Natural Resources, Sustainability and Humanity [electronic resource] : A Comprehensive View /
Mendonca, Angela.editor.
Cunha, Ana.editor.
Chakrabarti, Ranjan.editor.
Shortly, this book is the written up-graded version of the topics discussed during the Small Meeting of the Second International School Congress: Natural Resources, Sustainability and Humanity, held in Braga, Portugal, 5-8 May 2010 with the diverse participation of scientists, educators and governmental representatives. The Earth hosts an immense ecosystem, colonized by millions of species for billions of years but only for a few tens of thousands of years by humans. Environmental history tells though that it was humankind that shaped the environment as no other species. History, geography, religion and politics among other reasons have differentiated populations with respect to access to safe food and water, education, health, and to space and natural resource utilization. The globalization era of trade, information and communication is shortening distances and increasing overall wealth, but, as is pointed out in this book, it is also contributing to the propagation of diseases, and to the modification or even destruction of native ecosystems by exotic invasive species. Man is the only species that has the perception of its history, evolution, of the consequences of its decisions, and that there is a future ahead. It is also the only species that has the potential to change it. This awareness can be a source of anxiety and contradictory behaviours, but it is also the key to changing attitudes towards the construction of a common sustainable home, by committed education, interdisciplinary approaches, mobilization and empowerment of people and political consonant actions.
Description based upon print version of record.
""Dedication""; ""Preface""; ""Acknowledgements""; ""Contents""; ""Contributors""; ""Chapter-1""; ""What Does Environmental History Teach?""; ""1.1 Introduction""; ""1.2 History is not Apart from Nature""; ""1.3 The Importance of Science to History""; ""1.4 Environmental Concerns are Rooted in the Past""; ""1.5 Scale in Time and Space: Global and Local""; ""1.6 Conclusion""; ""References""; ""Chapter-2""; ""New Orleans: An Environmental History of Disaster""; ""References""; ""Chapter-3""; ""Towards a Global History of Environment, Water and Climate""; ""References""; ""Chapter-4""
""The Contribution of the Barcode of Life Initiative to the Discovery and Monitoring of Biodiversity""""4.1 Introduction""; ""4.2 Taxonomy: Entering a New Age""; ""4.2.1 Status Report and Challenges""; ""4.2.2 Signals of Renaissance""; ""4.2.3 Renovation of Taxonomy""; ""4.3 Synopsis and Update on the Barcode of Life Initiative""; ""4.3.1 Brief History and Synopsis of Main Developments""; ""4.4 DNA Barcoding in the Discovery and Monitoring of Biodiversity""; ""4.4.1 Cryptic Species""; ""4.4.2 Second-Generation Sequencing and the Biodiversity of Complex Environmental Samples""
""4.4.3 Invasive Species""""4.5 Conclusion""; ""References""; ""Chapter-5""; ""Increasing Pressure at the Bottom of the Ocean""; ""5.1 Introduction""; ""5.2 The Importance of the Oceans""; ""5.3 Deepwater Fisheries""; ""5.4 Oil, Gas and Minerals Extraction""; ""5.5 Manganese Nodules and Crusts""; ""5.6 Methane Hydrates""; ""5.7 Polymetallic Sulphides of the Hydrothermal Fields""; ""5.8 Potential Impacts of Mineral and Gas Extraction""; ""5.9 The Deep Sea as a Deposit""; ""5.10 Priority Habitats and Ecosystems""; ""5.11 Final Considerations""; ""References""; ""Chapter-6""
""Biological Invasions and Global Trade""""6.1 Introduction""; ""6.2 Impacts Caused by Invasive Species""; ""6.2.1 Impact of Invasive Species on Human Activities""; ""6.2.2 Impacts of Invasive Species on Native Biodiversity and Ecosystems""; ""6.2.3 Which Exotic Species Have the Greatest Impact?""; ""6.3 Vectors and Pathways Used by Invasive Species""; ""6.4 Prevention of Invasive Species. A Challenge to Educators""; ""References""; ""Chapter-7""; ""Psychology for the Sake of the Environment""; ""7.1 The Psychological Challenge""; ""7.1.1 Stages of Acceptance""
""Chapter-9""
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Shortly, this book is the written up-graded version of the topics discussed during the Small Meeting of the Second International School Congress: Natural Resources, Sustainability and Humanity, held in Braga, Portugal, 5-8 May 2010 with the diverse participation of scientists, educators and governmental representatives. The Earth hosts an immense ecosystem, colonized by millions of species for billions of years but only for a few tens of thousands of years by humans. Environmental history tells though that it was humankind that shaped the environment as no other species. History, geography, religion and politics among other reasons have differentiated populations with respect to access to safe food and water, education, health, and to space and natural resource utilization. The globalization era of trade, information and communication is shortening distances and increasing overall wealth, but, as is pointed out in this book, it is also contributing to the propagation of diseases, and to the modification or even destruction of native ecosystems by exotic invasive species. Man is the only species that has the perception of its history, evolution, of the consequences of its decisions, and that there is a future ahead. It is also the only species that has the potential to change it. This awareness can be a source of anxiety and contradictory behaviours, but it is also the key to changing attitudes towards the construction of a common sustainable home, by committed education, interdisciplinary approaches, mobilization and empowerment of people and political consonant actions.
Environment.
Geobiology.
Climate change.
Physical geography.
Sustainable development.
Education.
Environment, general.
Biogeosciences.
Climate Change.
Earth System Sciences.
Sustainable Development.
Education, general.