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Books > Earth & environment > Geography > Physical geography > General
This book describes the 1873 voyage of the British explorer Benjamin Leigh Smith, based on the diaries and photographs of Lieutenant Herbert C. Chermside, who joined the expedition of the seas around Svalbard. Chermside's photographs, long believed lost, have recently been uncovered in Sweden and are being curated there by the Grenna Museum. The three unpublished diaries of Herbert Chermside were lent to the Scott Polar Research Institute in 1939 by Mrs. Benjamin Leigh Smith. For the first time, Chermside's diaries are published in their entirety, with the original photographs shown alongside modern images of the same locations. This includes the first photographic record of the north coast of Svalbard, images that are today being used as comparative data for the study of climate change in the archipelago. The diaries have been fully transcribed and edited. Introductory chapters are included, written by specialists in the history of exploration, history of science, and the history of photography from Penn State University, the University of Gothenburg, and UiT, the Arctic University of Norway, as well as contributors from the UK and Germany. This volume is published in association with Grenna Museum, which will present Chermside's photographs in a 2022 exhibit on Leigh Smith and A.E. Nordenskiold.
The book is intended for students who approach the study of hillslopes, and the rocks and soils on which they develop, from such traditional disciplines as geomorphology, geology, engineering, and soil science, and attempts to integrate the relevant subject matter from these disciplines from the point of view of an earth scientist.
The global environmental future is a matter of major scientific and
public importance. Problems such as deforestation, pollution, the
loss of natural habitats, and greenhouse-gas induced global warming
have grave and often uncertain implications. But what do these
processes involve? What is causing them and what will or might be
their consequences? Global warming would, for example, have
far-reaching effects on sea levels, rainfall, glacier dynamics, and
the distribution of plants and animals, as well as on a wide range
of human activities. "The Changing Global Environment" provides a clear,
well-integrated account by leading scientists of the nature of
change in the earth's natural environment in the past, present and
future. Taken as a whole, it is distinguished by its concern to
understand and to link environmental variations at local, regional
and planetary scales, by its clear analyses of human-environment
interactions, by its historical perspective, and by an awareness of
the social and political causes and consequences of environmental
change. The subject is as complex as it is crucial: the authors
have aimed not to simplify but to clarify uncertainties, issues and
processes.
The book is divided into six parts. The first introduces the
subject. The second describes patterns of global climatic change in
the distant and recent past and models of the climatic future. The
third examines the effects of climatic change or arctic and marine
environments. Part four is concerned with the hydrological system.
Part five focuses on tropical environments, humid, arid and
savanna. Part six provides four detailed case studies of change in
contrasting environments - desert, estuarine, river and
mountain. Written to be accessible to both specialist and non-specialist readers, this book also provides a powerful and stimulating framework for the teaching of environmental issues in higher education.
Wetlands occupy some six per cent of the Earth's land surface. They vary from fens and freshwater marshes to tropical mangroves and tundra swamps. They perform vital hydrological, chemical and biological roles and contain unique and diverse forms of wildlife and habitat. They are disappearing at an alarming rate and are threatened by both the direct and indirect effects of human activity. The purpose of this book of especially commissioned articles is threefold: (a) to explore the occurrence and composition of wetlands and their physical and biological dynamics; (b) to consider the impact upon them of agriculture, industry, urbanisation and recreation; and (c) to examine what steps can be taken to manage and to preserve their future survival.
Die Autorin analysiert die gesellschaftlichen Auseinandersetzungen um den fruhen Implementierungsversuch einer Carbon Dioxide Removal Technologie. Diese Massnahmen sind vom Weltklimarat als ein Baustein zur Eindammung des Klimawandels anerkannt. Die EU setzte eine solche Technologie, Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS), bereits im Jahr 2009 auf die politische Agenda der Mitgliedstaaten. Die Arbeit untersucht die restriktive Regulierung der Kohlendioxidabscheidung und -speicherung in Deutschland, die im journalistisch-oeffentlichen Diskurs auch als gescheitert dargestellt wird. Statt die (fehlende) oeffentliche Akzeptanz von CCS zu erklaren, untersucht die Arbeit die gesellschaftliche Politisierung des Technologie-Sets. Auf der Grundlage von Theorieansatzen der Science and Technology Studies werden die Deutungsrahmen von Interessengruppen auf Bundesebene analysiert. Die Inhaltsanalyse, der oeffentlichen Dokumente von Gesellschaftsakteuren im Kontext des Gesetzgebungsverfahrens (2009-2012), zeigt die Verknupfung von Carbon Capture and Storage und bestehenden soziotechnischen Systemen sowie deren gesellschaftspolitische Kontexte. Die qualitative Analyse behandelt ein vergangenes Beispiel einer umstrittenen technologischen Intervention. Dies ist zugleich zukunftsweisend, da nachtragliche Methoden der CO2-Entnahme aktuell im Zusammenhang von sog. unvermeidbaren Restemissionen erneut diskutiert werden.
