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Extreme Value Distributions by Samuel Kotz,Saralees Nadarajah Pdf
This important book provides an up-to-date comprehensive and down-to-earth survey of the theory and practice of extreme value distributions ? one of the most prominent success stories of modern applied probability and statistics. Originated by E J Gumbel in the early forties as a tool for predicting floods, extreme value distributions evolved during the last 50 years into a coherent theory with applications in practically all fields of human endeavor where maximal or minimal values (the so-called extremes) are of relevance. The book is of usefulness both for a beginner with a limited probabilistic background and to expert in the field.
Studying Tree Responses to Extreme Events by Achim Bräuning,Andreas Bolte,Cristina Nabais,Sergio Rossi,Ute Sass-Klaassen Pdf
Trees are among the longest-living organisms. They are sensitive to extreme climatic events and document the effects of environmental changes in form of structural modifications of their tissues. These modifications represent an integrated signal of complex biological responses enforced by the environment. For example, temporal change in stem increment integrates multiple information of tree performance, and wood anatomical traits may be altered by climatic extremes or environmental stress. Recent developments in preparative tools and computational image analysis enable to quantify changes in wood anatomical features, like vessel density or vessel size. Thus, impacts on their functioning can be related to climatic forcing factors. Similarly, new developments in monitoring (cambial) phenology and mechanistic modelling are enlightening the interrelationships between environmental factors, wood formation and tree performance and mortality. Quantitative wood anatomy is a reliable indicator of drought occurrence during the growing season, and therefore has been studied intensively in recent years. The variability in wood anatomy not only alters the biological and hydraulic functioning of a tree, but may also influence the technological properties of wood, with substantial impacts in forestry. On a larger scale, alterations of sapwood and phloem area and their ratios to other functional traits provide measures to detect changes in a tree’s life functions, and increasing risk of drought-induced mortality with possible impacts on hydrological processes and species composition of plant communities. Genetic variability within and across populations is assumed to be crucial for species survival in an unpredictable future world. The magnitude of genetic variation and heritability of adaptive traits might define the ability to adapt to climate change. Is there a relation between genetic variability and resilience to climate change? Is it possible to link genetic expression and climate change to obtain deeper knowledge of functional genetics? To derive precise estimates of genetic determinism it is important to define adaptive traits in wood properties and on a whole-tree scale. Understanding the mechanisms ruling these processes is fundamental to assess the impact of extreme climate events on forest ecosystems, and to provide realistic scenarios of tree responses to changing climates. Wood is also a major carbon sink with a long-term residence, impacting the global carbon cycle. How well do we understand the link between wood growth dynamics, wood carbon allocation and the global carbon cycle? Papers contribution to this Research Topic will cover a wide range of ecosystems. However, special relevance will be given to Mediterranean-type areas. These involve coastal regions of four continents, making Mediterranean-type ecosystems extremely interesting for investigating the potential impacts of global change on growth and for studying responses of woody plants under extreme environmental conditions. For example, the ongoing trend towards warmer temperatures and reduced precipitation can increase the susceptibility to fire and pests. The EU-funded COST Action STREeSS (Studying Tree Responses to extreme Events: a SynthesiS) addresses such crucial tree biological and forest ecological issues by providing a collection of important methodological and scientific insights, about the current state of knowledge, and by opinions for future research needs.
The first book-length, in-depth ethnography of U.S. human spaceflight What if outer space is not outside the human environment but, rather, defines it? This is the unusual starting point of Valerie Olson’s Into the Extreme, revealing how outer space contributes to making what counts as the scope and scale of today’s natural and social environments. With unprecedented access to spaceflight worksites ranging from astronaut training programs to life science labs and architecture studios, Olson examines how U.S. experts work within the solar system as the container of life and as a vast site for new forms of technical and political environmental control. Olson’s book shifts our attention from space’s political geography to its political ecology, showing how scientists, physicians, and engineers across North America collaborate to build the conceptual and nuts-and-bolts systems that connect Earth to a specifically ecosystemic cosmos. This cosmos is being redefined as a competitive space for potential economic resources, social relations, and political strategies. Showing how contemporary U.S. environmental power is bound up with the production of national technical and scientific access to outer space, Into the Extreme brings important new insights to our understanding of modern environmental history and politics. At a time when the boundaries of global ecologies and economies extend far below and above Earth’s surface, Olson’s new analytic frameworks help us understand how varieties of outlying spaces are known, made, and organized as kinds of environments—whether terrestrial or beyond.
Advanced Techniques for Studying Microorganisms in Extreme Environments by Étienne Yergeau Pdf
This book will highlight advanced techniques that were recently used for studying microorganisms in extreme environments. Recent technological leaps in the study of microorganisms in the environment now make it possible to comprehensively study microbes in the environment. Extreme environments could benefit from the application of these techniques, but many challenges such as low biomass, low activity and slow growth has prevented their wide adoption. This book will review recent application of state-of-the-art techniques in extreme environments, helping researcher and graduate students get a better knowledge of the tools available.
