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Turkey (Turkiye) lies at the nexus of Europe, the Middle East, Central Asia and Africa. Turkey's location, mountains, and its encirclement by three seas have resulted in high terrestrial, fresh water, and marine biodiversity. Most of Turkey's land area is covered by one of three biodiversity hotspots (Caucasus, Irano-Anatolian, and Mediterranean). Of over 9000 known native vascular plant species, one third are endemic. Turkey faces a significant challenge with regard to biodiversity and associated conservation challenges due to limited research and lack of translation into other languages of existing material. Addressing this gap is increasingly relevant as Turkey's biodiversity faces severe and growing threats, especially from government and business interests. Turkey ranks 140th out of 163 countries in biodiversity and habitat conservation. Millennia of human activities have dramatically changed the original land and sea ecosystems of Anatolia, one of the earliest loci of human civilization. Nevertheless, the greatest threats to biodiversity have occurred since 1950, particularly in the past decade. Although Turkey's total forest area increased by 5.9% since 1973, endemic-rich Mediterranean maquis, grasslands, coastal areas, wetlands, and rivers are disappearing, while overgrazing and rampant erosion degrade steppes and rangelands. The current "developmentalist obsession", particularly regarding water use, threatens to eliminate much of what remains, while forcing large-scale migration from rural areas to the cities. According to current plans, Turkey's rivers and streams will be dammed with almost 4000 dams, diversions, and hydroelectric power plants for power, irrigation, and drinking water by 2023. Unchecked urbanization, dam construction, draining of wetlands, poaching, and excessive irrigation are the most widespread threats to biodiversity. This paper aims to survey what is known about Turkey's biodiversity, to identify the areas where research is needed, and to identify and address the conservation challenges that Turkey faces today. Preserving Turkey's remaining biodiversity will necessitate immediate action, international attention, greater support for Turkey's developing conservation capacity, and the expansion of a nascent Turkish conservation ethic. (C) 2011 Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Turkey (Turkiye) lies at the nexus of Europe, the Middle East, Central Asia and Africa. Turkey's location, mountains, and its encirclement by three seas have resulted in high terrestrial, fresh water, and marine biodiversity. Most of Turkey's land area is covered by one of three biodiversity hotspots (Caucasus, Irano-Anatolian, and Mediterranean). Of over 9000 known native vascular plant species, one third are endemic. Turkey faces a significant challenge with regard to biodiversity and associated conservation challenges due to limited research and lack of translation into other languages of existing material. Addressing this gap is increasingly relevant as Turkey's biodiversity faces severe and growing threats, especially from government and business interests. Turkey ranks 140th out of 163 countries in biodiversity and habitat conservation. Millennia of human activities have dramatically changed the original land and sea ecosystems of Anatolia, one of the earliest loci of human civilization. Nevertheless, the greatest threats to biodiversity have occurred since 1950, particularly in the past decade. Although Turkey's total forest area increased by 5.9% since 1973, endemic-rich Mediterranean maquis, grasslands, coastal areas, wetlands, and rivers are disappearing, while overgrazing and rampant erosion degrade steppes and rangelands. The current "developmentalist obsession", particularly regarding water use, threatens to eliminate much of what remains, while forcing large-scale migration from rural areas to the cities. According to current plans, Turkey's rivers and streams will be dammed with almost 4000 dams, diversions, and hydroelectric power plants for power, irrigation, and drinking water by 2023. Unchecked urbanization, dam construction, draining of wetlands, poaching, and excessive irrigation are the most widespread threats to biodiversity. This paper aims to survey what is known about Turkey's biodiversity, to identify the areas where research is needed, and to identify and address the conservation challenges that Turkey faces today. Preserving Turkey's remaining biodiversity will necessitate immediate action, international attention, greater support for Turkey's developing conservation capacity, and the expansion of a nascent Turkish conservation ethic. (C) 2011 Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Intro -- PLANTATIONS -- Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data -- CONTENTS -- PREFACE -- Chapter 1 PLANTATION AND NON-PLANTATION BIODIVERSITY VALUES: DISTINCTIONS OF ECONOMIC THEORIES AND MARKET-BASED MECHANISMS TO VALUE ECOSYSTEMS AND UTILIZATION WITHIN AN AUSTRALIAN CONTEXT -- ABSTRACT -- INTRODUCTION -- LINKS BETWEEN BIODIVERSITY AND ECOSYSTEM VALUE -- INDIRECT AND DIRECT BIODIVERSITY VALUE THEORY -- THE MONETARY VALUE OF BIODIVERSITY -- MARKET AND NON-MARKET BIODIVERSITY VALUATION -- ECOSYSTEM SERVICE VALUATION METHOD AND LIMITATIONS -- CONCLUSION -- REFERENCES -- Chapter 2 MUSHROOMS AND WOODLANDS: ECOLOGICAL NEXUS -- ABSTRACT -- INTRODUCTION -- MUSHROOM INTERDEPENDENCE WITH OTHER BIOTICS -- Practice of Exploiting Edible Mushrooms from the Wild -- Other Explorative Uses -- Forest Community and Litterfall -- MUSHROOMS VERSUS TREES -- DISCUSSION -- CONCLUSION -- REFERENCES -- Chapter 3 THE USE OF FOREST PLANTATIONS IN THE SEMIARID SAHEL REGIONS: IMPACTS ON THE ABUNDANCE AND DIVERSITY OF SOIL LEGUME-NODULATING RHIZOBIA AND ARBUSCULAR MYCORRHIZAL FUNGAL COMMUNITIES -- ABSTRACT -- 1. INTRODUCTION -- 2. SOIL MICROBIAL COMMUNITIES: BIOLOGICAL MEANS OF IMPROVING NUTRIENT UPTAKE IN TREES -- 3. INFLUENCE OF THE MAN-MADE TREE SPECIES ON THE INDIGENOUS MICROBIAL COMMUNITIES -- 4. INFLUENCE OF THE MAN-MADE TREE SPECIES ON THE INDIGENOUS SOIL SYMBIOTIC MICROORGANISMS: CASE STUDIES FROM THE FOREST RESERVE OF BANDIA, SENEGAL -- 4.1. Site Description -- 4.2. Influence of the Man-Made Tree Species on the Indigenous LNR Populations -- The Linkages between Plant Species Composition and Soil Microorganisms: What about LNR within Man-Made Tree Plantations? -- 4.3. Influence of the Man-Made Tree Species on the Diversity of Indigenous Mycorrhizal Fungi.

