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Books > Earth & environment > Geography > Physical geography
This book was originally published in 1935. The Sahara, or as it is otherwise known, the Great Desert, is probably the most outstanding desert on the surface of the earth - not only because of its exceptional aridity, but by reason of its tremendous size as well. This book examines the Sahara, including chapters on the structural formation, the climate, the geological past, and the different regions of the Sahara.
This authoritative new text provides a thorough, updated account of glaciers and ice sheets as monitors and indicators of environmental change. It examines the record of environmental change within glaciers and ice sheets, and that of past environments left by retreating glaciers. These themes are examined within the context of environmental change in general and global climate change in particular. Methods of using palaeoenvironmental records are assessed and the implications for future environmental change are discussed.
This timely volume examines the work of the National Estuary Program, the prominent federally-funded initiative dealing with pollution and other anthropogenic impacts on estuarine ecosystems and the management plans necessary to ensure that these invaluable natural treasures remain healthy and productive for future generations.
Urban flood risks and their impacts are expected to increase as urban development in flood prone areas continues and rain intensity increases as a result of climate change while aging drainage infrastructures limit the drainage capacity in existing urban areas. Flood mitigation strategies are required as part of sound urban flood management plans to assess flood risk and identify technically feasible and cost-effective options to reduce the risk. Central to the development of flood mitigation strategies is the efficient prediction of flood propagation characteristics in urban areas. Detailed predictions of flood flows in urban areas require the use of high resolution topographic data. However, due to computational demand topographic data is often generalised to a more manageable resolution and floodplain models are built at much coarser resolutions. The research presented in this thesis addresses the problem of capturing small-scale features in coarse resolution urban flood models with the aim of improving flood forecasts in geometrically complex urban environments. The approach adopted in the research used a two-dimensional surface flow modelling system that can extract and incorporate useful information available in high resolution topographic data into coarse grid models. The thesis also presents modelling of the complex interaction between surcharged sewer and flows associated with urban flooding and incorporation of infiltration process in surface flow modelling tools. Case study results showed that the incorporating volume-depth and flow-area-depth relationships extracted from high resolution topographic data significantly improved the results of coarse grid urban flood models while taking the advantage of reduced computational time to ensure efficient prediction of urban flood characteristics.
The importance and ecological significance of estuaries has been long appreciated. In the last few years, there has been increased research activity, resulting in significant advances in understanding of estuarine ecology. This special thematic volume of Advances in Ecological Research provides an overview of a number of the important areas. Ranging from the macroscale: how differences in river basins influence the loads of nutrients, through the impacts and fates of the nutrient loads, to how both phytoplanktonic and benthic estuarine primary production are regulated. There is also a review of the key factors influencing the outcome of management decisions for estuaries from the point of sustainability of estuarine resources. This volume is essential reading and reference for all those interested in estuaries including ecologists, environmental scientists, botanists, and zoologists.
Written in accordance with the Teacher Training Association and DfEE guidelines, this text is intended to become a course reference. The author examines all modules which need to be studied in teacher training programmes and takes account of the Labour government's plans for teacher education.
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 Andre 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.
Coastal zones represent a frontline in the battle for sustainability, as coastal communities face unprecedented economic challenges. Coastal ecosystems are subject to overuse, loss of resilience and increased vulnerability. This book aims to interrogate the multi- scalar complexities in creating a more sustainable coastal zone. Sustainability transitions are geographical processes, which happen in situated, particular places. However, much contemporary discussion of transition is either aspatial or based on implicit assumptions about spatial homogeneity. This book addresses these limitations through an examination of socio- technological transitions with an explicitly spatial focus in the context of the coastal zone. The book begins by focusing on theoretical understandings of transition processes specific to the coastal zone and includes detailed empirical case studies. The second half of the book appraises governance initiatives in coastal zones and their efficacy. The authors conclude with an implicit theme of social and environmental justice in coastal sustainability transitions. Research will be of interest to practitioners, academics and decision- makers active in the sphere of coastal sustainability. The multi- disciplinary nature encourages accessibility for individuals working in the fields of Economic Geography, Regional Development, Public Policy and Planning, Environmental Studies, Social Geography and Sociology.
