This volume aims to present the essential work of geographer and historical ecologist William M. Denevan to explain the impact and influence his thinking had on the conceptual advancement not only in his own discipline, but in a range of related disciplines such as anthropology, archaeology, and environmental history. The book is organized around eight themes, demonstrating Denevan’s early and profound insights on topics that remain of current relevance today, and the scholarly impact his writing had on subsequent scholarship. The book is unique because it offers commentary from active scholars who address the impacts of Prof. Denevan's thinking and work on contemporary environmental and ecological issues, with a focus on several groundbreaking themes (e.g. historical demography, agricultural landforms, cultural plant geography, human environmental impacts, indigenous agro-ecology, tropical agriculture, livestock and landscape, and synthetic contributions). This book will be of interest to a range of scholars in geography, anthropology, archaeology, history, and ecology, as well as to environmental managers and practitioners, especially those working for non-profit organizations and government organizations tasked with finding ways to adapt to global environmental change.

This book arises from a 2011 international conference entitled Climate Change, Agri-Food, Fisheries and Ecosystems: Reinventing Research, Innovation, and Policy Agendas for an Environmentally and Socially-Balanced Growth (ICCAFFE2011), organized by the North-South Center for Social Sciences (NRCS) in collaboration with the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, Germany and the Institute for Research and Development (IRD), France. Coverage focuses on the agricultural sector and helps improve understanding of the relationships between agriculture and the environment and between human communities and nature, so as to sustainably manage agricultural development. The contributors analyze the interdependence between sustainable agricultural development and environmental, economic and social dynamics; assess the impacts of soil degradation on agricultural productivity; present ways to enhance livestock production and recommend mechanisms for managing links between agro-biodiversity, climate change and livelihoods. Part I examines sustainable agriculture development and environmental, economic and social dynamics, addressing topics such as global climate change, agriculture and challenges including socio-economic factors, adaptation, poverty reduction and water management. Part II covers the impacts of soil degradation on agricultural productivity and discusses the use of expert systems to assess and manage degraded lands, agricultural productivity, land suitability and rehabilitation. Part III focuses on livestock production enhancements, such as feed resources and supplemental feeds for animals and capacity building for women in dairy management. Part IV shares the outcomes of research in agro-biodiversity, climate change and livelihoods, addressing topics such as co-management of forests, carbon consumption models, biodiversity conservation and carbon sequestration and scarce mangrove forests. Current environmental and agro-ecological research focuses on understanding the cause-consequence relationships between specific agricultural practices and land use and the responses at different levels of ecosystems. This book is intended to contribute to this discussion.

An international team of 26 investigators focuses on the communities in and around managed forests, examining how efforts to preserve ecological integrity can also address the cultural and physical needs of human residents. Issues covered include the identification and roles of stakeholders, security of access to forest resources, and rights and responsibilities to manage forests cooperatively and equitably. Chapters include data and case studies from Indonesia, Cameroon, Trinidad, Gabon, Brazil, and North America. The contributors are experts in anthropology, natural resource management, social science, forestry, botany, and other disciplines. c. Book News Inc.

The Ecology of Nusa Tenggara and Maluku is a comprehensive ecological survey of a series ecologically diverse islands in the Pacific. It contains extensive baseline data on the region’s people, ecosystems, biodiversity and land use, and discusses these in a historical as well as a developmental context. It also provides guidelines for scientific researchers on worthwhile ecological and socio-economic research projects. This region is the most diverse in Indonesia. Its myriad islands range from small atolls to active volcanic islands rising 3,500 meters above sea level. Each province has extensive coastlines—only 10 percent of the province of Maluku is land. The seas include shallow continental shelves and some of the deepest sea basins in the world. The complexity and vulnerability of these islands mean that development and environment are inextricably linked. If this is not understood and acted upon, there is no possibility for the ecologically sustainable development of Nusa Tenggara and Maluku.

Neotropical forests sustain a wealth of biodiversity, provide a wide range of ecosystem services and products, and support the livelihoods of millions of people. But is forest management a viable conservation strategy in the tropics? Supporters of sustainable forest management have promoted it as a solution to problems of both biodiversity protection and economic stagnation. Detractors insist that any conservation strategy short of fully protected status is a waste of resources and that forest management actually hastens deforestation. By focusing on a set of critical issues and case studies, this book explores the territory between these positions, highlighting the major factors that contribute to or detract from the chances of achieving forest conservation through sustainable management.

This work proposes that new economic theory, rather than a new public policy based on old theory, is needed to guide humanity toward sustainability. The book includes the ideas from old as well as new institutional economics, discussed in detail by leading experts in the field. This book follows a companion work, 'Economics, Sustainability, and Natural Resources: Economics of Sustainable Forest Management', volume 1 of the series.

This volume is one of a number of publications to carry the results of the first research programme of the Royal Swedish Academy of Science's Beijer Institute. The Institute was formed in 1991 in order to promote interdisciplinary research between natural and social scientists on the interdependency between economic and ecological systems. In its first research programme, the Biodiversity Programme, the Institute brought together a number of leading economists and ecologists to address the theoretical and policy issues associated with the current high rates of biodiversity loss in such systems - whether the result of direct depletion, the destruction of habitat, or specialisation in agriculture, forestry and fisheries. l This volume reports some of the more policy-oriented work carried out under the programme. The broad aim of the programme is to further our understanding of the causes and consequences of biodiversity loss, and to identify the options for addressing the problem. The results have turned out to be surprising to those who see biodiversity loss primarily in terms of the erosion of the genetic library. In various ways the work carried out under the programme has already begun to alter our perception of where the problem in biodiversity loss lies and what policy options are available to deal with it. Indeed, the programme has provided a powerful set of arguments for reappraising not just the economic and ecological implications of biodiversity loss, but the whole case for development based on specialisation of resource use.

The Ecology of Kalimantan is a comprehensive ecological survey of one of Indonesia's largest and most diverse islands. This book presents a complete summary of our current scientific knowledge about Borneo including the rainforest and riverine habitats that are endangered by logging and industrial development, along with a discussion of land use patterns and current problems. Kalimantan is the Indonesian portion of the huge island of Borneo. Kalimantan has played a key role in Indonesia’s economic development and is a major earner of foreign revenue due to the island's rich natural resources: forests, oil, gas, coal, and other minerals. In this book the authors argue that Kalimantan can be developed, but within tight ecological constraints and with great care. This book remains a standard reference for scientists, anthropologists, writers, and anyone interested in the region.

A demographic evaluation of an ancient Mayan citadel which helps to resolve debates about how the Maya made a living, the nature of their socio-political systems, how they created an impressive built environment, and places them in plausible comparative context with what is known about other ancient complex societies.