NATO Science Partnership Subseries: 2 – serie
Visar alla böcker i serien NATO Science Partnership Subseries: 2. Handla med fri frakt och snabb leverans.
134 produkter
134 produkter
Inbunden, Engelska, 1996
1 082 kr
Skickas inom 10-15 vardagar
Risk assessment has come to assume acute importance in the former Soviet Union since money is so scarce, yet the needs for cleanup are so huge. Other factors contribute to this situation, too: New leaders are still emerging, and governmental structures are still evolving. This creates a particular difficulty for environmentalists who attempt to become involved in the risk assessment process. New information continues to surface on the fallout from Chernobyl and its consequences for human health. Scientists are still debating the effects of low doses of radiation delivered over a long period of time. This type of contamination is especially prevalent in the Russian North, for example, as a result of the dumping of nuclear submarine reactors into the Kara and Barents Seas. This volume examines the complexities of risk assessment in the former Soviet Union at this time in history.
Inbunden, Engelska, 1996
2 221 kr
Skickas inom 10-15 vardagar
This work is divided into six main sections. The first deals with the major issues related to indoor air quality in hospitals, reviewed from North American, Scandinavian, Italian and Russian perspectives. The second section discusses the ventilation requirements in hospitals, with particular focus on the design and maintenance of the ventilation systems and the provision of clean air to critical areas, such as infectious disease wards, surgical theatres, etc. The third section deals with chemical and biological air pollution in hospitals and collects papers from surveys carried out in various countries. Section 4 treats airborne allergens in hospitals. Health care personnel are having to deal with new problems as a result of exposure to allergens, and these are illustrated by studies performed in North America and England. Section 5 describes the technical aspects of ventilation in hospitals and strategies for air quality management, collecting technical and organizational proposals for solving some of the problems associated with ventilation in hospitals.The main conclusions and recommendations of the workshop are presented in section 6, together with some future actions that are envisaged.
Inbunden, Engelska, 1996
1 619 kr
Skickas inom 10-15 vardagar
How is one to make good, cost-effective decisions about the management or remediation of polluted soils? The application of bioindication techniques may provide information on the availability of contaminants, and may thus help to support management decisions. In addition, the repeated application of bioindicators may reveal temporal trends and the spatial extent of the ecological effects of contaminants. This book presents a set of new approaches to the development of bioindication systems for the soil environment. The emphasis is on the use of invertebrates, as part of the soil life-support system. One of the book's main messages is that bioindicators should integrate information derived from invertebrate communities, micro-organisms and soil processes. It discusses general ecotoxicological approaches, community and systems approaches, as well as various case studies in Eastern and Western Europe and the USA.
Inbunden, Engelska, 1996
2 221 kr
Skickas inom 10-15 vardagar
During the last 25 years of the Cold War, life expectancy in Central and Eastern Europe fell behind that in the West, opening up a `life expectancy gap' between East and West. The decline was unprecedented, and the situation deteriorated even further immediately after 1989, the year of political liberalization. This text considers the determinants of health in its exploration of the life expectancy gap. It examines the contributions of environmental pollution, adverse lifestyle choices, inadequate health care services, and the stresses of the social and economic environment both before and after political liberalization. The picture that emerges is much more complex than has been conveyed in the media. The primary role of the social and economic environment is highlighted, but the subsidiary role of other health determinants is affirmed.
Inbunden, Engelska, 1996
1 619 kr
Skickas inom 10-15 vardagar
The irrigated area in the Aral Sea basin totals about 7.5 million ha. Part of the water supplied to this area is consumed by the irrigated crops; the remainder drains into the groundwater basin, downstream depressions, or back into the rivers. But the water accumulates salts and chemicals during its period of use, causing environmental problems which this book discusses. The natural discharge capacity of the groundwater basin is inadequate to handle the unconsumed irrigation water, leading to a rise in the groundwater table and to waterlogging. In (semi-) arid zones, this waterlogging triggers a soil salinity problem, resulting in poorer crop yields. The problem is solved by artificially increasing the discharge capacity and lowering the groundwater table. Since the lands surrounding the Aral Sea have become independent republics, a number of missions have reported on the water-related environmental problems in the basin. Such reports have contributed to a plan of action for solving or alleviating some of the problems identified, high priority being accorded to improving the irrigation efficiency, artificial drainage, and the related environmental effects.
