An Introduction To Environmental Biophysics 2e

From reviews of the first edition: "well organized . . . Recommended as an introductory text for undergraduates" -- AAAS Science Books and Films "well written and illustrated" -- Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society

Biophysics is the science of physical principles underlying the "phenomenon of life" on all levels of organization. This book begins by explaining molecular and ionic interactions, movements, excitation and energy transfer, and the self-organization of supramolecular structures. Then the biological organism is introduced as a non-equilibrium system. Finally, system analyses are discussed as well as environmental biophysics, ecological interactions, growth, differentiation, and evolution. A growing number of applications in biotechnology are based on these biophysical concepts.

Interactions: Food, Agriculture And Environment is a component of Encyclopedia of Environmental and Ecological Sciences, Engineering and Technology Resources in the global Encyclopedia of Life Support Systems (EOLSS), which is an integrated compendium of twenty one Encyclopedias. The Theme on Interactions: Food, Agriculture and Environment focuses on methods to ensure the development of agriculture and food production to be in dialectic unity with the surrounding natural environment. In every country of the world agriculture always faces complex problems: how to significantly increase production of agricultural products to supply the population with sufficient food, and industry with sufficient raw materials, and how to satisfy the permanently growing demand. The acuteness of this task has always been linked with the demographic factor and the need to guarantee the population with a high living standard free of starvation and poverty. These two volumes are aimed at the following five major target audiences: University and College students Educators, Professional practitioners, Research personnel and Policy analysts, managers, and decision makers and NGOs.

Types and Properties of Water in two volumes is a component of Encyclopedia of Water Sciences, Engineering and Technology Resources in the global Encyclopedia of Life Support Systems (EOLSS), which is an integrated compendium of twenty one Encyclopedias. These volumes deal with different parts of the hydrosphere and features of water as substance in its three phases. Natural water is one of the most important substances for the maintenance of life on our planet. The main part of the Earth's water is concentrated in the hydrosphere (oceans, lakes, streams, underground water), and in the cryosphere (all the snow and ice). The atmosphere and living organisms also contain water, but in minor quantities as compared to the whole hydrosphere. Several types of water are in the Nature: atmospheric water, water in oceans, seas, coastal zones, and estuaries; in rivers, reservoirs, lakes and wetlands; groundwater including soil waters; glaciers, icebergs, and ground ice (permafrost). This set of volumes is designed to be a very authoritative reference for state-of-the-art knowledge on the various aspects such as: Characteristics of Water and Water Bodies in the Natural Environment; Properties of Atmospheric Water; Properties of Oceans, Inland Seas, Coastal Zones, and Estuaries; Properties of Rivers, Streams, Lakes and Wetlands; Properties of Soil Water and Groundwater; Properties Of Glacial, Iceberg And Permafrost Water. These two volumes are aimed at the following five major target audiences: University and College students Educators, Professional practitioners, Research personnel and Policy analysts, managers, and decision makers and NGOs.

This second edition of Water Activity in Foods furnishes those working within food manufacturing, quality control, and safety with a newly revised guide to water activity and its role in the preservation and processing of food items. With clear, instructional prose and illustrations, the book’s international team of contributors break down the essential principles of water activity and water–food interactions, delineating water’s crucial impact upon attributes such as flavor, appearance, texture, and shelf life. The updated and expanded second edition continues to offer an authoritative overview of the subject, while also broadening its scope to include six newly written chapters covering the latest developments in water activity research. Exploring topics ranging from deliquescence to crispness, these insightful new inclusions complement existing content that has been refreshed and reconfigured to support the food industry of today.

The changing climate and its affect on all of us is becoming increasingly apparent - ozone depletion, hurricanes, floods and extreme weather behaviour. Introduction to Environmental Physics challenges the way we think about how and why environmental change occurs. This authoritative book aims to cover some of the more common and popular topics addressed in "physics of the earth", "physics of the environment" and "environmental physics" courses. It provides an essentially non- mathematical treatment suitable for a first year undergraduate level course. The principle topics covered are the physics of the built environment, the physics of human survival, energy for living, environmental health, revealing the planet, the sun and the atmosphere, the biosphere, the global climate and climate change. With contributions from well-respected experts on the subject, this textbook contains a summary, references and questions at the end of each chapter. This is an ideal textbook for first year undergraduates in a variety of courses, particularly physical geography, physics, environmental and earth science, with worked examples illustrating principles and vignettes from scientists who have made a significant contribution to the field enlightening the student along the way. As the authors say in the preface to this book, "At the outset of the 21st century there are many environmental challenges to be wrestled with, and though the environment is changing, the Physics is not!"