About the Book

Website resources
Preface to the fourth edition
Acknowledgements

Part one - FUNDAMENTALS

1 THE PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT: SCIENTIFIC CONCEPTS AND METHODS
Upper Wharfedale as an environmental system
Development of physical geography as an academic discipline
Key concepts: Four giants of modern physical geography
Evolutionary and equilibrium approaches to environmental systems
Modern approaches to physical geography
Accommodating scale in physical geography
The development of Earth system science
Applications: The study of natural disasters
Conclusion
Key points
Web resources
Further reading

2 ENERGY AND EARTH
New developments: The sun, our nearest star
Concepts of energy
Sensible and latent heat
Methods of energy transfer
Key concepts: Heat and temperature
Energy transformations
General patterns and principles of electromagnetic radiation
The planetary setting
Exogenetic energy
Endogenetic energy
Energy outputs of the globe
Key concepts: Tthe laws of thermodynamics
Global energy transfers
Local and regional energy transfers
Applications: Renewable energy from the environment
Conclusion [missing]
Key points
Further reading
Web resources

Part two - ATMOSPHERE

3 HEAT AND ENERGY IN THE ATMOSPHERE
The atmospheric energy system
Human impact: Ozone
Spatial variability of radiation exchanges
Key concepts: The greenhouse effect
New developments: Measuring radiation from space
Latitudinal radiation balance
Energy balance
Energy transfers and the global circulation
Effects upon temperature
Conclusion
Key points
Further reading
Web resources

4 MOISTURE IN THE ATMOSPHERE
Effects of heating and cooling in the atmosphere
Condensation
The effects of condensation
Systems: Cloud types
Formation of precipitation
New developments: Cloud seeding
Origins of precipitation
Human impact: Fog
Conclusion
Key points
Further reading
Web resources

5 PRECIPITATION AND EVAPOTRANSPIRATION
Precipitation
Types of precipitation
Human impact: Acid rain
Measurement of precipitation
New developments: Measuring precipitation
Temporal variations of precipitation
Human impact: Drought
Spatial variations of precipitation
Human impact: Floods
Evapotranspiration
Potential evapotranspiration
Actual evapotranspiration
Evapotranspiration from land surfaces
Plant responses to moisture stress
Measuring evapotranspiration
Evapotranspiration in the hydrological cycle
Conclusion
Key points
Further reading
Web resources

6 THE ATMOSPHERE IN ACTION
Atmospheric circulation and winds
Sources of information
Causes of air movement
Forces acting upon the air
The global pattern of circulation
Energy transfer in the atmosphere
Wind patterns
Applications: General circulation models
Upper winds
Key concepts: Jet streams
New developments: El Nino-southern oscillation
Conclusion
Key points
Further reading
Web resources

7 WEATHER-FORMING SYSTEMS
Air masses
Weather-forming systems of temperate latitudes
Concepts: Air streams
Human impact: Storms
Human impact: Tornadoes
Weather-forming systems of the tropics
Human impact: Hurricane Katrina, August 2005
Weather prediction and hazards
New developments: Atlantic tropical cyclone prediction model
Conclusion
Key points
Further reading
Web resources

8 MICRO AND LOCAL CLIMATES
The climate near the ground
The microclimate of woodland
Urban climates
The urban heat island
New developments: Urban heat island modelling
The microclimates of slopes
Applications: Human comfort and bioclimatology
Applications: Vineyard microclimate
Local winds
Conclusion [not supplied]
Key points
Further reading
Web resources

9 CLIMATE CHANGE
Changes of climate
New developments: Sudden climate changes
Causes of climatic change
Future climates
Conclusion
Key points
Further reading
Web resources

Part three - GEOSPHERE

10 EARTH'S GEOLOGICAL STRUCTURE AND PROCESSES
Origin and dynamics
Systems: Planetary Materials & Energy
Earth structure and internal energy
Key process: Sea-floor spreading
Crustal evolution: plate tectonics
New developments: Tectonics and climate
Human impact: Seismic studies and hazards
The geological evolution of Britain
Applications: Morphotectonic Landscapes in Britain
Conclusion
Key points
Further reading
Web resources

