Land Degradation in Mediterranean Environments of the World

Nature and Entent, Causes and Solutions

AvConacher Arthur (university Of Western Australia,Arthur J. Conacher

Inbunden, Engelska, 1998

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Beskrivning

Written by specialist and regional contributors, this invaluablebook provides an integrated, up-to-date, geographical assessment ofland degradation in the world's Mediterranean regions. Land degradation is the alteration of the natural (or biophysical)environment by human actions, causing detrimental effects to thevegetation, soils, landforms, water and ecosystems. Part One ofthis book comprises a brief geography of the Mediterranean climateregions - the Mediterranean basin, California, central Chile, theSouthwest Cape and Southern Australia, providing a context forParts Two and Three. The second section discusses the nature,extent, history, causes and implications of land degradation in theregions. Major problems include soil, vegetation and waterdegradation, fire, drought, flooding and sedimentation. Historicaland contemporary human responses to these problems are alsoconsidered and at times become part of the problem. Solutions -actual and potential - are evaluated in the third section andinclude those dealing with animals, cultivation, horticulture,engineering-type practices, agroforestry, whole farm planning,integrated catchment management and regional planning. Throughout there is an emphasis on the distinctive nature of theMediterranean-type environments - especially the seasonally, hot,dry climates, the species-rich and highly inflammable vegetation,steep topography and coastal orientations - and the ways in whichthese environments interact with human populations with theircontrasting histories and cultures to result in a special set ofenvironmental problems and response.

Produktinformation

Utgivningsdatum:1998-04-23
Mått:254 x 197 x 35 mm
Vikt:1 247 g
Format:Inbunden
Språk:Engelska
Antal sidor:520
Förlag:John Wiley & Sons Inc
ISBN:9780471963172

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Mer om författaren

Arthur J. ConacherUniversity of Western Australia, Australia and Maria Sala University of Barcelona, Spain

Recensioner i media

"... it is a valuable piece of work and we recommend it as areference book for any institution's library." EnvironmentalConservation "This is an impressive work of reference and will be much-used asdebates about desertification and land degradation continue. Thereis much detail, mapping and compilation of statistical information.... this is a splended item of co-operative scholarship andacademic synthesis of a huge amount of information, which otherwisewould be unavailable to students and development practitionersalike." Biodiversity and Conservation ".. this book is a valuable source of material and worth its placein university and college libraries." Progress in PhysicalGeography

Innehållsförteckning

THE NATURE OF THE WORLD'S MEDITERRANEAN-TYPE ENVIRONMENTS Iberian Peninsul and Balearic Islands The South of France and Corsica Italy The Croatian Adriatic Coast Greece The Eastern Mediterranean North Africa Greater California Chile The Southwestern Cape of South Africa Southern Australia PROBLEMS OF LAND DEGRADATION Introduction The Main Problems of Land Degradation: Their Nature, Extent andSeverity: 1. Erosion and Soil Deterioration, Flooding, VegetationLoss and Degradation The Main Problems of Land Degradation: Their Nature, Extent andSeverity: 2. Drought, Water Shortages, and Water Quality, and otherForms of Degradation The Historical Development of Land Degradation in the MediterraneanWorld The Causes of Land Degradation 1. The Nature of the BiophysicalEnvironment The Causes of Land Degradation 2. Vegetation Clearing andAgricultural Practices The Causes of Land Degradation 3. Other Human Actions Some Broader Implications of Land Degradation SOLUTIONS TO LAND DEGRADATION Introduction Solutions dealing with Animals, Cultivation and HorticulturalPractices Technical Solutions Vegetation-Related Solutions Economic, Social, Agency and Policy Solutions. 1. The MediterraneanBasin Economic, Social, Agency and Policy Solutions 2. The NewWorld Summary and Conclusions