This is the first comprehensive encyclopedia on the history of the vast and varied ways human beings have used the world's waterways for business, protection, and recreation. Seas and Waterways of the World: An Encyclopedia of History, Uses, and Issues offers a comprehensive introduction to humanity's historical reliance on the world's seas and waterways and how that reliance continues to evolve. Over the course of two volumes, this extraordinary resource describes the world's major nautical features, the wide variety of uses for those waterways, and a number of essential issues arising from water-borne commerce. The encyclopedia marks the emergence of the aquarium, cruise, energy, fishing, insurance, mining, trade, transportation, recreation, and sport industries, and includes entries on harbors, ports, and coastal development that play a part in the economics of commercial water use. Also included is coverage of a number of significant themes such as the rise and fall of the Erie Canal as the gateway to the Midwest, and the declining popularity of the Panama Canal.

The Hydrological Cycle theme 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 Encyclopedias. The Hydrological Cycle is a process of constant water exchange or water circulation in the hydrosphere, i.e. in the system of the atmosphere - Earth's surface – soil cover - upper lithosphere (to a depth of 2000 m). Water in the hydrosphere is liquid, solid or gaseous; during the hydrological cycle it moves under the effect of heat energy, gravitation and capillary forces, converting from a liquid to its solid state or gas, and back. The hydrological cycle is one of the major geophysical processes on the planet providing relative stability of natural conditions and continuous distribution of water between ocean, land and atmosphere. The content of the Theme on The Hydrological Cycle is organized with state-of-the-art presentations covering several topics: Exchanges of Water in the Hydrosphere; Hydrosphere Components; World Water Balance; evaporation; Precipitation; Surface Water Runoff; Groundwater Hydrogeology; Glaciers and Their Significance for the Earth Nature, which are then expanded into multiple subtopics, each as a chapter. These four 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

In any commentary on a portion of the Old Testament by a writer unacquainted with Hebrew, exact criticism, and freedom from mistake, must not be expected. But the Psalms have been so in the mouth and in the heart of God's people in all languages, that it has been necessary often to find an explanation suitable to imperfect translations. And no doubt it is intended that we should use such explanations for the purpose of edification, when we are unable to be more accurate, though in proving doctrine it is necessary always to remember and allow for any want of acquaintance with the original, or uncertainty with respect to its actual meaning. However, the main scope and bearing of the text is rarely affected by such points as vary in different translations, and the analogy of the faith is sufficient to prevent a Catholic mind from adopting any error in consequence of a text seeming to bear a heterodox meaning. Perhaps the errors of translation in the existing versions may have led the Fathers to adopt rules of interpretation ranging too far from the simple and literal; but having such translations, they could hardly use them otherwise. Meanwhile St. Augustin will be found to excel in the intense apprehension of those great truths which pervade the whole of Sacred Writ, and in the vivid and powerful exposition of what bears upon them. It is hardly possible to read his practical and forcible applications of Holy Scripture, without feeling those truths by the faith of which we ought to live brought home to the heart in a wonderful manner. His was a mind that strove earnestly to solve the great problems of human life, and after exhausting the resources, and discovering the emptiness, of erroneous systems, found truth and rest at last in Catholic Christianity, in the religion of the Bible as expounded by St. Ambrose. This is volume two out of two, covering the Psalms LXXIV through CL.

Many books have addressed the economic and financial history of Hong Kong, and the imperialist conflicts in the key Chinese port-cities but very few books have explored French initiatives and performance in this area, beyond diplomacy, geopolitics or cultural issues. In this book, Hubert Bonin confronts arguments about "the great divergence", "the first globalisation", and forms of "economic patriotism". He gauges the competitive edge of French companies and banks, their struggle with British domination (HBSC, Chartered, shipping, trade houses/hongs) and their resistance against competitors from other countries (Japan, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, USA, or Russia). The book delves into studies of management abroad, therefore mixing broad geo-economic issues with precise business history and deep banking history. The connections between French interests in China and Hong Kong and the colony of Indochina are established too. A second part of the book is dedicated to the case study of Hong Kong, as the British colony acted as a hub for Asian and European interests at the heart of connections with mainland China and some neighbouring territories (Indochina, etc.). This is essential reading for academics interested in banking and business history, the history of entrepreneurship, as well as, those involved in the contemporary history of China and Hong Kong, in the assessment of world-wide geo-economic competition between European powers in Asia (Great-Britain, and France), and in the first stages of economic "modernity", along European models, in emerging modern China.

