Earth Sciences, Geography & Environment Books
Penguin Books Ltd Under the Seawind Penguin Classics
Book SynopsisPresents a naturalist's picture of ocean life.Trade Review“Rachel Carson was one of the reasons why I became so conscious of the environment and so involved with environmental issues. . . . Her picture hangs on my office wall among those of political leaders, presidents, and prime ministers. It has been there for years, and it belongs there. Carson has had as much or more an effect on me than any of them, and perhaps all of them together.” —Al Gore
£15.30
Penguin Putnam Inc Forgotten Ways for Modern Days
Book SynopsisA beautifully designed guide to natural beauty products, home cleaners, health remedies, and other household tips inspired by the techniques of our ancestors.Using ingredients from your kitchen cupboards, garden, and vegetable patch (or your local supermarket), Forgotten Ways for Modern Days draws on the wisdom of homemakers, gardeners, and crafters of the past, introducing their knowledge and time-tested tips. From brightening your whites by putting eggshells in your washing to making beeswax furniture polish to herbal hair rinses, Rachelle Blondel brings the crafty ways of our grandparents into modern times.
£20.80
Penguin Putnam Inc The Works
Book SynopsisA fascinating guided tour of the ways things work in a modern city“It''s a rare person who won''t find something of interest in The Works, whether it''s an explanation of how a street-sweeper works or the view of what''s down a manhole.” —New York Post Have you ever wondered how the water in your faucet gets there? Where your garbage goes? What the pipes under city streets do? How bananas from Ecuador get to your local market? Why radiators in apartment buildings clang? Using New York City as its point of reference, The Works takes readers down manholes and behind the scenes to explain exactly how an urban infrastructure operates. Deftly weaving text and graphics, author Kate Ascher explores the systems that manage water, traffic, sewage and garbage, subways, electricity, mail, and much more. Full of fascinating facts and anecdotes, The Works gives readers a unique glimpse at what lies behind an
£24.30
Penguin Putnam Inc MobyDuck
Book SynopsisA compulsively readable narrative of whimsy and curiosity- 'adventurous, inquisitive, and brightly illuminating' (Janet Maslin, The New York Times).When the writer Donovan Hohn heard of the mysterious loss of thousands of bath toys at sea, he figured he would interview a few oceanographers, talk to a few beachcombers, and read up on Arctic science and geography. But questions can be like ocean currents: wade in too far, and they carry you away. Hohn's accidental odyssey pulls him into the secretive arena of shipping conglomerates, the daring work of Arctic researchers, the lunatic risks of maverick sailors, and the shadowy world of Chinese toy factories. Moby-Duck is a journey into the heart of the sea and an adventure through science, myth, the global economy, and some of the worst weather imaginable.
£16.15
Penguin Putnam Inc The Penguin State of the World Atlas
Book SynopsisThe completely up-to-date edition of a comprehensive overview of the elements that define our worldNow in its ninth edition, the widely praised Penguin State of the World Atlas remains an accessible, unique visual survey of current events and global trends. Completely revised and updated, this distinctive atlas presents the latest statistics on communications and information technology, international trade, globalization of work, aging and new health risks, food and water, energy resources and consumption, global warming and biodiversity, literacy, gender equality, wars and peacekeeping, and more. Fascinating, troubling, and surprising, this is one atlas no student of the world should be without.
£18.70
Penguin Putnam Inc Wild Ones A Sometimes Dismaying Weirdly
Book SynopsisIntelligent and highly nuanced… This book may bring tears to your eyes. -- San Francisco Chronicle Journalist Jon Mooallem has watched his little daughter’s world overflow with animals butterfly pajamas, appliquéd owls—while the actual world she’s inheriting slides into a great storm of extinction. Half of all species could disappear by the end of the century, and scientists now concede that most of America’s endangered animals will survive only if conservationists keep rigging the world around them in their favor. So Mooallem ventures into the field, often taking his daughter with him, to move beyond childlike fascination and make those creatures feel more real. Wild Ones is a tour through our environmental moment and the eccentric cultural history of people and wild animals in America that inflects it—from Thomas Jefferson’s celebrations of early abundance to the turn-of the-last-century origins of th
£16.20
Penguin Putnam Inc Tales of Two Planets
Book SynopsisA collection of fiction, essays and poems by authors such as Margaret Atwood, Lauren Groff, and Arundhati Roy examining the true cost of the environmental crisis on the world's most vulnerable communities.
£11.69
Penguin Putnam Inc Birds by the Shore Observing the Natural Life of
Book SynopsisFrom the bestselling author of The Genius of Birds, the revised and reissued edition of her beloved book of essays describing her forays along the Delaware shoreFor three years, Jennifer Ackerman lived in the small coastal town of Lewes, Delaware, in the sort of blue-water, white-sand landscape that draws summer crowds up and down the eastern seaboard. Birds by the Shore is a book about discovering the natural life at the ocean's edge: the habits of shorebirds and seabirds, the movement of sand and water, the wealth of creatures that survive amid storm and surf. Against this landscape's rhythms, Ackerman revisits her own history--her mother's death, her father's illness and her hopes to have children of her own.This portrait of life at the ocean's edge will be relished by anyone who has walked a beach at sunset, or watched a hawk hover over a winter marsh, and felt part of the natural world. With a quiet passion and friendly, generous intelligence,
£14.40
Penguin Putnam Inc How to Give Up Plastic A Guide to Changing the
Book SynopsisAn accessible guide to the changes we can all make—small and large—to rid our lives of disposable plastic and clean up the world’s oceans How to Give Up Plastic is a straightforward guide to eliminating plastic from your life. Going room by room through your home and workplace, Greenpeace activist Will McCallum teaches you how to spot disposable plastic items and find plastic-free, sustainable alternatives to each one. From carrying a reusable straw, to catching microfibers when you wash your clothes, to throwing plastic-free parties, you’ll learn new and intuitive ways to reduce plastic waste. And by arming you with a wealth of facts about global plastic consumption and anecdotes from activists fighting plastic around the world, you’ll also learn how to advocate to businesses and leaders in your community and across the country to commit to eliminating disposable plastics for good.It takes 450 years for a plastic bottle to fu
£12.75
Penguin Putnam Inc The State of the World Atlas
Book Synopsis
£20.00
Penguin Putnam Inc Can I Recycle This
Book Synopsis“If you’ve ever been perplexed by the byzantine rules of recycling, you’re not alone…you’ll want to read Can I Recycle This?... An extensive look at what you can and cannot chuck into your blue bin.” —The Washington PostThe first illustrated guidebook that answers the age-old question: Can I Recycle This?Since the dawn of the recycling system, men and women the world over have stood by their bins, holding an everyday object, wondering, can I recycle this? This simple question reaches into our concern for the environment, the care we take to keep our homes and our communities clean, and how we interact with our local government. Recycling rules seem to differ in every municipality, with exceptions and caveats at every turn, leaving the average American scratching her head at the simple act of throwing something away. Taking readers on a quick but informative tour of how recycling actually
£19.80
Random House USA Inc Warmth
Book Synopsis
£11.69
Penguin Random House India Green Humour for a Greying Planet
Book SynopsisRohan's book "Green Humour For A Greying Planet" lauded by Dia Mirza and Faye D'Souza for blending humor with serious topics like global warming and wildlife crimes through gag cartoons and comic strips. It provides comic relief while raising awareness about environmental issues, appealing to a wide range of readers.
