The History Of Earth Sciences In Suriname

This illustrated volume breaks new ground with a pioneering survey of the history of the earth sciences in Suriname. The authors trace the development of earth sciences in the country from Suriname's first explorers in the early seventeenth century through the scientists of the present-day independent nation. These detailed research essays and extensive geological bibliography of Suriname are a valuable resource for historians of science.

This book summarizes the exploration history and provides a framework for assessing the economic potential of the country’s minerals by defining minimal deposit parameters for the various commodities present. Suriname was explored extensively for mineral occurrences in the course of the previous century, indicating the presence of a range of commodities. The country mined and processed bauxite for a century (until 2016), and has an even longer history of small-scale alluvial gold mining; it is currently home to two major gold producers. However, exploration activities have been limited during the past 4 decades as most parts of Suriname’s interior are difficult to access, making geological fieldwork both difficult and expensive. Further, the markets and prices have changed in the interim, which calls for a fresh look at the historic data.

Suriname is undoubtedly the site of origin of the oldest extant preserved specimens of South American fishes and 19 Surinamese fish species were described and figured by Linnaeus. This book offers the first comprehensive introduction to the 480 currently known fresh- and brackish-water fishes of Suriname, including identification keys, short descriptions and photographs of the species and descriptions of their habitats.

The book focuses on geological history as the critical factor in determining the present biodiversity and landscapes of Amazonia. The different driving mechanisms for landscape evolution are explored by reviewing the history of the Amazonian Craton, the associated sedimentary basins, and the role of mountain uplift and climate change. This book provdes an insight into the Meso- and Cenozoic record of Amazonia that was characterized by fluvial and long-lived lake systems and a highly diverse flora and fauna. This fauna includes giants such as the ca. 12 m long caiman Purussaurus, but also a varied fish fauna and fragile molluscs, whilst fossil pollen and spores form relics of ancestral swamps and rainforests. Finally, a review the molecular datasets of the modern Amazonian rainforest and aquatic ecosystem, discussing the possible relations between the origin of Amazonian species diversity and the palaeogeographic, palaeoclimatic and palaeoenvironmental evolution of northern South America. The multidisciplinary approach in evaluating the history of Amazonia has resulted in a comprehensive volume that provides novel insights into the evolution of this region.

"The one source that sets reference collections on Latin American studies apart from all other geographic areas of the world.... The Handbook has provided scholars interested in Latin America with a bibliographical source of a quality unavailable to scholars in most other branches of area studies." —Latin American Research Review Beginning with volume 41 (1979), the University of Texas Press became the publisher of the Handbook of Latin American Studies, the most comprehensive annual bibliography in the field. Compiled by the Hispanic Division of the Library of Congress and annotated by a corps of more than 130 specialists in various disciplines, the Handbook alternates from year to year between social sciences and humanities. The Handbook annotates works on Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean and the Guianas, Spanish South America, and Brazil, as well as materials covering Latin America as a whole. Most of the subsections are preceded by introductory essays that serve as biannual evaluations of the literature and research under way in specialized areas. The Handbook of Latin American Studies is the oldest continuing reference work in the field. Lawrence Boudon, of the Library of Congress Hispanic Division, has been the editor since 2001, and Katherine D. McCann has been assistant editor since 2000. The subject categories for Volume 59 are as follows: Anthropology Economics Geography Government and Politics International Relations Sociology Electronic Resources for the Social Sciences

This book covers interesting research topics and the use of natural resources for medical treatments in some severe diseases. The most important message is to have native foods which contain high amount of active compounds that can be used as a medicinal plant. Most pharmaceutical drugs were discovered from plants, and still ongoing research will have to predict such new active compounds as anti-diseases. I do believe this book will add significant knowledge to medical societies as well as can be used for postgraduate students.

This volume describes and analyses the Surinamese legal system as it relates to the rights of indigenous peoples and Maroons. The rights of these peoples have not been systematically addressed in this context before, nor have they ever been the subjects of extensive academic research. The book provides a good starting point for discussions of the rights of indigenous peoples and Maroons, hopefully leading to a full recognition of their rights in Suriname.