Skip to main content

Environmental Ecology

The Impacts of Pollution and Other Stresses on Ecosystem Structure and Function

  • 1st Edition - July 28, 1989
  • Latest edition
  • Author: Bill Freedman
  • Language: English

Environmental Ecology: The Impacts of Pollution and Other Stresses on Ecosystem Structure and Function deals with environmental studies on the ecological impacts of anthropogenic… Read more

Data Mining & ML

Unlock the cutting edge

Up to 20% on trusted resources. Build expertise with data mining, ML methods.

Description

Environmental Ecology: The Impacts of Pollution and Other Stresses on Ecosystem Structure and Function deals with environmental studies on the ecological impacts of anthropogenic stresses. The book discusses more particularly the ways that anthropogenic or natural influences affect the quality of the inorganic and biotic components of the biosphere, as well as the human environment. The text discusses the sources of air pollution, the different toxic elements (naturally occurring contamination or anthropogenic sources), and acidifying substances or "acid rain." The author also cites several studies that deal with the reclamation of acidified bodies of water. Another topic the author addresses is declining forest areas; he then cites several case studies of this occurrence, such as those by Fowells, 1965; Hepting, 1971; and Auclair, 1987. The text also investigates the ecological effects of oil pollution caused during the refining process and transportation. The author then examines the general response patterns to ecological stress. The text is intended for advanced students of environmental ecology and environmental science, as well as for ecologists, environmentalists, and urban planners and officials.

Table of contents


Preface


1 Introduction

1.1 The Scope of This Book

1.2 Growth of the Human Population

1.3 The Ecological Effects of Stress


2 Air Pollution

2.1 Introduction

2.2 Emission, Transformation, and Toxicity of Air Pollutants

2.3 Air Pollution and Human Health

2.4 Case Studies of the Ecological Effects of Toxic Gases

2.5 Carbon Dioxide, Climate Change, and Plant Growth


3 Toxic Elements

3.1 Introduction

3.2 Background Concentration in the Environment

3.3 Toxicity

3.4 Naturally Occurring Contamination and Its Ecological Effects

3.5 Anthropogenic Sources of Toxic Elements


4 Acidification

4.1 Introduction

4.2 Deposition of Acidifying Substances from the Atmosphere

4.3 Chemical Changes within the Watershed

4.4 Biological Effects of Acidification

4.5 Reclamation of Acidified Water Bodies


5 Forest Decline

5.1 Introduction

5.2 The Nature of Forest Decline

5.3 Case Studies of Forest Decline


6 Oil Pollution

6.1 Introduction

6.2 Characteristics of Petroleum and Its Refined Products

6.3 Oil Pollution

6.4 Biological Effects of Hydrocarbons

6.5 Ecological Effects of Oil Pollution


7 Eutrophication of Fresh Water

7.1 Introduction

7.2 Causes of Eutrophication

7.3 Case Studies of Eutrophication


8 pesticides

8.1 Introduction

8.2 Classification of Pesticides by Their Use and Chemical Characteristics

8.3 Environmental Impacts of Pesticide Use


9 Harvesting of Forests

9.1 Introduction

9.2 Consequences of Forest Harvesting for Site Fertility

9.3 Leaching of Nutrients from Disturbed Forest Watersheds

9.4 Soil Erosion Resulting from Disturbance

9.5 Hydrologic Effects of the Disturbance of Watersheds

9.6 Forest Harvesting and Wildlife


10 Loss of Species Richness

10.1 Introduction

10.2 Species Richness of the Biosphere

10.3 Rationalization for the Preservation of Species

10.4 Extinction as a Natural Process

10.5 Anthropogenic Losses of Species Richness

10.6 Back from the Brink-A Few Conservation Success Stories


11 Ecological Effects of Warfare

11.1 Introduction

11.2 Destruction by Conventional Warfare

11.3 Chemical Weapons in Warfare

11.4 Effects of Nuclear Warfare


12 Effects of Stress on Ecosystem Structure and Function

12.1 Introduction

12.2 Ecological Effects of Long-Term Chronic Stress

12.3 Ecological Effects of the Advent of Stress

12.4 The Alleviation of Stress

Glossary

Bibliography

Biological Index

Chemical Index

Geographical Index

Subject Index


Product details

  • Edition: 1
  • Latest edition
  • Published: October 31, 2013
  • Language: English

About the author

BF

Bill Freedman

Affiliations and expertise
Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada

View book on ScienceDirect

Read Environmental Ecology on ScienceDirect