£11.99
Oxford University Press Inc No Standard Oil Managing Abundant Petroleum in a
Book SynopsisIn No Standard Oil, environmental policy expert Deborah Gordon examines the widely varying climate impacts of global oils and gases, and proposes solutions to cut greenhouse gas emissions in this sector while making sustainable progress in transitioning to a carbon-free energy future.Trade ReviewGordon is trained as a chemical engineer but thinks like an economist. * Barry Eichengreen, Foreign Affairs *In No Standard Oil, Deborah Gordon showcases the unrivalled knowledge that she and her Oil Climate Index Plus Gas (OCI+) colleagues have built up of the climate impacts of oil and gas supply. This is essential reading for anyone looking to truly understand how oil and gas contribute to climate change, and how the supply side can help to solve the problem. * Simon Dietz, Professor of Environmental Policy, Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment, London School of Economics *An anatomy of hydrocarbons worthy of Leonardo da Vinci, No Standard Oil dissects the oil and gas industries to rank the sources of damage to the environment, the economic factors at play, how best to tailor efforts to mitigate climate change, who might do it, and the principles for triage in the industry as they do. * Chas Freeman, Former Ambassador to Saudi Arabia *Cleaning up today's fuel supply chains is an integral but often overlooked part of the drive towards net zero emissions. Debbie Gordon spells out with admirable clarity the scale of the problem, the huge variations in environmental performance across different parts of the oil and gas industry, and the strategies and data that can make a difference. * Tim Gould, Chief Energy Economist, International Energy Agency *Californians have a deep and complicated relationship with oil. The birth of the modern environmental movement coincides with a 1969 oil spill in the Santa Barbara Channel that killed thousands of sea birds and left blobs of tar on the beaches for months. Revenue from oil production on State lands still significant. And combustion of petroleum products for transportation remains the biggest contributor to global warming. The analytical approach described in No Standard Oil provides a sophisticated tool that undergirds California's groundbreaking Low Carbon Fuel Standard, the most effective policy to date for bringing new, more sustainable fuels to market. * Mary Nichols, Chair of the California Air Resources Board *Table of ContentsForeword by Jessica T. Mathews Acknowledgments List of Abbreviations Introduction - The Unexpected Pitfalls of Contending With Oil and Gas Part I: The Problem Chapter 1 - Beyond Peak Oil and Gas Chapter 2 - The Overlooked Perils of Heterogeneous Oil and Gas Chapter 3 - A Better Way to Measure Climate Footprints Chapter 4 - Curbing the Climate Footprints of Oil and Gas Part II: The Players Chapter 5 - Industry: Turning the Titanic Chapter 6 - Governments: Acting in the Public Interest Chapter 7 - Civil Society: Driving Change Part III: The Pathways Chapter 8 - Moving Forward: Oil and Gas Climate Solutions
£44.88
Oxford University Press Inc Meltdown
Book SynopsisWe hear about pieces of ice the size of continents breaking off of Antarctica, rapidly melting glaciers in the Himalayas, and ice sheets in the Arctic crumbling to the sea, but does it really matter? Will melting glaciers change our lives? Absolutely.Glaciers are built and destroyed during ice ages and interglacial periods. These massive ice bodies hold three quarters of our freshwater, yet we don''t have laws to protect them from climate change. When they melt, they increase sea levels, alter the Earth''s reflectivity, wreak havoc for ocean and air currents, destabilize global ecosystems, warm our climate, and bring on floods that swamp millions of acres of coastal land. The critical ecological role they play to keep our global climate stable, and the environmental functions they provide, wither. And, as climate change warms glacier cores, collapsing glacier ice triggers tsunamis that send deadly massive ice blocks, rocks, earth, and billions of liters of water rushing down mountain vTrade ReviewMelting glaciers are the primary cause of the rising sea level. Few people are as familiar with this topic as Jorge Daniel Taillant. In Meltdown, he brings glaciers to life. Taillant takes us on a very personal discovery of the disappearing world of glaciers, warning the world of the risks and encouraging their protection. He brings an important perspective that should be read and heeded. * John Englander, oceanographer and author of Moving to Higher Ground: Rising Sea Level and the Path Forward *This book is well written, enjoyable, and creative. Jorge Daniel Taillant brings a more light-hearted view to glaciers while recognizing and discussing the key issues in an understandable way. * Eugénie S. Euskirchen, Associate Professor, Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska Fairbanks *Taillant masterfully takes us on a journey through the profound changes our cryosphere is suffering from climate change and how melting glaciers that are vanishing around the world will not only destroy delicate ecosystems, from oceans to coastlines and from urban environments to forests, but how they will radically change how we live on Earth in ways not yet imagined. His unique capacity to bring together media, science, politics, and society in understandable prose offers a powerful wake-up call to our deepening climate crisis. * Durwood Zaelke, President, Institute for Governance and Sustainable Development *Table of ContentsAcknowledgements Foreword Introduction Chapter 1: And Then There Was Ice Chapter 2: The Rising Seas Chapter 3: Do You Drink Glacier Water? Probably Chapter 4: Glaciers are White, the Ocean is Blue, the Earth is Warming, and So are You! Chapter 5: A Thawing Earth Chapter 6: Run! The Mountain is Coming! Chapter 7: Ocean Currents, Jet Streams, and Polar Bears Chapter 8: Invisible Glaciers... Will They Save Us? Chapter 9: A Race to Save Everything Chapter 10: Why for COVID but Not for Climate? Bibliography About the Author Index
£23.27
Oxford University Press Inc Orca
