Plants for Arid Lands

Plants for Arid Lands
Author: G.E. Wickens
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 458
Release: 2012-12-06
Genre: Science
ISBN: 940116830X

Economic plants have been defined by SEPASAT as those plants that are utilised either directly or indirectly for the benefit of Man. Indirect usage includes the needs of Man's livestock and the maintenance of the environment; the benefits may be domestic, commercial or aesthetic. Economic plants constitute a large and so far uncalculated percentage of the quarter of a million higher plants in the World today. However, it has been calculated that 10% (25 000) of these species are now on the verge of extinction and extinction means that a genetic resource that could be of benefit to Man will be lost for ever. Furthermore, for every species lost an estimated 10-30 other dependent organisms are also doomed. Fewer than 1 per cent of the World's plants have been sufficiently well studied for a true evaluation of the potential floral wealth awaiting discovery, not only in the rain forests, which man is now actively destroying at a rate of 20 ha a minute, but also in the very much neglected dry areas of the World.

Mesquite

Mesquite
Author: Rodney W. Bovey
Publisher: Texas A&M University Press
Total Pages: 277
Release: 2016-09-30
Genre: Nature
ISBN: 1623494281

Global problem or treasure? This question has accompanied the widespread and controversial mesquite tree wherever it grows and is studied around the world. In this comprehensive reference to the genus Prosopis, rangeland scientist Rodney Bovey has gathered and synthesized years of research in a book that reflects our current state of knowledge about the biology, morphology, and management of mesquite. Environmentally adaptive, the mesquite is considered by many to be an invasive or a pest species, and Bovey addresses the concerns about mesquite encroachment worldwide. But he also explains its ecological importance in the prevention of erosion and desertification and in providing food and habitat for wildlife. In addition, Bovey traces the uses of mesquite by humans and discusses the economics of growing and harvesting mesquite. A handy guide to the names, locations, distributions, habitat, structure, and uses of several species of mesquite is included in this benchmark publication for ecologists, range managers, biologists, landowners, and students of agriculture and ecosystem science.

High-Tech and Micropropagation V

High-Tech and Micropropagation V
Author: Y.P.S. Bajaj
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 409
Release: 2013-03-09
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 3662077744

This volume, fifth in the series High-Tech and Micropropagation, contains 24 chapters arranged in the following three sections: I. Vegetables and Fruits: garlic, Amaranthus, Brassica oleracea, pepper, watermelon, cassava, banana, Myrtus communis, passionfruit, Polymnia sonchifolia, pepino, and spinach. II. Grasses: bamboos, Caustis dioica, Dendrocalamus, Miscanthus x giganteus, sugarcane. III. Trees: Aegle marmelos, Eucalyptus, Fraxinus excelsior, Juglans cinerea, Pinus virginiana, Prosopis, and Ulmus. This book is of use to research workers, advanced students, and teachers in the fields of horticulture, forestry, botany, and plant biotechnology in general, and also to individuals interested in industrial micropropagation.

The Magnificent Mesquite

The Magnificent Mesquite
Author: Ken E. Rogers
Publisher: University of Texas Press
Total Pages: 175
Release: 2010-07-22
Genre: Nature
ISBN: 0292785925

This comprehensive guide to the versatile mesquite tree covers its various species and many uses, from food to furniture to rangeland management. A reliable source of food and shelter even in the severest droughts, the mesquite tree sustained American Indians in the Southwest for centuries. Today, mesquite is popular for barbecuing, woodworking, furniture making, flooring, sculpture, jewelry, and food products ranging from honey to jelly and syrup. Even ranchers, who once fought to eradicate mesquite, have come to value its multiple uses on well-managed rangeland. In this accessible volume, one of the world's leading authorities on mesquite presents a wealth of information about its natural history and commercial, agricultural, and woodworking uses. Ken Rogers describes the life cycle, species, and wide distribution of the mesquite, which is native or naturalized not only in the Southwest and Mexico, but also in India, Africa, Australia, South America, and Hawaii. Rogers discusses the many consumer and woodworker uses of mesquite, even giving instructions for laying a mesquite wood floor and making mesquite bean jelly. He also looks into the ways that people are using mesquite in nature, from rangeland management in the Southwest to desertification prevention in arid countries.

