Bøker utgitt av Springer International Publishing

This Open Access book on Ocean Governance examines sustainability challenges facing our oceans today. The book is organized into three sections: knowledge systems, policy foundations and thematic analyses. The knowledge produced in the book was catalyzed by the scientific outcomes within the European-funded Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST) network ¿Ocean Governance for Sustainability ¿ Challenges, Options and the Role of Science¿. This network brings together scientists, policy-makers and civil society representatives from 28 nation states to cooperate on ocean governance research. This book offers a compilation of new research material including focused case studies, broad policy syntheses and reflective chapters on the history and current status of knowledge production systems on ocean governance. New research material is presented, although some chapters draw on secondary sources. The book starts with synthetic review chapters from the editors, outlining past andpresent knowledge systems, addressing how and why ocean governance for sustainability is where it currently stands with critical reflections on existing narratives, path dependencies and colonialist histories. This is followed by chapters addressing, synthesizing and analyzing different legal and policy frameworks for ocean governance both regionally and internationally. At the core of the book are the thematic analyses, which provide focused case studies with detailed contextual information in support of different ocean governance challenges and sustainability pathways around the world. The book concludes with a chapter explicitly targeting students, researchers and policy-makers with key take-away messages compiled by the editors.

This book is the first comprehensive compilation describing the importance of sandalwood in national and international markets, genetic resources, molecular markers, whole genome sequencing, and pathway genes involved in oil biosynthesis, aroma and fragrance. Application of various ¿omics¿ approaches in delineating genome architecture and annotation of genes is highlighted. This book comprises 10 chapters covered over 200 pages authored by the researchers involved in sandalwood genomics.The sandalwood, Santalum album is known for its unique fragrance and finest wood available for carving. Also, sandalwood is intertwined with Indian culture and it is the second most valuable and expensive tree in the world.

This book offers a comprehensive interpretation of Sextus Empiricus based on his own view of what he calls the distinctive character of skepticism. It focuses on basic topics highlighted by this ancient philosopher concerning Pyrrhonism, a kind of skepticism named for Pyrrho: its concept, its principles, its reason, its criteria, its goals. In the first part, the author traces distinct phases in the life and philosophical development of a talented person, from the pre-philosophical phase where philosophy was perceived as the solution to life's disturbing anomalies, through his initial philosophical investigation in order to find truth where the basic experience is that of a huge disagreement between philosophers, to the final phase where he finally recognises that his experience is similar to that of the skeptical school and adheres to skepticism. The second part is devoted to explain the nature of his skepticism. It presents an original interpretation, for it claims that the central role in Sextus¿ Neo-Pyrrhonism is played by a skeptical logos, a rationale or way of reasoning. This is what unifies and articulates the skeptical orientation. The skeptic goes on investigating truth, but in a new condition, for he is now tranquil, and he has a skeptical method of his own. He has also acquired a special ability in order to balance both sides of an opposition, which involves a number of different skills. Finally, the author examines the skeptical life generated by this philosophical experience where he lives a life without opinions and dogmas; it is an engaged life, deeply concerned with our everyday actions and values. Readers will gain a deeper insight into the philosophy of Pyrrhonism as presented by Sextus Empiricus, as well as understand the meaning of anomalía, zétesis, epokhé, ataraxía, and other important ideas of this philosophy.

This book explores the domestic adoption and implementation of international norms. The study of normative outcomes is expanded beyond traditional studies of value conflicts and localization to explore how transnational networks and local content policies affect an international norm¿s chances of reaching compliance on the ground. Empirical research from two case studies devoted to world class universities and the flaring of Associated Petroleum gas in Russia illustrate how the involvement of ¿Transnational Expertise and Experience Networks¿ increases the chances norm implementation will be successful.This book shows how networks help to adapt international norms to a local context by raising awareness and motivation levels, sharing best practices and past experience of implementation. It will be relevant to students, researchers and policymakers interested in international relations and economic transition.

As new technological challenges are perpetually arising, Artificial Intelligence research interests are focusing on the incorporation of improvement abilities into machines in an effort to make them more efficient and more useful. Recent reports indicate that the demand for scientists with Artificial Intelligence skills significantly exceeds the market availability and that this shortage will intensify further in the years to come. A potential solution includes attracting more women into the field, as women currently make up only 26 percent of Artificial Intelligence positions in the workforce.  The present book serves a dual purpose: On one hand, it sheds light on the very significant research led by women in areas of Artificial Intelligence, in hopes of inspiring other women to follow studies in the area and get involved in related research. On the other hand, it highlights the state-of-the-art and current research in selected Artificial Intelligence areas and applications. The book consists of an editorial note and an additional thirteen (13) chapters, all authored by invited women-researchers who work on various Artificial Intelligence areas and stand out for their significant research contributions. In more detail, the chapters in the book are organized into three parts, namely (i) Advances in Artificial Intelligence Paradigms, (ii) Advances in Artificial Intelligence Applications, and (iii) Recent Trends in Artificial Intelligence Areas and Applications. This research book is directed towards professors, researchers, scientists, engineers and students in Artificial Intelligence-related disciplines. It is also directed towards readers who come from other disciplines and are interested in becoming versed in some of the most recent Artificial Intelligence-based technologies. An extensive list of bibliographic references at the end of each chapter guides the readers to probe further into the Artificial Intelligence areas of interest to them.

