Arctic Alpine Ecosystems and People in a Changing Environment

The European Arctic and Alpine regions are experiencing large environmental changes. Increased temperatures and precipitation, reduction in sea ice and glacier ice, the increased level of UV-radiation and the long-range transported contaminants are challenging new stress factors for both terrestrial and aquatic organisms. The large annual variation in the physical parameters of these extreme environments is also a key factor in structuring the biodiversity and biotic productivity, and the effect of the stress factors can be critical for the population structures and the interaction between species. These changes may also have socio-economic effects if the changes affect the bioproduction, which form the basis for the marine and terrestrial food chains. This book gives an integrated overview of the contemporary environmental changes in Arctic, Alpine Regions; Climate Change and Ecosystem Response, Long Range Transport of Pollutants and Ecotoxicology, UV-radiation and Biological Effects, Socio-economic Effects of Environmental Change. TOC:1 Integrated aspects of environmental change.- 2 An environment at risk.- 3 Climate variation in the European sector of the Arctic.- 4 Impact of climate change on arctic and alpine lakes.- 5 Changes in growing season in Fennoscandia 1982-1999.- 6 Northern climates and woody plant distribution.- 7 Topographic complexity and terrestrial biotic response to high-latitude climate change.- 8 The flow of Atlantic water to the Nordic Seas and Arctic Ocean.- 9 Climate variability and possible effects on arctic food chains.- 10 Adjustment to reality.- 11 Factors, trends and scenarios of UV-radiation in arctic-alpine environments.- 12 Effects of enhanced UV-B radiation and epidermal UV screening in arctic and alpine plants.- 13 Effects of UV radiation in arctic and alpine freshwater ecosystems.- 14 Climate control of biological UV exposure in polar and alpine aquatic ecosystems.- 15 Effects of UV radiation on seaweeds.- 16 Climate and ozone change effects on UV radiation and health risks.- 17 Contaminants, global change and cold regions.- 18 Modelling of long-range transport of contaminants.- 19 Long-term atmospheric contaminant monitoring.- 20 Levels and effects of persistent organic pollutants in arctic animals.- 21 Arctic health problems and environmental challenges in Greenland.

Tytuł: Arctic Alpine Ecosystems and People in a Changing Environment
Data wydania: listopad 2006
Wydawca: Springer-Verlag GmbH
Liczba stron: 464
ISBN: 3540485120
EAN: 9783540485124
Wymiary: 235 x 155 x 29