Landscapes viewed from afar have a timeless quality that is
soothing to the human spirit. Yet a tranquil wilderness scene is
but a snapshot in the steady stream of surficial change. Wind,
water and human activities reshape the landscape by means of
gradual to catastrophic and usually irreversible events. Much of
this change destroys past landscapes, but at some times and places,
landscapes are buried in the rock record. This work is dedicated to
the discovery of past landscapes and their life through the fossil
record of soils. A long history of surficial changes extending back
almost to the origin of our planet can be deciphered from the study
of these buried soils, or paleosols. Some rudiments of this
history, and our place in it, are outlined in a final section of
this book. But first it is necessary to learn something of the
language of soils, of what happens to them when buried in the rock
record and which of the forces of nature can be confidently
reconstructed from their remains. Much of this preliminary material
is borrowed from soil science, but throughout emphasis is laid on
features that provide most reliable evidence of landscapes during
the distant geological past. This book has evolved primarily as a
text for senior level university courses in paleopedology: the
study of fossil soils.
General
Is the information for this product incomplete, wrong or inappropriate?
Let us know about it.
Does this product have an incorrect or missing image?
Send us a new image.
Is this product missing categories?
Add more categories.
Review This Product
No reviews yet - be the first to create one!
Welcome to Loot.co.za!
Sign in / Register |Wishlists & Gift Vouchers |Help | Advanced search