Book SynopsisSince the release of the documentary Blackfish in 2013, millions around the world have focused on the plight of the orca, the most profitable and controversial display animal in history. Yet, until now, no historical account has explained how we came to care about killer whales in the first place. Drawing on interviews, official records, private archives, and his own family history, Jason M. Colby tells the exhilarating and often heartbreaking story of how people came to love the ocean''s greatest predator. Historically reviled as dangerous pests, killer whales were dying by the hundreds, even thousands, by the 1950s--the victims of whalers, fishermen, and even the US military. In the Pacific Northwest, fishermen shot them, scientists harpooned them, and the Canadian government mounted a machine gun to eliminate them. But that all changed in 1965, when Seattle entrepreneur Ted Griffin became the first person to swim and perform with a captive killer whale. The show proved wildly popular, and he began capturing and selling others, including Sea World''s first Shamu.Over the following decade, live display transformed views of Orcinus orca. The public embraced killer whales as charismatic and friendly, while scientists enjoyed their first access to live orcas. In the Pacific Northwest, these captive encounters reshaped regional values and helped drive environmental activism, including Greenpeace''s anti-whaling campaigns. Yet even as Northwesterners taught the world to love whales, they came to oppose their captivity and to fight for the freedom of a marine predator that had become a regional icon. This is the definitive history of how the feared and despised killer became the beloved orca--and what that has meant for our relationship with the ocean and its creatures.Trade ReviewDetailed, determinedly even-handed and often fascinating. * Lucy Atkins, Times Literary Supplement *Jason Colby's Orca...left me with feelings of gratitude for his hard work, admiration and envy for his skills as a historian and storyteller, and also some new hopes about the possibilities of writing about animals and history.....The characters, human and cetacean, are drawn with extraordinary empathy and care, and their experiences, hopes, and worries, as told by Colby, are powerful....The photographs, of which there are more than forty, are both exceptional and thoughtfully curated. * Nigel Rothfels, Humanimalia *Timely ... Over forty oral history interviews, added to substantial archival and secondary research, allow Colby to weave a history that highlights the agency and complexities of orca capture and captivity ... This engaging book should garner a wide audience of academics and orca enthusiasts. The clear narrative and interesting stories moreover make it suitable for undergraduate courses in both Pacific Northwest history and environmental history * Jen Corrinne Brown, American Historical Review *Colby is an easy and engaging writer... He utilizes extensive interviews he conducted with many of the most colorful and important people involved in the story: those who captured whales, the promoters, fishermen, scientists, and the citizens and politicians who became involved in the fight to halt the capture. * Carmel Finley, Journal of American History *This is an affecting book, personal and political all at once, and written by a scholar who has worked hard to recover and relay painful tales of the wild orcas that encountered humans and the humans that did the encountering. Nearly all those meetings began in panic and pain, most of it the whales', though some of it that of the men who came to believe they were doing the wrong thing wresting these breathtaking animals from their world, to deliver them to our own, which has been changed by the resulting episodes of captivity and captivation. * D. Graham Burnett, author of The Sounding of the Whale *This fascinating history reveals what happens when humans became captivated by captive orcas. Colby poignantly locates the very origins of conservation in the tense, tender, and tragic relationships between humans and cetaceans. This finely textured social history of the Pacific Northwest opens up the story of how 'killer whales', once cast as deadly pests * became popular attractions and emotional, intelligent 'orcas'.Daniel Bender, author of The Animal Game: Searching for Wildness at the American Zoo *With Orca, Jason Colby takes readers on a riveting journey. In a matter of decades, the Pacific Northwest's killer whales traveled from despised vermin to regional sweethearts. Their emotional passage revealed the true wildcard of wildlife management: navigating the swirling opinions of human populations. A timely book, Orca brings history to bear on a fraught relationship between two apex predators. Colby traces the rise in human affection for the whales but also the emergence of a cruel realization as audiences cheered captives' performances in aquariums across the globe. Love and fandom could kill and maim as efficiently as fear and contempt. In the end, it's unclear whether orcas benefited from the connection they forged with people. * Jon Coleman, author of Vicious: Wolves and Men in America *Killer whales, or orcas, the apex marine predators, were once widely feared as dangerous vermin and were shot on sight. Yet over the past fifty years, a sea change in attitudes towards this remarkable animal took place, and today the species is a revered and cherished global icon of the wild marine environment. In this compelling book, Jason Colby chronicles this transition in our relationship with the killer whale and tells an enthralling story complete with drama and excitement. It is sure to be an important addition to the libraries of natural historians and whale enthusiasts alike. * John Ford, Pacific Biological Station, Fisheries and Oceans Canada *Colby shines a light on how little we understand of these magnificent creatures. His book gives a glimpse into a mysterious yet strangely familiar world, brought to life in a story that's tragic, heartbreaking, and finally hopeful. * Foreword Reviews (starred review) *A good choice for serious fans of Pacific Northwest and marine history. * Kirkus *A revealing look at how the human view of orcas has changed... Colby persuasively contends that, despite legitimate concerns popularized by the 2013 documentary Blackfish, about the effects of captivity on orcas, the animals avoided extinction because their presence in accessible public venues enabled people to relate to them... Colby has produced an originally argued and accessibly jargon-free consideration of a hot-button animal conservation issue. * Publishers Weekly *Killer whales, also known as orcas, are idolized, loved, and even revered. Such sentiments, however, have not always been held toward this species, as historian Jason Colby reveals in his new book, Orca... Colby does an excellent job of framing these events within the larger environmental movement of the time, as well as placing them within the context of the nationalism that was spreading on both sides of the U.S.