The 11 chapters provide a wide ranging perspective on some of the problems under investigation and several of the systematic approaches currently in use by those concerned with refining the knowledge of the changing environments in the world's drylands during the latter part of the Quaternary. Dealing with a part of the globe that is highly sensitive to small changes of climate, or other stresses such as human impact, this book brings together a set of excellent reviews that will be of great value to students beginning to understand the subject and to paleoenvironmental scientists actively concerned with finding solutions to problems of the region. Additionally, it will be an invaluable archive of important references covering the subject of arid lands palaeoenvironmental research. This volume achieves the aspirations of the International Geological Correlation Programme.
First published in 1999 , the book is based on papers given at the final workshop of a research project into the evolution of environmental regulation in Poland undertaken as part of the UKs ERSC Global Environmental Change Programme. Other invited papers focused on the development of regulatory policy in transforming economies and in the UK. Furthermore the book highlights the weakness of internal political processes in Poland and the important role played by foreign sponsored pressures whilst exsamaning the divergence between the way environmental charges are supposed to operate and the ways in which they are implemented and enforced. Topics covered include the links between privatisation and the environment, the saline water problem in Upper Silesia, enforcement of and compliance with environmental charges, air pollution in Krakow and the structure of the Polish environmental administration system.
A new edition of a unique textbook that provides an exhaustive treatment of the world's different coasts--with focus on climate change sea-level rise Coastlines of the world are as diverse and complex as any geological setting on Earth, and understanding them is extremely important. Beaches and Coasts, Second Edition is an exciting and unique textbook that covers the world's different coasts and details the highly varied processes that have shaped them. This new edition emphasizes the future susceptibility of coast to climate driven stresses and decreasing sediment supplies, and considers various aspects of coastal management that are and/or that need to be undertaken. Seeking to better educate students and readers about the sustainability of coast and coastal environments, this exciting and unique book offers enlightening coverage of: the Earth's mobile crust; sediments of coastal environments; impacts of sea level change; weather systems and the effects of storms; the influence of wave energy and different tidal regimes; river deltas; coastal bays; estuaries and lagoons; tidal flats; coastal wetlands; beach and nearshore areas; coastal barriers; tidal inlets; glaciated coasts; and rocky coasts. Takes an extensive look at the world's varied coasts and covers the many processes that have shaped them over time Shows how coastal processes and landform evolution are expected to be impacted by climate change Includes new coverage of Hurricane Katrina and the 2005 flooding of New Orleans, Hurricane Sandy and its affect on New York and the earthquake and tsunami in the Indian Ocean and Tohoku Lavishly illustrated with over 400 color photographs and figures Draws on a wealth of author experience that broadens the content of chapters and provides for numerous and varied examples Beaches and Coasts, Second Edition is an excellent text for undergraduate and graduate students of coastal geology, coastal processes and coastal environments.