11 THE GLOBAL OCEAN
Evolution of Earth's ocean basins
Key process: The birth and death of oceans
Ocean basin geometry and sea levels
Applications: Quaternary sea-level: Ocean, tectonics and climate change
Ocean circulation
Systems: Oceans, tectonics and climate
Tides and waves
New developments: Ocean-atmosphere coupling and climate in western Europe
Human impact: Ocean food and mineral resources
Conclusion
Key points
Further reading
Web resources

12 ROCK FORMATION AND DEFORMATION
Systems: The Rock Cycle
Rock-forming minerals and processes
Key processes: Igneous rock formation
The rock cycle (1) igneous processes and landsystems
Human impacts: Volcanic hazards
The rock cycle (2) metamorphic processes and landsystems
The rock cycle (3) sedimentary processes and landsystems
New developments: Biogeochemical cycles
The rock cycle (4) ocean environment
Applications:: Geological resources
Rock deformation: folding and faulting
Conclusion
Key points
Further reading
Web resources

13 DENUDATION, WEATHERING AND MASS WASTING
Denudation
Systems: Geomorphic systems
Force and resistance
Key concepts: Geotechnical properties and behaviour of slopes
Weathering
Applications : Karst landsystems
New developments: Tectonics, basins and climate
Mass wasting
Human impacts: Landslides and climate change
Conclusion
Key points
Further reading
Web resources

14 FLUVIAL SYSTEMS: CATCHMENTS AND RIVERS
Generation of channel flow
Systems: Catchment and watershed models
Key processes: Channel hydraulics
Stream flow in channels
Human impact: Floods and flood control
Channel erosion and sediment transfer
Applications: River terraces and environmental change
Fluvial landsystems
New developments: Climate change and flood-plain living
Conclusion
Key points
Further reading
Web resources

15 CRYOSPHERE SYSTEMS: GLACIERS, ICE AND PERMAFROST
Form, mass and energy balance of ice
Systems: Thermodynamic classification of glaciers
Ice flow and glacier geomorphic processes
Key processes: Glacier mass balance
Glacier erosional landsystems
Applications: Deformation of the glacier bed
Glacier depositional landsystems
New developments: Stability of ice sheets and ice shelves
Nature and distribution of the permafrost
Permafrost and the consequences of climate change
Conclusion
Key points
Further reading
Web resources

16 AEOLIAN SYSTEMS
Aeolian processes
Key processes: Deflation and entrainment
Aeolian landsystems
Systems: Climate, tectonics and deserts
Desert landsystems
Applications: Loess and Quaternary climate change
Human impacts: Storminess and climate change
Conclusion
Key points
Further reading
Web resources

17 GLOBAL COASTLINES
Wave, current and tidal action
Key processes: Wave form and action
Coastal geomorphic processes
Applications: Development of the British Coastline
Coastal landsystems
Systems: Coastlines and tectonics
The global coastline
Human impact: Coastline management in a warming world
Conclusion
Key points
Further reading
Web resources

Part four - BIOSPHERE

18 SOILS IN THEIR ENVIRONMENT
Soil formation
Soil forming factors (pedogenetic factors)
Processes of soil formation (pedogenetic processes)
Soil forming processes of leaching, decalcification and calcification
Polzolization process
Pedogenic processes of clay formation and clay translocation
Anaerobism and gleying
Applications: Paddy rice cultivation, gleying and the nitrogen cycle
Peat soils
Saline and alkali soils
Tropical soil formation: katamorphism and laterization
How do we give names to soils? Systems of soil classification and nomenclature
International soil classifications
Classification system of the soil survey of England and Wales
Soil catenas: the building blocks of soils in the landscape
Conclusion
Key points
Further reading
Web resources [not supplied - to come from Ken Atkinson]

19 SOIL FERTILITY AND SUSTAINABILITY
Soil physical properties
Soil texture
Soil structure
Porosity and density
Water properties
Colloidal properties and clay minerals
Types of clay minerals
Properties of clay minerals
Cation exchange properties
Colloidal properties of humic colloids
Types of soil humus
Beneficial effects of humus on soils
Human impact: Effects of carbon budget of harvesting and restoring ombrotrophic peat bogs
Soil chemical properties
Soil fertility
New developments: Carbon sequestration in soils
Soil fertility
Nutrient availability
Human impact: Soil management for sustainable agriculture
Soil erosion and conservation
Conclusion
Key points
Further reading
Web resources [to come from Ken Atkinson]

