Water is Life. Freshwater is one of the most valuable commodities on our planet, and this resource should be managed in a sustainable way. Yet, we are less than careful in the way we use water and many of our non-marine, aquatic habitats are threatened by anthropogenic impacts. Eutrophication, for example, could well turn into one of the major social as well as economic problems of the 21st century. Reduction of water quality also has a profound effect on the biota that depend on these water bodies, such as micro-organisms, plants and animals. Freshwater Biodiversity is a much underestimated component of global biodiversity, both in its diversity and in its potential to act as models for fundamental research in evolutionary biology and ecosystem studies. Freshwater organisms also reflect quality of water bodies and can thus be used to monitor changes in ecosystem health. The present book deals with all of these aspects of Aquatic Biodiversity. It comprises a unique collection of primary research papers spanning a wide range of topics in aquatic biodiversity studies, and including a first global assessment of specific diversity of freshwater animals. The book also presents a section on the interaction between scientists and science policy managers. A target opinion paper lists priorities in aquatic biodiversity research for the next decade and several reactions from distinguished scientists discuss the relevance of these items from different points of view: fundamental ecology, taxonomy and systematics, needs of developing countries, present-day biodiversity policy at European and at global scales. It is believed that such a platform for the interaction between science and science policy is an absolute necessity for the efficient use of research budgets in the future.

A family of three leave their home to start a new life in a town called "Skank Hill Nevada." Only this town wasn't exactly what they always dreamed of. Dealing with their crooked Landlord and their own personal family issues, they then finally meet another family who is just as screwed up as they are.

Straight outta the Mile High City, Chanti Evans is an undercover cop's daughter and an exclusive private school's newest student. But Chanti is learning fast that when it comes to con games, the streets have nothing on Langdon Prep. With barely a foot in the door, fifteen-year-old Chanti gets on the bad side of school queen bee Lissa and snobbish Headmistress Smythe. They've made it their mission to take Chanti down and she needs to find out why, especially when stuff begins disappearing around campus, making her the most wanted girl in school, and not in a good way. But the last straw comes when she and her Langdon crush, the seriously hot Marco Ruiz, are set up to take the heat for a series of home burglaries--and worse. . . . "Watch out Nancy Drew. . .Chanti Evans from the 'hood is the hot new sleuth in town!" -- Simone Elkeles, New York Times Bestselling Author "Hot guy, lots of lies, and unbelievable secrets. . .." --Ni-Ni Simone, author of Upgrade U

Three sisters return to their southern hometown after the death of their difficult, demanding mother, in a novel by the author of Baby of the Family. In life, Esther Lovejoy was an intolerable mother. She raised her daughters with an iron fist, browbeat her husband into submission, and insisted they call her Mudear (an abbreviation of Mother Dear). As adults with successful careers, Betty, Emily, and Annie Ruth have scattered across the country to avoid Mudear’s influence. But now it’s time to lay her to rest, and the Lovejoy sisters have returned to Mulberry, Georgia, to pay their last respects. What they discover is that while Mudear may be dead, she is far from gone. With a large dose of compassion and a generous splash of humor, Tina McElroy Ansa serves up a powerful tale of family secrets and the ways our scars make us stronger. “A voice that is fresh and strong and just quirky enough to stand out from the crowd.” —The Boston Sunday Globe “An entertaining read . . . The author, like a good small-town gossip . . . paints a vivid picture of three bright, beautiful and emotionally scarred African-American sisters.” —Los Angeles Times

Welcome To The Neighborhood To outsiders, San Francisco is all one big city. But to those in the know, there is SoMa, South of Market, where sleek eateries are squeezed between bail bonds storefronts and high-priced lofts look out over still rough edges. It's home to a generation of hipsters disillusioned by the dotcom bust, restless and searching for the next thrill, the next high, the next step too far. Sex, drugs, kink--you can find it anywhere in SoMa, if you know where to look. But first, you'll need your tour guides. There's Raphe, a writer torn between two worlds, belonging to neither. Lauren, the poor little rich girl living on the edge and pushing farther out. Mark, beautiful and cruel, who lives for games, the more extreme, the better. Baptiste, hot, smooth, and maybe as real as it gets. And Julie, both an object of desire and a pretty pawn to be played. In a glittering, surreal subculture of private sex clubs and kept boys, identity theft and betrayal, nihilism, redemption, and sometimes love, they're spinning out of control and into each other's orbits, desperately looking for something real--something that will show them who they really are. In this provocative, intense novel, Kemble Scott puts a new neighborhood on the literary map for good, in a tale that is disturbing, gritty, wholly original, and utterly unforgettable. Praise for SoMa and Kemble Scott: "Scott provides us with an insider's look at a little known and gritty underground world. . ..Shockingly, his raw and gritty account of this dark world is all true, which makes for an even more fun ride." --Andy Behrman, bestselling author of Electroboy: A Memoir of Mania "I read the first page of SoMa and never put it down until I read the last page. . .I know people who are less real than these characters." --Joe Quirk, bestselling author of The Ultimate Rush "SoMa tells. . .what's really happening in San Francisco's South of Market neighborhood. . .It's one man's story of a twisted journey and compromised redemption. San Francisco can be a city of extremes, and we see one here." --Craig Newmark, Creator of Craigslist

Sawyer Weston is cocky and arrogant. With his sinful smile and sexy dimples, he’s gotten his way most of his life. Infamous for his one-night stands and moves between the sheets, the lead singer for Bastards and Dangerous has never considered relationships—until he meets her. With her curvy body, sarcastic mouth, and uncanny ability to put Sawyer in his place, Amelia Greyson has captured his heart. She can see into his soul and knows what he truly wants from life. Sawyer has a problem, though—she’s dating his twin brother Noah. Although he wants her with every breath he takes, Sawyer and Noah’s complicated history prevents him from making a move on her. Just an Illusion—Unplugged tells Sawyer’s story. Every thought, every feeling, are yours for the taking. Are you ready?