Landslide Ecology

Lawrence R Walker author Aaron B Shiels author

Format:Paperback

Publisher:Cambridge University Press

Published:6th Dec '12

Currently unavailable, and unfortunately no date known when it will be back

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Landslide Ecology cover

Landslides are dangerous, fascinating phenomena: understanding their biological and ecological aspects is essential for achieving slope stability and habitat restoration.

Summarising the latest research on the ecological consequences of landslides, this book provides a framework for using ecological tools in predicting, stabilising and restoring landslides. It demonstrates how soils, plants and animals respond to landslide destruction, presenting ecological approaches as economical and resilient supplements to landslide management.Despite their often dangerous and unpredictable nature, landslides provide fascinating templates for studying how soil organisms, plants and animals respond to such destruction. The emerging field of landslide ecology helps us understand these responses, aiding slope stabilisation and restoration and contributing to the progress made in geological approaches to landslide prediction and mitigation. Summarising the growing body of literature on the ecological consequences of landslides, this book provides a framework for the promotion of ecological tools in predicting, stabilising, and restoring biodiversity to landslide scars at both local and landscape scales. It explores nutrient cycling; soil development; and how soil organisms disperse, colonise and interact in what is often an inhospitable environment. Recognising the role that these processes play in providing solutions to the problem of unstable slopes, the authors present ecological approaches as useful, economical and resilient supplements to landslide management.

'A useful book that has a place in all ecological libraries.' Peter Thomas, British Ecological Society Bulletin
'… the first published work that provides a systematic combination of geological and ecological approaches to assessing the relevance of landsliding to environmental management. The coverage is virtually worldwide. Diagrams, maps, and photographs are numerous, excellent, and highly relevant. The book is well documented with an impressive 43-page bibliography … Highly recommended.' J. D. Ives, Choice
'The book is suitable reference material for researchers, university students, land managers and related policy needs. It is readable and well-illustrated ... The book contains an appropriate mix of knowledge on landslide ecology and its application and provides a solid background for those interested in landscape dynamics.' New Zealand Ecological Society Newsletter
'Ably summarizing the growing body of literature on the ecological consequences of landslides, this book provides a useful framework for the promotion of ecological tools in predicting, stabilizing and restoring biodiversity to landslide scars at both local and landscape scales. Recognizing the role that these processes play in providing more holistic solutions to the problem of unstable slopes, the authors present ecological approaches as useful, economical and resilient supplements to landslide management. The book will therefore find readers not only amongst researchers and students, but also amongst land managers and rehabilitation specialists.' David Gillieson, Austral Ecology

  • Winner of Postgraduate Textbooks category, Society of Biology Book Awards 2013

ISBN: 9780521178402

Dimensions: 228mm x 151mm x 11mm

Weight: 540g

314 pages