Scientists are often faced with unique challenges when they use concepts—like biodiversity—that extend far beyond the boundaries of the traditional scientific community. Inevitably, a term that's used in areas as disparate as conservation biology, systematics, politics, activism, and law will give rise to a host of clashing definitions. Such use of ambiguous concepts in the sciences is marked by an important tension. On the one hand, ambiguity can help scientists to collaborate, both with one another and with the wider world. Even if we might disagree about the methods for measuring biodiversity, for example, keeping the term sufficiently vague could enable us to nevertheless find common ground. But on the other hand, this same ambiguity could prevent these different groups from being able to understand one another, or mask genuine and profound disagreement under a veneer of apparent cooperation. In this talk, I'll try to present this tension, discuss ways that it has been theorized in philosophy and political science, and canvass some empirical methods for understanding its extent in the scientific literature.

Scientists are often faced with unique challenges when they use concepts—like biodiversity—that extend far beyond the boundaries of the traditional scientific community. Inevitably, a term that's used in areas as disparate as conservation biology, systematics, politics, activism, and law will give rise to a host of clashing definitions. Such use of ambiguous concepts in the sciences is marked by an important tension. On the one hand, ambiguity can help scientists to collaborate, both with one another and with the wider world. Even if we might disagree about the methods for measuring biodiversity, for example, keeping the term sufficiently vague could enable us to nevertheless find common ground. But on the other hand, this same ambiguity could prevent these different groups from being able to understand one another, or mask genuine and profound disagreement under a veneer of apparent cooperation. In this talk, I'll try to present this tension, discuss ways that it has been theorized in philosophy and political science, and canvass some empirical methods for understanding its extent in the scientific literature.

