Ecosystems and Sustainable Development VIII (Wit Transactions on Ecology and the Environment)

The biennial series of conferences on Ecosystems and Sustainable Development (ECOSUD), originating from the work of the late Nobel laureate, Ilya Prigogine, raises the challenge of seeking to integrate thermodynamics, ecology and economics into 'ecodynamics.' The conference is not only a platform to present novel research related to ecological problems from all over the world, but it also gives opportunities for new emergent ideas in science arising from the cross fertilization of different disciplines, including mathematical models and eco-informatics, evolutionary thermodynamics and biodiversity, structures in ecosystems modelling and landscapes to mention but a few. This book contains papers presented at the Eighth International Conference in the well-established conference series on Ecosystems and Sustainable Development. Conference topics include: Greenhouse Gas Issues; Ecosystems Modelling; Natural Resources Management; Environmental Indicators; Sustainability Studies; Recovery of Damaged Areas; Energy and the Environment; Socio Economic Factors; Soil Contamination; Waste Management; Water Resources; Environmental Management; and Modelling of Alternative Futures.