20 PRINCIPLES OF BIOGEOGRAPHY
Units and scale of study
Environmental factors controlling vegetation
The ecosystem concept
Gradients, competition and niches
Vegetation zones of the Earth
Theories of vegetation successions
Types and models of successions
Key concepts: Krakatao revisited: successional re-invasion after volcanic disturbance in 1883
Lithoseres
Psammoseres
Human impact: Impact of human activities on sand dunes
Hydroseres
Haloseres
Classification of ecological climaxes
Key concepts: Colonisation of the British Isles by vegetation in postglacial times
Key concepts: Colonization of the British Isles by vegetation in postglacial times continued
Conclusion
Key points
Further reading
Web resources [to come from Ken Atkinson]

21 THE EARTH SYSTEM AND THE CYCLING OF CARBON AND NUTRIENTS
Energy flow and trophic cycles
Global carbon cycle
New developments: measuring the carbon balance of a boreal forest ecosystem
Global nitrogen cycle
Interaction between carbon and nitrogen cycles
Global phosphorus cycle
Biochemical nutrient cycles
Human impact: Modifications of nutrient cycles
Nutrient cycling in tropical rain forests
Conclusion
Key points
Further reading

22 BIODIVERSITY IN ECOSYSTEMS
Origins of biodiversity
Evolution and speciation
Definitions of biodiversity
Ecological connectance
Types of species diversity
Latitudinal gradients of biodiversity
Historical theories
Key concept: Theory of island biogeography
Applications: Can the theory of island biogeography help conservation
Stability in ecosystems
Measures of stability
Examples of stability
Threats to global biodiversity
Conclusion
Key points
Further reading
Websites [to come from Ken Atkinson]

Part five - ENVIRONMENTS

23 ENVIRONMENTAL RECONSTRUCTION: PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE
Principles of environmental reconstruction
Lithostratigraphy
Biostratigraphy
Geomorphology
Geoarchaeology
Documentary Records
Chronostratigraphy
Environmental Reconstruction in Practice
Conclusion
Key points
Further reading
Web resources

24 POLAR AND ALPINE ENVIRONMENTS
Introduction
Polar Climates
Mountain meteorology and climate
Applications: Mountains under stress
Physical geology of Earth's principle mountain ranges
Alpine landsystems
Human impact: Living at altitude
(Ken Atkinson's section >> )
Ecology and tourism

25 MEDITERRANEAN ENVIRONMENTS
Climate, present and past
Temperature, precipitation and evaporation
Soil formation and distribution
Development and adaptations of vegetation
Distribution of the plant communities
Key concepts: Fire in the Mediterranean landscape
Desertification and soil erosion
Soil surface conditions
Key concepts: Badlands
Water supply problems: quantity and quality
Groundwater quality and quantity
Salt water intrusion
Conclusion
Key points
Further reading
Websites [to come from Ken Atkinson]

26 TROPICAL DESERTS AND SEMI-ARID ENVIRONMENTS
Introduction
Desert
Savanna
Environmental problems of dry lands
Soil erosion
Human impacts: Atmospheric dust and its impact
Causes of desertification
Recent ideas
Conclusion
Key points
Further reading
Web resources

27 HUMID TROPICAL ENVIRONMENTS
Introduction
Climates of the humid tropics
Geomorphology
Soils
Forests
Environmental change
Human impact on the forest
Human impact: Deforestation in Brazil
Conclusion
Key points
Further reading
Web resources

28 CURRENT AND FUTURE ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE
Introduction
Predictions of future climate change
Regional changes
Environmental change in the geosphere
Impacts on soil processes
Impacts on vegetation and wildlife
New development : Changing British and Irish flora
Key concepts: Response of Arctic ecosystems to climate change
Key points
Further reading
Web resources

Glossary
Bibliography

Index