Biogeochemistry: An Analysis of Global Change, Fourth Edition, considers how the basic chemical conditions of the Earth, from atmosphere to soil to seawater, have been, and are being, affected by the existence of life. Human activities in particular, from the rapid consumption of resources to the destruction of the rainforests and the expansion of smog-covered cities, are leading to rapid changes in the basic chemistry of the Earth. The new edition features expanded coverage of topics, including the cryosphere, the global hydrogen cycle, biomineralization and the movement of elements across landscapes and continents by organisms and through global trade. The book will help students and researchers extrapolate small-scale examples to a global level. With cross-referencing of chapters, figures and tables, and an interdisciplinary coverage of the topic, this updated edition provides an excellent framework for examining global change and environmental chemistry.

For the past 3.8 billion years, the geochemistry of the Earth's surface - its atmosphere, waters and exposed crust - has been determined by the presence of biota. Photosynthetic organisms exposed the Earth's surface to oxygen, denitrifying bacteria have maintained the nitrogen concentration in Earth's atmosphere, and land plants have determined the rate of chemical weathering. Life determines the global biogeochemical cycles of the elements of biochemistry, especially C, N, P and S. Volume 8 traces the origin and impact of life on the geochemistry of the Earth's surface, with special emphasis on the current human impact on global biogeochemical cycles.

Reprinted individual volume from the acclaimed Treatise on Geochemistry, (10 Volume Set, ISBN 0-08-043751-6, published in 2003)
* Comprehensive and authoritative scope and focus
* Reviews from renowned scientists across a range of subjects, providing both overviews and new data, supplemented by extensive bibliographies
* Extensive illustrations and examples from the field