Book Description

Phosphorus is essential for life, yet is often the element most limiting for biological productivity. Although most organisms take up phosphorus in an inorganic form, organic forms frequently dominate in soils and aquatic systems. Up to this point, the role of organic phosphorus and mechanisms for its dynamics have been poorly understood.However, recent advances in research have shed new light on the subject and this book brings together these advances. It covers the transformation and characterization of organic phosphorus in both terrestrial and aquatic systems. It will attract a broad range of scientists from several disciplines. ... Read more

Book Description

Successful management of agricultural landscapes depends on the recognition of the relationships between the processes and the structures that maintain the system. The rapidly growing science of Landscape Ecology quantifies the ways these ecosystems interact and establishes a link between the activities in one region and repercussions in another. Although science continuously yields new environmentally friendly agricultural technology, the sustainable development of a system will ultimately depend on a farmer's ability to understand and utilize these advances. The results presented in this book highlight the options for controlling threats and present guidelines for the implementation of environmentally friendly landscape management.Written by eminent scientists in landscape ecology research, Landscape Ecology in Agroecosystems Management provides a systematic evaluation of the basic ecological functions of the agricultural landscape. It presents a new approach to managing heat balance parameters and evaluates the effectiveness of models for assessing land use changes in rural areas. It also discusses the methods of evaluating matter cycling in agricultural landscapes with emphasis on the process leading to the diffuse pollution problems in ground and surface waters. It reports studies that show how semi-natural habitats maintained in the agricultural landscape constitute important refuge for many plants and animals and thereby enhances biological diversity in farmlands. Finally, it provides guidelines for management of agricultural landscapes for sustainable development of the countryside.The integration of agriculture and the natural ecosystem in the landscape has recently become a "hot" topic. The review of the achievements in landscape ecology presented in this book clearly demonstrates that landscape ecology is just passing through the threshold between the recognition of various basic processes to being able to manage these processes to achieve desired goals. This transformation will result not only from the development of knowledge, but also by the change in nature protection paradigms. Whether you are researching, designing, or managing agroecosystems, Landscape Ecology in Agroecosystems Management is a "must have" book. ... Read more

Book Description

Combines engineering practices for the solution of erosion and flood control, drainage and irrigational problems. Sufficient hydrologic information--precipitation, infiltration, evaporation, transpiration and runoff--is given as background for design problems discussed later. Makes readers aware that the environment must be considered in the design of soil and water facilities. Features many example problems, with detailed solutions, to facilitate learning. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Good book, but needs more information
This book is a good reference for those who works on erosion and sediment control. Needs more information concerning the type of construction necessary for erosion control, because this book touches this subject faintly. I rate it 4 stars because all other information is covered extensively and clear. My interest in this book was for erosion control, but when I tried to look for the information, I was dissapointed. But comparing this book to other similar references, this is the best you can ever find. ... Read more

Book Description

This book, written by leading grain scientists from Europe and Africa, examines six such grains that have been important food crops in various parts of the world and have the potential for much greater and more widespread use. The chemistry, nutritional value, food processing technologies and potential applications of three true cereals: sorghum, spelt wheat and the major millet species, and three dicotyledonous pseudocereals: grain amaranth, buckwheat and quinoa are discussed. Just three cereal grains account for more than 75% of all grains produced worldwide. This causes high risks for the future of humankind via catastrophic food crop failures and is detrimental to our long-term health. In addition, the intensive cultivation practices needed to produce the required high yields of these cereals is frequently leading to environmental degradation, and they are often inappropriate in the Developing World. ... Read more

Book Description

Book Description

This book opens readers' eyes to the fascinating and important world of soils, and the principles that can be used to minimize the degradation and destruction of one of our most important natural resources.Chapter topics include soil classification, architecture and physical properties, the hydrologic cycle, aeration and temperature, and practical nutrient management.For anyone looking for the fundamental knowledge that will serve as a prerequisite to meeting the many natural-resource challenges awaiting humanity in the 21st century. ... Read more

Book Description

Grazing lands represent the largest and most diverse land resource-taking up over half the earth's land surface. The large area grazing land occupies, its diversity of climates and soils, and the potential to improve its use and productivity all contribute to its importance for sequestering C and mitigating the greenhouse effect and other conditions brought about by climate change. The Potential of U.S. Grazing Lands to Sequester Carbon and Mitigate the Greenhouse Effect gives you an in-depth look at this possibility. ... Read more

Book Description

The tomato is the second most widely grown vegetable crop in the world and the number one vegetable grown in home gardens in the U.S. Rich in Vitamins A and C, tomato fruit contains the antioxidant lycopene. A recent long-term medical study indicates that individuals who regularly consume fresh tomatoes or processed tomato products are less likely to develop certain forms of cancer than those who do not. Tomato Plant Culture: In the Field, Greenhouse, and Home Garden provides comprehensive factual information about tomato plant culture and fruit production, beneficial to plant scientists and commercial field and greenhouse growers as well as the home gardener. Data compiled focuses on the more recent literature, including information about the cultural characteristics of the plant; fruit production and related quality factors; and environmental and nutritional requirements for both field- and greenhouse-grown plants. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Excellent source of technical information !!!
This book is an excellent source of information to TECHNICALLY handle the crop, specially in the nutrition matters, because it gives you all the parameters you have to reach in the different stages in order to reach an optimal harvest. Also, it has specific detail information that you can not find easily elsewhere. Congratulations Benton!! ... Read more

Book Description

Farming in Nature's Image provides, for the first time, a detailed look into the pioneering work of The Land Institute, the leading educational and research organization for sustainable agriculture.