Roads affect wildlife in different ways. Road construction increases fragmentation of habitats, influences landscape pattern and alters the physical environment. Roads act as barriers to animal movements, increase their mortality rates and cause other negative impacts on biodiversity. The current paper overviews the assessment of road impacts in Lithuania, reviews approaches applied to evaluation of road development impacts as well as analyses application of Lithuanian legal documents in the field. In Lithuania, assessment of possible effects inflicted by envisaged road construction is determined by the Law on Environmental Impact Assessment of Planned Economic Activities and orders of the Ministry of Environment. Although the legislation covers some aspects of biodiversity, little attention is given to the assessment of the impact on biodiversity; meanwhile the impact assessment of proposed economic activities on Natura 2000 sites is clarified more extensively. Lithuanian methodological guidelines on determination of environmental impact assessment procedures and principles for the road network do not comply with international requirements concerning the biodiversity impact assessment of roads. The practiced biodiversity impact assessment used for road development projects in Lithuania complies with minimum requirements used in developed countries. To fulfil international requirements on biodiversity conservation, it is necessary to amend the Lithuanian legislation on environmental impact assessment and issue guidelines on biodiversity protection in road development projects. The article proposes models for calculation of road pollution dispersion for evaluation of air quality next to the already existing and newly projected roads. First Published Online: 26 Jun 2012

Roads affect wildlife in different ways. Road construction increases fragmentation of habitats, influences landscape pattern and alters the physical environment. Roads act as barriers to animal movements, increase their mortality rates and cause other negative impacts on biodiversity. The current paper overviews the assessment of road impacts in Lithuania, reviews approaches applied to evaluation of road development impacts as well as analyses application of Lithuanian legal documents in the field. In Lithuania, assessment of possible effects inflicted by envisaged road construction is determined by the Law on Environmental Impact Assessment of Planned Economic Activities and orders of the Ministry of Environment. Although the legislation covers some aspects of biodiversity, little attention is given to the assessment of the impact on biodiversity; meanwhile the impact assessment of proposed economic activities on Natura 2000 sites is clarified more extensively. Lithuanian methodological guidelines on determination of environmental impact assessment procedures and principles for the road network do not comply with international requirements concerning the biodiversity impact assessment of roads. The practiced biodiversity impact assessment used for road development projects in Lithuania complies with minimum requirements used in developed countries. To fulfil international requirements on biodiversity conservation, it is necessary to amend the Lithuanian legislation on environmental impact assessment and issue guidelines on biodiversity protection in road development projects. The article proposes models for calculation of road pollution dispersion for evaluation of air quality next to the already existing and newly projected roads. First Published Online: 26 Jun 2012

An assessment of the vulnerability of Australia's biodiversity to climate change was commissioned by the Australian Government to help increase our understanding of how to help Australia's rich biodiversity adapt to climate change. The assessment finds that Australia's biodiversity is at risk from even moderate climate change and already under stress, for example from habitat degradation, changed fire regimes and invasive species. Climate change is likely to exacerbate these existing stressors and add additional stresses such as through declining water availability. Australia is one of 17 megadiverse countries - a group of countries that harbour more than 70 per cent of the Earth's species and are therefore considered extremely biodiverse. Australia has many species that are unique to Australia and vulnerable to climate change. About 85 per cent of Australia's terrestrial mammals, 91 of flowering plants, and 90 per cent of reptiles and frogs are found nowhere else in the world. More than 50 per cent of the world's marsupial species occur only in Australia. Rates of extinction of species are likely to increase as the global average temperature rises by just 1.0 or 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, and likely to accelerate sharply as temperature rises beyond 2 degrees Celsius. The assessment was undertaken by an independent group of experts, led by Professor Will Steffen, for the Natural Resource Management Ministerial Council.