Inbunden, Engelska, 1996
3 231 kr
Skickas inom 10-15 vardagar
Essential themes in the biochemical cycling of mercury are the relative importance of anthropogenic versus natural sources, transformation and migration processes at the local, regional and global scale, global emission inventories of different mercury sources (both point and diffuse) of both natural and anthropogenic origin. In this regard, Siberia, with its vast territory and variety of natural zones, is of special interest in the global mercury cycle and in terms of the influence of geographical zones on source and sink terms in regional budgets. Siberia contains large areas of mercuriferous belts; natural deposits that emit mercury into the atmosphere and water. Siberian gold has been mined with the use of mercury since the early 1800s. But there, too, huge forest zones and vast areas of tundra and wetland (bogs) can act as efficient sinks for atmospheric mercury. Audience: Environmental scientists, legislators, politicians and the interested citizen wishing to gain a clear picture of the biogeochemical cycling of mercury.
Inbunden, Engelska, 1996
866 kr
Skickas inom 10-15 vardagar
Biodegradation is the dominant pathway for the environmental transformation of most chemicals and information on a chemical's biodegradability is essential for proper risk assessment. But there are few methods for predicting whether or not a chemical is biodegradable, since this depends on the chemical's structure as well as on the environmental conditions that it encounters. This text deals with quantitative structure-biodegradability relationship models (QSBRs), emphasizing the biological and ecological part of the biodegradation process. Surveys are given of the microbial aspects of biodegradation and the methods available for testing biodegradability. Recent trends and methods in biodegradation modelling are reviewed, including contributions on computerized biodegradability prediction systems. Some of the recently developed models for assessing risk and ecological impact in aquatic and terrestrial environments have been validated, and this process is discussed.
Inbunden, Engelska, 1996
1 082 kr
Skickas inom 10-15 vardagar
Eastern and Western, NATO partner and member country specialists discuss recent accomplishments in the sharing of timely, accurate data and information to protect the water resources of the Danube Basin, a strategic region shared by two Western and 11 former Communist countries. An International Commission, continuing the work of an ad hoc environmental management programme, is expected to take over in 1997 and may well adopt the recommendations of this timely workshop. These recommendations include the establishment of a central source of water quality data and information on levels of pollution, government standards and their enforcement, NGO environmental groups, and other programmes and policies. The editor, Dr. Irene Lyons Murphy, received support from the United States Institute of Peace during 1995- a study of the cooperative management of Danube River resources which began with the end of the Cold War. It analyzes the development and ratification of the Danube River Protection Convention and other aspects of joint pro-environment activities from 1991 to 1996. Its title The Danube: A River Basin in Transition is to be published in early 1997. Users, investors in new and/or joint business ventures, national and international governments, research scientists, the media, NGOs and the general public will be served on the Internet and through the distribution of CD-ROM and diskettes.
Inbunden, Engelska, 1997
3 231 kr
Skickas inom 10-15 vardagar
Disturbance is no new feature in the Arctic environment. The factors that create the Arctic habitat include marked climatic oscillations, physical disturbance and fluctuations in herbivore populations. The combination of environmental stress and disturbance due to habitat instability and the possibility of periods of intense grazing impose a particularly testing blend of adverse conditions for plant survival. The physical nature of the terrain, with constant soil movement through cryoperturbation and solifluction contributes to the fragility of Arctic habitats. To this scenario must be added disturbance by man, in the quest for natural resources or merely as a result of tourism. The Arctic landscape is undoubtedly one that is frequently repaired by natural succession, but whether or not this built-in resilience is adequate to restore degraded ecosystems after human intervention is an unanswered problem that forms the subject matter of this volume.
Inbunden, Engelska, 1997
544 kr
Skickas inom 10-15 vardagar
Environmental pollution is one of the main problems to confront humanity, with the heavy metals occupying a leading role among the most pernicious pollutants. The metals cause cancer and other sicknesses. Their cytotoxic, mutagenic and carcinogenic potentials are not fully understood, and any thorough investigation demands the combined efforts of scientists drawn from many different disciplines. But the effects of heavy metals are not all negative: some, like cis-DDP, and some ruthenium and tin complexes, have antitumour activity. The idea underlying the present work is therefore to present a multidisciplinary perspective on heavy metals in the environment, affording a better understanding of their action on human organisms and health, aiming to make them less polluting and more environmentally friendly.