From the bestselling author of THE GIRL OF INK & STARS comes an unforgettable read for young and old alike: an exciting adventure to the frozen north, perfect for fans of Philip Pullman. WINNER OF THE BLACKWELL'S CHILDREN'S BOOK OF THE YEAR 'This gorgeous story of bravery, sisterhood, goodbyes and beginnings is a must for everyone.' JESSIE BURTON 'The Way Past Winter is a masterclass in exquisite storytelling.' CATHERINE DOYLE 'Gorgeous, heartfelt and incredibly exciting. Her best yet, and that's saying something.' ROBIN STEVENS Mila and her sisters live with their brother Oskar in a small forest cabin in the snow. One night, a fur-clad stranger arrives seeking shelter for himself and his men. But by the next morning, they've gone - taking Oskar with them. Fearful for his safety, Mila and her sisters set out to bring Oskar back - even it means going north, crossing frozen wild-lands to find a way past an eternal winter. The third children's novel by Times number one bestselling author Kiran Millwood Hargrave, winner of the Waterstones Children's Book Prize and the British Book Awards Children's Book of the Year From the author of The Girl of Ink & Stars, The Island at the End of Everything, Julia and the Shark and The Mercies - chosen for the Richard & Judy Book Club The Way Past Winter combines high adventure with beautiful writing and a wintry folk-tale feel - a gorgeous literary novel for all year round
This book is a compilation of recent developments in land, ecosystem, and water management in the Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro. The state is located in the biodiversity hotspot of the Atlantic Forest (Mata Atlantica), a biome characterized by high biological diversity and endemism. At the same time the state of Rio de Janeiro emerged to one of the economic hubs in Latin America. This development process has been accompanied by population growth, industrialization, urbanization, as well as consumption and degradation of land and water resources. In the past years many efforts have been made to stop or at least slow down these degradation processes and restore degraded environments with the overall goal to bring together sustainable management of natural resources, nature conservation, and economic development. An overview is provided of the different strategies and tools that have been developed in the fields of agriculture, ecosystem management and biodiversity, integrated water management, land restoration, disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation, as well as environmental governance and economic instruments. This book covers a wide spectrum from applied research to science-policy interfaces, planning concepts, and technical tools and has a model character for other rural areas in Latin America. Target groups are scientists, practitioners, policy makers and graduate students in the field of environmental management. The different chapters are written by researchers and practitioners of the German-Brazilian project INTECRAL (Integrated Eco Technologies and Services for a Sustainable Rural Rio de Janeiro), the rural development program Rio Rural under the state secretary for agriculture and animal husbandry, as well as invited scientists from Brazilian universities and research institutes. It bridges existing gaps between science, policies, and practice in rural development.
This open access book brings together research studies, developments, and application-related flash flood topics on wadi systems in arid regions. The major merit of this comprehensive book is its focus on research and technical papers as well as case study applications in different regions worldwide that cover many topics and answer several scientific questions. The book chapters comprehensively and significantly highlight different scientific research disciplines related to wadi flash floods, including climatology, hydrological models, new monitoring techniques, remote sensing techniques, field investigations, international collaboration projects, risk assessment and mitigation, sedimentation and sediment transport, and groundwater quality and quantity assessment and management. In this book, the contributing authors (engineers, researchers, and professionals) introduce their recent scientific findings to develop suitable, applicable, and innovative tools for forecasting, mitigation, and water management as well as society development under seven main research themes as follows: Part 1. Wadi Flash Flood Challenges and Strategies Part 2. Hydrometeorology and Climate Changes Part 3. Rainfall-Runoff Modeling and Approaches Part 4. Disaster Risk Reduction and Mitigation Part 5. Reservoir Sedimentation and Sediment Yield Part 6. Groundwater Management Part 7. Application and Case Studies The book includes selected high-quality papers from five series of the International Symposium on Flash Floods in Wadi Systems (ISFF) that were held in 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2020 in Japan, Egypt, Oman, Morocco, and Japan, respectively. These collections of chapters could provide valuable guidance and scientific content not only for academics, researchers, and students but also for decision-makers in the MENA region and worldwide.
