This book helps readers understand the fundamental principles and phenomena that control the transfer of trace elements. It describes the occurrence and behavior of trace elements in rocks, soil, water, air, and plants, and also discusses the anthropogenic impact to the environment. In addition, the book covers the presence of trace elements in feeds, as either contaminants or as nutritional or zootechnical additives, and their transfer across the food chain to humans. All trace elements are covered-from aluminum to zirconium-as well as rare-earth elements (actinides and lanthanides).

The population explosion that began in the 1960s has been accompanied by a decrease in the quality of the natural environment, e.g. pollution of the air, water and soil with essential and toxic trace elements. Numerous poisonings of people and animals with highly toxic anthropogenic Hg and Cd in the 20th century prompted the creation of the abiotic environment, mainly in developed countries. However, the system is insufficient for long-term exposure to low concentrations of various substances that are mainly ingested through food and water. This problem could be addressed by the monitoring of sentinels – organisms that accumulate trace elements and as such reflect the rate and degree of environmental pollution. Usually these are long-lived vertebrates – herbivorous, omnivorous and carnivorous birds and mammals, especially game species. This book describes the responses of the sentinels most commonly used in ecotoxicological studies to 17 trace elements.

Abiotic stresses such as drought, high salt, cold, heat, UV radiation, heavy metal pollution, etc., are increasingly responsible for restricting plant growth and agricultural production and are becoming more alarming due to threats from global climate change. To combat these threats, this new 3-volume set provides a comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms that mediate biosynthesis, accumulation, and degradation of plant metabolites to improve crop production and enhance abiotic stress tolerance in plants. Volume 1: Secondary Metabolites in Environmental Stress Tolerance focuses exclusively on the diverse secondary metabolites that play a major role in the adaptation of plants to the environment and in overcoming stress conditions as well as their implications in enhancing tolerance mechanisms. The book presents information on the protective roles rendered by a wide array of antioxidative secondary metabolites and their regulation during diverse environmental stress. Volume 2: Trace Elements in Environmental Stress Tolerance throws light on the different inorganic trace elements, including metal nanoparticles, that help to deal with various environmental stresses. While these elements at high level create considerable phytotoxicity and halt metabolic and enzymatic activity, they also promote growth and development in limited quantity, so that they have significant potential in revamping plant morphology and physiology under stressed conditions. Hence, optimum concentration management of these elements can help to mitigate world hunger and contribute toward sustainable agriculture and food security under challenging environments. Volume 3: Sustainable Approaches for Enhancing Environmental Stress Tolerance focuses on agronomic and biochemical approaches as well as biotechnological and high-throughput technologies, including the prospects of genetic engineering, epigenetics and the latest CRISPR/Cas technology in generating stress-tolerant plants. The volume provides a clear roadmap for the implementation of techniques for improving abiotic stress tolerance in plants for better sustenance.

The rhizosphere in soil environments refers to the narrow zone of soil influenced by the root and exudates. Microbial populations in the rhizosphere can be 10 - 100 times larger than the populations in the bulk soil. Therefore, the rhizosphere is bathed in root exudates and microbial metabolites and the chemistry and biology at the soil-root interface is governed by biotic (plant roots, microbes) and abiotic (physical and chemical) interactions. The research on biotic and abiotic interactions in the rhizosphere should, thus, be an issue of intense interest for years to come. This book, which consists of 15 chapters, addresses a variety of issues on fundamentals of microscopic levels and the impact on food chain contamination and the terrestrial ecosystem. It is an essential reference work for chemists and biologists studying environmental systems, as well as earth, soil and environmental scientists.* 15 chapter book, which addresses a variety of issues on fundamentals of microscopic levels and the impact on food chain contamination and the terrestrial ecosystem

Soils with high Ni contents occur in several parts of the world, especially in areas with ultramafic rocks which cause serious environmental impacts. This book aims to extend the knowledge on the risks and problems caused by elevated Ni contents and to cover the existing gaps on issues related to various aspects and consequences of high Ni contents in soils and plants. Nickel in Soils and Plants brings together discussions on Ni as a trace element and as a micronutrient essential for plant growth and its role in plant physiology. It analyzes the biogeochemistry of Ni at the soil plant interface, and explains its behavior in the rhizosphere resulting in Ni deficiency or toxicity, or Ni tolerance of various Ni hyperaccumulators. Included are Ni resources and sources, the origin of soil Ni, its geochemical forms in soils and their availability to plants, a special reference on soils enriched with geogenic Ni, such as serpentine soils, and the special characteristics of those ecosystems. Recent advancements in methods of Ni speciation, including the macroscale and X- ray absorption spectroscopy studies as well as serious views on Ni kinetics, are also covered. Written by a team of internationally recognized researchers and expert contributors, this comprehensive work addresses the practical aspects of managing Ni in soils and plants for agricultural production, and managing soils with high Ni levels by using organic and inorganic amendments. The text also addresses practical measures related to Ni toxicity in plants, the removal and recovery of Ni from high Ni wastes, and offers environmentally friendly innovative processes for mining Ni from soils containing high Ni levels.

