430 Pages 25 Color & 95 B/W Illustrations
    by CRC Press

    416 Pages 25 Color & 95 B/W Illustrations
    by CRC Press

    Ecology is cross-disciplinary field involving many different aspects of science. Written with this in mind, this book introduces ecological processes, ranging from physical processes, to chemical processes and biological processes. It contains all the necessary information on an ecological process: a clear, detailed but not too lengthy definition, some practical examples, the main mathematical models which have been used to describe the process, the key interconnections with other ecological processes that must be known in order to apply what has been learned from the book.

    INTRODUCTION
    The Ecosystem as an Object for Research
    Introduction
    Holism versus Reductionism
    Interpreting Ecosystem Reality
    Ecosystem Structure
    Complexity and Self-Organization
    Energy Flows through the Biosphere
    Brief History of the Biosphere

    Conservation Principles
    Introduction
    Space Conservation
    Mass Conservation
    Energy Conservation: Thermodynamics’ First Principle
    Information

    Energy Dissipation
    Introduction
    The Second Principle
    Dissipative Structures
    Irreversible Processes
    Entropy Production

    A Perspective from Information and Systems Theory
    Introduction
    Information: Definition and Measure
    Thermodynamic Entropy and Shannon’s Information
    Solar Energy and Information
    Ecological Network Analysis
    Exergy

    Ecological Processes: An Overview

    PHYSICAL PROCESSES
    Space and Time
    Introduction
    Scale and Hierarchy
    Space Delimitation: Boundaries
    Flows through Open Systems
    Equilibrium, Stability, and Steady State

    Mass Transport
    Introduction
    Advection and Diffusion
    Dispersion
    Mass Balance and Reactors
    Settling and Resuspension
    Transport in Porous Media
    Transport at Interfaces
    Reaeration
    Volatilization
    Transport over Membranes

    Energetic Factors
    Introduction
    Solar Radiation
    Light Extinction
    Evapotranspiration
    Effects of Waves in Aquatic Ecosystems

    CHEMICAL PROCESSES
    Chemical Reactions
    Introduction
    Chemical Equilibrium
    Enzymatic Processes
    Redox
    Acid–Base
    Solutions, Precipitation, and Flocculation

    Chemical Lysis
    Introduction
    Hydrolysis
    Proteolysis
    Photolysis

    Phase Partition
    Introduction
    Adsorption and Partition of Organic Compounds
    Ion Exchange
    Complex Formation
    Activities and Activities Coefficients

    BIOLOGICAL PROCESSES
    Biogeochemical Cycles
    Introduction
    Oxygen Cycle
    Aerobic and Anaerobic Conditions
    The Carbon Cycle and Biosphere Stability Conditions
    Nitrogen Cycle
    Phosphorus Cycle

    PHOTOSYNTHESIS
    Growth
    Introduction
    The Metabolic Growth Model
    Allometric Principles

    Primary Production
    Introduction
    Limitation
    Respiration
    Nutrient and Metal Uptake
    Excretion
    Fixation
    Mortality

    Production of Upper Trophic Levels
    Introduction
    Grazing
    Predation

    Microbial Processes
    Introduction
    Microbial Loop
    The Role of Detritus
    Biological Decomposition

    Ecotoxicological Processes
    Introduction
    Biodegradation
    Bioaccumulation, Bioconcentration, and Biomagnification
    The Equilibrium between Spheres: Partition of Toxic Substances between Air, Water, Soil, and Biota

    Biological Interactions
    Introduction
    Adaptation and Shift in Species’ Composition
    Competition
    Other Biological Interactions
    Trophic Networks

    LANDSCAPE PROCESSES
    Aquatic Ecosystems
    Introduction
    Eutrophication
    Lakes
    Wetlands, Transitional Water Ecosystems
    Rivers
    Open Sea
    Fishery

    Terrestrial Ecosystems
    Introduction
    Decomposition of Organic Matter in Soil
    Toxic Substances in Soil
    Erosion and Leaching
    Ecosystem Transitions

    Landscapes and Urban Ecosystems
    Introduction
    Landscape Processes
    Population Growth
    Environmental Processes and Urban Ecosystems
    Urban Solid Waste Management

    The Atmosphere
    Introduction
    Atmospheric Pollution by Gases and Particles
    Modifying the Distribution Patterns
    Ozone Depletion
    Henry’s Law
    Acidification
    References
    Appendix: The Double Logarithmic Representation
    Index

    Biography

    Luca Palmeri, Alberto Barausse, Sven Erik Jorgensen

    "... presents an overview of the multi-faceted reality of ecosystems. However, far from being a simple collection of particular aspects of the environment, the book presents a comprehensive vision of ecosystems based on thermodynamics, viewed as a unifying principle which every evolutionary system must obey."
    ––Stefano Marsili Libelli, Department of Information Engineering, University of Florence, Italy

    "… the authors take the reader on a comprehensive journey through the key processes that help one understand ecology—particularly for the application of environmental management. … The authors bring many years of expertise and experience to this topic, which is evident in the broad, synthetic treatment of the material. This Handbook would be a valuable resource …"
    —Brian D. Fath, Towson University