With unprecedented attention on global change, the current debate revolves around the availability and sustainability of natural resources and how to achieve equilibrium between what society demands from natural environments and what the natural resource base can provide. A full understanding of the range of issues, from the consequences of the changing resource bases to the degradation of ecological integrity and the sustainability of life, is crucial to the process of developing solutions to this complex challenge. Authored by world-class scientists and scholars, The Encyclopedia of Natural Resources provides an authoritative reference on a broad spectrum of topics such as the forcing factors and habitats of life; their histories, current status, and future trends; and their societal connections, economic values, and management. The content presents state-of-the-art science and technology development and perspectives of resource management. Written and designed with a broad audience in mind, the entries clearly elucidate the issues for readers at all levels. Volume I – Land includes 98 entries that cover the topical areas of renewable and nonrenewable natural resources such as forest and vegetative; soil; terrestrial coastal and inland wetlands; landscape structure and function and change; biological diversity; ecosystem services, protected areas, and management; natural resource economics; and resource security and sustainability. In Volume II, Water includes 59 entries and Air includes 31 entries. The Water entries cover topical areas such as fresh water, groundwater, water quality and watersheds, ice and snow, coastal environments, and marine resources and economics. The Air entries cover air pollutants, atmospheric oscillation, circulation patterns and atmospheric water storage, as well as agroclimatology, climate change, and extreme events. Additional topics in meteorology include acid rain, drought, ozone depletion, water storage, and more. Natural resources represent such a broad scope of complex and challenging topics that a reference book must cover a vast number of subjects in order to be titled an encyclopedia. The Encyclopedia of Natural Resources does just that. The topics covered help readers face current and future issues in the maintenance of clean air and water as well as the preservation of land resources and native biodiversity.

Oceans and Aquatic Ecosystems theme is a component of Encyclopedia of Natural Resources Policy and Management, in the global Encyclopedia of Life Support Systems (EOLSS), which is an integrated compendium of twenty one Encyclopedias. The theme guides the reader through various pathways followed by surface water on earth. It describes the dominant processes that govern how organisms interact with water and with each other, and how they in turn can modify water properties. This knowledge is important for humanity. Indeed, only by understanding our actions impacts upon water, and the animals and plants living in it, can we learn to exploit water, marine and fresh-water habitats and the living organisms, without destroying the resources on which our livelihood and very survival depend. The Theme on Oceans and Aquatic Ecosystems discusses matters of great relevance to our world such as: Freshwater Wetland Resources and Biology; Problems, Restoration and Conservation of Lakes and Rivers; Coastal Regions; The Oceans and Seas; Oceanic Islands 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.

Science is a living, organic activity, the meaning and understanding of which have evolved incrementally over human history. This book, the first in a roughly chronological series, explores the development of the methodology and major ideas of science, in historical context, from ancient times to the decline of classical civilizations around 300 A.D. It includes details specific to the histories of specialized sciences including astronomy, medicine and physics--along with Roman engineering and Greek philosophy. It closely describes the contributions of such individuals as Pythagoras, Hippocrates, Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Alexander the Great, Euclid, Archimedes, Ptolemy, Seneca, Pliny the Elder, and Galen.

This publication, Our Fragile World: Challenges and Opportunities for Sustainable Development, presents perspectives of several important subjects that are covered in greater detail and depth in the Encyclopedia of Life Support Systems (EOLSS). The contributions to the two volumes provide an integrated presentation of knowledge and worldviews related to the state of: Earth's natural resources, social resources, institutional resources, and economic and financial resources. They present the vision and thinking of over 200 authors in support of efforts to solve the complex problems connected with sustainable development, and to secure perennial life support on "The Blue Planet'. These contributions are holistic, informative, forward looking, and will be of interest to a broad readership. This volume presents contributions with focus on the Natural and Social Dimensions of sustainable Development in to two sections: NATURAL SYSTEMS AND RESOURCES (Natural Systems and Climate Change ; - Natural Resources Management). - SOCIO-CULTURAL ISSUES (Human Security, Peace, and Socio-Cultural issues; Equity and Ethical issues).

This eBook is a collection of articles from a Frontiers Research Topic. Frontiers Research Topics are very popular trademarks of the Frontiers Journals Series: they are collections of at least ten articles, all centered on a particular subject. With their unique mix of varied contributions from Original Research to Review Articles, Frontiers Research Topics unify the most influential researchers, the latest key findings and historical advances in a hot research area! Find out more on how to host your own Frontiers Research Topic or contribute to one as an author by contacting the Frontiers Editorial Office: frontiersin.org/about/contact.