Handbook of Bioremediation: Physiological, Molecular and Biotechnological Interventions discusses the mechanisms of responding to inorganic and organic pollutants in the environment using different approaches of phytoremediation and bioremediation. Part One focuses specifically on inorganic pollutants and the use of techniques such as metallothionein-assisted remediation, phytoextraction and genetic manipulation. Part Two covers organic pollutants and consider topics such as plant enzymes, antioxidant defense systems and the remediation mechanisms of different plant species. This comprehensive volume is a must-read for researchers interested in plant science, agriculture, soil science and environmental science. The techniques covered in this book will ensure scientists have the knowledge to practice effective bioremediation techniques themselves. - Provides a comprehensive review of the latest advances in bioremediation of organic and inorganic pollutants - Discusses a range of different phytoremediation techniques - Evaluates the role of genomics and bioinformatics within bioremediation

Advances in Microbe-assisted Phytoremediation of Polluted Sites provides a comprehensive overview of the use of phytoremediation to decontaminate polluted land through microbial enhanced phytoremediation, including the use of plants with respect to ecological and environmental science. The book discusses the potential of microbial-assisted phytoremediation of the contaminant, including heavy metals, pesticides, polyaromatic hydrocarbons, etc., with case studies as examples. Key subjects covered include plant-microbe interaction in contaminated ecosystems, microbe-augmented phytoremediation for improved ecosystem services, and success stories on microbe-assisted phytoremediation of contaminated sites. With increasing demand for land-space for social, industrial and agricultural use, the theoretical millions of hectares of contaminated sites around the world are a resource sorely needed that currently cannot be utilized. Decontamination of this land using ecologically-sound methods is paramount not only to land use, but in the prevention of toxic substances deteriorating local ecosystems by reducing productivity and contaminating the food chain – which can eventually aggregate in food chains and pose the potential risk of non-curable diseases to humans such as cancer. - Provides novel information on the potential for microbial inoculants to be used in phytoremediation - Discusses principles and mechanisms of plant-microbe interaction for enhanced phytoremediation with improved soil health - Investigates phytoremediation solutions for a multitude of contaminants, including heavy metals, fly ash, petroleum, arsenic, TPH, mining effluents, fluoride, lead and other major pollutants

The living soil is crucial to photosynthesis, biogeochemical cycles, global food production, climate change, biodiversity, and plant and animal health. In the past decade, scientists have made significant advances in soil microbiology research. While the basic principles are now better understood, knowledge has been forthcoming on the best available technologies and methods applied to researching soil microorganisms, their diversity, interactions, biochemistry, survival, gene expression, and their roles in global climate change, plant disease suppression and growth stimulation, and biogeochemical cycles. This knowledge can be applied to better predict the transformation of pollutants in soil and the activities of microbes in the rhizosphere. It will also assist us in fostering crop production in an era with an increasing human population and intensification of agriculture. Following the tradition of its predecessors, Modern Soil Microbiology, Third Edition, is an indispensable source that supports graduate/undergraduate teaching for soil and environmental microbiologists in academia, as well as in government and industrial laboratories. It is a comprehensive collection of chapters on various aspects of soil microbiology, useful for all professionals working with soils. Compiled by internationally renowned educators and research scholars, this textbook contains key tables, figures, and photographs, supported by thousands of references to illustrate the depth of knowledge in soil microbiology. FEATURES Fully updated and expanded to include new key chapters on historical developments, future applications, and soil viruses and proteins Discusses molecular methods applied to soil microbiology, diverse soil microorganisms, and global climate change Emphasizes the role of terrestrial microorganisms and cycles involved in climate change Details the latest molecular methods applied to soil microbiology research User-friendly for students, and containing numerous tables, figures, and illustrations to better understand the current knowledge in soil microbiology

This book informs about knowledge gain in soil and land degradation to reduce or prevent it for meeting the mission of the Sustainable Developments Goals of the United Nations. Essence, extent, monitoring methods and implications for ecosystem functioning of main soil degradation types are characterized in overview chapters and case studies. Challenges, approaches and data towards identification of degradation in the frame of improving functionality, health and multiple ecosystem services of soil are demonstrated in the studies of international expert teams. The book consists of five parts, containing 5–12 single chapters each and 36 in total. Parts are explaining (I) Concepts and Indicators, (II) Soil Erosion and Compaction, (III) Soil Contamination, (IV) Soil Carbon and Fertility Monitoring and (V) Soil Survey and Mapping of Degradation The primary audience of this book are scientists of different disciplines, decision-makers, farmers and further informed people dealing with sustainable management of soil and land.

Silicon and Nano-silicon in Environmental Stress Management and Crop Quality Improvement: Progress and Prospects provides a comprehensive overview of the latest understanding of the physiological, biochemical and molecular basis of silicon- and nano-silicon-mediated environmental stress tolerance and crop quality improvements in plants. The book not only covers silicon-induced biotic and abiotic stress tolerance in crops but is also the first to include nano-silicon-mediated approaches to environmental stress tolerance in crops. As nanotechnology has emerged as a prominent tool for enhancing agricultural productivity, and with the production and applications of nanoparticles (NPs) greatly increasing in many industries, this book is a welcomed resource. - Enables the development of strategies to enhance crop productivity and better utilize natural resources to ensure future food security - Focuses on silicon- and nano-silicon-mediated environmental stress tolerance - Addresses the challenges of both biotic and abiotic stresses