Soil science books published in 2006
Handbook of Microbial Biofertilizers. M.K. Rai, editor. Food Products Press, an imprint of The Haworth Press, New York, London, 2006, xxv + 579 p. ISBN 1-56022-270-0, softcover; 1-56022-269-9 hardcover.
This handbook provides in-depth coverage of all major microbial biofertilizers (Rhizobia, Arbuscular Mycorrhizal fungi and Cyanobacteria), as well as new and emerging growth promoters (endophytes). It examines the role of microbes in growth promotion, bioprotectors, and bioremediators, and presents protocols and practical strategies for using microbes in sustainable agriculture. Many charts, tables and figures make complex information easy to access and understand. Important issues surrounding microbial biofertilizers are discussed and it is shown that these environment-friendly bioprotectors, growth boosters and remediators are essential for soil and plant health.
Price: USD 69.95, softcover; USD 124.95, hardcover.
Orders to: Haworth Press, 10 Alice Street, Binghamton, NY 13904-1580, USA. Fax: +1-607-771-0012. Email: Internet: www.haworthpress.com Outside USA and Canada: NBN International, Estover Road, Plymouth PL6 7PY, United Kingdom. Fax: +44-1752-202331. Email: Internet: www.pubeasy.com
Mapping of the Soil. J.-P. Legros. Science Publishers, Enfield, 2006, xv + 411 p. ISBN 1-57808-363-X. Hardcover.
This is a translation of the book in French: Carthographies des sols, Presses polytechniques et universitaires romandes, Lausanne, 1996 (ISBN 2-88074-298-6). The author modified and updated the text for this English edition in 2004. This book is addressed to all those who must prepare and use soil maps: mappers, agronomists, naturalists and students of rural engineering, geology or ecology. Its objectives are to present mapping methods relevant to the soil mantle and to consider recent advances made in the discipline through the use of geographic information systems, databases, multicriteria analysis, fuzzy set theory and computer modeling; thus it fills a certain lacuna because no important synthesis of the subject has been published for many years. The book is divided into 10 chapters that discuss methodological foundations, different phases of work, computer processing, applications and, lastly, the current state of the art in various countries, such as the USA, Canada, France and others. For small scale syntheses, pure soil mapping gives way to landscape mapping that deals both with soils and components of the environment (morphology, vegetation, etc.). The book is also an introduction to this kind of holistic approach in which strict scientific methodology must also be maintained.
The author was one of the vice-presidents of the former IUSS Commission V from 1994 - 1998.
Price: USD 75.00.
Orders to: Science Publishers, P.O. Box 699, Enfield, NH 03748, USA. Email: . Internet: www.scipub.net.
Land Use Change and Mountain Biodiversity. E.M. Spehn, Chr. Kerner and M. Liberman, editors. CRC Press, 2006, 376 p. ISBN 0-8493-3523-X. Hardcover.
Part of the worldwide biodiversity program DIVERSITAS, the Global Mountain Biodiversity Assessment (GMBA) assesses the biological richness of high-elevation biota. GMBA's focus includes the uppermost forest regions or their substitute rangeland vegetation, the treeline ecotone, and the alpine and nival belts.The GMBA explains the causes of biological richness and how diversity changes over time. Part of the agenda is the assessment of land use impacts. These assessments are critical in low-latitude regions, where land use pressure on upland biota is the greatest. The present volume is derived from a peer-reviewed process that followed presentations offered at two GMBA workshops in Tanzania and Bolivia. It contains information from all major mountain regions, with a particular focus on the Andes and on African mountains. With contributions from more than 50 researchers, the book begins with an overview chapter on high-elevation land use, biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. Highlighting the effects of fire and grazing, it provides a synthesis of human impacts on highland biodiversity. The book then reviews anthropogenic disturbances of biodiversity and analyses forest structure and tree regeneration in subalpine wood pastures.
Price: USD 109.95; GBP 62.99.
Orders to: In the Americas: CRC Press, 6000 Broken Sound Parkway, NW, Suite 300, Boca Raton, FL 33487, USA. Fax: +1-561-361-6018. Email: . Elsewhere: CRC Press/ITPS, Cheriton House, North Way, Andover, Hants.cSP10 5BE, United Kingdom. Email: . Internet: www.crcpress.com.
Environmental Soil-Landscape Modeling. Geographic Information Technologies and Pedometrics. S. Grunwald, editor. CRC Press, 2006, 488 p. ISBN 0-8247-2389-9. Hardcover.
This book presents the latest methodological developments in soil-landscape modelling. It analyses many measurement tools, and explains computer-related and pedometric techniques that are invaluable in the modelling process. This volume in the series Books in Soils, Plants and the Environment provides an in-depth overview of the history of soil-landscape modeling. By uniting the work of soil scientists from diverse backgrounds, it promotes quantitative soil-landscape modelling as a joint venture among those involved with soil geography, soil genesis and pedometrics. According to Gerard Heuvelink, Chair of the IUSS Commission on Pedometrics, writes: Through her choice of authors and subjects, Sabine Grunwald has created a comprehensive and well balanced book. I am confident that it will be stimulus and source of inspiration for all soil scientists working on the development of an operational model of soil-landscape evolution.
Price: USD 139.95; GBP 79.99.
Orders to: In the Americas: CRC Press, 6000 Broken Sound Parkway, NW, Suite 300, Boca Raton, FL 33487, USA. Fax: +1-561-361-6018. Email: . Elsewhere: CRC Press/ITPS, Cheriton House, North Way, Andover, Hants.cSP10 5BE, United Kingdom. Email: . Internet: www.crcpress.com.
Managing Arsenic in the Environment. From soil to human health. R. Naidu, E. Smith, G. Owens, P. Bhattacharya and P. Nadebaum, editors. CSIRO Publishing, 2006, 656 p. ISBN 0-643-06868-6. Hardcover.
Arsenic is one of the most toxic and carcinogenic elements in the environment. This book brings together the current knowledge on arsenic contamination worldwide, reviewing the field, highlighting common themes and pointing to key areas needing future research. Contributions discuss methods for accurate identification and quantification of individual arsenic species in a range of environmental and biological matrices and give an overview of the environmental chemistry of arsenic. Next, chapters deal with the dynamics of arsenic in groundwater and aspects of arsenic in soils and plants, including plant uptake studies, effects on crop quality and yield, and the corresponding food chain and human health issues associated with these exposure pathways. These concerns are coupled with the challenge to develop efficient, cost-effective risk management and remediation strategies: recent technological advances are described and assessed, including the use of adsorbents, photo-oxidation, bioremediation and electrokinetic remediation. The book concludes with 11 detailed regional perspectives of the extent and severity of arsenic contamination from around the world. It will be invaluable for arsenic researchers as well as environmental scientists and environmental chemists, toxicologists, medical scientists, and statutory authorities seeking an in-depth view of the issues surrounding this toxin.