-Canadian border at the time." * Robin W. Baird, Science *[Told] with the depth and passion the topic deserves. * Lynda V. Mapes, Seattle Times *Immersive and dramatic... Colby demonstrates the speed at which societal attitudes can also shift the baseline of our expectations. In this age of extinction, with ongoing changes in ocean chemistry and physics, it is the potential for a sea change in public attitude that presents hope. * Sascha Hooker, Nature *An exceptional book and a significant contribution to the conservation of killer whales, Orca brings together a wealth of information and tells the stories of the captive whales and the people who pursued, cared for, and studied them - and ultimately fought for their freedom... It instantly takes its place as one of the best books ever written about the interactions between killer whales and settler society on the coastlines of B.C. and Washington State. It should be read by every whale enthusiast, naturalist, fishing guide, graduate student, researcher, marine resource manager, and politician on the Pacific coast. * Anna Hall, Ormsby Review *It is a story not just of the orca business, but also of the evolution of Americans' relationship to the oceans and marine life-the growth of marine parks parallels the shift from an extractive approach to the ocean, as mainly a source of fish, to a recreational one. It intersects, too, with the birth of the modern environmental movement in the 1960s and 70s. * Rachel Riederer, New Republic *[Colby] has produced an exhaustive, nuanced, essential account of the captures, unearthing a forgotten bit of Northwest history. * Nancy Macdonald, Literary Review of Canada *A riveting behind-the-scenes 'tell all,' told from the perspectives of the individuals that witnessed this important period in our history. This book is a historical account of how an industry formed, nearly destroying the very commodity on which it depended, coupled with an infusion of science that helped us to better understand killer whale life history. Colby retells a tragic yet sobering story of the good and dark sides of the delicate relationship between humans and other sentient beings. * Eric L. Walters, Journal of Mammalogy *An exhaustively researched and well-written account. * Paul Brown, Resurgence & Ecologist *An engaging but in-depth history...Orca is an exciting new offering at the intersection between histories of the display of live cetaceans, which generally focus on the environmental movement and its pushback against keeping captive dolphins and orcas, and histories of the modern commercial whaling industry, which generally focus purely on the harvesting of larger whales….The book is both an intensely local history of the Pacific Northwest in the late twentieth century and also a more global history of human relationships with large predators and animals in captivity.….Colby provides an exhaustive account of changing perceptions of killer whales and how this related to the development of the environmental movement into which they were embedded, all over the span of just a couple of decades. * Jakobina Arch, Environmental History *Table of ContentsIntroduction 1. "The Most Terrible Jaws Afloat" 2. The Old Northwest 3. Griffin's Quest 4. Murray Newman and Moby Doll 5. Namu's Journey 6. A Boy and His Whale 7. Fishing for Orcas 8. Skana and the Hippie 9. The Scores at Pender Harbor 10. Supply and Demand 11. The White Whale 12. Penn Cove Roundup 13. Whaling in the New Northwest 14. Big Government and Big Business 15. The Legend of Mike Bigg 16. "All hell broke loose" 17. New Frontiers 18. Haida's Song 19. The Legacy of Capture Epilogue Acknowledgements Notes Bibliography Index
£18.49
Oxford University Press Inc Only One Chance
Book SynopsisToday, one out of every six children suffers from some form of neurodevelopmental abnormality. The causes are mostly unknown. Some environmental chemicals are known to cause brain damage and many more are suspected of it, but few have been tested for such effects. Philippe Grandjean provides an authoritative and engaging analysis of how environmental hazards can damage brain development and what we can do about it. The brain''s development is uniquely sensitive to toxic chemicals, and even small deficits may negatively impact our academic achievements, economic success, risk of delinquency, and quality of life. Chemicals such as mercury, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), arsenic, and certain pesticides pose an insidious threat to the development of the next generation''s brains. When chemicals in the environment affect the development of a child''s brain, he or she is at risk for mental retardation, cerebral palsy, autism, ADHD, and a range of learning disabilities and other deficits tTrade ReviewOnly One Chance shaves off layer after layer of ignorance, naivete, and corruption as it exposes the hidden dangers from industrial chemicals. Grandjean's book reads like a thriller and gives us a unique chance to decide that the next generation's brains must be protected against toxic brain drainers. * Devra Lee Davis, author of The Secret History of the War on Cancer and National Book Award finalist *This is an exceptionally interesting book. Grandjean presents and interprets extensive research on the impact of common chemicals present in the environment on human neurodevelopment using an original and holistic point of view and introducing the concept of 'chemical brain drain'. This is an innovative approach underlining the cumulated and long term impact on the brain of different chemical exposures. Grandjean argues that brain drain hampers the very capacity of human society to progress if its most precious resource, the brain, is not adequately protected. The accuracy of the review, the analysis of the interaction between brain development and society, the approaches to dealing with uncertainties and action, make this book fundamental reading for medical and public health professionals, students, and policy makers. I am convinced it will set a new standard for public health action and research for the coming years. * Roberto Bertollini, Chief Scientist and WHO Representative to the EU *This book is a huge gift to humankind from an eminent scientist. Grandjean tells the truth about how we have been ruining the brain power of each new generation and asks if there are still enough intelligent people in the world today to reverse the problem. I cannot rid myself of the idea that too many brains have been drained and society is beyond the point of no return. We must learn from the follies and scandals that Grandjean reveals and stop the chemical brain drain before it is too late. * Theo Colborn, President, TEDX (The Endocrine Disruption Exchange) *[Only One Chance] is factual, rationally developed, and nuanced, without pulling punches. It argues for a social conscience, adequate premarket research, communication, and regulation. Chemical damage to the developing brain is not destiny. Grandjean explains why and how society must intervene to prevent exposures now and in the years ahead. Highly recommended. * CHOICE *Table of ContentsIntroduction: Brain Matters: Only One Chance to Develop a Brain ; 1. Sensitive Development: Complexity Creates Vulnerability ; 2. Toxic Invasion: The Placenta Is Not a Protective Armor ; 3. Invisible Lead: Health Hazards from Demanding Scientific Proof ; 4. Poisoned Science: Mercury Damaged the Child's Brain but Did Not Harm the Mother ; 5. Substituted Milk: Poisoning During Infancy Causes Permanent Brain Damage ; 6. Persistent Problems: Chemicals Resistant to Break-Down Can Break Brain Cells ; 7. Unusual Suspects: Chemicals That Protect the Lawn May Damage the Brain ; 8. Mindless Costs: Losses Suffered by Victims and Society from Chemical Brain Drain ; 9. Inconvenient Truths: Vested Interests Can Endanger Brain Development ; 10. Brainy Choices: How to Secure Optimal Brain Development for the Next Generation ; Appendix: Chemicals Known to Be Brain Drainers ; Acknowledgments ; Endnotes ; Bibliography
