In recent years, highway maintenance has become a high profile topic, owning to the greater travel potential of the general public and to the impact of roadworks on commerce following the swing away from rail transport. Highway maintenance was once a low-key activity, but it is now being treated as an important consideration in the overall cost of providing the nation's infrastructure. Roads have assumed an increasingly important role in this process, particularly during the past 30 years as a result of the motorway building programme.

Fundamentals of the Physical Environment has established itself as a well-respected core introductory book for students of physical geography and the environmental sciences. Taking a systems approach, it demonstrates how the various factors operating at Earth's surface can and do interact, and how landscape can be used to decipher them. The nature of the earth, its atmosphere and its oceans, the main processes of geomorphology and key elements of ecosystems are also all explained. The final section on specific environments usefully sets in context the physical processes and human impacts. This fourth edition has been extensively revised to incorporate current thinking and knowledge and includes: a new section on the history and study of physical geography an updated and strengthened chapter on climate change (9) and a strengthened section on the work of the wind a revised chapter (15) on crysosphere systems - glaciers, ice and permafrost a new chapter (23) on the principles of environmental reconstruction a new joint chapter (24) on polar and alpine environments a key new joint chapter (28) on current environmental change and future environments new material on the Earth System and cycling of carbon and nutrients themed boxes highlighting processes, systems, applications, new developments and human impacts a support website at www.routledge.com/textbooks/9780415395168 with discussion and essay questions, chapter summaries and extended case studies. Clearly written, well-structured and with over 450 informative colour diagrams and 150 colour photographs, this text provides students with the necessary grounding in fundamental processes whilst linking these to their impact on human society and their application to the science of the environment.

Fundamentals of the Physical Environment has established itself as aawell-respected core introductory book for students of physical geography and the environmental sciences. Taking aasystems approach, it demonstrates how the various factors operating at EarthOCOs surface can and do interact, and how landscape can be used to decipher them. The nature of the earth, its atmosphereaand its oceans, the main processes of geomorphology and key elements of ecosystems are also all explained. The final section on specific environments usefully sets in context the physical processes and human impacts.

This fourth edition has been extensively revised to incorporate current thinking and knowledge and includes:

• a new section on the history and study of physical geography
• an updated and strengthened chapter on climate change (9)aand aastrengthened section on the work of the wind
• a revised chapter (15) on crysosphere systems - glaciers, ice and permafrost
• aanew chapter (23) on the principles of environmental reconstruction
• a new joint chapter (24) on polar and alpine environments
• a keyanew joint chapter (28) on currentaenvironmental change and future environments
• new material on the Earth System and cycling of carbon and nutrients
• themed boxes highlighting processes, systems, applications, new developments and human impacts
• a support website at www.routledge.com/textbooks/9780415395168 with discussion and essayaquestions, chapter summaries and extended case studies.

Clearly written, well-structured and with over 450 informative colour diagrams and 150 colour photographs, this text provides students with the necessary grounding in fundamental processes whilst linking these to their impact on human society and their application to the science of the environment.

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