Price: AUD 165.00.
Order to: CSIRO Publishing, 150 Oxford Street, Collingwood VIC 3066, Australia. Fax: +61-3-9662-7555. Email: Internet: www.publish.csiro.au In the Americas: Science Publishers, 234 May Street, Enfield, NH 03748, USA. Email: Internet: www.scipub.net. In Europe: Eurospan, 3 Henriette Street, Covent Garden, London WC2E 8LU, United Kingdom. Fax: +44-20-73790609. Email: Internet: www.eurospan.co.uk
State of the World 2006. Special Focus: China and India. A Worldwatch Institute Report on progress Toward a Sustainable Society. D. Nierenberg, project director and L. Stark, editor. W.W. Norton, New York and London, 2006, xxvii + 244 p. ISBN 0-393-32771-X. Softcover.
As India and China become world-class economies, they are set to join existing industrialized nations as major consumers of resources and polluters of local and global ecosystems. Vigorous discussions are under way in both countries at every level about the right development paths to follow, including leapfrogging the technologies, policies and even the cultures that now prevail in many western countries. The publication also looks at actions corporations can take to be more socially responsible; examines the potential socioeconomic, health, and environmental implications of nanoscale technologies; assesses the impacts of large-scale development of biofuels on agriculture and the environment; describes mercury sources, industrial uses, and health hazards worldwide; and provides an overview of the need to safeguard freshwater ecosystems, with examples of proven approaches in cities, villages, and farming regions around the world.
Price: USD 18.95.
Orders to: Worldwatch Institute,1776 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20036, USA. Email: . Internet: www.worldwatch.org. The book is also published by Earthscan, 8-12 Camden High Street, London, NW1 0JH, UK. Fax: +44-20-7387-8998. Email: . Internet: www.earthscan.co.uk.
Carbon Sequestration in Soils of Latin America. R. Lal, C.C. Cerri, M. Bernoux, J. Etchevers, and E. Cerri, editors. Food Products Press, an imprint of The Haworth Press, New York, London, 2006, xxiii + 554 p. ISBN 1-56022-137-2, softcover. ISBN 1-56022-136-4, hardcover.
The problem of quickly mounting carbon dioxide emissions in the fast-developing Latin American region was addressed in a symposium held in Piracicaba, Brazil, in June 2004. This book is based on the presentations given. It presents the latest available knowledge in carbon sequestration and improved soil management which can also lead to other positive effects, such as greater fertility and higher crop yields. This text comprehensively reviews ways to best transforms various soils from being a source of carbon released into the atmosphere to become a sink for carbon absorption. The book has four sections. The first section gives background information about the region, its climate, the soils, along with basic concepts about the science. The second describes recommended management practices and rates of soil C sequestration. The third deals with methods of assessment of soil C. The last section provides a summary of recommendations for further research and development. The book has many references and contains a large amount of figures, tables, and a 12-pp. color photo section.
For a complete list on contents, visit the website mentioned below.
Price: USD 49.95, softcover; USD 69.95, hardcover. Postage and handling extra.
Orders to: The Haworth Press, 10 Alice Street, Binghamton, NY 13904-1580, USA. Fax: 1-607-771-0012. Email: Internet: www.haworthpress.com
Outside USA and Canada: NBN International, Estover Road, Plymouth PL6 7PY, UK. Fax: +44-1752-202331. Email: Internet: www.pubeasy.com
Vital Signs 2006-2007. The Trends That Are Shaping Our Future. The Worldwatch Institute. W.W. Norton, New York and London, 2006, 160 p. ISBN 0-393-32872-4. Softcover.
This annual publication from the same organizations as The State of the World an annual report on progress toward a sustainable society contains a large number of key indicators covering a variety of subjects in the fields of commerce, consumption, and many ecological trends. For instance: it is shown that the average atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration increased 0.6 percent over the high of 2004, the largest annual increase ever recorded, and that the average global temperature reached 14.6 degrees Celsius, making 2005 the warmest year ever recorded. It is also mentioned that deforestation accounts for 25 percent of annual human-caused carbon emissions. An interesting publication! For the State of the World 2006, see Bulletin 108.
Price: USD 16.95, plus shipping and handling.
Orders to: through the Worldwatch website: www.worldwatch.org
Sampling for Natural Resource Monitoring. J. de Gruijter, D. Brus, M. Bierkens and M. Knotters. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg, 2006, xiii + 332 p. ISBN 3-540-22468-6. Hardcover.
There are several books and chapters of books dealing with the subject of monitoring, i.e., sampling in space, time or space-time. These books focus on applications within a particular discipline, for instance hydrology or vegetation science, and of course treat only the methodology relevant to that discipline. In doing so, they normally use the scientific jargon common to that field. However, scientists working in other fields may need different monitoring methods and may also profit from a more generic presentation.
The authors identified a need for a handbook on the statistical methodology of monitoring that gives applied scientists sufficient guidance in how to design a monitoring scheme, rather than presenting a large collection of methods. Although the authors focus on practitioners in the filed of natural resource monitoring rather than statisticians, basic knowledge is required for a proper understanding of the methodologies described. In this book, methodologies are presented that are considered to be generally useful for survey and monitoring of natural resources. Highly specialized methods of geologic, meteorologic and faunistic surveys and monitoring are not discussed, nor are treated the sampling of lots of natural products or sampling for detection of local critical conditions. The spatial scale varies from a single agricultural field, as in precision agriculture, to continental, as in monitoring the water quality of large rivers. The temporal extent varies from, say, a growing season, to many decades in long-term monitoring of variables such as water tables. The examples that are presented are mostly dealing with soil, groundwater, land use, landscape and, to a lesser extent, vegetation.
Price: EUR 129.95; USD 169.00; GBP 100.00.
Orders to: Springer Customer Service, Haberstrasse 7, D-69162 Heidelberg, Germany. Fax: +49-6221-345-4229. Email: Internet: www.springeronline.com
Australian Soil Fertility Manual. Third edition. G. Price, editor. Fertilizer Industry Federation of Australia and CSIRO, 2006, viii + 168 p. ISBN 0-643-09021-5. Softcover.