£29.32
Oxford University Press Physical Geography The Global Environment
Book SynopsisTable of ContentsUNIT 1 Introducing Physical Geography PART ONE A Planetary Perspective UNIT 2 The Planet Earth UNIT 3 Mapping Earth's Surface UNIT 4 Earth-Sun Relationships UNIT 5 Radiation and the Heat Balance of Planet Earth PART TWO Atmospheric and Oceanic Processes UNIT 6 Composition and Structure of the Atmosphere UNIT 7 Temperatures of the Lower Atmosphere UNIT 8 Air Pressure and Winds UNIT 9 Circulation Patterns of the Atmosphere UNIT 10 Circulation of the World Ocean UNIT 11 Atmospheric Moisture and the Water Balance UNIT 12 Precipitation, Air Masses, and Fronts UNIT 13 Weather Systems PART THREE Climate and Climate Change UNIT 14 Climate Classification and Regionalization UNIT 15 Tropical (A) and Arid (B) Climate UNIT 16 Mild Midlatitude (C) Climates UNIT 17 Higher Latitude (D, E) and High-Altitude (H) Climates UNIT 18 Natural Climate Change UNIT 19 Human Impacts on Climate PART FOUR The Biosphere UNIT 20 Biogeochemical Cycles UNIT 21 Formation of Soils UNIT 22 Properties of Soil UNIT 23 Classification and Mapping of Soils UNIT 24 Biogeographic Processes UNIT 25 The Global Distribution of Plants UNIT 26 Zoogeography: Spatial Aspects of Animal Populations PART FIVE The Restless Crust UNIT 27 Minerals and Igneous Rocks UNIT 28 Sedimentary and Metamorphic Rocks UNIT 29 Planet Earth in Profile: The Layered Interior UNIT 30 Plates of the Lithosphere UNIT 31 Plate Movement: Causes and Effects UNIT 32 Volcanism and Its Landforms UNIT 33 Earthquakes and Landscapes UNIT 34 Faults, Folds, and Landscapes PART SIX Sculpting the Surface: Weathering, Mass Movements, and Flowing Water UNIT 35 The Formation of Landforms and Landscapes UNIT 36 Weathering Processes UNIT 37 Mass Movements UNIT 38 Water in the Lithosphere UNIT 39 Slopes and Streams UNIT 40 Landscapes Shaped by Stream Erosion UNIT 41 Landforms of the Fluvial System UNIT 42 Karst Processes and Landforms PART SEVEN Sculpting the Surface: Ice, Wind, and Coastal Processes UNIT 43 Glacial Erosion and Deposition UNIT 44 Landforms and Landscapes of Continental Glaciation UNIT 45 Landforms and Landscapes of Mountain Glaciers UNIT 46 Periglacial Environments and Landscapes UNIT 47 Wind as a Geomorphic Agent UNIT 48 Coastal Processes UNIT 49 Coastal Landforms and Landscapes
£101.65
Oxford University Press Inc Japan and the Shackles of the Past
Book SynopsisJapan is one of the world''s wealthiest and most technologically advanced nations, and its rapid ascent to global power status after 1853 remains one of the most remarkable stories in modern world history. Yet it has not been an easy path; military catastrophe, political atrophy, and economic upheavals have made regular appearances from the feudal era to the present. Today, Japan is seen as a has-been with a sluggish economy, an aging population, dysfunctional politics, and a business landscape dominated by yesterday''s champions. Though it is supposed to be America''s strongest ally in the Asia-Pacific region, it has almost entirely disappeared from the American radar screen. In Japan and the Shackles of the Past, R. Taggart Murphy places the current troubles of Japan in a sweeping historical context, moving deftly from early feudal times to the modern age that began with the Meiji Restoration. Combining fascinating analyses of Japanese culture and society over the centuries with hardTrade Review"Murphy is very persuasive in building a case for his solutions for bringing real change to Japanese politics and foreign relations ... The most fundamental of his prescriptions, though, is undeniably necessary: the Japanese government and people must, for their own sake "confront what put their country in the hands of those who destroyed its independence and made it a byword abroad for brutal, inhuman fanaticism. Trying to bury accounts of what actually happened with fables of a pure and virtuous land, as Abe seeks to do, is simply a way of making it more likely that something similar will happen again soon"." -- Morgan Giles, Times Literary Supplement "Without doubt, this is the most important book on Japan by a non-Japanese writer to have appeared in the last two decades. It should be required reading for anyone professing to know Japan or wishing to teach others about it." -- BCCJ Acumen, Ian de Stains OBE "[An] insightful analysis of what ails Japan." - Economist "Taggart Murphy knows his Japanese history. His theories about Japan's political economy shed interesting light on the country." -- David Pilling, Financial Times "Japan and the Shackles of the Past is an excellent -- and engagingly written -- introduction to Japan, and a thought-provoking work of political and economic analysis (with quite a few lessons for America and other nations, too)." -- Complete Review "Murphy sheds much light on Japans current dependence upon the U.S. for maintenance of its political system and its future prospects, closing with an in-depth analysis of the current administration." -- Publishers Weekly "Taggart Murphy has crafted a precise and highly critical analysis of Japan's problems." -- Satyajit Das, Naked CapitalismTable of ContentsAcknowledgements Introduction: Does Japan Still Matter? Part One: Past Chapter One: Japan Before the Edo Period Chapter Two: The Incubation of the Modern Japanese State Chapter Three: Restoration to Occupation Chapter Four: The Miracle Chapter Five: The Institutions of High-speed Growth Chapter Six: Consequences (Intended and Otherwise) Part Two: Present Chapter Seven: Economy and Finance Chapter Eight: Business Chapter Nine: Social and Cultural Change Chapter Ten: Politics Chapter Eleven: Japan and the World Suggestions for Further Reading Notes
£18.89
Oxford University Press Inc The Arctic
Book SynopsisAs the threat of global climate change becomes a reality, many look to the Arctic Ocean to predict coming environmental phenomena. There, the consequences of Earth''s warming trend are most immediately observable in the multi-year and perennial ice that has begun to melt, which threatens ice-dependent microorganisms and, eventually, will disrupt all of Arctic life. In The Arctic: What Everyone Needs to Know, Klaus Dodds and Mark Nuttall offer a concise introduction to the circumpolar North, focusing on its peoples, environment, resource development, conservation, and politics to provide critical information about how changes there can and will affect our entire globe and all of its inhabitants. Dodds and Nuttall shed light on how the Arctic''s importance has grown over time, the region''s role during the Cold War, indigenous communities and their history, and the past and future of the Arctic''s governance, among other crucial topics. The Arctic is an essential primer for those seeking information about one of the most important regions in the world today.Table of ContentsForeword Chapter One: One Arctic, Many Arctic(s) Chapter Two: Placing the Arctic Chapter Three: Land, Sea and Ice Chapter Four: From Colonialism to Collaboration Chapter Five: Warming Arctic Chapter Six: Resourceful Arctic Chapter Seven: Global Arctic
