The scope of this book is to show that protected areas may be the regions where early signs of the impact of global change can be observed. These signs are not limited to physical parameters like temperature, precipitation, etc. but could include changes in the biosphere and in social behavior. The book is a collection of papers presented at the meeting `Global Change and Protected Areas' held in L'Aquila, Italy, in September 1998. It is divided into four sections dealing with the physical evidence for climatic and environmental changes, the impact on the biosphere and hydrology and the socio-economic implications. The last section is a case study on the Abruzzo Region which has the peculiarity among the Italian regions of having dedicated a third of its territory to natural parks. Most of the contributions have been prepared for this book and each section is opened by a general review that may also be very useful as a teaching tool. The book will be useful for both the researcher and the student. This rather interdisciplinary subject is totally new, with very few books in print.

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