This manual is a trusted guide to the safe use and handling of fertilizers. It describes the types of agricultural soils, how they are classified and the interaction of soil, water and nutrients. It also provides an insight into how plants utilize nutrients and the role that individual nutrients play in the process of plant growth. This new edition reflects the increased emphasis on the environmental fate of nutrients and appropriate management strategies. It also has additional information on soil physical, chemical and biological properties and discussions on the use of lime, dolomite and gypsum. New content covers liming effectiveness, water use efficiency, regulations for handling and using fertilizers, storage and transport of security sensitive ammonium nitrate, budgeting for profitable nitrogen use and best management practice for nitrogen and phosphorous fertilizers. Many other chapters have been revised and rewritten. An essential text for fertilizers dealers, extension workers, consultants, teachers, farmers, and others concerned with the profitable and safe use of plant nutrients. Although written for Australian conditions, this publication has many chapters with valuable information for those outside this continent.
Price: AUD 69.95.
Orders to: CSIRO Publishing, P.O. Box 1139, Collingwood VIC 3066, Australia. Fax: +61-3-9662-7555. Email: . In North America: Antipodes and Beyond, email: ? In Europe, Middle East and North Africa: Eurospan, c/- Turpin Distribution, Pegasus Drive, Stratton Business Park, Biggelswade, Bedfordshire SG18 8TQ, UK. Fax: +44-1767-601640. Email: Internet: www.eurospan.co.uk
Ecohydrology. Vegetation Function, Water and Resource Management. D. Eamus, T. Hatton, P. Cook and Chr. Colvin.CSIRO Publishing, 2006, xii + 348 p. ISBN 0-643-06834-1. Hardcover.
The purpose of this book is to reveal and discuss the links between vegetation function and water in landscapes that is, to discuss ecohydrology. The focus is primarily on the interactions among the woody components of vegetation, rainfall and changes in groundwater availability. Woody vegetation is the focus because of the centrality of changes in woody vegetation cover to the ecohydrology of Australia in the past 100 to 200 years. The book, with many figures, tables and color plates, deals mostly with the linkages between the functioning of trees and the movement, availability and location of water in the landscape of Australia. Although the book uses Australian examples, the principles, philosophy and methodological approach are applicable worldwide. The first section encompasses chapters 1 to 5. These chapters provide an overview of the water, vegetation and climate of Australia (Ch. 1), the basis concepts, tools and language of plant-water relations. (Ch. 2), and basic hydrology (Ch. 3) and the techniques and concepts used in ecophysiology and hydrology (Ch. 4). Chapter 5 integrates Ch. 2 and 3 by presenting models of vegetation-hydrology interactions. The second section encompasses chapters 6 to 8. Ch. 6 is a chapter on groundwater dependent ecosystems, an increasingly important subject of study in ecohydrology. Ch. 7 deals with five case studies of practical applications of ecohydrology. Ch. 8 discusses salinity and the links between land use, forest cover and landscape-water balance. The third section ecompasses the remaining two chapters. Ch. 9 provides a review of the policies and guidelines governing the allocation of water and management of groundwater dependent ecosystems in Australia. Ch. 10 offers a case study of the South African ecosystem and water management. The chapter provides a synthesis and overview of the management of water and vegetation in South Africa and draws upon the language, concepts and practicalities discussed in Ch. 2 to 9. It is designed to show how ecohydrology and the sustainable management of water and vegetation are important not only in Australia but in all arid and semi-arid countries of the world, including much of Africa and the Middle East.
Price: AUD 120.00.
Orders to: CSIRO Publishing, P.O. Box 1139, Collingwood VIC 3066, Australia. Fax: +61-3-9662-7555. Email: . Internet: www.publish.csiro.au. In Europe and Middle East: Eurospan, c/- Turpin Distribution, Pegasus Drive, Stratton Business Park, Biggelswade, Bedfordshire SG18 8TQ, UK. Fax: +44-1767-601640. Email: Internet: www.eurospan.co.uk
Soil Management for Sustainability. Advances in Geoecology 38. R. Horn, H. Fleige, S. Peth and X. Peng, editors. Catena Verlag, Reiskirchen, 2006, 502 p. ISBN 3-923381-52-2. US-ISBN 1-59326-246-9. Hardcover.
This book is based on the papers presented at the 17th Triennial ISTRO Conference, held in Kiel, Germany, from 28 August to 2 September 2006. Soil management techniques can be labeled sustainable when their requirements for land use consider and respect the site-specific properties and functions that soil fulfill in ecosystems. Interactions among the natural processes occurring in soils with those primarily caused by anthropogenic soil and land degradation processes alter not only the overall long term yield expectations by the farmers, but also the economically acceptable and safe yield forecasts. Additionally, soil modifications by tillage-induced decomposition of organic material, surface alterations by erosi0on, water pollution by lateral flow of contaminated soil water, i.e. interflow above impermeable plough pan layers instead of deep vertical infiltration to the groundwater, increased production of global climate change gases can be characterized as unadjusted site-specific land use effects. Soil structure, soil physical, chemical, and biological functions of soils under intense analyses and their interactions among coupled mechanical, hydraulic, chemical, and biological processes are often discussed but until recently, seldom quantified. The sensitivity of soils and their limited resilience under various land use and climatic conditions partly resulted in soil protection laws as well as in initiatives for a global concept of sustainable land management. However, the open questions concerning alternative land use systems and regulations for machine input which also consider the limited internal strength for given soil hydraulic conditions remain controversial. Soil vulnerability, associated economical consequences, and global change demand continuous discussions among various disciplines of soil science, plant production, ecology, hydrology, agricultural engineering, and mathematical modeling. It was the aim of this ISTRO Conference was to document the state of knowledge and to discuss new ideas in order to also derive more specific recommendations that could prevent, modify, and ameliorate the inordinate and global soil degradation processes, including the quantification of economic inputs.
Price: EUR and USD 139.00.
Orders to: Catena Verlag, Armelgasse 11, D-35447 Reiskirchen, Germany. Fax: +49-6408-64978. Email: Internet: www.catena-verlag.de Or: HSU Bookstore, Catena Verlag Distribution, Humboldt State University, Arcata, CA 95521, USA. Internet: www.humboldt.org/bookstore
Better Land Husbandry. From Soil Conservation to Holistic Land Management. J. Hellin. Science Publishers, Enfield and Plymouth, 2006, xiv + 325 p. ISBN 1-57808-244-7. Softcover.