£10.44
Oxford University Press Inc The Amazon
Book SynopsisThe Amazon is a land of superlatives. The complex ecosystem covers an area about the size of the continental U.S. The Amazon River discharges 57 million gallons of water per second--in two hours, this would be enough to supply all of New York City''s 7.5 million residents with water for a year. Its flora and fauna are abundant. Approximately one of every four flowering plant species on earth resides in the Amazon. A single Amazonian river may contain more fish species than all the rivers in Europe combined. It is home to the world''s largest anteater, armadillo, freshwater turtle, and spider, as well as the largest rodent (which weighs over 200 lbs.), catfish (250 lbs.), and alligator (more than half a ton). The rainforest, which contains approximately 390 billion trees, plays a vital role in stabilizing the global climate by absorbing massive amounts of carbon dioxide--or releasing it into the atmosphere if the trees are destroyed. Severe droughts in both Brazil and Southeast Asia have been linked to Amazonian deforestation, as have changing rainfall patterns in the U.S., Europe, and China. The Amazon also serves as home to millions of people. Approximately seventy tribes of isolated and uncontacted people are concentrated in the western Amazon, completely dependent on the land and river. These isolated groups have been described as the most marginalized peoples in the western hemisphere, with no voice in the decisions made about their futures and the fate of their forests. In this addition to the What Everyone Needs to Know series, ecologist and conservation expert, Mark J. Plotkin, who has spent 40 years studying Amazonia, its peoples, flora, and fauna. The Amazon offers an engaging overview of this irreplaceable ecosystem and the challenges it faces.Trade ReviewThere is a lot to learn, and value, from this guide, by an expert immersed in the subject. * Harvard Magazine *One can think of the broad themes of the book as scenes on a vast tapestry and the responses to the 67 questions as the threads used by Plotkin to weave the marvelous story of Amazonia. Readers can gaze at one part of the tapestry and later explore another portion, each time coming away with a better understanding of the nature of this extraordinary ecosystem. * Roger Mustalish, HerbalGram *As he has done in his other books and films ... Plotkin blazes a path for others to follow: a storied path that can help us both re-story and restore the precious places persisting on this planet, despite all odds. * Gary Paul Nabhan, LA Review of Books *Table of ContentsIntroduction What is a Tropical Rainforest? What Do We Mean When We Say the Amazon? Why is the Amazon Important? Geology, Soils and Vegetation Geological history - What is the geological history of Amazonia? Soils - Do large and diverse Amazonian rainforests thrive on poor soil? Terra preta - What is terra preta? Vegetation - What are the major forest and vegetation types in Amazonia? Savannas - What are savannas and how are they created? Tepuis - What are tepuis? Nutrient cycling - If the soils are so poor, how can lush rainforests flourish? Rivers The Amazon Source of the Amazon - What is the source of the Amazon River? River types - What are the various river types in Amazonia? Aquatic habitats - What are some of the characteristic aquatic habitats of Amazonia? Casiquiare canal - What is the Casiquiare Canal? Coral reef - Is there a coral reef in the Amazon? Indians 1492 population Languages - How many indigenous languages are there in Amazonia? Paleoindians, the first arrivals - When did the first humans arrive in Amazonia? Shamans - What is a Shaman? Shrunken heads - Shrunken heads: fact or fiction? Slash and burn agriculture - What is slash-and-burn agriculture? Uncontacted tribes - Do uncontacted tribes still exist? History The Struggle for the Amazon Treaty of Tordesillas - What was the Treaty of Tordesillas? Aguirre - Was Werner Herzog's film "Aguirre, the Wrath of God," based on a historical figure? Teixeira - What role did Pedro Teixeira play in the colonization of the Amazon? Mapping - What is the history of the mapping of the Amazon? The Advent of the European Scientists Merian - Was the first European scientific explorer of the Amazon a woman? Darwin - What is the connection between the Amazon and the origins of the Theory of Evolution? Agassiz / Harvard Amazon Rubber and the Jari Project Rubber atrocities - What were the Putumayo Rubber Atrocities? Rubber as commodity - How Did Amazonian Rubber Become A Key Global Commodity? Rubber / Fordlandia - Why did Henry Ford fail at Fordlandia in Brazil? Jari Project - Fordlandia redux - What was the Jari Project, and why did it fail? Rondon / Mendes - Who were Cândido Rondon and Chico Mendes? Amazonian biota Animals Faunal origins - What is the origin of the Amazonian fauna? Vampire bats - Do vampire bats suck human blood? Spiders - How dangerous are Amazonian spiders? Cats, crocodilians and serpents - Do jaguars, crocs and snakes eat people in Amazonia? Frogs - Are there hallucinogenic frogs in the Amazon Rainforest? Pink dolphins - Are there pink dolphins in the Amazon? Fish diversity - Why does Amazonia harbor the most diverse freshwater fish fauna in the world? Candiru catfish - Is the tiny candiru catfish as terrifying as its reputation? Electric eels - How dangerous are electric eels? Piranhas - Do piranhas deserve their fearsome reputation? Sharks - Are there man-eating sharks in the Amazon? Plants Ayahuasca - What is ayahuasca? Bromeliads - What are the aerial aquaria of the Amazon? Coca - What is the traditional use of coca in the Amazon? Curare - What is Curare and Why is it Important? Lianas - Why are lianas so important and yet so poorly understood? Figs - Why are strangler figs not considered to be lianas? Palms - Why are palms the single most useful group of organisms to the indigenous peoples of the Amazon? Palms with economic promise - Which Amazonian palms offer the greatest economic promise for the future? Victoria lily - Did an Amazonian water lily serve as the inspiration for steel frame architecture? Threats Cattle - What is the role of cattle ranching in Amazonian agriculture? Dams - What is the status of hydroelectric dams in the Amazon? Gold - What is the impact of gold mining in the Amazon? Agriculture / Big - The Role of Export-Driven Large-Scale Agricultural Production in Deforestation Agriculture / Small - What is the role of small-scale farming in deforestation? Logging - What is the status of logging in the Amazon? Climate Change - How will climate change affect Amazonia? Deforestation - What drives deforestation in the Amazon? Oil and gas - What is the impact of oil and gas exploration on forest peoples? Overhunting - What is the impact of overhunting and overfishing on the Amazon? China - What is the Impact of China in Amazonia? Conclusion Conservation - How to Save the Amazon?
