Modern Biogeochemistry

At present, quantitative ecological risk assessment is widely used in different contexts, however very often without an understanding of the natural mechanisms that drive the processes of environmental and human risk. Its application is often accompanied by high uncertainty about risk values. On the other hand, the sustainability of modern technoecosystems is known because of their natural biogeochemical cycling that has been transformed to various extents by anthropogenic studies. Accordingly our understanding of the principal mechanisms that drive the biogeochemical food webs allows us to present a quantitative ecological risk assessment and to propose technological solutions for management of various ERA enterprises. It also enables us to devise a powerful mechanism for ecological insurance, to assign responsibilities and protect rights while managing the control of damage from natural and anthropogenic accidents and catastrophes.

This second edition of Modern Biogeochemistry has been substantially updated and placed within an interdisciplinary approach to Environmental Risk Assessment. This textbook is a very valuable source of case studies from Russia, Asia and the former Soviet Union.

The carefully chosen examples, such as urban, oil, metals, and agriculture, give a good sense of how the biogeochemical approach is applied in different circumstances.

I strongly recommend this work to researchers in biogeochemistry and related fields because it provides insight into the perspective and approaches of the separate historical development of biogeochemistry in the former Soviet Union, as well as a modern approach to quantitative Environmental Risk Assessment based on biogeochemistry.

Sandy Tartowski, Research Scientist, USDA-ARS, Jornada Experimental Range, NMSU, Las Cruces, NM

Vladimir N. Bashkin was born in 1949 in the town of Dobrinka, Lipetsk region, Russia. He graduated from the Biology-Soil department of Moscow State University in 1971, where in 1975 he was awarded a PhD, and in 1987, a Doctor of Science degree. His scientific career began at the Pushchino Biological Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences in 1971. For many years Vladimir Bashkin delivered lectures in various universities such as Cornell University, USA, Seoul National University, Korea, and King Mangkut’s University of Technology, Thailand. At present he is a professor of biogeochemistry and risk assessment at Moscow State University, and the principal researcher at the Moscow Institute of Urban Ecology and Institute of Basic Biological Problems RAS. His main research is related to environmental risk assessment, biogeochemistry, urban ecology, and trans-boundary pollution. Professor Bashkin is the author of 22 books, including Modern Biogeochemistry and Environmental Chemistry: Asian Lessons (published by Kluwer), and more than 100 papers. Under his supervision more than 20 PhD and DrSc dissertations have been presented in various countries and universities. He is a member of the board of five international journals in the field of environmental pollution. During a five year period he was selected as vice-chairman of the Working Group of Effects (scientific committee) of the UN/EC Long-Range Trans-boundary Air Pollution Convention.