In 2017 four rivers in Aotearoa New Zealand, India, and Colombia were given the status of legal persons, and there was a recent attempt to extend these rights to the Colorado River in the USA. Understanding the implications of creating legal rights for rivers is an urgent challenge for both water resource management and environmental law. Giving rivers legal rights means the law can see rivers as legal persons, thus creating new legal rights which can then be enforced. When rivers are legally people, does that encourage collaboration and partnership between humans and rivers, or establish rivers as another competitor for scarce resources? To assess what it means to give rivers legal rights and legal personality, this book examines the form and function of environmental water managers (EWMs). These organisations have legal personality, and have been active in water resource management for over two decades. EWMs operate by acquiring water rights from irrigators in rivers where there is insufficient water to maintain ecological health. EWMs can compete with farmers for access to water, but they can also strengthen collaboration between traditionally divergent users of the aquatic environment, such as environmentalists, recreational fishers, hunters, farmers, and hydropower. This book explores how EWMs use the opportunities created by giving nature legal rights, such as the ability to participate in markets, enter contracts, hold property, and enforce those rights in court. However, examination of the EWMs unearths a crucial and unexpected paradox: giving legal rights to nature may increase its legal power, but in doing so it can weaken community support for protecting the environment in the first place. The book develops a new conceptual framework to identify the multiple constructions of the environment in law, and how these constructions can interact to generate these unexpected outcomes. It explores EWMs in the USA and Australia as examples, and assesses the implications of creating legal rights for rivers for water governance. Lessons from the EWMs, as well as early lessons from the new 'river persons,' show how to use the law to improve river protection and how to begin to mitigate the problems of the paradox.
Scotland is renowned for its dramatic, fierce landscapes, but many people don't realise that some of the country's most exhilarating scenery rests on its coastline. The Beaches of Scotland by Stacey McGowan Holloway is a guide to over 150 hand-picked beaches around Scotland's coast, stretching from the mainland to the Outer Hebrides before sweeping north to Orkney and Shetland. These beaches offer something for everyone, from gentle sands which feel almost tropical to rugged coves which can only be accessed by kayak. The selected beaches have not been chosen for purely aesthetic reasons: these locations offer some amazing opportunities for adventure. From surfing to snorkelling, kayaking, camping and cold-water swimming, this book travels from Kilmory Beach, with its views over the Paps of Jura, along single-track roads to Singing Sands on the Ardnamurchan peninsula. It takes you from Portabello on the edge of Edinburgh's bustling streets to Kervaig Beach in the far north-west, where the lucky visitor may spot seals or puffins. Experience Scotland at its wildest and most stunning at Achnahaird Bay, bask in the otherworldly sense that these remote beaches can inspire at Balnakeil, gaze in awe at the scenery you can't quite believe is real on Berneray's West Beach, or blow the cobwebs away as you wander along the sand of Dornoch in the far north-east. Whether you're after a thrilling day getting salt in your hair or a peaceful escape from responsibilities and worries, Scotland's coast has it all. Featuring information on the facilities, access and activities that can be enjoyed at each beach, as well as custom mapping and stunning photography, The Beaches of Scotland is the perfect companion to your exploration of Scotland's stunning coastline.
Includes Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, Ocotillo Wells State Vehicular Recreation Area, and Bureau of Land Management desert lands Written for both the casual and serious explorer, whether he or she is traveling by vehicle, mountain bike, horse, or foot Detailed information has been vetted by California State Parks and the Bureau of Land Management. The book includes a backpocket map for the area. Includes cultural and historical information as well as the natural history of the area
This volume presents the latest science on all significant geological and paleontological aspects of the Earth during the Late Triassic Period. Rather than presenting a collection of narrowly focused research papers, the volume consists of a series of peer-reviewed chapters on specific aspects of the Late Triassic world (e.g., tectonics, magmatism, paleobotany, climate, etc.), all authored by experts in the subject of their respective chapters. Each chapter reviews and summarizes the latest findings in these fields and also includes a review of the pertinent literature. The author list is very broadly international and forms a veritable who's who of expertise in these fields. The book is loosely organized to present the physical aspects of Earth during the Late Triassic at the outset, followed by the paleontological aspects. The latter section is further organized to present the record of the marine environment first before moving onto land, with fauna followed by flora. The volume closes with a review of the end-Triassic extinctions.