This is the fourth volume in the Land Construction and Management Series, which is edited by M.J. Haigh. The series aims to publicize innovative work devoted to the restoration of lands that have been damaged by human actions and to advance new approaches to sustainable land management. Land shortages are forging large numbers of smallholder farmers to cultivate tropical steeplands. Often, soil conservation technologies are promoted to reduce the resulting soil loss. This approach has drawbacks: firstly it addresses the symptoms of soil degradation rather than its causes; and secondly, it often fails to recognize that farmers' central purpose is to generate maximum benefit from the land through agricultural production. As a result, farmer adoption of soil conservation technologies has been disappointing. An alternative holistic approach is better land husbandry; this places the farmer first and aspires to improve soil quality via the use of conservation-effective and productivity-enhancing technologies. Better land husbandry aims to maintain optimum soil conditions for the acceptance, transmission and retention of water, and for root growth and crop production. It provides a framework within which social and natural scientists are able to engage in productive dialogue with land users, leading to practical and realistically sustainable land management options. Based on worldwide fieldwork, the author presents examples of better land husbandry in practice and outlines changes in policy that are needed if the better land husbandry approach is to fulfill its potential. The book contains 8 illustrative color photographs.
Price: USD 59.50, plus handling and postage.
Orders to: Science Publishers, P.O. Box 699, Enfield, NH 03748, USA. Fax: +1-603-632-5611. Email: Internet: www.scipub.net
For announcements of the books:
Footprints in the Soil. People and Ideas in Soil History edited by Benno P. Warkentin and published by Elsevier in 2006, and
The Natural History of the Bible. An Environmental Exploration of the Hebrew Scriptures written by Daniel Hillel and published by Columbia University Press in 2006, reference is made to the Newsletter of the Commission on the History, Philosophy and Sociology of the IUSS. See the website of the IUSS at www.iuss.org.
Soil science on CD ROM. Interactive Soil Science, Aberdeen.
This company produces CD ROMS on soil science subjects, authored by Dr. E.A. FitzPatrick. Dr FitzPatrick is well known for his books on microscopy and micromorphology of soils. At present, three CDs are available.
Interactive Soils- This CD is intended for pupils in the final year at school and as an introduction to students in universities. It has the following sections: introduction; processes in the soil system; properties of soils; soil fertility; world soils; soil geography; glossary; index; and word search.
Horizon Identification - This is another attempt to produce a soil classification, based on a new system of horizon identification with the use of a computer. It is followed by a variable system of soil classification, to suit the need of the survey. The system claims to be a simple one.
Soil Microscopy and Micromorphology - This is a copy of the author's book with the same title, but enlarged with many colour photographs. It has the following sections: techniques used in soil micromorphology; some micromorphological concepts and problems; properties of features in thin sections; properties of minerals; rock types; weathering features and products; matrix; structure and pores; faunal features; particle size distribution classes; organic matter; roots; and coatings. All CDs are produced with Windows XP, the horizon identification CD uses also Excel 2003. The CDs contain many illustrative colour photographs from around the world, giving the student an excellent overview of the various soils, horizons, landscapes, and micromorphological features. The CDs are very instructive teaching materials as well.
For further details see: www.interactive soils.com
Prices: Personal copy: GBP 25.00; EUR 40.00: USD 50.00, plus postage and packing. For teaching and multiple copies: see the website.
Orders to: Interactive Soil Science, 76 Burns Road, Aberdeen AB15 4NS, Scotland, UK. Email:
Field Guide Humus Forms. Description and classification of humus forms for ecological applications. B. van Delft, R. de Waal, R. Kemmers, and P. Mekkink. Translated from Dutch by J. Sevink. Alterra, Wageningen UR, 2006, 91 p. Colour plates.
This field guide is an easily accessible source of information on the description of humus forms and the biological, physical and chemical processes involved. Focus is on an ecosystem approach that considers the humus form as the link between living and non/living nature. The guide starts with a chapter on the organic matter cycle and its role in ecosystem functioning. It provides a description of the role of the soil fauna and flora in the decomposition of organic matter and release of nutrients. The second chapter describes how the humus form can be studied and described in the field, and provides overall guidelines for the identification and description of individual horizons. A key for the identification of these horizons and a system for the description of these horizons are given in the third chapter. Together, these allow for a standardized description of the humus forms, irrespective of the type of ecosystem of physiographic unit concerned. The last chapter gives information to the humus form classification developed for the Dutch conditions, which can also be used in Northwest Europe. Although this classification system has a restricted applicability, the principles of the system for identification and description are rather universal. For more information about humus forms research, see the website www.humusvormen.wur.nl. The authors can be reached by emailing: .
Price: EUR 15.00.
Orders to: Alterra, P.O. Box 47, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands. Fax: +31-317-419000. Email: .
Fertilizing for High Yield and Quality. CEREALS. IPI Bulletin 17. J. Wibberley. International Potash Institute, Horgen, 2006, 177 p. ISBN 978-3-9523243-0-1. Softcover.
Small-grain cereals include wheat, barley, oats, rye, triticale, some millets and rice. All cereals make up a high proportion of most human diets (typically half daily intake and, in developing countries, even higher) and thus have a strategic place in many farming systems internationally. The present Bulletin has eight chapters covering: the global importance of these cereals; botany and physiology of these cereals; the role of plant nutrients in cereal physiology; nutrient requirements; cereal nutrient management and agro-ecology; effects of fertilizer use on yield and quality of small-grain cereals; cereals in rotation-integrated nutrition and protection; fertilizer and nutrient management practices.
Price: USD 10.00.
Orders to: IPI, P.O. Box 560, CH-8810 Horgen, Switzerland. Fax: +41-43-819-49-25. Email: . Website: www.ipipotash.org.
Geoderma Special Issue: Fractal Geometry Applied to Soil and Related Hierarchical Systems. Geoderma, volume 134, nos. 3-4, October 2006 pp 237-452. Y. Pachepsky, E. Perfect and M.A. Martin, guest-editors. Elsevier, Amsterdam.
Fractal geometry has long been advocated as a better representation of complex porous media as compared with simple Euclidean models based on straight lines and circle arcs. Twenty-five years of applications of fractal geometry in soil science showed the utility of this geometrical model in describing soil structure and texture, in simulating soil hydraulic properties and parameters of contaminant transport, in discriminating between soils under different management, and in compressing measurement from data-rich advanced measurement technologies, such as laser diffractometry, scanning electron microscopy, computer-assisted tomography, and remote sensing, into meaningful and management-sensitive parameters. Fractal geometry is currently one of the best tools to address extreme events and rare occurrences that control changes of soil properties with scale. Recent developments in this field, including the application of information theory and multifractals to characterize natural hierarchical systems, were explored at the 6th International Workshop on "Fractal Mathematics Applied to Soil and Related Heterogeneous Systems" (PEDOFRACT 2004), which took place on July 2-6, 2004, at El Barco de Avila, Spain. The special issue contains contributions from workshop participants and provides a representative sample of the ongoing international effort to expand the use of fractal models in the Earth sciences.
