Deep Summer

The New York Times–bestselling author of Jubilee Trail does “a grand job of storytelling” in this saga of pioneers who settled the Louisiana wilderness (The New York Times). For his service in the king’s army during the French and Indian War, Judith Sheramy’s father, a Puritan New Englander, is granted a parcel of land in far-off Louisiana. As the family ventures down the Mississippi to make a new home in the wilderness, Judith meets Philip Larne, an adventurer who travels in the finest clothes Judith has ever seen. He is a rogue, a killer, and a thief—and the first thing he steals is Judith’s heart. Three thousand acres of untamed jungle, populated by native tribes and overrun with jaguars and pirates, await Philip in Louisiana. He and Judith will struggle through their stormy marriage and the challenges of the American Revolution as they strive to build an empire for future generations. This is the first novel in Gwen Bristow’s Plantation Trilogy, which also includes The Handsome Road and This Side of Glory.

CLEO publications in Frontiers in Marine Science Foreword Josef Aschbacher, Director of ESA’s Earth Observation Programmes Satellite data have drastically changed the view we have of the oceans. Covering about 70% of Earth’s surface, oceans play a unique role for our planet and for our life – but large areas remain unexplored and are difficult to reach. Since the 1980s, Earth-orbiting satellites have helped to observe what is happening at the ocean surface. Sensors like CZCS, AVHRR, SeaWifs and MODIS provided the first ocean colour data from space. Starting in 2002, ESA's Medium Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MERIS) on-board the environmental satellite Envisat, provided detailed information on phytoplankton biomass and concentrations of other matter in the global oceans. These satellite observations laid the groundwork for studying the marine environment and how it responds to climate change, and the research community has since delivered information on the variability of marine ecosystems. Part of this work is reflected in this stunning collection of peer-reviewed publications presented at the workshop, Colour and Light in the Ocean from Earth Observation (CLEO), held at ESA’s ESRIN site in Frascati, Italy, on 6–8 September 2016. The event attracted more than 160 participants from all over the world, including remote sensing experts, marine ecosystem modelers, in-situ observers and users of Earth observation data. Scientifically, the meeting covered applications in climate studies over primary productivity and ocean dynamics, to pools of carbon and phytoplankton diversity at global and regional scales. It also demonstrated the potential of Earth observation and its contribution to modern oceanography. Looking to the future, new satellites developed by ESA under the coordination of the European Commission will further our scientific and operational observations of the seas. With Sentinel-3A in orbit and its twin Sentinel-3B following in 2017, there is a new category of data available for operational oceanographic applications and climate studies for years to come. These data are free and easy to access by anyone interested. Looking at the role of oceans in our daily lives, I am sure that this collection of scientific excellence will be valued by scientists of today and will inspire the next generation to carry these ideas into the future.

With advances in agro-technology, cucurbits are now being grown throughout the year. However, they are prone to biotic and abiotic stresses resulting in significant yield loss. Sustainable management of such stresses is a complex issue in the intensive cultivation of cucurbits involving high levels of fertilization and irrigation. Further, under the changing climatic conditions, pest scenarios vary constantly, with invasive alien species of pests becoming more common as a result of free trade and frequent international travel. As such, agrochemicals are being used as powerful weapons to combat the increasing number of pests and diseases. Lack of proper crop management technologies, inaccurate diagnosis, and indiscriminate and excessive use of pesticides are major causes of pesticide resistance and resurgence, environmental pollution, and hazards to the non-target biota. This comprehensive book provides essential insights into the management of biotic and abiotic stresses in cucurbit cultivation and re-evaluating the role of agrochemicals, and gathers information on insect pests, mites, nematodes, diseases and weeds, as well as on their sustainable management from scattered sources. Written in language that is easy to understand and including high-quality photographs, it is a valuable resource for students, researchers, plant protection specialists, extension workers, and growers.

Deep in the Shallows is a series of reflections on water, the setting of each reflection located in different areas of the south west of England. In a busy, stressful world where many people do not have time to sit and read for hours, this book can be picked up and put down. Designed to be dipped into, its aim is to allow the reader to relax for a few short moments and to escape into the ideas and imagery which each reflection provides.