£10.44
Oxford University Press Inc A Farewell to Ice
Book SynopsisTrade Review"In a new book . . . this most experienced and rational scientist states what so many other researchers privately fear but cannot publicly say - that the Arctic is approaching a death spiral which may see the entire remaining summer ice cover collapse in the near future." - John Vidal, The Guardian "Nonscientists who read his astonishing and hair-raising A Farewell to Ice will agree that the interludes of autobiography it contains are engrossing, entertaining and, when one submarine suffers an onboard explosion and fire while under the ice, harrowing. Any reader should find the science of sea-ice creation and the implications for us all of its loss - explored and explained here with clarity and style - beautiful, compelling and terrifying." - Horatio Clare, The Observer "Not only is A Farewell to Ice a clear and engaging account of how the physics and chemistry of ice work, but it also offers what may be the best chapter-length, reader-friendly account of the greenhouse effect available to date. . . . Wadhams's particular combination - of scientific passion, a lyrical sense of wonder at the natural world, an ability to pluck clear analogies from the air, and outspoken analysis of consumer-capitalist politics - marks out A Farewell to Ice as essential reading." - John Burnside, New Statesman "Peter Wadhams brings huge expertise to his subject - and he is an excellent writer. He explains why the fate of Arctic ice is crucial for the world's climate and clarifies the controversies and complexities that confront scientists and policymakers. A fascinating book." - Martin Rees, Astronomer Royal, President of the Royal Society 2005-10 "Peter Wadhams has written a passionate, authoritative overview of the role of ice in our climate system, past, present and, scarily, the future." - Carl Wunsch, Professor Emeritus of Physical Oceanography, Massachusetts Institute of Technology "Though the science behind global climate change can be made simple, its scientific complexities go a long way toward putting the impending catastrophe into context. A Farewell to Ice does an excellent job of laying out and explaining these complexities in all of their nuance... an excellent motivator and wake-up call..." --Foreword Reviews "For almost five decades, Peter Wadhams has been studying the way the ice at both poles has been changing. What he reveals in A Farewell to Ice is a chilling view of how much influence humankind has had on the steady disappearance of polar ice and what that will mean for all living things on the planet as it continues to vanish." --Shelf AwarenessTable of ContentsList of Plates List of Figures Acknowledgements 1. Introduction: A blue Arctic 2. Ice, the magic crystal 3. A brief history of ice on planet Earth 4. The modern cycle of ice ages 5. The greenhouse effect 6. Sea ice meltback begins 7. The future of Arctic sea ice - the death spiral 8. The accelerating effects of Arctic feedbacks 9. Arctic methane, a catastrophe in the making 10. Strange weather 11. The secret life of chimneys 12. What's happening to the Antarctic? 13. The state of the planet 14. A call to arms References Index
£17.08
Oxford University Press Karachi The Land Issue
Book SynopsisKarachi is one of the fastest growing cities in the world. It is Pakistan''s only port and the major contributor to the country''s economy. In addition, it is also a diverse city with its population politically divided along ethnic lines. These three factors make the urban land and that on the citys fringe a highly contested commodity: federal, provincial, and local land-owning agencies, corporate sector interests, formal and informal developers, international capital, and military cantonments compete for control and for extracting maximum value from it. The victims of this battle for turf and profits are the city''s social and physical environment and its low and lower middle-income groups. This book deals with the history, evolution, and present day realities around who owns land, its legal and illegal acquisition, land-use conversions and development, the actors involved and their relationship with each other and with the public at large, the often violent conflicts that take place
£19.94
Oxford University Press Inc Saving Animals Saving Ourselves
Book SynopsisIn 2020, COVID-19, the Australia bushfires, and other global threats served as vivid reminders that human and nonhuman fates are increasingly linked. Human use of nonhuman animals contributes to pandemics, climate change, and other global threats which, in turn, contribute to biodiversity loss, ecosystem collapse, and nonhuman suffering. Jeff Sebo argues that humans have a moral responsibility to include animals in global health and environmental policy. In particular, we should reduce our use of animals as part of our pandemic and climate change mitigation efforts and increase our support for animals as part of our adaptation efforts. Applying and extending frameworks such as One Health and the Green New Deal, Sebo calls for reducing support for factory farming, deforestation, and the wildlife trade; increasing support for humane, healthful, and sustainable alternatives; and considering human and nonhuman needs holistically. Sebo also considers connections with practical issues such as education, employment, social services, and infrastructure, as well as with theoretical issues such as well-being, moral status, political status, and population ethics. In all cases, he shows that these issues are both important and complex, and that we should neither underestimate our responsibilities because of our limitations, nor underestimate our limitations because of our responsibilities. Both an urgent call to action and a survey of what ethical and effective action requires, Saving Animals, Saving Ourselves is an invaluable resource for scholars, advocates, policy-makers, and anyone interested in what kind of world we should attempt to build and how.This is an open access title available under the terms of a CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license. It is free to read at Oxford Scholarship Online and offered as a free PDF download from OUP and selected open access locations.Trade ReviewThe book provokes scholars from across disciplines to think through in further detail the empirical, normative, and other questions that arise from its main propositions, and the general public to openly engage with its contents. * Charlotte E. Blattner, University of Bern, Society & Animals *The pandemic should have caused a global awakening to how our treatment of animals significantly causes human harm. In one way or another, the pandemic is rooted in animal exploitation. But the world remains largely silent on this connection. Ditto climate change. Ditto world hunger. Ditto environmental destruction. Maybe Jeff Sebo's new book, Saving Animals, Saving Ourselves, will end the silence. Sebo clearly shows how many of the most urgent public health issues we face today are directly related to our treatment of animals. This is a book that must be read. Time is running out – if we want to save ourselves, we have to save animals, too. * Aysha Akhtar, MD, MPH, Author of Our Symphony with Animals: On Health, Empathy and Our Shared Destinies *Jeff Sebo has been leading the conversation about the impacts of human behavior on animals and the environment for years. In Saving Animals, Saving Ourselves, he shows that when we accept our responsibilities as well as our limitations, we can bring about transformative change for everyone and build a more just and sustainable future—including for the most vulnerable among us. This book is a must-read for policy makers looking to chart a new path forward. * U.S. Senator Cory Booker *In Saving Animals, Saving Ourselves, Jeff Sebo argues forcefully that we have a responsibility to help everyone affected by human activity, including other animals. By reducing support for factory farming, deforestation, and the wildlife trade; increasing support for humane, healthful, and sustainable alternatives; and including the health and welfare of nonhuman animals in our advocacy and political agendas, we can create a better future for humans and nonhumans alike. This brilliant, wide-ranging book is essential for academics, advocates, policymakers, and anyone else with an interest in our shared future. * Dr. Jane Goodall, DBE, Founder of the Jane Goodall Institute & U. N. Messenger of Peace *In Saving Animals, Saving Ourselves, Jeff Sebo draws together a wealth of evidence to make an overwhelming case that the way we treat animals today is not only a grave moral wrong, but also a serious threat to our health, our well-being, and possibly our very existence. Every meat-eater and every policy-maker needs to read and ponder the evidence Sebo presents. * Peter Singer, Professor of Bioethics, Princeton University, and author of Animal Liberation *It makes a real contribution to understanding the problem of saving animals and ourselves. * Angus Taylor, Digitalcommons.calpoly *What I liked most about the book is the cautiousness, honesty and holism of Sebo's approach... It thereby lays valuable groundwork for more concrete and specific future investigations into how animals should be included in our ethical thinking about human-induced crises. * Thomas Pölzler, Ethical Theory and Moral Practice *Table of ContentsPreface Acknowledgements Chapter 1. Introduction: Saving animals, saving ourselves Chapter 2. Animal ethics in a human world Chapter 3. Animals, pandemics, and climate change Chapter 4. Limits on inclusion for animals Chapter 5. Methods of inclusion for animals Chapter 6. Animals, conflict, and politics Chapter 7. Animals, well-being, and moral status Chapter 8. Animals, creation ethics, and population ethics Chapter 9. Conclusion: Of minks and men