Humans have "gone underground" for survival for thousands of years, from underground cities in Turkey to Cold War-era bunkers. But our burrowing roots go back to the very beginnings of animal life on earth. Without burrowing, the planet would be very different today. Many animal lineages alive now-including our own-only survived a cataclysmic meteorite strike 65 million years ago because they went underground. On a grander scale, the chemistry of the planet itself had already been transformed many millions of years earlier by the first animal burrows, which altered whole ecosystems. Every day we walk on an earth filled with an under-ground wilderness teeming with life. Most of this life stays hidden, yet these animals and their subterranean homes are ubiquitous, ranging from the deep sea to mountains, from the equator to the poles. Burrows are a refuge from predators, a safe home for raising young, or a tool to ambush prey. Burrows also protect animals against all types of natural disasters: fires, droughts, storms, meteorites, global warmings-and coolings. In a book filled with spectacularly diverse fauna, acclaimed paleontologist and ichnologist Anthony Martin reveals this fascinating, hidden world that will continue to influence and transform life on this planet.
This is an all-encompassing look at the Earth: how it was formed and how it works. It explores the emerging geological research and explains how new advances in the understanding of plate tectonics, seismology, and satellite imagery have enabled us to begin to see the Earth for what it is, a dynamic and ever changing planet. It introduces the concepts of plate tectonics, continental drift, the earth's structure, sea floor spreading, the relationship between the atmosphere and the oceans, and how mountains are formed.
Longlisted for the Wainwright Prize Shortlisted for the Richard Jeffries Award The story of one woman's passion for glaciers As one of the world's leading glaciologists, Professor Jemma Wadham has devoted her career to the glaciers that cover one-tenth of the Earth's land surface. Today, however, these 'ice rivers' are in peril. High up in the Alps, Andes and Himalaya, once-indomitable glaciers are retreating; in Antarctica, meanwhile, thinning ice sheets are releasing meltwater to sensitive marine foodwebs, and may be unlocking vast quantities of methane stored deep beneath them. The potential consequences for humanity are almost unfathomable. Jemma's first encounter with a glacier, as a student, sparked her love of these icy landscapes. There is nowhere on Earth she feels more alive. Whether abseiling down crevasses, skidooing across frozen fjords, exploring ice caverns, or dodging polar bears - for a glaciologist, it's all in a day's work. Prompted by an illness that took her to the brink of death and back, in Ice Rivers Jemma recalls twenty-five years of expeditions around the globe, revealing why the glaciers mean so much to her - and what they should mean to us. As she guides us from the Alps to the Andes, the importance of the ice to crucial ecosystems and human livelihoods becomes clear - our lives are entwined with these coldest places on the planet. This is a memoir like no other: an eye-witness account by a top scientist at the frontline of the climate crisis, and an impassioned love letter to the glaciers that are her obsession.
From the mysterious depths of Lake Vostok, Antarctica, to tropical floodplain lakes, inland seas, hydro-reservoirs and the variety of waterbodies in our local environment, lakes encompass a huge diversity of shapes, sizes, depths, colours, and even salinities. Often very large and very deep, they sustain important and unique ecosystems which can be hotspots of biodiversity, and are used by humans as sources of drinking water and food, in particular, fish. What is the origin of differences among lakes, and how does that affect the life within them? What are the seasons of a lake, and how do human actions alter lake ecosystems locally, and at a global scale? In this Very Short Introductions, Warwick Vincent outlines the essential features of lake environments and their biology, offering an up-to-date view of lake ecosystems. Vincent traces the origins of lake science (limnology) from the seminal work of Francois Forel on Lake Geneva at the edge of the Swiss Alps, to modern approaches such as environmental sensors, satellite observations, stable isotope analysis, and DNA-based technologies which are used to probe the microbial life support systems that lead from sunlight to fish. Drawing on varied case studies he considers the intimate relationship between humans and lakes, the value of lakes as indicators of environmental change, the impact of pollution,and our urgent need to improve the protection and management of these vitally important living resources via an integrated understanding of their ecology. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.