Inbunden, Engelska, 1997
2 156 kr
Skickas inom 10-15 vardagar
The most seriously threatened European seas are the North Sea, the Baltic and the Black Sea. This text examines the rapid degradation of these marine environments comparatively to identify similarities and differences in the driving forces and responses of the marine systems. Although it is difficult to distinguish between anthropogenic changes and those due to natural climate fluctuations, an attempt is made here to define possible effects based on a multidisciplinary mix of recent observations and modelling. The systems studied range from almost totally enclosed domains to marginal seas adjoining a large ocean body, and from shallow, dissipative and tidally dominated shelf regions to deep, relatively stagnant basins with adjoining energetic shelf regions, and from completely anoxic to oxygen-saturated chemical environments. Climate control appears as a background theme, while the most significant human effect is eutrophication, which is leading to rapid changes in these systems.
Inbunden, Engelska, 1997
3 231 kr
Skickas inom 10-15 vardagar
The main objective of this volume is to evaluate existing knowledge and evidence of active faulting and historical/prehistoric earthquakes in the wider Caucasus area, and to assess the impact on the evaluation of seismic hazard. The seismological interest in the Caucasus lies in the availability of historical records documenting a long history of devastating earthquakes, coupled with advanced knowledge of the seismotectonics and active faulting beneath the former USSR and supplemented by recent instrumental programmes, including extensive satellite geodesy surveys. It is also interesting to compare various approaches to seismic hazards developed in different cultures (USSR, Caucasus, Turkey, Iran). In addition, the area presents a textbook case for the implementation of improved building construction codes and for the protection of critical facilities, including the nuclear power plants in Armenia and the Crimea.
Inbunden, Engelska, 1997
1 619 kr
Skickas inom 10-15 vardagar
The Caspian Sea has attracted the attention of scientists, environmentalists, legal scholars and policymakers for a variety of reasons: scientists and policymakers are concerned about the sharp increase in the Caspian Sea level (2.5 m in 20 years). The rising waters have inundated coastal areas, including buildings, settlements, transportation infrastructure, and farmlands in each of the five countries that border the sea. The Caspian Sea is also rich in resources such as fisheries and hydrocarbons. The caviar of the Caspian sturgeon is a highly valued export commodity, but the fishery is at risk from the rising sea level, pollution and oil spills. The oil reserves of the region are second in size only to the Persian Gulf. Only recently the Caspian was shared by two sovereign nations: the Soviet Union and the Islamic Republic of Iran. With the breakup of the USSR in 1991, three additional sovereign riparian States were added to the Caspian coastline: Azerbaijan, Kazakstan and Turkmenistan. International oil politics have become more complicated and more intense since the breakup, raising such international legal issues as the legal status of the sea (or is it a lake?) and its overland pipelines across different countries to sea ports with access to world markets.Problems in other semi-enclosed bodies of water are also discussed, since such seas share similar environmental problems and potential solutions.
Inbunden, Engelska, 1997
1 082 kr
Skickas inom 10-15 vardagar
In the conflict between logging as a material resource and preservation the forests are becoming depleted throughout the world and this depletion is aggravated by the effects of air pollution. The concept of utilization is thus now being expanded to include vital societal values. These issues are nowhere more acute than in Central and Eastern Europe, where obsolete, poorly maintained industrial plant is common. Air pollutant levels are so high that one area has been called the Black Triangle. Timber is required in this region as a building material and logging for fuelwood is practised, giving rise to a complex linkage between industry, energy supply, deforestation, agriculture, value-added forestry products and economic development. This book presents current information on national and regional issues relating to environmental threats to forest land, focusing on: ecology, environment and science; forest ownership and management; forest product utilization; government and public agency roles. The recommendations, action items and the human network needed for regional-level implementation are detailed in `situation', `position' and `state of the art' papers. The final objective is to develop a plan of action to help abate the negative impacts while sustaining or expanding the forests, the economy and the energy sufficiency of the region.
Inbunden, Engelska, 1997
3 231 kr
Skickas inom 10-15 vardagar
The end of the Cold War has opened up the arena for increased attention to other lines of conflict, both in Europe and globally. Environmental disruption - by no means a new phenomenon - is a chief beneficiary of the shift in priorities in the public debate. The Scientific and Environmental Affairs Division of NATO has moved with the times and has defined environmental security as one of the priority areas for its cooperation with Central and Eastern Europe and countries of the former Soviet Union. Research on these issues is now thus very much a collaborative effort across former lines of division in Europe. The introduction by Sverre Stub sets the tone - "Our Future - Common, or None at All". The book reveals the very real risks associated with environmental degradation, whether of the land, waters or the oceans, and charts out previous disputes and points to the very real danger of violent conflict associated with the drying up of natural resources. The book ends with a section on Responses, which seeks to provide answers to the threats discussed in the preceding sections.
