Remote Sensing Applications in Dryland Natural Resource Management


Book Description

Arid and semi-arid areas are now facing a threefold holistic crisis: economic, food, and climate. What has emerged from these crises is the vital importance of inter-linkages among them on the one hand, and the missed opportunities in putting these pieces together on the other. This book has tried to explore these challenges though in-depth discussions of the individual. It is anticipated to inspire a forward looking debate that looks at the lessons from the past and points to actions for the future. Expertise views have been shared scientists and persons of eminence on the national and state level challenges with futuristic remedial approaches.




Remote Sensing for Natural Resources Management & Monitoring


Book Description

The book attempts to match user need to the level of technology required for management, planning and monitoring of natural resources. It provides clear guidance on the reliability, accuracy and cost of applications. Editors believe that this endeavour shall provide a valuable scientific basis to students and researchers to address the future challenges in natural resources monitoring and management. Accurate inventory, assessment and periodic monitoring of resources will enable the policy makers to keep an eye on optimal utilization of resources and development process to take timely interventions. We further hope this book will be a valuable reference and provide practical guidance for all who work towards the goal of the sustainable and judicious use of resources.




Thar Desert in Retrospect and Prospect


Book Description

Thar Desert in India is one of the most well-investigated and densely populated regions amongst the world arid zones. A blend of crop and animal husbandries, conservative land use practices, coping mechanisms to minimize adverse effect of drought and a frugal lifestyle have been the characteristic features of its dwellers. Recent increase in biotic pressure has interacted with the fragile environment to create fearsome environmental problems. Governmental responses were prompt in form creating a strong research infrastructure for multi-disciplinary and multi-location research and demonstration on the one hand and in huge investment in irrigation from internally and externally sourced water, desertification control program and an accelerated socio-economic and infrastructure development, softening content of drought and strengthening of livelihoods on the other. Unlike several publications on the Thar, the current effort attempts a comprehensive, pragmatic and off-beat analysis of various developments and goes further to show how the situation today is a blend of both resource degradation and economic development. Recent studies have helped rebuild the past climate history that shows that the climate has been fluctuating during the geological history but reports suggest also that current anthropogenic global warming makes the desert more vulnerable in near future. An attempt has been made also to peep into the future of the Thar.




Encyclopedia of the World’s Biomes


Book Description

Encyclopedia of the World’s Biomes is a unique, five volume reference that provides a global synthesis of biomes, including the latest science. All of the book's chapters follow a common thematic order that spans biodiversity importance, principal anthropogenic stressors and trends, changing climatic conditions, and conservation strategies for maintaining biomes in an increasingly human-dominated world. This work is a one-stop shop that gives users access to up-to-date, informative articles that go deeper in content than any currently available publication. Offers students and researchers a one-stop shop for information currently only available in scattered or non-technical sources Authored and edited by top scientists in the field Concisely written to guide the reader though the topic Includes meaningful illustrations and suggests further reading for those needing more specific information




Drought Proofing and Water Resource Management


Book Description

The book presents best management practices that maximize efficiency, reliability, and economy which minimizing the potential for adverse effects to the environment and human health. The chapters discuss how conjunctive water use can increase water availability in the developing world and what types of conjunctive use schemes are the most promising. The book examines the feasibility of a drought watch alert system and the legal and administrative framework required. It also explores the application of the Optimization Models and the Decision Support Systems to the study of different water management alternatives under drought conditions. Drought Proofing and Water Resources Management delineates how to reduce drought effects through pro-active vision, good management, and conjunctiv use of water sources. Drought is a recurring feature in aird and semi arid regions of India. Every effort is made to combat it since Independence. Still drought stays here as unwanted guest. Thousands of million Rupees are spent on drought and Flood control. This is now high time to rethink and review our policies and planning. There is need for permanent drought proofing in the state rather than short-term measures during incidence of drought disaster only. Efforts have been made in this book to critical review the scenario for drought proofing of the state through Water Resource Management.




The Future of Drylands


Book Description

Drylands have been cradles to some of the world’s greatest civilizations, and contemporary dryland communities feature rich and unique cultures. Dryland ecosystems support a surprising amount of biodiversity. Desertification, however, is a significant land degradation problem in the arid, semi-arid and dry sub-humid regions of the world. Deterioration of soil and plant cover has adversely affected 70% of the world’s drylands as a result of extended droughts as well as mismanagement of range and cultivated lands. The situation is likely to worsen with high population growth rates and accompanying land-use conflicts. The contributions to The Future of Drylands – an international scientific conference held under the leadership of UNESCO – address these issues and offer practical solutions for combating desertification along with conserving and sustainably managing dryland ecosystems. Major themes include the conservation of dryland biological and cultural diversity and the human dryland interface. This volume documents how our improved understanding of drylands provides insight into the health and future prospects of these precious ecosystems that should help ensure that dryland communities enjoy a sustainable future.




Managing Soil Drought


Book Description

Global drylands, covering over 40% of Earth’s land surface, are important among worldwide ecoregions and support large human and livestock populations. However, these ecologically sensitive ecoregions are undergoing a rapid transformation resulting from climate change, socioeconomic and political factors, increases in population, and ever-growing demands for goods and services. Managing Soil Drought addresses basic processes and provides specific case studies throughout covering the protection, restoration, and sustainable management goals of global drylands under changing and harsh climatic conditions, including fragile and vulnerable ecosystems. The book is written by numerous researchers, academicians, practitioners, advocates, land managers, and policymakers involved in bringing about transformation in these regions important to human and nature. It includes information on basic strategies of sustainable management of global drylands aimed at improving water use efficiency through choosing appropriate species, developing new varieties, using organic and inorganic amendments, and scaling up innovative farming systems. This volume in the Advances in Soil Sciences series is an essential read for development organizations and policymakers involved in improving crop productivity and sustainability in drought-prone regions; students, researchers, and academicians interested in sustainable management of water resources; and those involved in emerging concepts of regenerative agriculture, agroecology, and conservation agriculture.




Environment, People And Development: Experiences From Desert Ecosystems


Book Description

Desert Regions are Familiar faces in many of History of the world. The Earliest civilizations and two of the world’s major Religions were born here. This publication “Environment, People and Development: Experiences from Desert Ecosystems” Highlights some of the Basic and technologically refined information from many parts of the Desert Ecosystems of the world.




Impact of Textile Dyes on Public Health and the Environment


Book Description

As society has become increasingly concerned with the protection and preservation of the environment, many industries have been pushed to comply with new policies and social demands for more environmentally-friendly and sustainable practices and products. However, the textile dyeing industry remains a significant source of complex environmental issues with legislative requirements that often vary in detail and severity concerning the exposure and hazards of potentially harmful chemicals and other associated materials. It is vital that the industry sector involved in the application of dyes continues to be sensitive to potential adverse effects on the environment in its widest sense and respond accordingly. Impact of Textile Dyes on Public Health and the Environment is an essential reference source that focuses on the environmental impact and social responsibility of the dyeing industry. While highlighting topics such as toxicology, bleaching, and greenhouse gases, this publication is ideally designed for chemists, industrialists, non-governmental organization members, environmentalists, fashion designers, clothes manufacturers, scientists, academicians, researchers, students, and practitioners seeking current research on dyeing’s potentially adverse effects on the environment and strategic, effective responses.