260 Index
domestication of animals, 86
energy consumption, 87
industrial civilisation, 86
meta-industrial era, 87
Palaeolithic man, 86
prehistoric era, 85
marine ecosystems, 98–99
aquatic plants, 99
benthic microflora, 99
compartments, 98
estuary, 98–99
ocean, 98
phytoplankton, 99
sea bottom ecosystems, 98
Mediterranean environment,
natural vegetation in, 92–94
alpine meadows, 93
evergreen sclerophyllous bushes,
93
forest fires and restoration, 93–94
forests, 92–93
mountain forests, 92
pine forests, 92
scrubs, 93
stream beds, 92
vegetation, 93
pressures on natural landscape,
108–109
dumping of solid waste, 108
excessive road-cutting, 109
intensive agriculture, 108
over-grazing, 109
pollution, 108
thoughtless excavations, 109
vulnerabilities to human
activities, 109
soil and agricultural activity, 94–97
agricultural ecosystems, 97
erosion and desertification, 94–95
fire, grazing following, 95
grazing, extreme pressure of, 95
land consolidation, 97
livestock farming, 94
Mesopotamia, 94
Neolithic era, 94
Nile valley, 94
olive groves, 97
over-grazing, 94
plant hedges in agricultural areas,
97
salination of soil, 96–97
Tigris and Euphrates Rivers, 94
transformation to laterite, 96
tropical forest degradation
process, 96
water penetration, 96
watersheds, vulnerable, 94–95
wind erosion, 95
terrestrial ecosystems, 87–97
desert, 90
forest ecosystem, 87–89
forest as a natural resource, 90–92
grassland, 89
Mediterranean environment,
natural vegetation in, 92–94
soil and agricultural activity,
94–97
tundra, 89
tundra, 89
alpine zones, 89
mammals living there, 89
migratory birds, 89
precipitation, 89
productivity, 89
Natural selection and evolution and,
40–41
genetic variety, pre-existing, 40
human brain, 40
insect populations, 40
mechanism of evolution, 40
mutations, 40
predator-prey systems, 41
Nekton, 77
NGOs, see Non-governmental
organisations
Nickel, 149–150
adverse effect, 150
alloys, 149
exposure, 150
US EPA limit for drinking water, 150
Nitrogen
cycle, 67–70
ammonisation, 69
artificial nitrogen fixation, 69
biological fixation, 68
conversion of ammonia to nitrates,
69
eutrophication of aquatic
ecosystems, 70
natural fixation, 68
nitrification, 69
perturbation, 70
prepared proteins, 68
producer organisms, 67, 68
domestication of animals, 86
energy consumption, 87
industrial civilisation, 86
meta-industrial era, 87
Palaeolithic man, 86
prehistoric era, 85
marine ecosystems, 98–99
aquatic plants, 99
benthic microflora, 99
compartments, 98
estuary, 98–99
ocean, 98
phytoplankton, 99
sea bottom ecosystems, 98
Mediterranean environment,
natural vegetation in, 92–94
alpine meadows, 93
evergreen sclerophyllous bushes,
93
forest fires and restoration, 93–94
forests, 92–93
mountain forests, 92
pine forests, 92
scrubs, 93
stream beds, 92
vegetation, 93
pressures on natural landscape,
108–109
dumping of solid waste, 108
excessive road-cutting, 109
intensive agriculture, 108
over-grazing, 109
pollution, 108
thoughtless excavations, 109
vulnerabilities to human
activities, 109
soil and agricultural activity, 94–97
agricultural ecosystems, 97
erosion and desertification, 94–95
fire, grazing following, 95
grazing, extreme pressure of, 95
land consolidation, 97
livestock farming, 94
Mesopotamia, 94
Neolithic era, 94
Nile valley, 94
olive groves, 97
over-grazing, 94
plant hedges in agricultural areas,
97
salination of soil, 96–97
Tigris and Euphrates Rivers, 94
transformation to laterite, 96
tropical forest degradation
process, 96
water penetration, 96
watersheds, vulnerable, 94–95
wind erosion, 95
terrestrial ecosystems, 87–97
desert, 90
forest ecosystem, 87–89
forest as a natural resource, 90–92
grassland, 89
Mediterranean environment,
natural vegetation in, 92–94
soil and agricultural activity,
94–97
tundra, 89
tundra, 89
alpine zones, 89
mammals living there, 89
migratory birds, 89
precipitation, 89
productivity, 89
Natural selection and evolution and,
40–41
genetic variety, pre-existing, 40
human brain, 40
insect populations, 40
mechanism of evolution, 40
mutations, 40
predator-prey systems, 41
Nekton, 77
NGOs, see Non-governmental
organisations
Nickel, 149–150
adverse effect, 150
alloys, 149
exposure, 150
US EPA limit for drinking water, 150
Nitrogen
cycle, 67–70
ammonisation, 69
artificial nitrogen fixation, 69
biological fixation, 68
conversion of ammonia to nitrates,
69
eutrophication of aquatic
ecosystems, 70
natural fixation, 68
nitrification, 69
perturbation, 70
prepared proteins, 68
producer organisms, 67, 68