Orders to: In the Americas: Elsevier, Customer Service Department, 6277 Sea Harbor Drive, Orlando, FL 32887-4800, USA. Fax: +1-407-363-1354. Email: . Internet: www.elsevier.com. In Europe, Middle East and Africa: Elsevier, Customer Service Department, P.O. Box 211. 1000 AE Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Fax: +31-20-485-3432. Email: . UK. Internet: www.elsevier.com/locate/geoderma.
Yakov Pachepsky, Beltsville, USA.
Soils. Basic Concepts and Future Challenges. G. Cerini and R. Scalengue, editors. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, New York, 2006, xvii + 310 p. ISBN 978-0-521-85173-2. Hardcover.
This book pays homage to Professor Fiorenzo C. Ugolini, an outstanding Italian soil scientist, who recently retired from university teaching and research. It is a synthesis of our present knowledge of soils, their genesis, functions and management. The book includes contributions from leading soil scientists from around the world and provides the basis concepts as well as the latest data and practical examples from across the discipline, including also many issues that are usually overlooked in other treatments. The book also discusses the increasingly important role of soils in enabling the preservation of life. Chapter 1 changes in perceptions of soils and their classification are explored. Chapter 2 discusses soil forming processes. Chapters 3 to 7 contain information about the different soil phases. The inorganic fractions of the soil are treated in chapter 3; soil organic matter in chapter 4; the liquid phase is discussed in chapter 5, the gaseous phase in chapter 6, the living phase follows in chapter 7. After the State Factor theory of soil formation is discussed in chapter 8, the different factors of soil formation are treated in chapters 9 to 14. Soil functions and land use is discussed in chapter 15; physical and chemical degradation of soils in chapters 16 and 17. In the 18th and last chapter a number of questions are raised in view of soil research in the future. The appendix contains lists and short descriptions of genetic horizons, the World Reference Base for Soil Resources (WRB) and Soil Taxonomy (ST) systems, and the approximate correlation of the Reference Soil Groups of WRB and the Soil Orders of ST.
Price: GBP 70.00.
Orders to: Cambridge University Press, The Edinburgh Building, Shaftesbury Road, Cambridge, CB2 8RU, UK. Fax: +44-1223-326111. Email:
. Internet: www.cambridge.org. Or: Cambridge University Press, 100 Brook Hill Drive, West Nyack, NY 10994-2133. Fax: +1-845-353-4141. Internet: www.cambridge.org/us.
Sustainable Land Management Challenges, opportunities and trade-offs. Agriculture and Rural Development Series. World Bank, 2006, 138 p. ISBN 0-8213-6597-5.
Sustainable Land Management (SLM) is a knowledge-based procedure that integrates land, water, biodiversity and environmental management to meet rising food and fibre demands while sustaining ecosystem and environmental services and livelihoods. Due to varying combinations of political, social and economic factors, the mining of the natural resource base that has supplied a rapidly growing global population and economy has resulted in significant unintended mismanagement and degradation of land and associated ecosystem services. Scientific advances in the quantification of SLM-based environmental services at field and watershed scales underpin the growing market on payments for environmental services and incentives for SLM and the rehabilitation of degraded lands.
This book highlights the global extent of land degradation, quantifies current SLM investments and identifies SLM priorities, opportunities, and challenges in the face of significant but unpredictable climate change.
Price: GBP 11.50.
Orders to: Eurospan Group, 3 Henriette Street, Covent Garden, London WC2E 8LU, UK. Fax: +44-1767-601640. Email: . Website: www.eurospangroup.com/bookstore.
Soil and land evaluation methods (Metodi di valutazione dei suoli e delle terre, in Italian). Costantini E.A.C. (coordinator). Edizioni Cantagalli, Siena, 2006, pp. 922, with CD-rom. ISBN 88-8272-288-0. Hardcover.
The book is a contribution to the synthesis of available knowledge on land evaluation and a pioneering opus on the environmental requirements of different types of landuse and crops. It will enhance the interest in soil science also by decision makers, planners and land managers. It will be supportive of sustainable landuse and of the protection of our soil resources. The manual offers a wide collection of methods of soil and land evaluation in agriculture, forestry, environmental sciences, as well as land planning. The text has a methodological introduction, useful for the choice of the land evaluation procedure, followed by a series of thematic chapters with specific examples. These regard the main applications of land evaluation in six different fields, that is, i) for general planning: land capability, land suitability for irrigation, soil pollution, soil erosion, and hydrological soil group assessment, land evaluation in developing countries; ii) land evaluation for local planning: wheat, corn, rice, alfalfa, potato, tobacco, soya, sugar beet; iii) land evaluation for niche cultures: spelt, truffle, manna ash, onion, prickly pear, lentil; iv) land evaluation for tree crops: ash, nut, cherry, citrus, vine and wine zoning, olive tree, peach, apple, kiwi, pear, plum, apricot, with cartographic examples; v) land evaluation for forest species and pasture: fir, spruce, pine, larch, pasture; vi) land evaluation for waste spreading and soil restoration. Finally, the tables for the attribution of the classes of soil and land suitability are supplied. The texts are also present in digital format in the attached CD-rom.
Request to: biblioteca CRA-Istituto Sperimentale per lo Studio e la Difesa del Suolo. E-mail: Internet: www.issds.it
Avances en el conocimiento de los suelos de Chile (Advances in the knowledge of soils of Chile). W. Luzio and M. Casanova, eds. Maval Press, Santiago of Chile, 2006, 393 p. ISBN 956-19-0532-9, softcover. Supported by University of Chile & Cattle and Agricultural Service (SAG) this book provides topics as soil genesis; morphological features of soils; physico-chemical properties of soils (pH acidity, alcalinity, adsorption and ionic exchange), chemistry, diagnosis and recovery of soils affected by salts; soil fertility and crops nutrition: experience developed in Chile; soil classification; soil cartography; isotopic technics applied to soil and plants studies; soil degradation and desertification; SIRSD: an instrument of promotion applied to soils of Chile. All the chapters are with emphasis in chilean soils.
Price: USD 40.00 + shipment costs (softcover)
Orders to: Department of Soil and Engineers, Faculty of Agronomic Sciences, University of Chile, Casilla 1004 - Santiago of Chile. Fax: +56-2-9785746. Email: .
Soil and Water Conservation Handbook. Policies, practices, conditions, and terms. P.W. Unger. Haworth Food and Agricultural Products Press, an imprint of The Haworth Press, New York, London, 2006, xiv + 248 p. ISBN 978-1-56022-330-6, softcover; 978-1-56022-329-0, hardcover.