Recent studies indicate that - due to climate change - the Earth is undergoing rapid changes in all cryospheric components, including polar sea ice shrinkage, mountain glacier recession, thawing permafrost, and diminishing snow cover. This book provides a comprehensive summary of all components of the Earth's cryosphere, reviewing their history, physical and chemical characteristics, geographical distributions, and projected future states. This new edition has been completely updated throughout, and provides state-of-the-art data from GlobSnow-2 CRYOSAT, ICESAT, and GRACE. It includes a comprehensive summary of cryospheric changes in land ice, permafrost, freshwater ice, sea ice, and ice sheets. It discusses the models developed to understand cryosphere processes and predict future changes, including those based on remote sensing, field campaigns, and long-term ground observations. Boasting an extensive bibliography, over 120 figures, and end-of-chapter review questions, it is an ideal resource for students and researchers of the cryosphere.
The ice mountains of the Karakoram are among the world's greatest natural treasures. At 8611 metres (28,251 ft), K2 is the second tallest mountain on Earth. There are three other mountains in the range that top 8000 metres (26,247 ft) - Gasherbrum I, Broad Peak and Gasherbrum II - and more than 60 peaks above 7000 metres (22,966 ft). Extending in a south-easterly direction from the north-eastern tip of Afghanistan and spanning the borders of Pakistan, India and China, the Karakoram is part of a complex of ranges in Central Asia that includes the Hindu Kush to the west and the Himalayas to the south-east. These mountains, however, are distinctive. This is the most glaciated region on the planet outside the Arctic and Antarctic. But while most of the world's great peaks are almost blanketed in snow and ice, the Karakoram is an exception: the mountains are so vertical that they rapidly shed snow, leaving their bold, jagged outlines of black granite glistening in the sun. The name of the range comes from the Turkic term for 'black rock' or 'black gravel'. The well-known landscape photographer Colin Prior was initially inspired to visit the Karakoram in his early twenties: in his local library he picked up the book In the Throne Room of the Mountain Gods (1977) by the American climber and photographer Galen Rowell, and was instantly captivated by images of the sharp, fractured peaks and vast glaciers. His first trip to the Karakoram came in the mid-1990s, and he has been passionate about these mountains ever since. Prior's new book is the result of six expeditions he has made to the Gilgit-Baltistan region of north-east Pakistan over the last six years. Because the region is so remote, there are no established base camps, and each expedition requires careful planning and miles of trekking with a large team of guides, porters and ponies to carry the equipment and provisions. There are regular rock falls and perilous snow-covered crevasses to contend with. The reward for Prior is what he calls the ultimate mountain landscape: 'The scenery is graphic, with towers, minarets and cathedrals of rock.' This beautifully produced volume showcases the breathtaking beauty of the Karakoram in some 130 duotone and colour photographs. The images are largely arranged to follow Prior's progress up the glaciers, and are accompanied by well-chosen quotations from accounts of historical expeditions to the region. A selection of 'making of' images at the end of the book highlights the challenges of documenting the most exceptional mountain range in the world.
Rock Weathering and Landform Evolution brings together a series of important studies on rock weathering by leading researchers, and illustrates the diversity of approaches and techniques that are currently being used by geomorphologists to study weathering processes and responses. The book commences with a number of research studies and review chapters on weathering processes and weathered products. This is followed by several discussions of the weathering of cut or dressed rock in urban and coastal environments. Contributors then examine the application of weathering and weathering rates to the dating of deposits or rock surfaces. The final section of the book comprises studies of the relationship between weathering and landforms in a variety of climatic environments. The contributions included in this book cover a wide range of topics and demonstrate the many advances that are being made by researchers investigating rock weathering. Some of the studies deal with state-of-the-art technology, others the very traditional geomorphological skills of observation and deductive reasoning, backed up as necessary by statistical analysis. This volume is the first collection of papers on weathering published for many years, and provides a wealth of information not just to geomorphologists but also to geologists, engineers, architects and archaeologists.
Habitat loss and degradation are perceived to be one of the main factors threatening biodiversity through detrimental effects on species and populations. These processes reduce habitat availability, increase isolation and generate patchy environments, which reduces species richness, population genetic diversity, and modifies community structure. The loss of biodiversity associated with habitat alteration is particularly problematic in forest habitats, because forests are one of the most species-rich habitat types. The conservation implications have become greater with evidence that climate change may exacerbate and speed up ongoing processes. This book focuses on topics that include niche restriction and conservatism in a neotropical psittacine; consequences for distribution patterns of specialist fauna; and paths to habitat loss in European Atlantic heathlands.
Remote sensing is becoming an increasingly important tool for
agriculturalists, ecologists, and land managers for the study of
Earth's agricultural and natural vegetation, and can be applied to
further our understanding of key environmental issues, including
climate change and ecosystem management.
