Encyclopedia of Natural Resources - Two-Volume Set

Book excerpt: With unprecedented attention on global change, the current debate revolves around the availability and sustainability of natural resources and how to achieve equilibrium between what society demands from natural environments and what the natural resource base can provide. A full understanding of the range of issues, from the consequences of the changing resource bases to the degradation of ecological integrity and the sustainability of life, is crucial to the process of developing solutions to this complex challenge. Authored by world-class scientists and scholars, The Encyclopedia of Natural Resources provides an authoritative reference on a broad spectrum of topics such as the forcing factors and habitats of life; their histories, current status, and future trends; and their societal connections, economic values, and management. The content presents state-of-the-art science and technology development and perspectives of resource management. Written and designed with a broad audience in mind, the entries clearly elucidate the issues for readers at all levels. Volume I – Land includes 98 entries that cover the topical areas of renewable and nonrenewable natural resources such as forest and vegetative; soil; terrestrial coastal and inland wetlands; landscape structure and function and change; biological diversity; ecosystem services, protected areas, and management; natural resource economics; and resource security and sustainability. In Volume II, Water includes 59 entries and Air includes 31 entries. The Water entries cover topical areas such as fresh water, groundwater, water quality and watersheds, ice and snow, coastal environments, and marine resources and economics. The Air entries cover air pollutants, atmospheric oscillation, circulation patterns and atmospheric water storage, as well as agroclimatology, climate change, and extreme events. Additional topics in meteorology include acid rain, drought, ozone depletion, water storage, and more. Natural resources represent such a broad scope of complex and challenging topics that a reference book must cover a vast number of subjects in order to be titled an encyclopedia. The Encyclopedia of Natural Resources does just that. The topics covered help readers face current and future issues in the maintenance of clean air and water as well as the preservation of land resources and native biodiversity.