Inbunden, Engelska, 1997
1 082 kr
Skickas inom 10-15 vardagar
This work covers topics such as waste management, solid, gaseous and liquid; site restoration, radioactivity, organics and toxic metals; educational, economic, social and business aspects; and international collaboration. International collaboration is growing apace and many concrete projects have been started. The body of knowledge is growing. Over the long term, it is envisaged that this international collaboration will result in a long-term scientific and technological strategy, new technologies and alternative solutions, and practical implementations of biotechnology for the nuclear and industrial sectors of the economy.
Inbunden, Engelska, 1997
1 619 kr
Skickas inom 10-15 vardagar
Environmental issues continue to burden governments and economies throughout the post-communist countries of Central and Eastern Europe and the newly-independent states of the former Soviet Union. Severe environmental degradation is endemic to the region, the existing environmental infrastructure is often inadequate, significant new investment is perhaps decades away, and there is little knowledge of advanced techniques for impact assessment, project evaluation and project financing. The first two papers in this collection survey available cost-effective technology for solid-waste treatment and air-pollution control, providing guidance for possible incremental additions to the existing infrastructure. There is also a discussion of transferable pollution credits as an instrument in regulating air quality. The treatment of economic incentives embraces user fees and other pollution-control instruments. A range of methods are presented for the evaluation and comparison of alternative projects where data is poor or scarce.The Canadian experience with specific capital-budgeting techniques is given detailed attention, and debt-financing strategies are addressed in the context of present-day Ukraine. Finally, an outline is given of a general framework for making decisions about environmental projects, including the use of 4nvironmental-impact assessments.
Inbunden, Engelska, 1997
2 156 kr
Skickas inom 10-15 vardagar
Biosensors offer distinct advantages over standard analytical methods for the direct monitoring of environmental pollutants in the field, such as real-time detection with minimum sample preparation and handling. This work highlights advantages that will be of value to a range of scientists, researchers and students dealing with analytical and environmental chemistry and biosensor technology. It presents recent trends in analytical methodology for the determination of indoor and outdoor pollutants, advances in DNA, biological and recognition-based sensors, examples of biosensors for use in field and water analysis, biosensors based on non-aqueous systems, and recent advances in the miniaturization and micromachining of biosensors.
Del 39 - NATO Science Partnership Subseries: 2
Restoration of Degraded Rivers: Challenges, Issues and Experiences
Inbunden, Engelska, 1998
2 156 kr
Skickas inom 10-15 vardagar
There have been frequent, extensive efforts made over recent decades to develop and manage water resource systems to meet multiple purposes and objectives, especially for large rivers. Control of the spatial and temporal distribution of water in those rivers in order to meet more effectively a variety of economic in-stream and off-stream purposes and uses and increased point and non-point pollutant loadings has often reduced the health of the rivers' aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, and decreased the rivers' floodplain and wetland areas. The result has been a loss in ecosystem biodiversity and reduced self-purification capacities and an increase in the magnitude of the peak flows - and economic damage - accompanying major floods. This book focuses on the central issue of how best to design, manage and operate water control facilities so as to meet ecological and environmental as well as economic objectives - objectives that in some ways may be in conflict with one another. Numerous case examples are described, covering the restoration needs and activities taking place in river basins in Central Asia, Eastern and Western Europe and North America.Methods of organizing, planning, financing, managing and negotiating agreements associated with river rehabilitation activities are also presented.
Inbunden, Engelska, 1998
2 156 kr
Skickas inom 10-15 vardagar
The book offers the opinions of experts regarding the interaction of radionuclides with the environment, and possible ways to immobilize and dispose of nuclear waste. The relevant areas span the spectrum from pure science, such as the fundamental physics and chemistry of the actinides, geology, environmental transport mechanisms, to engineering issues such as reactor operation and the design of nuclear waste repositories. The cross-fertilization between these various areas means that the material in the book should be accessible to seasoned scientists who may wish to obtain an overview of the state of the art in the field of environmental remediation of radionuclides, as well as to beginning scientists embarking on a career in this field.
