Life and Earth sciences

Fruit of the photosynthesis of plants, the biomass is an essential resource for humans, supplying them with food, energy and materials. With its three sources (forest, crops and waste), the energy-biomass is restricted by the production capacity of soils and its competition with its other uses. Could it therefore contribute to the growing energy needs of humanity and to the energy transition that must take place to reduce our oil and gas consumption substantially?

This work is a compilation of the most recent scientific thinking. It attempts to assess whether man can still adapt to the consequences of his own action on the environment and moderate his thirst for "always more".Eminent researchers present results that are sometimes alarming, often puzzling and occasionally reassuring. The work addresses in succession the biological abilities of the human species to adapt and their limits, the consequences of our activity on the environment and the margins for manoeuvre available to us. It develops premises for solutions and the scientific, ethical and philosophical interrogations they generate.

This book traces the history of birds right back to their reptilian origins. It underlines their homogeneity - flight, beak, skeleton and feathers are a bird's reference points - without losing sight of their diversity. Morphological and biological diversity (reproduction especially), but also adaptative. How do they withstand the cold and the predators, how do flightless birds run, how do you fly when you are a vulture? This book explores the intimacy of birds whose habits awaken the curiosity - the Grey Cuckoo, certain species of pigeon or the Hamerkop. It also discusses the relationship between humans and birds.

How can the presence of rocks from the oceanic crust in the French mountains be explained? How can we decode their long history from their birth within the oceans, their burial in the depths and then their rise to the surface? This work will serve as a geological guide for anyone wishing to explore these rocks on the ground.

This essential guide to understanding the plant structure is a unique presentation of plant anatomy at macro, micro- and submicrosopic level. This fully-revised and expanded second edition gives a synopsis of recent discoveries, supported by the DNA analysis, in the classification of flowering plants and the current concept of the plant cell wall. The concise text is illustrated by 450 high-quality photos and diagrams - a real botanical atlas. A tool of choice for teaching and revision, a supplement to traditional texts for professionals and researchers and a reference for the enthusiast.