In recent years there has been increased attention paid to the importance of assessment in Geographical Education, the chosen subject for this book.  Assessment is an important tool for collecting information about student learning and for providing timely data to inform key stakeholders including students, teachers, parents and policymakers.  To be effective, assessment needs to be valid, reliable and fair. Validity is about ensuring that we assess what we claim we are assessing. Reliability is about measuring performance and understanding in a consistent way.  Without validity and reliability, assessment is unlikely to provide equitable opportunities for students to demonstrate what they know and can do.  As geography educators it is therefore important that we identify the core concepts and skills in geography that we want students to master.  We need a clear understanding of what the progression of learning looks like for each concept and skill so we can develop fit for purpose assessments that track and improve student learning. While there is a substantial literature on evidence-based assessment in secondary school contexts, research exploring best-practice assessment in geography is rare.  This is a concern given the distinctive nature of geography and the important role of assessment in the learning process.  This scholarly collection seeks to address this issue by connecting research in educational assessment with the domain of geography. The chapters are written by leading researchers in Geographical Education from across the globe. These chapters provide examples of innovation through the collective voices of geography teacher educator scholars from across Australia, USA, South Korea, Germany, Switzerland and Singapore. What unifies the work in this book, is that each chapter focuses on a key feature of the discipline of geography, providing scholarly examples  of evidence-based practices for assessing student's knowledge and skills. 

This book is the first comprehensive compilation of the most up-to-date research in the genomics, transcriptomics, and breeding of pine species across Europe, North America, and Australia. With chapters on the state of the reference genomes, transposon function, genome-wide diversity, functional genomics, genomics of disease resistance, genomics of abiotic stress, and genomic selection, this book is a must-read for scientists, breeders, and students of plant genomics. The book contains 12 chapters over 300 pages authored by a group of world-renowned scientists in the field of pine genomics.Pines (Pinus) are the world¿s most economically important forest tree species. The recent genome sequencing of several important pine species has paved the way for understanding their complex biology and helps future management and breeding efforts.

The Flax Genome is a comprehensive compilation of most recent studies focused on reference genome, genetic resources and molecular diversity, breeding, QTL mapping, gene editing tools, functional genomics and metabolomics, molecular breeding via genomic selection, and genomic resources. The flax genome reference sequences and the new genome assemblies are presented. A list of flax QTL and candidate genes associated with more than 35 traits, including yield and agronomic, seed quality and fatty acid composition, fibre quality and yield, abiotic stress, and disease resistance traits, are summarized. A QTL- based genomic selection strategy and genome¿editing tools are systematically introduced. In addition, huge amounts of flax genomic resources generated in the last decade are summarized.The book contains 13 chapters with about 390 pages authored by globally reputed researchers in the relevant fields to this crop The book is intended to be useful to students, teachers, andresearchers interested in traditional and molecular breeding, pathology, molecular genetics and breeding, bioinformatics and computational biology, and functional genomics

This book presents the state-of-the-art applications of machine learning in the finance domain with a focus on financial product modeling, which aims to advance the model performance and minimize risk and uncertainty. It provides both practical and managerial implications of financial and managerial decision support systems which capture a broad range of financial data traits. It also serves as a guide for the implementation of risk-adjusted financial product pricing systems, while adding a significant supplement to the financial literacy of the investigated study.The book covers advanced machine learning techniques, such as Support Vector Machine, Neural Networks, Random Forest, K-Nearest Neighbors, Extreme Learning Machine, Deep Learning Approaches, and their application to finance datasets. It also leverages real-world financial instances to practice business product modeling and data analysis. Software code, such as MATLAB, Python and/or R including datasets within a broad range of financial domain are included for more rigorous practice.The book primarily aims at providing graduate students and researchers with a roadmap for financial data analysis. It is also intended for a broad audience, including academics, professional financial analysts, and policy-makers who are involved in forecasting, modeling, trading, risk management, economics, credit risk, and portfolio management.

This edited volume examines how to develop a planning and design process with green infrastructure that creates technical answers to the social and ecological function of the city¿s climate change adaptations demands. In this context, it proposes a process that engage the values linked to the art and culture of the place, capable of generating adoption by the population and promoting the right to landscape.Since the nineteenth century, many theoretical and practical experiences have integrated urban and environmental issues, revising the understanding of nature as an object and thinking of nature and culture in conjunction. However, consensus of the methodological strategies needed to guide the development of multi-scale landscape planning and design capable of responding to the climate emergency, heritage, water, biodiversity and social inclusion, among other issues has not been achieved. Green infrastructure has emerged as a tool to link considerations of theplanning and design process to examine the impact urban nature can have at a global and a local scale.The book gathers together authors from different parts of the world and disciplines to showcase conceptual thinking, best practices and methodological strategies relating to landscape planning and design with green infrastructure adapted to climate change. The topic of this book is particularly relevant to scholars, practitioners and developers around the world who have an interest in planning and environmental management, landscape architecture, and socio-cultural understandings of landscape.

This book provides a collection of recent research works related to building pathologies, in order to contribute to the systematization and dissemination of knowledge related to construction pathology, hygrothermal behavior of buildings, durability and diagnostic techniques and, simultaneously, show the most recent advances in this domain. It is divided into six chapters that intend to be a resume of the current state of knowledge for benefit of professional colleagues, scientists, students, practitioners, lecturers, and other interested parties to network. At the same time, this book encounters a variety of scientific and engineering disciplines, such as civil, mechanical, and materials engineering.