Inbunden, Engelska, 1998
2 156 kr
Skickas inom 10-15 vardagar
If the trends of the late 20th century continue, most climatologists agree that the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere will have doubled by 2050. This increase in CO2 will have a major effect on the global climate and substantially alter the physical, chemical and biological characteristics of lakes throughout the world. A number of studies have considered the impact of climate change on water resources, but many have a national focus and are primarily concerned with changes in water quantity rather than quality. In recent years a number of workers have demonstrated that year-to-year changes in the weather have a profound impact on the seasonal dynamics of lakes. This book highlights some of the mechanisms involved and assesses the likely qualitative impact of changes in the weather.
Inbunden, Engelska, 1998
2 156 kr
Skickas inom 10-15 vardagar
Mineral processing technologies have been used for decades to protect the environment and many examples of such applications are given here. The book covers four major subject areas: fundamentals; environmental pollution and its prevention; separation processes; and innovative techniques. The text should be on interest to scientists, engineers and technologists conducting both applied and basic research into the different environmental aspects of mineral processing.
Inbunden, Engelska, 1998
3 231 kr
Skickas inom 10-15 vardagar
Hydroinformatics systems are systems that combine computational hydraulic modelling with information systems (including knowledge-based systems). They are gaining acceptance in the areas of environmental planning, design and management. This text focuses on sewage systems, starting with their planning and then going on the discuss their design, operation and rehabilitation. The authors discuss business and information needs in the management of urban drainage, tools for collecting and archiving such data, and their use in modelling catchment hydrology, sewer systems hydraulics, wastewater quality, wastewater treatment plant operation, and receiving waters. The control and operation of sewer systems in real time is described, followed by a discussion of their maintenance and rehabilitation. Intelligent decision support systems for managing the urban drainage business process are presented.
Inbunden, Engelska, 1998
3 231 kr
Skickas inom 10-15 vardagar
The Black Sea ecosystem is a unique marine environment. Its isolation from the ocean and large catchment basin, covering industrial and rural parts of the European and Asian continents, render the Black Sea ecosystem extremely vulnerable to the imposed environmental burdens. Complex scientific problems related to the recent evolution of the Black Sea ecosystem were tackled in the framework of the NATO TU Black Sea project "Ecosystem Modelling as a Management Tool for the Black Sea", implemented between 1993 and 1997. The primary results and the products of the TU Black Se a project were presented to the scientific community at a dedicated symposium held on 15-19 June, 1997 at Zori Rossii on the Crimean coast of the Black Sea. The two volumes contain 47 of the papers presented at the symposium, selected by peer review. Volume 1 contains 27 papers in all, two on the NATO TU Black Sea database and database management system, eight on the Black Sea biogeochemistry, and 17 on the biological structure of the basin. Of the 20 papers appearing in Volume 2, nine are physical processes and 11 are on the modelling of the circulation and the ecosystems of the Black Sea.
Del 48 - NATO Science Partnership Subseries: 2
Environmental Contamination and Remediation Practices at Former and Present Military Bases
Inbunden, Engelska, 1998
1 082 kr
Skickas inom 10-15 vardagar
Environmental Contamination and Remediation Practices at Former and Present Military Bases outlines the different strategies that are useful in the investigation and subsequent remediation of military bases, Particular attention is paid to the pollution of groundwater. The book contains an excellent review of useful remediation techniques and several examples of their application to polluted military bases. Several mathematical models are demonstrated, showing their predictive value for real examples. A detailed list is given of chemical pollutants that can be found on a military base. Strategies are described for the investigation and determination of the future of a polluted military site. Examples are given, obtained from practical experience of dealing with old, contaminated sites.
Del 48 - NATO Science Partnership Subseries: 2
Environmental Contamination and Remediation Practices at Former and Present Military Bases
Häftad, Engelska, 1998
1 082 kr
Skickas inom 10-15 vardagar
Environmental Contamination and Remediation Practices at Former and Present Military Bases outlines the different strategies that are useful in the investigation and subsequent remediation of military bases, Particular attention is paid to the pollution of groundwater. The book contains an excellent review of useful remediation techniques and several examples of their application to polluted military bases. Several mathematical models are demonstrated, showing their predictive value for real examples. A detailed list is given of chemical pollutants that can be found on a military base. Strategies are described for the investigation and determination of the future of a polluted military site. Examples are given, obtained from practical experience of dealing with old, contaminated sites.