Extreme Value Theory with Applications to Natural Hazards by Nicolas Bousquet,Pietro Bernardara Pdf
This richly illustrated book describes statistical extreme value theory for the quantification of natural hazards, such as strong winds, floods and rainfall, and discusses an interdisciplinary approach to allow the theoretical methods to be applied. The approach consists of a number of steps: data selection and correction, non-stationary theory (to account for trends due to climate change), and selecting appropriate estimation techniques based on both decision-theoretic features (e.g., Bayesian theory), empirical robustness and a valid treatment of uncertainties. It also examines and critically reviews alternative approaches based on stochastic and dynamic numerical models, as well as recently emerging data analysis issues and presents large-scale, multidisciplinary, state-of-the-art case studies. Intended for all those with a basic knowledge of statistical methods interested in the quantification of natural hazards, the book is also a valuable resource for engineers conducting risk analyses in collaboration with scientists from other fields (such as hydrologists, meteorologists, climatologists).
European and American Extreme Right Groups and the Internet by Manuela Caiani,Linda Parenti Pdf
How do right-wing extremist organizations throughout the world use the Internet as a tool for communication and recruitment? What is its role in identity-building within radical right-wing groups and how do they use the Internet to set their agenda, build contacts, spread their ideology and encourage mobilization? This important contribution to the field of Internet politics adopts a social movement perspective to address and examine these important questions. Conducting a comparative content analysis of more than 500 extreme right organizational web sites from France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States, it offers an overview of the Internet communication activities of these groups and systematically maps and analyses the links and structure of the virtual communities of the extreme right. Based on reports from the daily press the book presents a protest event analysis of right wing groups’ mobilisation and action strategies, relating them to their online practices. In doing so it exposes the new challenges and opportunities the Internet presents to the groups themselves and the societies in which they exist.
Enigmatic Microorganisms and Life in Extreme Environments by Joseph Seckbach Pdf
Modern methods and approaches, such as the analysis of molecular sequences to infer evolutionary relationships among organisms, have provided vast new sets of data to further our understanding ofliving organisms, but there remain enigmas in the biological world that will keep scientists working and thinking for decades. Microorganisms by virtue of their small size and almost unbounded diversity provide ample examples of intriguing mysteries that are being challenged with all of the techniques the modern scientific arsenal can provide. One whole arena of this battle to resolve puzzling mysteries about various microorganisms is the almost unbelievable ability of many micro-organisms to live in extreme environments. Whether the challenge is extreme heat, cold, pressure, hyper salinity, alkalinity or acidity, some micro-organisms live now where no life might seem possible. This fascinating state of affairs is the context for this present volume edited by Joseph Seckbach. This Volume is a compilation of many of the especially interesting questions and biological challenges that arise in the consideration of microorganisms in general and the extremophiles in particular.
Microbial Ecology of Extreme Environments by Caroline Chénard,Federico M. Lauro Pdf
This book explores microbial lifestyles, biochemical adaptations, and trophic interactions occurring in extreme environments. By summarizing the latest findings in the field it provides a valuable reference for future studies. Spark ideas for biotechnological and commercial exploitation of microbiomes at the extremes of life are presented. Chapters on viruses complement this highly informative book. In a vertical journey through the microbial biosphere it covers aspects of cold environments, hot environments, extreme saline environments, and extreme pressure environments, and more. From the deep sea, through polar deserts, up to the clouds in the air - the diversity of microbial life in all habitats is described, explored, and comprehensively reviewed. Possible biotechnical applications are discussed. This book aims to provide a useful reference for those who want to start a research program in extreme microbiology and, hopefully, inspire new research directions.
Extreme Value Theory and Applications by J. Galambos,James Lechner,Emil Simiu Pdf
It appears that we live in an age of disasters: the mighty Missis sippi and Missouri flood millions of acres, earthquakes hit Tokyo and California, airplanes crash due to mechanical failure and the seemingly ever increasing wind speeds make the storms more and more frightening. While all these may seem to be unexpected phenomena to the man on the street, they are actually happening according to well defined rules of science known as extreme value theory. We know that records must be broken in the future, so if a flood design is based on the worst case of the past then we are not really prepared against floods. Materials will fail due to fatigue, so if the body of an aircraft looks fine to the naked eye, it might still suddenly fail if the aircraft has been in operation over an extended period of time. Our theory has by now penetrated the so cial sciences, the medical profession, economics and even astronomy. We believe that our field has come of age. In or~er to fully utilize the great progress in the theory of extremes and its ever increasing acceptance in practice, an international conference was organized in which equal weight was given to theory and practice. This book is Volume I of the Proceedings of this conference. In selecting the papers for Volume lour guide was to have authoritative works with a large variety of coverage of both theory and practice.
Algae and Cyanobacteria in Extreme Environments by Joseph Seckbach Pdf
This collection of essays is devoted to algae that are unexpectedly found in harsh habitats. The authors explain how these algae thrive in various temperature ranges, extreme pH values, salt solutions, UV radiation, dryness, heavy metals, anaerobic niches, various levels of illumination, and hydrostatic pressure. Not only do the essays provide clues about life on the edges of the Earth, but possibly elsewhere in the universe as well.
Life in Extreme Environments by Ricardo Amils Pibernat,Cynan Ellis-Evans,Helmut G. Hinghofer-Szalkay Pdf
This book provides an intriguing look at how life can adapt to many different extreme environments. It addresses the limits for life development and examines different strategies used by organisms to adapt to different extreme environments.