Main description:

Ecology is cross-disciplinary field involving many different aspects of science. Written with this in mind, this book introduces ecological processes, ranging from physical processes, to chemical processes and biological processes. It contains all the necessary information on an ecological process: a clear, detailed but not too lengthy definition, some practical examples, the main mathematical models which have been used to describe the process, the key interconnections with other ecological processes that must be known in order to apply what has been learned from the book.

Contents:

PART I - INTRODUCTION. The ecosystem as an object for research. Conservation principles. Energy dissipation. A perspective from information and systems theory. Ecological Processes: An Overview. PART II - PHYSICAL PROCESSES. Space and time. Mass transport. Energetic factors. PART III - CHEMICAL PROCESSES. Chemical reactions. Chemical lysis. Phase partition. PART IV - BIOLOGICAL PROCESSES. Biogeochemical cycles. Photosynthesis. Growth. Primary production. Production of upper trophic levels. Microbial processes. Ecotoxicological Processes. Biological Interactions. PART V - LANDSCAPE PROCESSES. Aquatic ecosystems. Terrestrial Ecosystems. Landscapes and Urban Ecosystems. The Atmosphere. REFERENCES. THE AUTHORS.