressures on the environment. Research, especially in Ecological Modeling, is crucial to support the sustainable development paradigm, in which the economy, society, and the environment are integrated and positively reinforce each other. Content from this book is drawn from the 2013 conference of the International Society for Ecological Modeling (ISEM), an important and active research community contributing to this arena. Some progress towards gaining a better understanding of t...
Participatory Modelling for Resilient Futures: Action for Managing Our Environment from the Bottom-Up, Volume One provides an important contribution to environmental management by introducing an integrative framework for participatory research for better land use and natural resource planning, organized around compelling recent case studies. It is a valuable guide for the increasing number of students looking for solutions in sustainability science and also practitioners who are on the ground working with local communities to improve specific places. The book was developed in response to the need to provide a clear and synthetic account, in accessible and non-technical language, of the way i...
Time and Methods in Environmental Interfaces Modelling: Personal Insights considers the use of time in environmental interfaces modeling and introduce new methods, from the global scale (e.g. climate modeling) to the micro scale (e.g. cell and nanotubes modeling), which primarily arise from the personal research insights of the authors. As the field of environmental science requires the application of new fundamental approaches that can lead to a better understanding of environmental phenomena, this book helps necessitate new approaches in modeling, including category theory, that follow new achievements in physics, mathematics, biology, and chemistry. - Includes the use of new mathematical tools, such as category theory, mathematical theory of general systems and formal concept analysis, matrix theory tools, stability analysis, and pseudospectra - Presents new content related to time in relation to physics and biology - Combines the word of an experienced author team with over 35 papers of collective experience
The Water-Energy-Food Nexus: Optimization Models for Decision Making covers the discussion about water, energy, and food as a crucial resource for human well-being and for sustainable development. These resources are inextricable interrelated, therefore, to cover water, energy, and food demands in different sectors and at different scales, it must be considered several sources to produce resources even conventional or unconventional, and there must be considered the interlinkages of resources for a proper integration. This book will emphasize several issues that must be considered in the design of water-energy-food nexus systems such as the selection of technologies to produce water or energ...
"What about the twenty-first century? Will we finally accept our responsibilities as guardians of planet Earth, the biological living trust, for the beneficiaries, the children of today, tomorrow, and beyond? Or, will it too be a century of lethal, economic struggle among the polarized positions of the supremely dysfunctional among us? Are they—once again—to be allowed to determine the legacy we, as a society, as a nation, bequeath those who follow us? The choice is ours, the adults of the world. How shall we choose?" So writes Chris Maser in this compelling study of three interactive spheres of the ecosystem: atmosphere (air), litho-hydrosphere (rock that comprises the restless continents and the water that surrounds them), and biosphere (all life sandwiched in between). Rich in detail and insightful analogies, Earth in Our Care addresses key issues including land-use policies, ecological restoration, forest management, local living, and sustainability thinking. Exploring our interconnectedness with the Earth, Maser examines today's problems and, more importantly, provides solutions for the future.
Ecological Informatics is defined as the design and application of computational techniques for ecological analysis, synthesis, forecasting and management. The book provides an introduction to the scope, concepts and techniques of this newly emerging discipline. It illustrates numerous applications of Ecological Informatics for stream systems, river systems, freshwater lakes and marine systems as well as image recognition at micro and macro scale. Case studies focus on applications of artificial neural networks, genetic algorithms, fuzzy logic and adaptive agents to current ecological management issues such as toxic algal blooms, eutrophication, habitat degradation, conservation of biodiversity and sustainable fishery.