The authors draw on case studies, hands-on experience, and research results to explain the applications of a new system of agriculture based on one unifying concept: that farms should mimic the ecosystems in which they exist. They present both theoretical and practical information, including:

• a review of the environmental degradation resulting from current farming practices
• a critical evaluation of the attempts to solve these problems
• a detailed description of the ecosystem perspective and the proposed new agricultural system
• a case study illustrating how this new system could be applied to temperate grain production using perennial seed crops and the prairie as a model
• an examination of the potential savings in energy and water use, as well as potential contributions to ecological experiments and yield analysis work from The Land Institute.

Written in clear, non-technical language, this book will be of great interest to soil and agricultural scientists, academics, policymakers, environmentalists, and other concerned with finding long-range solutions to agricultural problems. ... Read more

Book Description

What do you do with Doggy-Doo? Can I put corks in my compost bin? Do worms have lungs? Why is my compost full of thousands of tiny white flies?

Vital questions such as these are the lot of a Compost Hotline Operator, as Spring Gillard knows only too well. That really is her job description, and she fields calls like this all day long. She also meets a cast of characters curiously crazed by the gardening bug, like Ellen, who wears worm earrings and belts out the "Compost Rap" to unsuspecting participants in her vermicomposting class. Or Laurel, worm bin mural artist, West Coast Wes the Scarecrow, Scissor-happy Sally, and Mike their fearless leader, prone to tai-chi fits . . .

The Diary of a Compost Hotline Operator began in 1996 as a series of entries on the website of City Farmer, Vancouver_s nonprofit urban agriculture group that has been thriving for twenty-five years. It is packed with barely credible real-life tales from the trenches of the urban horticulture avant-garde, dealing with all manner of gardening lore_such as:

the essentials of composting
alternatives to pesticides
organic and edible landscapes
garden tours and compost teas
green buildings and drug-free lawns
rainwater harvesting, and even
urban ag in New York and Cuba.

It is also a mine of useful resources_perfect reading for garden fanatics, gift-givers, ag-academics and environmentalists, and all who like to laugh while they learn.

Spring Gillard abandoned a successful advertising career twelve years ago, and stumbled into City Farmer_s garden in Vancouver. She never left. Her diary entries have been published widely, and_as editor of the Compost Hotline News_she does widespread research into urban agriculture worldwide. An avid storyteller, she believes in the power of humor to convey serious messages.

Reviews (2)

Oh, those wacky gardeners! I think I'm going to be sick....
Not the book to get if you're seeking to learn much about composting. Sure, there are some tidbits but overall the info presented is the basic stuff available free in pamphlets at garden stores, via internet, libraries, municipal fliers, etc., such as ratio of greens to browns.

The book is intended to be humorous and I suppose it may be to the ya-ya sisterhood crowd. The humor leans heavily on goofy puns and wacky scenes such as dressing up in whimsical costumes and performing ceremonies to stop bees from stinging. Tee-hee!
Oh, and they also do a compost "rap", ha ha! what a hoot!

If you still want it I'd give you mine but it's stewing in the compost pile.

A lot more than compost
You could read this book just for the fun of it. Or you could read it to get a thorough grounding in all the current basic reduce, re-use, recycle wisdom.

The writer works to City Farmer, an organization in Vancouver, Canada that specializes in urban agriculture and in enhancing the sustainability of our cities. The writer may spend some time as operator of a compost hotline but she knows an awful lot about all the ecological issues facing people who live in cities. Similarly, while she lives in Vancouver, her writing is relevant to almost all cities.

In the eight chapters she deals lightly with compost, bugs, cob houses, yard waste, water conservation, dog (and cat) poop, and critter control. Nowhere does the reader felled preached to. There is no "You ought to....or else" There are just gentle, humorous stories and observations. If you discovered something new to you (Wow! Bags of dog poop can explode in the compactor of a garbage truck! Who knew?) then maybe you might act on that. There is also a chapter on urban agriculture initiatives in New York and in Havana, and the issues facing the people involved in those cities. Each chapter ends with a generous list of resources, mostly publications, websites and organizations.

