Ecology and Applied Environmental Science

Ecology and Applied Environmental Science addresses the impact of contemporary environmental problems by using the main principles of scientific ecology. It offers a brief yet comprehensive explanation of ecosystems based on energy, populations, and cycles of chemical elements. The book presents a variety of scientific ecological issues and uses these to examine a range of environmental problems while considering potential engineering, scientific, and managerial solutions. It takes an engineering approach and avoids excessive biological detail, while introducing ecology with a systemic approach. The book examines categories of organisms as well as the physical and chemical processes that affect them. It refers to the dynamics of populations and analysis of their major mutual influences, elaborates on the roles of primary production, limiting factors, energy flow, and circulation of chemical substances in the ecosystems, and presents the basic functions of aquatic ecosystems. The author considers important issues related to environmental degradation of forests, aquatic habitats, coastal zones, other natural landscapes, and urban areas, includes a survey of problems related to waste and toxic and radioactive substances, and presents the greenhouse effect and impacts from climate change. He discusses environmental management prospects and the potential for technological control of pollution from liquid, solid, and gaseous waste. He also highlights existing tools for environmental management, ecological and social aspects of biodiversity and landscape protection, and the contrast between development and environment in combination with ideas about sustainability. The Open Access version of this book, available at http://www.taylorfrancis.com, has been made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives 4.0 license.

Part 1 Ecological Systems Systems and Ecosystems The Concept of System Concept and Use of Models System State and Stability The Ecosystem as a System Mathematical Models of Ecosystems Organisms and Environmental Factors Categories of Organisms Chemical Composition of the Cell Metabolism—Enzymes Storage of Energy Photosynthesis—Respiration—Chemosynthesis Limiting Nutrient Interaction of Organisms and Environment Organisation at Population Level Population and Ecosystem Population Dynamics Population Size Variation Models Interactions between Two Populations Natural Selection and Evolution Survival Strategies of Populations The Human Population Organisation at the Ecosystem Level Energy Flow in the Ecosystem Limiting Factors in Various Environments Biogeochemical Cycles Ecosystems’ Change in Time Functions of Aquatic Ecosystems Part 2 Fundamentals of Environmental Problems Values, Alterations and Degradation of the Natural Landscape Man’s Historical Influence on the Biosphere Terrestrial Ecosystems Aquatic Environment Coastal Zones Biodiversity and Landscape The Environment in the City The Urban Environment The City and Urban Activities Cities in the Developing World Cities in Industrial Countries Noise Pollution Pollution from Urban Solid Waste Indoor Pollution Green and Open Spaces Toxic Pollution Toxic Pollutants, Bioaccumulation and Biomagnification Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) Toxic Synthetic Organic Compounds Toxic Pollution from Metals and Inorganic Substances Radioactivity Water Pollution Sources and Impacts of Water Pollution Organic Matter—Oxygen Depletion Phosphorus and Nitrogen—Eutrophication Pathogenic Microorganisms—Contamination Toxic Water Pollutants Oil Thermal Pollution Air Pollution and Global Change Sources and Local Implications of Air Pollutants Acid Rain Depletion of Stratospheric Ozone The Greenhouse Effect Part 3 Management of Environmental Problems Pollution Control Technology Dealing with Water Pollution Dealing with Atmospheric Pollution Urban Solid Waste Management Tools for Environmental Analysis, Evaluation and Management Environmental Management Definition and Assessment of Impacts on the Environment Environmental Indices and Indicators Life Cycle Analysis Environmental Audits Eco-Labels Environmental Certification Geographic Information System Environmental Impact Assessment Information Access and Participation in Decision Making Biodiversity and Landscape Protection Multiple Dimensions of Nature Protection Protection of Biodiversity and the Landscape as a Social Issue Methods of Biodiversity Conservation Environment and Development Impacts of Technology The ‘Development versus Environment’ Dilemma Sustainable Development Ecological Approaches of Development Future Prospects Selected Bibliography Appendix

Kimon Hadjibiros is a physicist specialising in ecology and a Professor in the Department of Water Resources and Environmental Engineering at the National Technical University of Athens. He has more than twenty five years' experience of teaching ecology for engineers, environmental management and policy.