Principles and Applications

Chris Park,Lancaster University, UK

The second edition of this fully integrated introductory text for courses in environmental studies and physical geography builds on the resounding success of the first edition, providing a comprehensive account of modern environmental issues and the physical and socio-economic framework in which they are set. It explains the principles and applications of the different parts of the Earth’s system: the lithosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere and the biosphere, and explains the interrelationships within and between these systems. It explores the present environmental crisis, examines how the planet Earth fits into the wider universe and explores human-environment interactions.

New features of the second edition include:

● two entirely new chapters on ‘population’ and ‘back to the future’;

● updated case-studies and examples bring completely fresh perspectives to recent environmental events and issues;

● new boxes introduce emerging approaches, techniques or perspectives;

● additional student-friendly textbook features include learning outcomes and end-of-chapter summaries and a glossary of key terms;

● new colour and black and white plates;

● updated annotated reading;

● web links to sites illustrating themes and material covered in the book;

● an associated website structured by chapter with a complete bibliography and links to imagery and an updated lecturer’s manual.

Contents: Part 1: Introduction 1: Environment in crisis; 2: Population and environment; 3: Environmental systems; 4: Spaceship Earth; Part 2: The lithosphere 5: Structure of the Earth; 6: Dynamic Earth; 7: Earth materials Part 3: The atmosphere 8: The atmosphere; 9: Atmospheric processes; 10: Weather systems; 11: Climate Part 4: The hydrosphere 12: The hydrological cycle; 13: Water resources; 14: Drylands; 15: Cold and ice; 16: Oceans and coasts Part 5: The biosphere 1 7: The biosphere; 18: Ecosystems, succession and biomes; 19: Soil; Part 6: Reflections 20: Retrospect and prospect.

11. Fundamentals of Soils

John Gerrard,University of Birmingham, UK

“Fundamentals of Soils” provides a comprehensive and engaging introduction to soils and the workings of soil systems. This text is the only one of its kind to provide an attractive, lively and accessible introduction to this topic. Featuring learning tools within each chapter, such as summaries, essay questions and guides for further reading, the text is also highly illustrated with useful tables, boxes and figures. Covering all key areas of study at an introductory level, subjects covered include:

● soil properties ● soil classification

● soil processes ● world soils

● controls on soil formation ● soil patterns •soil degradation.

12. Environmental Physics

Clare Smith,freelance Environmental Consultant

“Environmental Physics” is a comprehensive introduction to the physical concepts

underlying environmental science. The importance and relevance of physics is emphasised by its application to real environmental problems with a wide range of case studies. Applications included cover energy use and production, global climate, the physics of living things, radioactivity, environmental remote sensing, noise pollution and the physics of the Earth. The book makes the subject accessible to those with little physics background, keeping mathematical treatment straightforward. The text is lively and informative, and is supplemented by numerous illustrations, photos, tables of useful data, and a glossary of key terms.

13. GIS EnvironmentalModelling and Engineering

Allan Brimicombe,University of East London, UK

Over the past decade environmental modelling (EM) has become increasingly seen to be significant, and is now seen as an important application of GIS. Both public and private sectors are now concerned about the environment, and widely recognise the need to assess and prevent potential impacts.

EM is really a spatial activity, and GIS is a well suited tool for it, but there are a number of problems:

● EM needs to consider space-time processes, often in 3 or 4 dimensions, but GIS is largely 2-D and static.

● Where EM is a form of simulation modelling (as distinct from cartographic modelling) there is the issue of EM-GIS configuration, which can take the form of loose coupling or full integration.

● Spatial data quality can have serious consequences for the outcomes of both GIS and EM because errors propagate.

● Model specification within EM, and data handling and analysis within GIS can also seriously affect outcomes.

● Decision-making needs to be made under a degree of uncertainty.

Students need to be made aware of these issues and most practitioners ought to enrich their knowledge and skills in these areas. This book focuses on modelling, rather than on data collection or visualisation and encourages users of GIS and EM to be more critical where it matters.

Дата добавления: 2015-11-14