This is a concise, compact encyclopaedia of the policies, practices, conditions and terms related to soil and water conservation. This handy A-to-Z guide contains descriptions of more than 700 entries, presented in a practical, non-technical format that is suitable for beginners as well as experts. Dr Rattan Lal calls it an excellent reference source, Dr Gary Peterson states that There is no other work like it to the best of my knowledge, and it is a legacy we will all appreciate into the long-term future.
Price: USD 29.95 (softcover); USD 39.95 (hardcover), plus handling and postage.
Orders to: The Haworth Press, 10 Alice Street, Binghamton, NY 13904-1580, USA. Email: . Internet: www.haworthpress.com.
Agricultural Sustainability. Principles, processes, and prospects. S. Raman. Food Products Press, an imprint of The Haworth Press, New York, London, 2006, xxii + 474 p. ISBN 978-1-56022-311-5, softcover; 978-1-56022-310-8, hardcover.
This book provides a comprehensive examination of all facets of agricultural sustainability, from the evolution of the concept to the today's state of the art tools and techniques. Challenges to sustainability are clearly presented along with practical strategies to counter prospective problems. This vital resource considers options for the future but also reviews past approaches for their value in today's world. The book is extensively referenced and includes figures and charts to explain data. It includes a foreword by Dr M.S. Swaminathan, who advocates the launching of an Evergreen Revolution in agriculture.
Price: USD 69.95 (softcover); USD 89.95 (hardcover), plus handling and postage. Orders to: The Haworth Press, 10 Alice Street, Binghamton, NY 13904-1580, USA. Email: . Internet: www.haworthpress.com.
Los suelos de los vinedos de la Denominacion de Origen Somontano. D. Badia Villas, J.A. Cuch Oterino, C. Mart i Dalmau e J.C. Gascon. Prensas Universitarias de Zaragoza, 2006, 205 p. ISBN 84-7733-852-3. Softcover.
This book describes and shows the soils of the Somontano wines in the province of Huesca, which occupies the territory between the Ebro River and the Central Pyrenees in northern Spain. In the first chapters the geology, geography, climate, vegetation and soil use are discussed, followed by the relevant soil forming processes. Physical and chemical data are given in relation to their influence on the wines of Somontano. The different grape varieties in conjunction with climate and soils, as well as the management of the soils are presented in the next chapter. There is an interesting section with photographs, a morphological description and analytical data of the most important soils, classified according to WRB and Soil Taxonomy. It is a useful book for persons interested in the connection between soils and wines, and for visitors to this attractive region in Spain.
Price: EUR 27.00, plus forwarding charges. Orders to: Prensas Universitarias de Zaragoza, Edificio de Ciencias Geologicas, c/ Pedro Cerbuna, 12, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain. Email: . Internet: www.puz.unizar.es.
Moving People towards collective action in soil and water conservation. Experiences from the Bolivian mountain valleys. A. Kessler. Ph.D. thesis Wageningen University, 2006, 194 p. Also published as Tropical Resource Management Papers 78. ISSN 0926-9495. Softcover.
Land degradation in the Bolivian mountain valleys has increased in the past decades, and many cropland fields have been abandoned. Although farmers are concerned and urgent actions are required, no serious widespread actions are being undertaken. Several soil and water conservation (SWC) practices, mostly based on local knowledge, are available to control runoff and improve soil management. The challenge is how to motivate farmers to adopt these practices at a wide scale. Facing the challenge, a project validated a strategy for executing SWC practices within a holistic framework of rural development. In the first phase of this logical strategy the objective was to lay a solid foundation for sustainable development: to motivate farmers and achieve their genuine participation. In the second phase, SWC and development activities were executed. Two years after the project withdrawal, many farmers had lost motivation to continue with SWC. The main reason was that there was the lack of a catalyst to keep the process going. Active involvement of municipalise in rural development is therefore indispensable; they must provide follow-up activities. This requires well-trained and motivated actors. Moreover, micro-meso-macro linkages must work efficiently, with local experiences that feed sector-wide approaches for scaling-up SWC activities, and adequate strategies that support and motivate farmers to invest in sustainable land management. Moving people at all levels towards collective action in SWC; only then land degradation in the Bolivian highlands can be reversed.
For free downloading: www.library.wur.nl/wda/dissertations/dis4038.pdf.
For a paid paper copy: Erosion and Soil & Water Conservation Group, Wageningen University and Research Centre, P.O. Box 47, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands. Email: . Internet: www.esw.wur.nl.
Exploring socio-ecological niches for legumes in western Kenya smallholder farming systems. J.O. Ojiem. Ph.D. thesis Wageningen University, 2006, v + 167 p. Also published as Tropical Resource Management Papers 89. ISSN 0926-9495. Softcover.
The author explores the potential of using herbaceous and grain legume species to improve soil fertility in the heterogeneous smallholder farming systems of western Kenya, where low soil fertility is responsible for low yields. The use of legumes is impeded by the high degree of biophysical and socio-economic heterogeneity that characterizes the farming systems. The socio-ecological niche concept was proposed as a framework for facilitating the identification and integrated assessment of biophysical and socio-economic factors that potentially influence the choke of legume technologies. The utility of this concept was tested in on-farm experiments and socio-economic surveys. The biophysical and socio-economic factors were integrated and analysed to identify legume species for different farmer resource endowment groups, agro-ecological conditions and field typologies. The study demonstrated the utility of the socio-ecological niche concept as a tool for facilitating the integration of legumes into farming systems to improve soil fertility and farm productivity.
For a paper copy and enquiries about downloading a free copy: Erosion and Soil & Water Conservation Group, Wageningen University and Research Centre, P.O. Box 47, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands. Email: . Internet: www.esw.wur.nl.
Sustainable Land Management: Challenges, Opportunities, and Trade-offs. Agriculture and Rural Development Series. World Bank, New York, 2006, 138 p. ISBN 0-8213-6597-5. Softcover.
Sustainable Land Management (SLM) is a knowledge-based procedure that integrates land, water, biodiversity and environmental management to meet rising food and fibre demands while sustaining ecosystem and environmental services and livelihoods. Due to varying combinations of political, social, and economic factors, the mining of the natural resources base that has supplied a rapidly growing global population and economy has resulted in significant unintended mismanagement and degradation of land and associated ecosystem services. Scientific advances in the quantification of SLM-based environmental services at field and watershed scales underpin the growing market on payments for environmental services and incentives for SLM and the rehabilitation of degraded lands. This book highlights the global extend of land degradation, quantifies current SLM investments and identifies SLM priorities, opportunities, and challenges in the face of significant but unpredictable climate change.
Price: GBP 11.50. Orders to: Eurospan Group, Customer Services, 3 Henrietta Street, Covent Garden, London WC2E 8LU, UK. Fax: +44-1767-601640. Email: . Internet: www.eurospangroup.com/bookstore.
