Ebook: An Introduction to Environmental Biophysics

Reviews of the first edition:
"an interesting summary of many interesting ideas in environmental physics and biology" American Scientsist
"well organized ... recommended as an introductory text for undergraduates" AAAS Science Books and Films
"well written and illustrated" Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society

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This book describes the physical microenvironment of living organisms. It presents a simplified discussion of heat and mass transfer models and applies them to exchange processes between organisms and their surroundings. Emphasis is placed on teaching the student how to calculate actual transfer rates, rather than just studying the principles involved. Numerous examples are provided to illustrate many of the principles, and problems are included at the end of each chapter to help the student develop skills in using the equations and to gain an understanding of modern environmental biophysics. The book is an engineering approach to environmental biology.

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This book describes the physical microenvironment of living organisms. It presents a simplified discussion of heat and mass transfer models and applies them to exchange processes between organisms and their surroundings. Emphasis is placed on teaching the student how to calculate actual transfer rates, rather than just studying the principles involved. Numerous examples are provided to illustrate many of the principles, and problems are included at the end of each chapter to help the student develop skills in using the equations and to gain an understanding of modern environmental biophysics. The book is an engineering approach to environmental biology.
Content:
Front Matter....Pages i-xxi
Introduction....Pages 1-13
Temperature....Pages 15-36
Water Vapor and Other Gases....Pages 37-51
Liquid Water in Organisms and their Environment....Pages 53-61
Wind....Pages 63-75
Heat and Mass Transport....Pages 77-85
Conductances for Heat and Mass Transfer....Pages 87-111
Heat Flow in the Soil....Pages 113-128
Water Flow in Soil....Pages 129-145
Radiation Basics....Pages 147-165
Radiation Fluxes in Natural Environments....Pages 167-184
Animals and their Environment....Pages 185-207
Humans and their Environment....Pages 209-222
Plants and Plant Communities....Pages 223-246
The Light Environment of Plant Canopies....Pages 247-278
Back Matter....Pages 279-286

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This book describes the physical microenvironment of living organisms. It presents a simplified discussion of heat and mass transfer models and applies them to exchange processes between organisms and their surroundings. Emphasis is placed on teaching the student how to calculate actual transfer rates, rather than just studying the principles involved. Numerous examples are provided to illustrate many of the principles, and problems are included at the end of each chapter to help the student develop skills in using the equations and to gain an understanding of modern environmental biophysics. The book is an engineering approach to environmental biology.
Content:
Front Matter....Pages i-xxi
Introduction....Pages 1-13
Temperature....Pages 15-36
Water Vapor and Other Gases....Pages 37-51
Liquid Water in Organisms and their Environment....Pages 53-61
Wind....Pages 63-75
Heat and Mass Transport....Pages 77-85
Conductances for Heat and Mass Transfer....Pages 87-111
Heat Flow in the Soil....Pages 113-128
Water Flow in Soil....Pages 129-145
Radiation Basics....Pages 147-165
Radiation Fluxes in Natural Environments....Pages 167-184
Animals and their Environment....Pages 185-207
Humans and their Environment....Pages 209-222
Plants and Plant Communities....Pages 223-246
The Light Environment of Plant Canopies....Pages 247-278
Back Matter....Pages 279-286
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