Growing demands on the transportation system and constraints on public resources have led to calls for more private sector involvement in the provision of highway and transit infrastructure through what are known as "public-private partnerships" (PPPs). A PPP, broadly defined, is any arrangement whereby the private sector assumes more responsibility than is traditional for infrastructure planning, financing, design, construction, operation, and maintenance. This book describes the wide variety of public-private partnerships in highways and transit, but focuses on the two types of highway PPPs that are generating the most debate: the leasing by the public sector to the private sector of existing infrastructure and the building, leasing, and owning of new infrastructure by private entities.
From the author of the bestselling Waterfalls of Nova Scotia.Benoit Lalonde travels to the bountiful sights of Nova Scotia's most fabled island in Waterfalls of Cape Breton Island.What Cape Breton Island lacks in size, it makes up for in the number, diversity, and sheer drama of its waterfalls. Bringing together one hundred of the Island's greatest waterfalls and hidden gems from the Fleur de Lys, Marconi, Bras d'Or Ceilidh, and Cabot trails, this new guide explores iconic and little-known falls from all parts of the Island, including Uisge Ban Falls and the tallest waterfall in Nova Scotia, Rocky Brook Falls. And yes, each entry includes useful information on the hiking distance to each waterfall, the best seasons to visit, the source, and the height of the fall itself.Complimented by gorgeous colour photographs, full-colour maps, and bonus features, Waterfalls of Cape Breton Island is an invaluable reference for explorers and outdoor enthusiasts.
Geomorphological landforms and processes exert a strong influence on surface engineering works, yet comparatively little systematic information on geomorphology is available to engineers. This book presents a worldwide view of geomorphology for engineers and other professionals on the near-surface engineering problems associated with the various landscapes. This new and completely revised edition has additional chapters with an improved format and is broadly divided into three parts.;The first part is concerned with the major factors which control the materials, form and processes on the Earth's surfaces. The second part deals with the geomorphological processes which help shape land surfaces and influence their engineering characteristics and the final part covers environments and landscapes, including some specialist chapters. Each chapter is written by leading authorities on the subject and is both self-contained and referenced with other chapters as appropriate to make a balanced whole.;Readership: practitioners and academics in civil, geotechnical, foundation engineering, soil and rock mechanics, and engineering geology.; Practitioners, postgraduate and advanced undergraduates
Glacially triggered faulting describes movement of pre-existing faults caused by a combination of tectonic and glacially induced isostatic stresses. The most impressive fault-scarps are found in northern Europe, assumed to be reactivated at the end of the deglaciation. This view has been challenged as new faults have been discovered globally with advanced techniques such as LiDAR, and fault activity dating has shown several phases of reactivation thousands of years after deglaciation ended. This book summarizes the current state-of-the-art research in glacially triggered faulting, discussing the theoretical aspects that explain the presence of glacially induced structures and reviews the geological, geophysical, geodetic and geomorphological investigation methods. Written by a team of international experts, it provides the first global overview of confirmed and proposed glacially induced faults, and provides an outline for modelling these stresses and features. It is a go-to reference for geoscientists and engineers interested in ice sheet-solid Earth interaction.
Satellite Meteorology is the youngest and fastest growing branch of the science of meteorology and the present book traces its fascinating history, describes the current state of art, and envisions its potential and possibilities. The last decade has witnessed a significant improvement in the accuracy of short and medium range weather forecasting the world over, particularly in the tropics. Numerical weather prediction models seem to be taking over from synoptic meteorologists and may even be doing better. With the support of high power computers, numerical models have indeed become sophisticated and highly capable. However, it is undeniable that their recent success has been largely due to the real time assimilation of satellite data and products. Against the backdrop of these developments, revision of Satellite Meteorology had become overdue. The second edition retains the basic structure and style of previous edition but the updated content reflects more realistically the state of art in this ever-evolving field of science and technology. It incorporates the most recent factual and technical information, research results and references to the latest publications.