Enhancing Agricultural Innovation. How to go beyond the strengthening of research systems? Agriculture and Rural Development Series. World Bank, 2006, 180 p. ISBN 0-8213-6741-2. Softcover.
Knowledge intensiveness has featured prominently in most strategies to promote agricultural development. In the past strengthening research systems may have increased the supply of new knowledge and technologies, but that has not necessarily translated into enhanced agricultural growth. Knowledge converts into products and services through an innovative system a network of organisations, enterprises and individuals focusing on bringing new knowledge into economic use, together with the institutions and policies that enable a well-functioning network. This book assesses the usefulness of the innovation systems concept in guiding investments to support knowledge intensive, sustainable agricultural development for developing countries and their collaborators.
Price: GBP 14.50. Orders to: Eurospan Group, Customer Services, 3 Henrietta Street, Covent Garden, London WC2E 8LU, UK. Fax: +44-1767-601640. Email: . Internet: www.eurospangroup.com/bookstore.
Boden der Trockentropen. Prozess- und Strukturindikatoren-gestatzte Analyse geschichteter, polygenetischer und degradierter Boden der Insel Socotra (Jemen). Jemen-Studien Band 17. D. Pietsch. Dr. Ludwig Reichert Verlag, Wiesbaden, 2006, 327 S., 61 Farb- und 85 s/w-Abb. ISBN 978-3-895000-551-0. Kartonniert.
Dieses Buch behandelt erstmals Boden der tropischen Insel Socotra (Jemen) in ihrer Entwickung und ihrer aktuellen Beschaffenheit. Da es bislang keinen zusammenfassenden berblick zur Geographie der Insel gibt, wird es hier den Ergebnissen der Boden- untersuchungen vorangestellt. Nach kurzer Darstellung der Bevlkerungsentwickung, des geologischen Baus, des Klima und der Vegetation steht eine vergleichende Analyse der Substrate und Boden. Bei der Kennzeichnung der Boden wird besonderes Augenmerk auf die Polygenese gelegt, die sich diese sowohl an der Schichtung der bodenbildenden Substrate als auch an bestimmten Reliefpositionen nachvollziehen lsst. Da Socotra ein traditionell weidewirtschaftlich genutztes Refugium mit stark eingeschrnkten Bodenressourcen sowie hoher Bio- und Geodiversitt ist, sind hier in der Analyse der Boden auch die Folgen der Nutzung in Form von Bodendegradation bercksichtigt. Die Analyse der degradierten Boden zeigt unterschiedliche Degradationsstadien der Boden, die mit Hilfe von Prozessindikatoren der Bodenentwicklung genau bestimmt werden konnen. Die Synthese der Einzelergebnisse erfolgt auf der Grundlage von fnf Hypothesen zur idealisierten Horizontabfolge der Boden, zur schichtenkoinzidenten Bodenbildung, zu Schichtungsmerkmalen, zur Schuttdeckenverbreitung und zur Bodendegradation. Die Kennzeignung der Boden basiert u.a. auf feldbodenkundlichen und mikromorphologischen Laboranalysen. Zur genauen Identifizierung und Klassifikation der Substrate wird hier eine Substratsystematik entwickelt, die sich auch auf andere tropische Regionen bertragen lsst.
Preis: EUR 79,00. Bestellungen an: Dr. Ludwig Reichert Verlag, Tauernstrasse 11, D-65199 Wiesbaden, Deutschland. Fax: +49-611-468613. Email: . Internet: www.reichert-verlag.de.
Management Practices for Improving Sustainable Crop Production in Tropical Acid Soils. IAEA Proceedings Series. F. Zapata, editor. International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, 2006, 350 p. STI/PUB/1285. ISBN 92-0-115206-X. ISSN 0074-1884. Softcover.
This publication is the result of a Coordinated Research Project (CRP), organised by the Joint FAO/IAEA programme on Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, which was carried out between 1999 and 2004. The overall objective of this CRP was to develop integrated soil, water, and nutrient management practices to increase and sustain productivity of tropical acid soils. According to FAO data, only 11% of the earth's surface is currently cultivated, and about 24% (3900 Mha) is potentially arable, most of which, 2500 Mha, is composed of acid soils with 1700 Mha in the humid tropics. Thus, the greatest potential for expanding agricultural land lies in the tropical forest and savannah regions, dominated by highly weathered, acid, infertile soils. With rising CO2 levels in the atmosphere, soil acidification problems are likely to increase. The savannahs are mainly located in humid and sub-humid tropical areas and suitable for rainfed cropping conditions. The acid savannah soils are mostly considered marginal, because of their inherent low fertility and high susceptibility to rapid degradation. Management practices must be developed and improved to avoid further degradation of the resource base and to sustain crop production in tropical acid soils, which are mainly occurring in South America and Africa, but also in Asia. After a summary of the project, the first chapter is entitled: Integrated management of tropical acid soils (4 papers); the second chapter is Use of acid-tolerant and P-efficient plant genotypes (4 papers); the third and last chapter is about Ameliorating soil acidity and infertility of tropical acid soils (10 papers). A list of participants is added.
Price: EUR 55.00. Orders to: Sales and Promotion Unit, Publishing Section, IAEA, P.O. Box 100, A-1400 Vienna, Austria. Fax: +43-1-2600-29302. Internet: www.iaea.org/books. Downloading (7419 KB) free of charge from: www-pub.iaea.org/MTCD/publications/ .
Soil Erosion in Europe. J. Boardman and J. Poesen. Wiley, 2006, 878 p. ISBN 0-470-85910-5. Hardcover
This book provides a unique and comprehensive assessment of soil erosion throughout Europe, which is an important aspect to control and manage if landscapes are to be sustained for the future. Written in two parts, this book primarily focuses on current issues, area-specific soil erosion rates, on and off-site impacts, government responses, soil conservation measures, and soil erosion risk maps. The first section overviews the erosion processes and the problems encountered within each European country, whilst the second section takes a cross-cutting theme approach. The inventory reviews contemporary erosion processes and rates on arable and rangeland. The book is based on studies which have been carried out for five years by 145 erosion experts from 19 countries.
Price: GBP 160.00; EUR 240.00 or USD 352.00. Also available as E-book (ISBN 978-0470-85911-7, USD 290.00). Orders to: Customer Service, John Wiley & Sons, 1 Oldlands Way, Bognor Regis, West Sussex, PO22 9SA, UK. Fax: +44-1243-843296. Email: . In the US: Customer Care Center, 10475 Crosspoint Blvd, Indianapolis, IN 46256, USA. Fax: 800-597-3299. Internet: wwww.wiley.com.
