Modern Trends In Applied Aquatic Ecology

Organisms and environment have evolved through modifying each other over millions of years. Humans appeared very late in this evolutionary time scale. With their superior brain attributes, humans emerged as the most dominating influence on the earth. Over the millennia, from simple hunter-food gatherers, humans developed the art of agriculture, domestication of animals, identification of medicinal plants, devising hunting and fishing techniques, house building, and making clothes. All these have been for better adjustment, growth, and survival in otherwise harsh and hostile surroundings and climate cycles of winter and summer, and dry and wet seasons. So humankind started experimenting and acting on ecological lines much before the art of reading, writing, or arithmetic had developed. Application of ecological knowledge led to development of agriculture, animal husbandry, medicines, fisheries, and so on. Modem ecology is a relatively young science and, unfortunately, there are so few books on applied ecology. The purpose of ecology is to discover the principles that govern relationships among plants, animals, microbes, and their total living and nonliving environmental components. Ecology, however, had remained mainly rooted in botany and zoology. It did not permeate hard sciences, engineering, or industrial technologies leading to widespread environmental degradation, pollution, and frequent episodes leading to mass deaths and diseases.

W. Merritt, Professo

Fundamentals of Aquatic Ecology is a completely updated and revised edition of the earlier work, Fundamentals of Aquatic Ecosystems. The new edition has been re-titled to reflect the fact that the authors found that, from the modification exercise, a completely different and new book emerged. The new edition concentrates heavily of the fundamental features common to all aquatic systems, both marine and freshwater. This unique synthesis allows for the discussion of ecological processes comparatively, across environments. A general introduction is followed by discussion of various 'types' of aquatic ecosystems - open waters, coastal zones, benthos, and the aquatic ecosystem as a whole. This is followed by an important new chapter on aquatic ecosystems and global ecology. Later chapters consider the individuals and communities in aquatic ecosystems. A totally re-written and rejuvenated edition of an established student text. Synthesizes both marine and freshwater ecology. Covers both ecosystem ecology and population biology. In depth consideration of man's impact on the aquatic environment.

This new volume addresses the environmental impacts of pollution on freshwater aquatic ecosystems and presents sustainable management and remediation practices and advanced technology help to address the different types of pollutants. Freshwater Pollution and Aquatic Ecosystems: Environmental Impact and Sustainable Management considers the need for sustainable, efficient, and cost-effective tools and technologies to assess, monitor, and properly manage the increasing issues of aquatic pollution. It provides detailed accounts of the phenomena and mechanisms related to aquatic pollution and highlights the problems and threats associated with pollution contamination in freshwater. It provides useful insight into the sustainable and advanced pollution remediation technology adopted by different countries for the monitoring, assessment, and sustainable management of pollution. The chapters in the volume evaluate the sources of harmful pollutants, which include industrial effluents, sewage, and runoff from agricultural industries, which result in toxic microbes, organic waste, oils, and high load of nutrients. Unsustainable management practices of domestic sewage and indiscriminate use of chemical pesticides lead to the technological disturbance of aquatic biota. In addition to harming aquatic biota, these pollutants find their way into the human body through inhalation, ingestion, or absorption and finally tend to bio-accumulate in trophic levels of the food chain, which poses a major risk to human beings. This book will be a valuable resource for ecologists, environmentalists, scientists, and many others for their work in understanding and management of aquatic pollutants in freshwater biospheres.

This volume reviews recent hydrological and environmental issues resulting from human-induced water pollution practices while providing case studies on the physical, chemical, and eco-biological techniques used to mitigate the impacts of river ecosystem pollution in South Asian countries. The book demonstrates the key methods of measurement, monitoring, mapping, and modeling of river water quality and how it is impacted by pollution and incorporates contemporary geospatial technological applications for the management and sustainability of future water resources. The major topics that the book addresses are the fundamental concepts of river ecosystem health, riverine ecology and habitats, risk assessment of riverine pollution, and technology-based river pollution control strategies. The book will serve as an interdisciplinary guide for researchers, students, and GIS specialists working in various disciplines, including pollution hazards, river ecosystem restoration, water quality, remote sensing, zoology, natural resources management, and environmental geography.

Freshwater Ecology: Concepts and Environmental Applications is a general text covering both basic and applied aspects of freshwater ecology and serves as an introduction to the study of lakes and streams. Issues of spatial and temporal scale, anthropogenic impacts, and application of current ecological concepts are covered along with ideas that are presented in more traditional limnological texts. Chapters on biodiversity, toxic chemicals, extreme and unusual habitats, and fisheries increase the breadth of material covered. The book includes an extensive glossary, questions for thought, worked examples of equations, and real-life problems. Broad coverage of groundwaters, streams, wetlands, and lakes Features basic scientific concepts and environmental applications throughout Includes many figures, sidebars of fascinating applications, and biographies of practicing aquatic ecologists Materials are presented to facilitate learning, including an extensive glossary, questions for thought, worked examples of equations, and real life problems Written at a level understandable to most undergraduate students, with explanations of complex contemporary concepts in freshwater ecology described to promote understanding Featuring small chapters that mainly stand alone, this book can be read in the order most suited to the specific application

Freshwater ecosystems are under increasing pressure as human populations grow and the need for clean water intensifies. The demand for ecologists and environmental managers who are trained in basic freshwater ecology has never been greater. Students and practitioners new to the field of freshwater ecology and management need a text that provides them with an accessible introduction to the key questions while still providing sufficient background on basic scientific methods. Gerry Closs, Barbara Downes and Andrew Boulton have written a text that meets the requirements of these students. Following an introduction to scientific methodology and its application to the study of ecology, several key concepts in freshwater ecology are reviewed using a wide range of scientific studies into fundamental and applied ecological questions. Key ecological questions that are explored in a freshwater context include the role of animal dispersal and predators on freshwater community structure and the impact of pollutants and introduced species on freshwater ecosystems. This book represents the only freshwater ecology textbook that is specifically aimed at an introductory level. It will also be a useful primer for students who have not previously taken a specialized freshwater course but who require an accessible overview of the subject. General reviews on the methods of science, influence of scale, and the main features of freshwater systems. Coverage of several fundamental and applied ecological questions. A logical structure in each chapter that builds from a general observation of an ecological pattern, to an exploration of the various scientific approaches that can be used to investigate such patterns. Suggested further reading lists for each chapter.

Environmental indicators are the first line of warning against hazards caused by humans or nature catastrophes to prevent diseases and death of living organisms. The present book covers a large variety of environmental indicators from physical-chemistry through economical, bioinformatics, electromagnetic irradiation and health aspects, all dealing with environmental pollution. This volume has been intended to environmentalists, engineers, scientists and policy makers as well to anybody interested in the latest development in the indicator field.