Humans have always affected their immediate environment but the pressure on the global environment is now far greater than it has ever been, due largely to population growth, the spread of industrialization, and increased living standards across the world. There is currently a great deal of debate about the best way forward in terms of promoting sustainability and mitigating environmental change on a national and international level.
This book presents a number of case studies on environmental change taken from different countries across the world, and focuses on a diverse range of environments including tropical mountains, glacier forelands, river watersheds, coastal habitats and deserts/drylands. Issues discussed include metal contamination; the response of microorganisms, plants and animals to environmental stress; desertification and sustainable agriculture in dry regions; the use of remote sensing techniques for environmental monitoring; and decision-making techniques for environmental change management.
This book will interest anybody studying or working in the geosciences or atmospheric/ocean sciences, as well as ecology, economics, sociology and political/health science. It is also hoped that policy makers at local and national government level will find much of value in this book.
.png)
.png)