From Acadia and Great Smoky Mountains to Zion and Mount Rainier, millions of visitors tour America’s national parks. While park roads determine what most visitors see and how they see it, however, few pause to consider when, why, or how the roads they travel on were built. In this extensively researched and richly illustrated book, national parks historian Timothy Davis highlights the unique qualities of park roads, details the factors influencing their design and development, and examines their role in shaping the national park experience—from the Blue Ridge Parkway and Skyline Drive to Glacier National Park’s Going-to-the-Sun Road, Yellowstone's Grand Loop, Yosemite's Tioga Road, and scores of other scenic drives. Decisions about park road development epitomize the central challenge of park management: balancing preservation and access in America’s most treasured landscapes. Park roads have been celebrated as technical and aesthetic masterpieces, hailed as democratizing influences, and vilified for invading pristine wilderness with the sights, sounds, and smells of civilization. Davis’s recounting of efforts to balance the interests of motorists, wilderness advocates, highway engineers, and other stakeholders offers a fresh perspective on national park history while providing insights into evolving ideas about the role of nature, recreation, and technology in American society. Tales of strong personalities, imposing challenges, resounding controversies, and remarkable achievements enliven this rich and compelling narrative. Key players include many of the most important figures of conservation history—John Muir, Frederick Law Olmsted, wilderness advocates Aldo Leopold, Bob Marshall, and Ansel Adams, and NPS directors Stephen Mather and Horace Albright among them. An engrossing history, National Park Roads will be of interest to national park enthusiasts, academics, design professionals, resource managers, and readers concerned with the past, present, and future of this quintessentially American legacy. As the National Park Service celebrates its centennial, this book offers a fascinating and illuminating account of the agency’s impact on American lives and landscapes.
Who would have guessed that a small province could hold so many falls? Overall, New Brunswick is home to more than 1,000 waterfalls -- some remote, and some surprisingly accessible. Spilling over an incredible range of ancient geological terrain, each of the fifty-five waterfalls photographed for this richly illustrated volume is complemented by descriptoins, directions, and background information on each site. Guitard's photographs are composed with an eye to the diversity and particular beauty and geological situation of each watercourse. A map locates each waterfall. Spanning all five regions of New Brunswick (Acadian Coastal, Appalachian Range, River Valley Scenic, Fundy Coastal, and Miramichi River), there's something for everyone -- you may even want to strap on your backpack and head out to experience them yourself.
Juliane Kemen stellt den internationalen Forschungsstand zur Schnittstelle berufsbedingter Mobilitat und der Arbeitnehmergesundheit vor. Darauf aufbauend entwickelte sie eine Studie, im Rahmen derer sie 2.351 Arbeitnehmer in Deutschland zur Verkehrsmittelnutzung auf dem Arbeitsweg und mehreren Gesundheitsindikatoren befragte. Die Autorin stellte Zusammenhange zwischen der Verkehrsmittelnutzung und Krankheitstagen, BMI und dem Wohlbefinden fest. Ein Grossteil der berufstatigen Bevoelkerung legt zweimal taglich einen Arbeitsweg zuruck und hat durch die Verkehrsmittelwahl einen grossen Einfluss auf das Stadtbild, die Umwelt und die eigene Gesundheit. Daher sind die entwickelten Handlungsempfehlungen auch fur viele Unternehmen oder politisch Tatige interessant.
Learn physical geography at your own pace What is atmospheric pressure? How does latitude indicate the type of climate a specific place will have? Where are volcanic eruptions or strong earthquakes most likely to occur? With Physical Geography: A Self-Teaching Guide, you’ll discover the answers to these questions and many more about the basics of how our planet operates. Veteran geography teacher Michael Craghan takes you on a guided tour of Earth’s surface, explaining our planet’s systems and cycles and their complex interactions step by step. From seasonal changes to coastal processes, from effluvial basins to deep sea fissures, Craghan puts the emphasis on comprehension of the topics. He also includes more than 100 specially commissioned illustrations and 50 photographs to help clarify difficult concepts. The clearly structured format of Physical Geography makes it fully accessible, providing an easily understood, comprehensive overview for everyone from the student to the amateur geographer to the hobbyist. Like all Self-Teaching Guides, Physical Geography allows you to build gradually on what you have learned–at your own pace. Questions and self-tests reinforce the information in each chapter and allow you to skip ahead or focus on specific areas of concern. Packed with useful, up-to-date information, this clear, concise volume is a valuable learning tool and reference source for anyone who wants to improve his or her understanding of physical geography.
A cultural history of one of Paris’s most fascinating and variegated areas, whose history can be summarized as ‘from riches to rags and back again.’ The Marais was the beating heart of fashionable Paris from the Middle Ages through to the time of Louis XIV, when the court’s move to Versailles marked the start of a decline in its fortunes. Thereafter it became a working-class, largely Jewish area, sometimes described as a ‘ghetto’, and by the early twentieth century was in a parlous condition from which it was extricated by the Paris City Council and the 1960s restoration plan of André Malraux (which did not go without criticism and opposition). Its most recent avatar has been as the best-known gay quartier of the capital, though again this identity has not been a straightforward or always easily-accepted one. The stress throughout will be on representations – literary, cinematic, autobiographical, photographic and in graphic-novel form – as much as if not more than the unfolding of historical events. |
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