1.

Record Nr.

UNINA9911031576703321

Autore

Wolfson Adi

Titolo

Chemodiversity and the Ecological Crisis / / by Adi Wolfson

Pubbl/distr/stampa

Cham : , : Springer Nature Switzerland : , : Imprint : Springer, , 2025

ISBN

3-032-07363-4

Edizione

[1st ed. 2025.]

Descrizione fisica

1 online resource (169 pages)

Collana

SpringerBriefs in Molecular Science, , 2191-5415

Disciplina

577.14

Soggetti

Environmental chemistry

Biotic communities

Environmental sciences

Physics

Geochemistry

Ecology

Environmental Chemistry

Ecosystems

Environmental Physics

Environmental Sciences

Lingua di pubblicazione

Inglese

Formato

Materiale a stampa

Livello bibliografico

Monografia

Nota di contenuto

1. The origin of matter -- 2. The variety of elements -- 3. The abiotic environment -- 4. The biotic environment -- 5. The human environment (the ‘anthroposphere’) -- 6. The human crisis -- Epilogue.

Sommario/riassunto

This book covers the origins, transformations, and interactions of matter—from atoms and molecules to complex biological and composite materials—across abiotic, biotic, and anthropogenic systems. It offers a unique chronological narrative, tracing the evolution of chemodiversity from the Big Bang to the present, and explores how these material changes underpin the ecological crises of our time. The book frames the ecological crisis through three interlinked dimensions: the chemical crisis (pollution), the biological crisis (biodiversity loss), and the physical crisis (climate change). These are analyzed both microscopically—at the level of atomic and molecular interactions—and macroscopically, through phenomena such as air and



ocean pollution, global warming, and ecosystem degradation. Through detailed chapters, the book examines elemental formation, ecosystem structure and function, and provides a critical analysis of the anthroposphere, highlighting how human activity has reshaped Earth’s systems and accelerated environmental decline. It critically addresses sustainability, resource management, and the systemic challenges posed by the current human-environment crisis. Designed for researchers, scholars, and advanced students in environmental science, geochemistry, and systems ecology, this work provides a robust conceptual and analytical framework. It is an essential reference for those seeking to understand the material basis of life and the complex interdependencies that define our planet’s future.