Environmental Structure and Function: Climate System is a component of Encyclopedia of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences in the global Encyclopedia of Life Support Systems (EOLSS), which is an integrated compendium of twenty one Encyclopedias. This 2-volume set contains several chapters, each of size 5000-30000 words, with perspectives, applications and extensive illustrations. It carries state-of-the-art knowledge in the fields of Environmental Structure and Function: Climate Systems and is aimed, by virtue of the several applications, at the following five major target audiences: University and College Students, Educators, Professional Practitioners, Research Personnel and Policy Analysts, Managers, and Decision Makers and NGOs.

Environmental Structure and Function: Climate System is a component of Encyclopedia of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences in the global Encyclopedia of Life Support Systems (EOLSS), which is an integrated compendium of twenty one Encyclopedias. This 2-volume set contains several chapters, each of size 5000-30000 words, with perspectives, applications and extensive illustrations. It carries state-of-the-art knowledge in the fields of Environmental Structure and Function: Climate Systems and is aimed, by virtue of the several applications, at the following five major target audiences: University and College Students, Educators, Professional Practitioners, Research Personnel and Policy Analysts, Managers, and Decision Makers and NGOs.

Environment and Development is a component of Encyclopedia of Development and Economic Sciences in the global Encyclopedia of Life Support Systems (EOLSS), which is an integrated compendium of twenty one Encyclopedias. The pressing need to combine protecting the environment with sustaining development has become increasingly recognized. This theme deals with environmental and ecological sustainable development. Environmental damage has not only created obstacles to sustainable economic development, but is also posing great threats, to human health and life, to ecological systems and the natural world, and to the socio-cultural environments in which human beings lead their daily lives. The content of the theme on Environment and Development is organized with state-of-the-art presentations covering the following aspects of the subject: Approaching Sustainable Development from Different Angles; Hazard and Risk Assessment, and Risk Management; Current Views of Global Carrying Capacity; Social and Economic Disparities; Responses to the Challenges of Disparities and Unsustainable Use of Natural Resources; Environmental Economics and Eco-business; Environmental Values and Ethics; Other Important Future Environmental Issues. These two volumes are aimed at the following five major target audiences: University and College Students Educators, Professional Practitioners, Research Personnel and Policy Analysts, Managers, and Decision Makers, NGOs and GOs.

Environmental and Ecological Chemistry is a component of Encyclopedia of Chemical Sciences, Engineering and Technology Resources in the global Encyclopedia of Life Support Systems (EOLSS), which is an integrated compendium of twenty one Encyclopedias. The Theme on Environmental and Ecological Chemistry prsents the essential aspects such as: Fundamental Environmental Chemistry; Atmospheric Chemistry; Soil Chemistry; Aquatic Chemistry; Ecological Chemistry; Chemistry of Organic Pollutants Including Agrochemicals. These volumes are aimed at the following five major target audiences: University and College students Educators, Professional practitioners, Research personnel and Policy analysts, managers, and decision makers and NGOs.

Water Interactions with Energy, Environment, Food and Agriculture is a component of Encyclopedia of Water Sciences, Engineering and Technology Resources in the global Encyclopedia of Life Support Systems (EOLSS), which is an integrated compendium of twenty one Encyclopedias. The theme discusses water's importance to energy generation, the environment, food, and agriculture. It begins with an analysis of the interrelations between water and the environment. Consideration is given to the relationship between water and human health. Water's dynamic role in the food production process; Ecosystem Character; Water Quality and Environment; Climate Change and Water Resources; Water Resources For Agricultural and Food Production; Water Balance in Agriculture Areas; Water Contamination from Rural Production Systems; Water Interactions with Human Development ;Economic Development; and Cultural Development are considered. These two volumes are aimed at the following five major target audiences: University and College students Educators, Professional practitioners, Research personnel and Policy analysts, Managers, and Decision makers and NGOs

An understanding of dynamic effects on structures is critical to minimize losses from earthquakes and other hazards. These three books provide an overview of essential topics in structural and geotechnical engineering with an additional focus on related topics in earthquake engineering to enable readers gain such an understanding. One of the ultimate objectives of these books is to provide readers with insights into seismic analysis and design. However, in order to accomplish that objective, background material on structural and geotechnical engineering is necessary. Hence the first two sections of the book provide this background material followed by selected topics in earthquake engineering. The material is organized into three major parts. The first section covers topics in structural engineering. Beginning with fundamental mechanics of materials, the book includes chapters on linear and nonlinear analysis as well as topics on modeling of structures from different perspectives. In addition to traditional design of structural systems, introductions to important concepts in structural reliability and structural stability are discussed. Also covered are subjects of recent interest, viz., blast and impact effects on structures as well as the use of fiber reinforced polymer composites in structural applications. Given the growing interest in urban renewal, an interesting chapter on restoration of historic cities is also included. The second part of the book covers topics in geotechnical engineering, covering both shallow and deep foundations and issues and procedures for geotechnical modeling. The final part of the book focuses on earthquake engineering with emphasis on both structures and foundations. Here again, the material covered includes both traditional seismic design and innovative seismic protection. And more importantly, concepts in modeling for seismic analysis are highlighted.