There is so much delicious jam enfolding the pill of learning that you don't know you're swallowing it. This bok was a delight when it might have been a bore. I enjoyed it tremendously. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Valuable Reference
I first came across this book in my school library and ended up buying it because I was using itso much. I found this book extremely useful as a reference in a Soils Science course I teach.The methods are concise butdetailed. It's great methods book if you're looking for variation onexisting protocols. This is a valuable supplement to the SSSA Methods ofSoil Analysis series. ... Read more

Book Description

Integrated Weed and Soil Management explores the connection between soil science and weed control, providing the latest research and applications for weed management in agricultural systems.Five major areas discussed include:· surface residue, tillage, and weed and soil management· integration of soil and weed management to reduce environmental degradation· modeling weed emergence, interference, and management· new technology and management· development of the next generation of weed management systemsThroughout the text, the editors and contributors replace weed control terminology with weed management terminology, shifting the paradigm of one of control to one of better management.Integrated Weed and Soil Management, a great reference for higher research, improves your understanding of soil science, weed biology, and ecology - leading to effective practical application and maximum results. ... Read more

Book Description

Irrigation came to the arid West in a wave of optimism about the power of water to make the desert bloom. Mark Fiege's fascinating and innovative study of irrigation in southern Idaho's Snake River valley describes a complex interplay of human and natural systems. Using vast quantities of labor, irrigators built dams, excavated canals, laid out farms, and brought millions of acres into cultivation. But at each step, nature rebounded and compromised the intended agricultural order. The result was a new and richly textured landscape made of layer upon layer of technology and intractable natural forces-one that engineers and farmers did not control with the precision they had anticipated. Irrigated Eden vividly portrays how human actions inadvertently helped to create a strange and sometimes baffling ecology.

... Read more

Reviews (1)

Great reading for genisis of Idaho Snake River Water Use!
Irrigated Eden

In summary water along the Snake River in Idaho is unpredictable, not quantifiable, fickle and limited. Even in the 1920s when there were no uses competing with ariculture it had to be rationed. The surface water, ground water and aquifer commingle freely and as such should be jointly monitored and managed with "honest" diligence. When it comes to the water there is no such thing as partitioned individual water rights anywhere along the Sanke River in Idaho because we are all inextricably woven together in one tub and an action by one entity will affect everyone else in the tub. What one man passes another man drinks.Mark Fiege has done an excellent job of quantifying both the temporal and philosophical circumstances surrounding the acquisition and use of water for agriculture along the Snake River in Idaho up until about 1920. This book is a great place for one to begin to understand the genesis of water acquisition and husbandry for agriculture in Sountern Idaho. The first two thirds of the book and the notes are the best features of the book. The last third tends to drift away into a philosophical stretch without any real conclusions. Mark should now write a book that brings the use of water along the Sanke River in Southern Idaho up to the present time and weave together all of the contemporary competing uses for that water. Based on his research Mark should take the next step and make some recommendations for the future husbandry of our water. Mark has only done the first half of the job because the story is exponentially dynamic and just beginning. Finnish the story. ... Read more

Book Description

The secondary metabolites of plants were once considered to be waste products - today, their true value is understood. New methods of separation and structural elucidation, and advances in the investigation of biochemical activities, haveincreased our understanding of secondary metabolites. Their function as a defense mechanisms offers a great potential for technological gain. Secondary metabolites can be utilized in agriculture to breed stronger crops and in the manufacture of biorational pesticides. They can also be exploited by medicine as theraputic agents. And these are just two of the likely uses.This landmark volume presents articles by an impressive team of experts from leading laboratories. Each chapter considers a current understanding of secondary metabolites in nature and the potential exploitation of those qualities by the biotechnology industry. ... Read more

Book Description

This textbook is intended for introductory courses in agriculture, plant biology, and economic botany. It is about plants, genes, food and people, and about the changing relationship between them. The purpose is to show how agriculture is changing throughout the world, and to discuss the role that genes and genetic engineering are playing in this change. ... Read more

Book Description

Ecological engineering is the process of manipulating farm habitats for the purposes of maintaining or increasing food production, restoring wetlands and other ecosystems, and conserving resources such as water and fertile soil. This book focuses on the pest management aspect of ecological engineering: how to make farmland more attractive for beneficial insects and less favorable for pests. This book brings together contributors from around the world who are leaders in habitat manipulation for the purpose of agriculture.

Chapters explore the frontiers of ecological engineering: the authors describe methods including molecular approaches, high-tech marking, and remote sensing. They also review the theoretical aspects of ecological engineering and discuss how ecological engineering may interact with genetic engineering. ... Read more

Book Description

This is a profile containing specific information about 137 pesticides, a primer of environmental toxicology, and an extensive trade name index. Profiles of each pesticide contain regulatory information, toxicity assessments, environmental fate data, physical properties, and acceptable exposure limit values. What these values and data mean in terms of human toxicity is clearly interpreted as well. The book also describes the meaning of carcinogenicity and how it is assessed in non-technical terms the non-expert can understand. Readers with a technical background are provided with the data to make their own judgments. There are also sections on general classes of pesticides, such as organophosphates. ... Read more