Since publication of the first edition of this text, knowledge of groundwater has advanced and concern about the environment has increased. There have been major droughts and increasing worries over possible long-term water shortages, and suggestions that the climate is being changed by human activities. The second edition covers these topics as they relate to hydrogeology, and is presented in a style intended for the non-specialist reader, with technical terms and mathematical formulae kept to a minimum.;The chapter on water quality has been enlarged to provide more information on chemistry and micro-organisms, and a major new chapter focuses on pollution. The rest of the book has been updated, and contains more on legislation.
With the consequences of climate change and biodiversity loss becoming more and more apparent, both the protection of water resources and water-related ecosystems as well as protection from water, that is flood protection policies, have become increasingly important. This book explores the latest applications of network analysis concepts and measures to the study and practice of water governance. Given the holistic complexity of water governance, it covers individual water governance aspects such as flood protection and fisheries, as well as overarching concepts like integrated water management and social-ecological interactions. The book provides an overview of current water governance issues, network analytic concepts as well as implications for practice. The main body of the text is made up of eight case studies by world-leading environmental governance scholars, each of which addresses one water-related challenge by applying a variety of network approaches. The first part of the book highlights network dispersion and fragmentation, the second focuses on how such fragmentation in networks can be overcome and the third deals with specific roles of actors in networks. This collection is a key resource for scholars and practitioners interested in water governance all over the world. It provides readers with an overview of the potential of network analytic concepts for research on complex governance problems.
Conventional services, such as water, energy and waste services, have been for a long time physically networked and centrally managed. Today, this delivery model appears increasingly inefficient in two respects. It often fails in guaranteeing its financial viability and equitable service access, and and it generally draws heavily on the natural resources conveyed by these services. The book aims thus at exploring how service coproduction, based on public-community collaborations, can represent a valuable alternative to the conventional service provision model. Contributions in this book look into service coproduction and its relationship with the conventional service model both in the Global North (Germany) and Global South (Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, India, Tanzania). They also address a variety of different perspectives in coproducing conventional services, such as the role of service modernisation, the variety of non-networked solutions, the relationship with the commons, just to cite some of them. Eventually, this book provides a first comprehensive exploration of the service coproduction theory in relation to conventional services, such as water, energy and waste. The chapters originally published as a special issue in Urban Research & Practice.
The Bestselling Classic Updated for Surfers, Sailors, Oceanographers, Climate Activists, and Those Who Love the Sea First published in 1963 and updated in 1979, this classic was an essential handbook for anyone who studies, surfs, protects, or is fascinated by the ocean. The original author, Willard Bascom, was a master of the subject and included a wealth of information, based on theory and statistics, but also anecdotal observation and personal experience. It brought to the general public understanding of the awesome and complex power of the waves. This revision from Kim McCoy adds recent facts and anecdotes to update the book's relevance in the time of climate change. One of the most significant effects of global warming will be sea-level rise. What will this mean to waves and beaches, and what effects are we already seeing? New text and photos cover events such as the Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004, Hurricane Katrina flooding of 2005, and the 2011 earthquake and resulting devastation in Fukishima. As well as students, surfers, and the general public, this updated edition of a beloved classic is an essential handbook for climate scientists and ocean activists, providing clear explanations and detailed resources for the constant battle to preserve the shore.
This volume provides a textbook and reference work on the physical and biotic landscapes of Southern Africa. It examines the links between these environments and the ways in which they have been, are and will likely be subject to change. It covers the geomorphology, soils, vegetation and land use across a range of landscapes, including mountains, coasts, savannah, drylands and wetlands, and identifies the impacts of current and potential climate change and other factors on these environments. The geographical focus is on the region defined by Namibia, South Africa, Botswana, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Lesotho and Swaziland. Illustrated throughout in full colour, the book will serve as a reference volume for researchers and environmental professionals internationally, as well as a textbook for senior undergraduate and graduate-level students of geography, ecology and environmental studies in Southern Africa.
Living with the Wayapi, and their charismatic leader Waiwai, is a
serious adventure. It is demanding, and can turn dangerous in a
moment. The environment is a difficult one, but beautiful and
baffling in its richness. And the job of learning about the people
is like a journey without end. |
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