Birds as Monitors of Environmental Change looks at how bird populations are affected by pollutants, water quality, and other physical changes and how this scientific knowledge can help in predicting the effects of pollutants and other physical changes in the environment.

This is the first climate change adaptation plan produced for a national faunal group anywhere in the world. It outlines the nature of threats related to climate change for the Australian bird taxa most likely to be affected by climate change, and provides recommendations on what might be done to assist them and approximate costs of doing so. It also features an analysis of how climate change will affect all Australian birds, explains why some species are likely to be more exposed or sensitive to it than others, and explores the theory and practice of conservation management under the realities of a changing climate. Species profiles include maps showing current core habitat and modelled climatic suitability based on historical records, as well as maps showing projected climatic suitability in 2085 in relation to current core habitat. Climate Change Adaptation Plan for Australian Birds is an important reference for policy makers, conservation scientists, land managers, climate change adaptation biologists, as well as bird watchers and advocacy groups.

Climate change issues are attracting rapidly increasing interest from a wide range of biologists due to their unprecedented effects on global biodiversity, although there remains a lack of general knowledge as to the environmental consequences of such rapid change. Compared with any other class of animals, birds provide more long-term data and extensive time series, a more geographically and taxonomically diverse source of information, a richer source of data on a greater range of topics dealing with the effects of climate change, and a longer tradition of extensive research. The first edition of the book was widely cited and this new edition continues to provide an exhaustive and up-to-date synthesis of our rapidly expanding level of knowledge as it relates to birds, highlighting new methods and areas for future research.

This book provides comprehensive single source coverage of bioindication/biomonitoring in the fields of ecology, ecotoxicology and environmental sciences; from the ecological basics to the effects of chemicals on the environment and the latest test strategies.Contributions by leading figures in ecology from around the world reflect the broad scope of current thinking and research, making this volume essential reading for informed professionals and students.

The earth's biodiversity currently faces an extinction crisis that is unprecedented. Conservationists attempt to intervene in the extinction process either locally by protecting or restoring important species and habitats, or at national and international levels by influencing key policies and promoting debate. Reliable information is the foundation upon which these efforts are based, which places research at the heart of biodiversity conservation. The role of research in such conservation is diverse. It includes understanding why biodiversity is important, defining 'units' of biodiversity, priority-setting for species and sites, managing endangered and declining populations, understanding large-scale processes, making predictions about the future and interfacing with training, education, public awareness and policy initiatives. Using examples from a wide range of bird conservation work worldwide, researchers consider the principles underlying these issues, and illustrate how these principles have been applied to address actual conservation problems for students, practitioners and researchers in conservation biology.

Indicators in the field of biodiversity and landscape; Indicators in the field of environmental pollution; Indicators in the field of policy analysis.

Monitoring human impact on outdoor recreation sites and view landscapes is necessary to evaluate influences which may require corrective action and to determine if management is achieving desired goals. An inexpensive method to monitor environmental change is to establish camera points and use repeat color slides. Successful monitoring from slides requires the observer to determine if there are increases or decreases of trees, shrubs, or herbaceous plants; bare ground or duff; screening by trees; and soil erosion. Illustrated guidelines are given for land managers who must monitor human impact on recreation sites and view landscapes. Slides taken at various intervals demonstrate how to detect differences in views of timber harvesting, disturbed sites, and recreation sites, and suggests what to look for in scenes with subjects viewed from various distances. By using the process, visual sensitivity for detecting and evaluating environmental change, using repeat color photography, should be increased.

Inhaltsangabe:Introduction: Over 10% (1186 species) of the bird species in the world are threatened with extinction in the near future, almost all of them due to habitat change or loss by man. Likewise, 1130 mammals, 296 reptiles, 146 amphibians and 5611 plants have been identified as endangered species. The destruction of natural habitat is the major factor contributing to the global species extinction event. The increasing loss of biodiversity has centred on conducting inventories and monitoring species and habitats, especially in identifying areas of high species richness, threatened species and species of restricted or local distribution. In 1992 the UNCED-Conference in Rio de Janeiro pointed out the need for monitoring the environment, leading to the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Agenda 21. Article 7 of the Convention on Biological Diversity deals with identification and monitoring, which are to be undertaken with sampling and other techniques. New methodologies with a view to undertaking systematic sampling and evaluation of the components of biological diversity are to be developed. While the number of identified threatened species has increased dramatically, a huge gap in knowledge of ecosystems and their fauna and flora remains. Distribution, status and ecology of species are mostly unknown in many countries, as is the degree they are endangered. In view of the immense unknown ecosystems in the world, a great number of which are located in developing countries, conventional survey and mapping methods cannot deliver the necessary information in a timely and cost-effective fashion. Nature conservation will require large volumes of Remote Sensing (RS) data if the quality of planning is to improve. With RS technology, we may be able to make real progress in understanding why more species occur in some places than in others and in identifying the most critical places that must be protected to preserve the maximum number of species into the 22nd century and beyond. As current air photos are often not available, satellite images are the sole source of data for many regions of the world. Fortunately, computer technology has improved enormously in the last years, mainly processing time, storage requirements as well as programme features and possibilities. Concurrent declining costs of computer hardware have favoured the design of new techniques for special data processing and combining remotely sensed information with other extensive [...]

A critical synthesis of the impacts of climate change on birds, examining potential future effects and conservation responses.

This book offers an up-to-date overview of the latest scientific findings in regional climate research on the Baltic Sea basin. This includes climate changes in the recent past, climate projections up until 2100 using the most sophisticated regional climate models available, and an assessment of climate change impacts on terrestrial, freshwater and marine ecosystems. The authors demonstrate that the regional climate has already started to change, and will continue to do so.