An engaging and at times sobering look at the coexistence of humans and animals in the 21st century and how their sometimes disparate needs affect environments, politics, economies, and culture worldwide. There is an urgent need to understand human-animal interactions and relations as we become increasingly aware of our devastating impact on the natural resources needed for the survival of all animal species. This timely reference explores such topics as climate change and biodiversity, the impact of animal domestication and industrial farming on local and global ecosystems, and the impact of human consumption of wild species for food, entertainment, medicine, and social status. This volume also explores the role of pets in our lives, advocacy movements on behalf of animals, and the role of animals in art and media culture. Authors Julie Urbanik and Connie L. Johnston introduce the concept of animal geography, present different aspects of human-animal relationships worldwide, and highlight the importance of examining these interconnections. Alphabetical entries illustrate key relationships, concepts, practices, and animal species. The book concludes with a comprehensive appendix of select excerpts from key primary source documents relating to animals and a glossary.

Intellectual struggles with the "animal question"-- how humans can rethink and reconfigure their relationships with other animals-- first began to take hold in the 1970s. Over the next forty years, scholars from a wide range of fields would make sweeping reevaluations of the relationship between humans and other animals. The Oxford Handbook of Animal Studies brings these diverse evaluations together for the first time, paying special attention to the commodification of animals, the degradation of the natural world and a staggering loss of animal habitat and species extinction, and the increasing need for humans to coexist with other animals in urban, rural and natural contexts. Linda Kalof maps these themes into the five major categories that structure this volume: Animals in the Landscape of Law, Politics and Public Policy; Animal Intentionality, Agency and Reflexive Thinking; Animals as Objects in Science, Food, Spectacle and Sport; Animals in Cultural Representations; and Animals in Ecosystems. Written by international scholars with backgrounds in philosophy, law, history, English, art, sociology, geography, archaeology, environmental studies, cultural studies, and animal advocacy, the thirty chapters in this handbook investigate key issues and concepts central to understanding our current relationship with other animals and the potential for coexistence in an ecological community of living beings.

After the experience of the first volume, The World Association for Animal Production (WAAP) continues the publication of the Book of the Year series for the benefit of animal scientists and policy makers in the field of livestock systems. The WAAP asked the best known and significant animal scientists in the world to contribute to the preparation of this book. Following the success of the first volume of the series, the WAAP Book of the Year 2003, many authors from the six continents are contributing to this 2nd volume. The importance of this publication is to have already established a worldwide reference for the animal science and production sectors. There are the usual four sections that raised much interest in the previous volume of the series. The first section has six articles, describing the changing conditions of livestock systems in each of the six continents. The second section has more than twenty papers, describing the development of the many sectors in which the animal science field has been divided. The third section, dealing with contemporary issues, is declared by our readers to be the most interesting. It allows participating authors to describe current and significant issues important in these last years for the animal science and production sectors. The statistics produced in the previous volume are updated and enhanced with new figures in this book to form the fourth section. The papers included in this book speak clearly of the development in the last twelve months in the livestock systems worldwide. Major space is also devoted to the list of references from where every author can start to deepen his knowledge. This book is essential for libraries that want their readers to be easily updated. Also scientists, policy makers and scientific writers, who need, to enhance their competence, to have the most practical way of knowing what is going on in the world in the field of livestock science and production will find this book of great value.

Agricultural lands worldwide are deteriorating, becoming acidic and losing essential humus content. This impacts global food quality and nutrition. Causes include extreme natural events and harmful human activities like deforestation. The consequences are stark—shrinking agricultural land, reduced fertility, lower crop yields, and increased costs. Developing nations face food shortages, population decline, and shortened life expectancy. The urgency demands international cooperation, legislation, and technological advancements. Ecological Aspects of Soil and Land Preservation delves into this critical issue, emphasizing the need for collective action and sustainable solutions. Ecological Aspects of Soil and Land Preservation serves as a resource for scholars, students, and professionals committed to addressing the crisis. This book collects, summarizes, and analyzes the latest information on agricultural land and forest degradation. Beyond that, it introduces groundbreaking hypotheses, theories, and solutions, enriching the scientific community's understanding. The objective is clear: to be an informative resource that not only sheds light on the problem but also catalyzes actionable solutions.

Coastal areas have experienced unprecedented dramatic changes in the last half of the 20th century, especially in zones used for tourism development. This code of conduct and model law on coastal areas establishes some general management principles aimed at the sustainable development of coastal areas and the preservation of their environmental values.

FAO Animal Production and Health Papers This guidance document helps decision-makers gain a basic knowledge of the farmer fields schools approach, learn about its contribution to the livelihoods of livestock-dependent communities and recognize the conditions required for the successful implementation of this approach.

"Southeastern Nigeria has some of the highest population densities in Sub-Saharan Africa and one of the most threatened ecosystems on the continent: the rainforests of West Africa. As population pressure has mounted, fallow periods have declined... Instead of doggedly pursuing old strategies, farmers shifted their agricultural practices in the face of mounting population pressures. Farmers have intensified their traditional bush-fallow cultivation system by adopting several strategies..." What agrobiodiversity is, what it does, and its importance to the environment and agriculture form the bases of discussion in this volume. Agrobiodiversity is defined as biological resources that directly and indirectly contribute to crop and livestock production. With the need to increase food production and to concurrently protect the environment a worldwide priority, agrobiodiversity is arguably the single most important natural resource. It is key to transforming agricultural systems that are currently wreaking havoc on wildlife and human health. This report highlights case studies in which modern and traditional agriculture has successfully transformed to enhance biodiversity without sacrificing yield. Lessons learned from this review help to identify sound practices for designing and monitoring agricultural projects so that they improve rural incomes while safeguarding environmental assets, particularly biodiversity. Suggestions for sound practices include modifications of the policy environment and ways to strengthen research institutions and extension services so that agriculture can be intensified while better protecting and managing biological resources.