System Dynamics is a component of Encyclopedia of Technology, Information, and Systems Management Resources in the global Encyclopedia of Life Support Systems (EOLSS), which is an integrated compendium of twenty one Encyclopedias. The world is facing a wide range of increasingly complex, dynamic problems in the public and private arenas alike. System dynamics discipline is an attempt to address such dynamic, long-term policy problems. Applications cover a very wide spectrum, including national economic problems, supply chains, project management, educational problems, energy systems, sustainable development, politics, psychology, medical sciences, health care, and many other areas. This theme provides a comprehensive overview of system dynamics methodology, including its conceptual / philosophical framework, as well as the technical aspects of modeling and analysis. System dynamics can address the fundamental structural causes of the long-term dynamic contemporary socio-economic problems. Its "systems" perspective challenges the barriers that separate disciplines. The interdisciplinary and systemic approach of system dynamics could be critical in dealing with the increasingly complex problems of our modern world in this new century. These two volumes are aimed at the following five major target audiences: University and College students Educators, Professional practitioners, Research personnel and Policy analysts, managers, and decision makers and NGOs.

Hydrological Systems Modeling is a component of Encyclopedia of Water Sciences, Engineering and Technology Resources in the global Encyclopedia of Life Support Systems (EOLSS), which is an integrated compendium of twenty one Encyclopedias. This 2-volume set contains several chapters, each of size 5000-30000 words, with perspectives, applications and extensive illustrations. It carries state-of-the-art knowledge in the fields of Hydrological Systems Modeling and is aimed, by virtue of the several applications, at the following five major target audiences: University and College Students, Educators, Professional Practitioners, Research Personnel and Policy Analysts, Managers, and Decision Makers and NGOs.

The subject “Systems sciences and cybernetics” is the outcome of the convergence of a number of trends in a larger current of thought devoted to the growing complexity of (primarily social) objects and arising in response to the need for globalized treatment of such objects. This has been magnified by the proliferation and publication of all manner of quantitative scientific data on such objects, advances in the theories on their inter-relations, the enormous computational capacity provided by IT hardware and software and the critical revisiting of subject-object interaction, not to mention the urgent need to control the efficiency of complex systems, where “efficiency” is understood to mean the ability to find a solution to many social problems, including those posed on a planetary scale. The result has been the forging of a new, academically consolidated scientific trend going by the name of Systems Theory and Cybernetics, with a comprehensive, multi-disciplinary focus and therefore apt for understanding realities still regarded to be inescapably chaotic. This subject entry is subdivided into four sections. The first, an introduction to systemic theories, addresses the historic development of the most commonly used systemic approaches, from new concepts such as the so-called “geometry of thinking” or the systemic treatment of “non-systemic identities” to the taxonomic, entropic, axiological and ethical problems deriving from a general “systemic-cybernetic” conceit. Hence, the focus in this section is on the historic and philosophical aspects of the subject. Moreover, it may be asserted today that, beyond a shadow of a doubt, problems, in particular problems deriving from human interaction but in general any problem regardless of its nature, must be posed from a systemic perspective, for otherwise the obstacles to their solution are insurmountable. Reaching such a perspective requires taking at least the following well-known steps: a) statement of the problem from the determinant variables or phenomena; b) adoption of theoretical models showing the interrelationships among such variables; c) use of the maximum amount of – wherever possible quantitative – information available on each; d) placement of the set of variables in an environment that inevitably pre-determines the problem. That epistemology would explain the substantial development of the systemic-cybernetic approach in recent decades. The articles in the second section deal in particular with the different methodological approaches developed when confronting real problems, from issues that affect humanity as a whole to minor but specific questions arising in human organizations. Certain sub-themes are discussed by the various authors – always from a didactic vantage –, including: problem discovery and diagnosis and development of the respective critical theory; the design of ad hoc strategies and methodologies; the implementation of both qualitative (soft system methodologies) and formal and quantitative (such as the “General System Problem Solver” or the “axiological-operational” perspective) approaches; cross-disciplinary integration; and suitable methods for broaching psychological, cultural and socio-political dynamisms. The third section is devoted to cybernetics in the present dual meaning of the term: on the one hand, control of the effectiveness of communication and actions, and on the other, the processes of self-production of knowledge through reflection and the relationship between the observing subject and the observed object when the latter is also observer and the former observed. Known as “second order cybernetics”, this provides an avenue for rethinking the validity of knowledge, such as for instance when viewed through what is known as “bipolar feedback”: processes through which interactions create novelty, complexity and diversity. Finally, the fourth section centres around artificial and computational intelligence, addressing sub-themes such as “neural networks”, the “simulated annealing” that ranges from statistical thermodynamics to combinatory problem-solving, such as in the explanation of the role of adaptive systems, or when discussing the relationship between biological and computational intelligence.

Telecommunication Systems and Technologies theme is a component of Encyclopedia of Physical Sciences, Engineering and Technology Resources in the global Encyclopedia of Life Support Systems (EOLSS), which is an integrated compendium of twenty one Encyclopedias. Telecommunication systems are emerging as the most important infrastructure asset to enable business, economic opportunities, information distribution, culture dissemination and cross-fertilization, and social relationships. As any crucial infrastructure, its design, exploitation, maintenance, and evolution require multi-faceted know-how and multi-disciplinary vision skills. The theme is structured in four main topics: Fundamentals of Communication and Telecommunication Networks; Telecommunication Technologies; Management of Telecommunication Systems/Services; Cross-Layer Organizational Aspects of Telecommunications, which are then expanded into multiple subtopics, each as a chapter. These two volumes are aimed at the following five major target audiences: University and College students Educators, Professional practitioners, Research personnel and Policy analysts, managers, and decision makers and NGOs