Earth Environments: Past, Present and Future - Tapa dura

"A wonderful textbook, and one that many people - outside the primary audience of undergraduate students - will find invaluable as a reference. And the proof of a good reference book is that once you dip into it for a piece of information...you can't help but be waylaid, and end up browsing." (WASWAC, 1 March 2011) "This comprehensive introductory work covers basic information on geology, oceanography, and meteorology/climatology. Huddart and Stott (both, Liverpool John Moores Univ., UK) take a systems approach, and thus focus on the interactions between the major components of the Earth system. The book is divided into six main sections: "Introduction to Earth Systems," "Atmosphere and Ocean Systems," "Endogenic Geological Systems," "Exogenic Geological Systems," "Principles of Ecology and Biogeography," and "Global Environmental Change." Each of the 3 1 chapters is well illustrated with black-and-white and color graphs and a variety of photographic images. Chapters conclude with references for further reading and suggested exercises that can be used to test student comprehension of the material. This clear, concisely written book is more inclusive and extensive than many disciplinary introductory works, and could form the basis for a course lasting at least two semesters. Extensive 17-page subject geographic index." (CHOICE, December 2010)

This book provides a comprehensive coverage of the major topics within undergraduate study programmes in geosciences, environmental science, physical geography, natural hazards and ecology. This text introduces students to the Earth's four key interdependent systems: the atmosphere, lithosphere, hydrosphere and biosphere, focussing on their key components, interactions between them and environmental change. Topics covered include: An earth systems model; components systems and processes: atmospheric systems; oceanography, endogenic geological systems and exogenic geological systems, biogeography and, aspects of the Earth's Record. The impact of climate and environmental change is discussed in a final chapter which draws together Earth's systems and their evolution and looks ahead to future earth changes and environments and various time periods in the geological record. Throughout the book geological case studies are used in addition to the modern processes.