Silvopastoral Systems in Southern South America

Silvopastoral Systems in Southern South America
Author: Pablo Luis Peri
Publisher: Springer
Total Pages: 275
Release: 2016-03-02
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 3319241095

This multi-authored volume contains peer-reviewed chapters from leading researchers and professionals in silvopastoral systems topic in Southern South America (Argentina, Chile and South Brazil). It is a compendium of original research articles, case studies, and regional overviews and summarizes the current state of knowledge on different components and aspects (pasture production, animal production, trees production, carbon sequestration, conservation) of silvopatoral systems in native forests and tree plantations. The main hypothesis of the book is that farmers have integrated tree and pasture/grassland species in their land use systems to reach higher production per unit of land area, risk avoidance, product diversification, and sustainability. These production systems also impact positively in main ecosystem processes. Management of these productive systems, Policy and Socioeconomic Aspects provide great opportunities and challenges for farmers and policy makers in our region. The book is unique on this subject in Southern South America and constitutes a valuable reference material for graduate students, professors, scientists and extensionists who work with silvopastoral systems.

The Carbon Farming Solution

The Carbon Farming Solution
Author: Eric Toensmeier
Publisher: Chelsea Green Publishing
Total Pages: 497
Release: 2016
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 1603585710

"Agriculture is rightly blamed as a major culprit of our climate crisis. But in this groundbreaking new book, Eric Toensmeier argues that agriculture--specifically, the subset of practices known as "carbon farming"--can, and should be, a linchpin of a global climate solutions platform"--

Halophytes as a resource for livestock and for rehabilitation of degraded lands

Halophytes as a resource for livestock and for rehabilitation of degraded lands
Author: V. Squires
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 318
Release: 2012-12-06
Genre: Science
ISBN: 9401108188

Desertification (land degradation in arid, semi-arid and dry sub-humid areas resulting mainly from adverse human impacts) is the main environmental problem of dry lands, which occupy more than 40 per cent of the total global land area. The phenomenon threatens about 3.6 billion hectares and currently affects the livelihood of about 900 million people. Thl! world is now losing annually about 1.5 million hectares of total irrigated lands (240 million hectares) due mostly to salinization, mainly in drylands. Salt affected soils are widely distributed throughout the arid and semi-arid regions, and particularly severe in China (7 million ha), India (20 million ha), Pakistan (3.2 million ha), USA (5.2 million ha), as well as Near East, southern Europe and elsewhere. Demands on production have increased the pressure on existing productive land and moved the limits of production onto increasingly marginal lands. Wise land-use practices have yet to be developed for such conditions. The Executive Director of UNEP reported to the Governing Council in February 1992 concerning the "Status of Desertification and Implementation of the United Nations Plan of Action to Comtat Desertification (PACD)". The Report concludes that major efforts to implement the PACD had gJne into supporting measures rather than concrete corrective field operations. Little evidence of progrl!ss was found in irrigated croplands, rainfed croplands or rangelands. It was recommended that every piece of land should be used in keeping with its ecological characteristics, natural capabilities and constraints.

Arid Lands

Arid Lands
Author: Charles Hutchinson
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 1457
Release: 2019-04-23
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 0429722036

The international conference Arid Lands: Today and Tomorrow drew more than 400 participants from over 3 S countries to Tucson, Arizona, for one week in October of 19 8 S. The diversity of presenters, disciplines and subject matters addressed contributed to an interesting and informative conference. The papers presented in this volume represent the efforts of scientists and other individuals who, through their various disciplines, are addressing the problems of and opportunities presented by the arid lands of the world. A committee of five scientists reviewed for substance. relevance and their contribution to the conference the 284 abstracts that were submitted. They selected 146 for presentation at the conference and of those papers presented, 128 were received for inclusion in the proceedings.

Ecological Systems of the Geobiosphere

Ecological Systems of the Geobiosphere
Author: Heinrich Walter
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 480
Release: 2013-06-29
Genre: Science
ISBN: 3662068125

In Volume 1 of this four-volume series, ecological problems of a general nature were discussed from a global point of view. Familiarity with this is essential for a full understanding of the more specialized treatment in this and subsequent volumes, for no similar approach is to be found in other ecological handbooks for beginners. This present volume deals in detail with the special ecological relation ships of the tropical and subtropical zonobiomes I to III. Most ecologists proceed from the basis of their experience in the temperate zones of the northern hemisphere. As a result, many ecological writings show a certain one-sidedness and there is a danger that generalizations made will not be broadly applicable. To avoid this, particular emphasis is laid, in this vol urne, on the special ecological features and the characteristics of the trop ical and subtropical regions. More specifically, we deal not only with the relationship of the euclimatope to zonal soils and zonal vegetation, but also pay attention to azonal conditions shown in pedobiomes and in the altitudinal belts of mountains, the orobiomes. In this and the subsequent volumes the same simple scheme is followed in treating each zonobiome: 1. climate; 2. soils; 3. producers; 4. consum ers; 5. decomposers; 6. ecosystems; 7. sub division into biomes; 8. oro biomes; 9. pedobiomes and 10. zonoecotones. Where it has appeared expedient, however, we have occasionally deviated from this scheme (see Deserts D, F, G and H).