Soils on the Global Agenda. Developing international mechanisms for sustainable land management. H. Hurni, M. Giger and K. Meijer, editors. Published by Geographica Bernensia on behalf of the International Union of Soil Sciences. Centre for Development and Environment, Bern, 2006, 63 p. ISBN 978-3-906151-93-X. Softcover.
This publication was prepared by the Working Group on International Actions for the Sustainable Use of Soils (IASUS) of the IUSS with support of the Centre for Development and Environment (CDE), University of Bern, Switzerland, through its Sustainable Land Management Policies and NCCR North-South programmes. The publication is based on the presentations and discussions made at a one-day symposium in September 2004 in the framework of the Eurosoil Conference held in Freiburg, Germany. The symposium focused on Putting soils higher on the international agenda. Part I summarises the main activities and outcomes of the symposium. Part II contains the summaries or papers of the 9 presentations made. Based on the discussions held, a survey was conducted for consultaion with a larger group of experts. In Part III the results of this survey and a workshop held in March 2006 are given as a number of priorities, as well as concrete actions at the international and regional levels. In the preface, the Secretary General of the IUSS, Dr Stephen Nortcliff, states that I hope that participants at the IUSS World Soil Congress to be held in Philadelphia in July 2006 will perceive this outcome as an important initiative of the IUSS soil science community towards sustainable use of soils at the global level, and that a wider group of stakeholders in international organisations will take the necessary steps to give greater attention to soil issues in their activities.
Requests to: Prof. Hans Hurni
Clay Swelling and Colloid Stability. M. Smalley. Taylor&Francis, Boca Raton, London, 2006, xi + 249 p. ISBN 0-8493-8079-0. Hardcover.
This book is based on 36 publications from the author, putting emphasis on two significant paradigm shifts in colloid science that explain particle interactions for charged plates, stacks, suspensions, and pastes as well as spherical colloids. The author first discusses the replacement of the DLVO theory with the Coulombic Attraction Theory to explain the existence, extent, and properties of the two-phase region of colloid stability. Using the n-butylammonium vermiculite system as his model clay system, the author clarifies the flaws of conventional theories and presents the experimental details that form the basis of his new theories. He also provides rigorous derivations that place the new electrical theory for charged colloids on a firm foundation in statistical mechanics. Next, the author illustrates why a new, quantitative bridging flocculation model for polymer-stabilised colloids must replace the depletion flocculation model. The author also examines the discovery of the dressed macrion structure of clay plates in solution, the structure of a bridging polymer, and the distribution of polymer segments, and water molecules in the interlayer region. The book contains 30 tables, 130 figures, 200 equations and 300 references.
Price: USD 139.95 or GBP 79.99. Orders to: In the Americas: CRC Press, P.O. Box 409267, Atlanta, GA 30384-9267, USA. Fax: (continental USA) 1-800-374-3401. (rest) 1-561-361-6018. Email: . Rest of the world: CRC Press/ITPS, Cheriton House, North Way, Andover, Hants. SP10 5BE, UK. Fax: +44-1264-34-3005. Email: . Internet: www.crcpress.com.
Handbook of Soil Analysis. Mineralogical, Organic and Inorganic Methods. M. Pansu and J. Gautheyrou. Springer-Verlag, Berlin and Heidelberg, 2006, xix+ 993 p. ISBN 3-540-31210-2; 978-3-540-31210-9. Hardcover.
This is an updated version of the book in French L'analyse du sol, mineralogique et minerale written by the same authors and published by Springer in 2003 (ISBN 2-287-59774-3). For a review see the IUSS website. The book provides a synopsis of the analytical procedures for the physico-chemical analysis of soils. It is written to conform to analytical standards and quality control. It focuses on mineralogical, organic and inorganic analyses, but also describes physical methods when these are a precondition for analysis. It will help a range of users to choose the most appropriate method for the type of material and the particular problems they have to face. The methodological range is wide and each chapter presents both simple analyses and analyses that require sophisticated equipment. It is aimed at teams involved in practical field work and at researchers involved in fundamental and applied research. The volume includes concrete examples of the following methods: spectra, diffractograms, thermograms, chromatograms, electrophoregrams, ion-exchange methods, electrochemistry, biology, physical separation techniques, selective dissolutions and imagery. The methods selected apply to a wide range of bioclimatic zones: temperate, arid and (sub)tropical.
Price: EUR 249.00 or USD 329.00. Orders to: Springer Customer Service, Haberstrasse 7, D-69162 Heidelberg, Germany. Fax: +49-6221-345-4229. Email: . In North America: Springer-Verlag, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010, USA. Fax: +1-201-348-4505. Email: . Internet: www.springer.com.
Measuring Vulnerability to Natural Hazards. Towards disaster resilient societies. J. Birkmann, editor. United Nations University Press, Tokyo and New York, 2006, 400 p. ISBN 92-808-1135-5. Softcover.
A seemingly non-stop series of disasters has shown societies worldwide seem unprepared for the threads posed by natural hazards: hurricanes, droughts, flooding, earthquakes, tsunamis, and forest fires are dramatic examples. The tragic impacts of these events drew short-term attention from policy makers, the media and the general public, but their response was too late to prevent serious harm. Societies need to measure their vulnerabilities in advance, and make adequate provisions. To do so, they have to understand the complex relationships between natural hazards and the related social, economic and environmental vulnerabilities. Recognizing and measuring vulnerabilities is the first and perhaps most important step towards disaster resilient societies. This book presents a broad range of current approaches to measuring vulnerability and contains concrete experiences and examples from Africa, Asia, the Americas and Europe to illustrate the theoretical analyses. This critical review provides important conclusions which can serve as an orientation for future research towards more disaster resilient communities.
Price: USD 39.00, plus handling and shipping. Orders to: United Nations University Press, 53-70, Jingumae 5-chome, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-8925, Japan. Email: . For distributors worldwide, see website www.unu.edu.unupress.
Soil Fertility and Plant Nutrition in the Tropics and Subtropics. A. Amberger. International Fertilizer industry Association and International Potash Institite, 2006, ix + 96 p. ISBN 2-9523139-0-3. Softcover.
This book discusses the possibilities and constraints to food production on the many different soils found in (sub)tropical countries. By indicating ways in which crop nutrition and hence crop production \can be increased on these soils in developing countries , the author shows ways to ensure food security and improve livelihoods. The topics discussed in this small book are a synthesis of the authors considerable experience and a testimonial to his many years of collaborative scientific effort. The text is mainly based on his lectures at the university in Munich, Germany, and at congresses. The book also has a list of publications for further reading and 16 colour plates.
Requests to: IFA, 28, rue Marbeuf, F-75008, Paris, France. Fax: +33-1