Inbunden, Engelska, 1998
1 619 kr
Skickas inom 10-15 vardagar
Several major follow-up studies are currently underway or are being planned to assess populations exposed to radiation from nuclear reactor accidents, contamination from nuclear weapons manufacturing, or fallout from nuclear testing. The data should help to define the true extent of the impact of environmental contamination; allow a better appreciation of the morbidity arising from such contamination; establish acceptable standards for ocular risk guidelines; develop a necessary database for retrospective dose reconstruction using cataract; and assess the contribution of environmental radiation exposure to the incidence of senile cataract development in general populations. Given the complexity of such studies, the potential confounders and the myriad possible methods of assessment, the global medical and scientific communities need to standardize methodologies and agree on minimum criteria to permit inter-study comparisons. Such standards have been developed in the present book, which presents a series of recommendations that represent the first codification of the manner in which studies should be executed.Minimum standardized criteria are given for the acquisition, archiving, evaluation and dissemination of data on the ocular risk of populations from environmental radiation exposure.
Del 49 - NATO Science Partnership Subseries: 2
Environmental Health for All
Risk Assessment and Risk Communication for National Environmental Health Action Plans
Inbunden, Engelska, 1998
2 221 kr
Skickas inom 10-15 vardagar
The development of "National environmental health action plans" (NEHAPs) has become a major initiative in Europe, with 51 countries now committed to introducing plans by the new millennium. This book is an attempt to review recent experience in formulating these plans, and to examine and assess the technical and psycho-sociological tools available to support such plans. It brings together results from four of the leading countries involved in NEHAP developments (Sweden, Czech Republic, Romania and Poland) and describes the techniques that were used to identify and prioritise key environmental issues, and to identify policy responses. The book also provides a review of the methods and tools available for risk assessment, risk communication and priority setting, which are relevant not only to NEHAPs but to environmental planning more generally, and to many other areas of public policy. The discussion of these techniques is supported by case studies, and is concluded by a series of chapters reflecting on the conceptual and research issues that still need to be addressed.
Häftad, Engelska, 1998
2 221 kr
Skickas inom 10-15 vardagar
The development of "National environmental health action plans" (NEHAPs) has become a major initiative in Europe, with 51 countries now committed to introducing plans by the new millennium. This book is an attempt to review recent experience in formulating these plans, and to examine and assess the technical and psycho-sociological tools available to support such plans. It brings together results from four of the leading countries involved in NEHAP developments (Sweden, Czech Republic, Romania and Poland) and describes the techniques that were used to identify and prioritise key environmental issues, and to identify policy responses. The book also provides a review of the methods and tools available for risk assessment, risk communication and priority setting, which are relevant not only to NEHAPs but to environmental planning more generally, and to many other areas of public policy. The discussion of these techniques is supported by case studies, and is concluded by a series of chapters reflecting on the conceptual and research issues that still need to be addressed.
Del 51 - NATO Science Partnership Subseries: 2
Eastern Mediterranean as a Laboratory Basin for the Assessment of Contrasting Ecosystems
Inbunden, Engelska, 1999
1 082 kr
Skickas inom 10-15 vardagar
This book is the outcome of a NATO Advanced Research Workshop on "The Eastern Mediterranean as a laboratory basin for the assessment of contrasting ecosystems" that was held in Kiev, Ukraine, March 23-27, 1998. The scientific rationale of the workshop can be summarized as follows. The Eastern Mediterranean is the most nutrient impoverished and oligotrophic large water body known. There is a well-defined eastward trend in nutrient ratios over the entire Mediterranean that starts at the Gibraltar Straits and, through the western basin, proceeds to the Ionian and Levantine Seas. Supply of nutrients to the entire Mediterranean is limited by inputs from the North Atlantic and various river systems along the sea. The unique feature of the Mediterranean is the presence of an eastward longitudinal trend in available nitrate/phosphate ratios. This apparently induces a west-to-east variation in the structure of the pelagic food web and trophic interactions. In this context the Mediterranean, and in particular its Eastern basin, provides probably a unique platform to explore the hypotheses related to the suggested phosphate-limitation on production and to the shift between "microbial" and "classical" modes of operation of the photic food web. The major exception of the overall oligotrophic nature of the Eastern Mediterranean is the highly eutrophic system of the Northern Adriatic Sea. Here, during the last two decades the discharges of the northern rivers (especially of the Po), together with municipal sewage, have led to a very marked increase of nutrients and subsequent imponent eutrophication events.