£26.59
Oxford University Press Humans versus Nature
Book SynopsisSince the appearance of Homo sapiens on the planet hundreds of thousands of years ago, human beings have sought to exploit their environments, extracting as many resources as their technological ingenuity has allowed. As technologies have advanced in recent centuries, that impulse has remained largely unchecked, exponentially accelerating the human impact on the environment. Humans versus Nature tells a history of the global environment from the Stone Age to the present, emphasizing the adversarial relationship between the human and natural worlds. Nature is cast as an active protagonist, rather than a mere backdrop or victim of human malfeasance. Daniel R. Headrick shows how environmental changes--epidemics, climate shocks, and volcanic eruptions--have molded human societies and cultures, sometimes overwhelming them. At the same time, he traces the history of anthropogenic changes in the environment--species extinctions, global warming, deforestation, and resource depletion--back to the age of hunters and gatherers and the first farmers and herders. He shows how human interventions such as irrigation systems, over-fishing, and the Industrial Revolution have in turn harmed the very societies that initiated them. Throughout, Headrick examines how human-driven environmental changes are interwoven with larger global systems, dramatically reshaping the complex relationship between people and the natural world. In doing so, he roots the current environmental crisis in the deep past.Trade ReviewThose of us who teach world environmental history will find this a nearly essential textbook, yet the work is valuable to anyone teaching world history. It may allow whole new environmental units to be placed easily into an existing course framework. At the very least, practitioners can consult chapters to incorporate specific examples or ideas more fully into their surveys. In the end, Headrick's work is the best textbook on global environmental history to date. * Thomas Anderson, World History Connected *...the ultimate reference work on global environmental history. * Eric L. Jones, University of Buckingham, EH.net *Headrick's book is the most comprehensive global environmental history in existence. It synthesizes vast knowledge from several scholarly disciplines into a coherent story of the 300,000-year human adventure on -- and with -- Earth. If one has time to read only one environmental history book, this should be the one. * J.R. McNeill, author of Something New Under the Sun: An Environmental History of the Twentieth-Century World *Humans versus Nature is a gift to students and teachers of environmental history: a single volume that captures the vast scope and scale of nature's role in human history and humanity's accelerating impact on the natural world. * Sam White, author of A Cold Welcome: The Little Ice Age and Europe's Encounter with North America *Table of ContentsAcknowledgments Introduction: Global Environmental History Chapter 1 The Foragers Chapter 2 Farmers and Herders Chapter 3 Early Civilizations Chapter 4 Eurasia in the Classical Age Chapter 5 Medieval Eurasia and Africa Chapter 6 The Invasion of America Chapter 7 The Transformation of the Old World Chapter 8 The Transition to an Industrial World Chapter 9 The West and the Non-West in the Nineteenth Century Chapter 10 War and Developmentalism in the Twentieth Century Chapter 11 Peace and Consumerism in the Twentieth Century Chapter 12 Climate Change and Climate Wars Chapter 13 Plundering the Oceans Chapter 14 Extinctions and Survivals Chapter 15 Environmentalism Epilogue One Past, Many Futures Notes Index
£35.99
OXFORD UNIV PR Against Equality
Book Synopsis
£40.50
Oxford University Press Inc Sustainability
Book SynopsisTrade ReviewSustainability is the hot buzzword these days. Does it take a whole book to explain what it means? Yes and how lucky we are to have it. This is a book about how to think about what it takes to keep systems going. The Q and A format makes difficult and contested concepts especially easy to follow. * Marion Nestle, Professor Emerita, New York University, and author of Let's Ask Marion: What You Need to Know about Food, Nutrition, and Health *This book may surprise many readers by exploring sustainability from such diverse fields as business and scientific realms to social justice and the arts. Their lens of 'systems thinking' helps explain why sustainability and resilience increasingly dominates public and private sector agendas today. * Christine Ervin, Former President and CEO, U.S. Green Building Council *Thompson and Norris are some of the most distinguished academics in the field of sustainability. Although the book is clearly underpinned by a considerable body of evidence, the writing style is engaging and easily digestible. It will serve as an excellent introduction to the topic for students and curious readers alike. * Michael Braungart, Chemist and Founder of EPEA International GmbH, and Co-Founder of MBDC *Systems thinking shows that seeking sustainability is a learning process in which we need to remain faithful and embrace uncertainty. * L. Díez Sanjuán, Agriculture and Human Values *Table of ContentsChapter 1. What is Sustainability? Chapter 2. Sustainability and Business Chapter 3. Sustainability and Ecology Chapter 4. Sustainability and Environmental Quality Chapter 5. Sustainable Development Chapter 6. Sustainability and Social Justice Chapter 7. Sustainable Governance Chapter 8. Sustainability in Science, Education, Religion, and the Arts Chapter 9. Sustainability: What Everyone Needs to Ask
£11.69
Oxford University Press Inc The Virtues of Sustainability
Book SynopsisFrom climate change to species extinction, and habitat loss to soil degradation, a stark awareness of the often devastating impacts of human actions is growing. People around the world are urgently seeking sustainable ways of life for themselves and their communities. But what do these calls for a sustainable future mean for our current values and ways of life, and what kind of people will we need to become? Though sustainability is a ubiquitous concept with a range of meaning and applications, this volume shows that it can be significantly understood and sought through the notion of virtue, in the tradition of virtue ethics. Approaches to ethical living that emphasize good character and virtue are resurgent, and especially well-suited to addressing our present challenges. From rethinking excessive consumption, to appropriately respecting nature, to finding resilience in the face of environmental injustice, our characters will be frequently tested. The virtues of sustainability--character traits enabling us to lead sustainable, flourishing lives--will be critical to our success.This volume, divided into three sections, brings together newly-commissioned essays by leading scholars from multiple disciplines--from philosophy and political science, to religious studies and psychology. The essays in the first section focus on key factors and structures that support the cultivation of the virtues of sustainability, while those in the second focus in particular on virtues embraced by non-Western communities and cultures, and the worldviews that underlie them. Finally, the essays in the third section each address further particular virtues of sustainability, including cooperativeness, patience, conscientiousness, creativity, and open-mindedness.Together, these essays provide readers with a rich understanding of the importance and diversity of the virtues of sustainability, and practical guidance towards their cultivation.Trade ReviewThe reading becomes an invitation to ponder shared global challenges, and from this, further strategies to address these challenges can emerge. It is successful in offering both inspiration and consolation for the current uncertain times. * Alba Rodriguez, Religious Studies Review *Table of ContentsSeries Editor's Foreword Introduction, Jason Kawall Part One: Cultivating Virtues of Sustainability Chapter 1: Virtue and sustainable behavior: A psychological perspective, Susan Clayton Chapter 2: The Environmental Psychology of Pro-Sustainability Virtues, Victor Corral-Verdugo, Martha Frías-Armenta & Anais Ortiz-Valdez Chapter 3: Aristotelian Virtue Education and Education for Sustainable Development: Prospects and Problems, Matt Ferkany Chapter 4: The Emotional Heart of Environmental Virtues, Cheryl Hall Part Two: Virtues, Sustainability, and Worldviews Chapter 5: Jain Dharma as a Virtue Ethics for Sustainability, Pankaj Jain Chapter 6: Respect for Nature: Learning from Indigenous Values, Christine J. Cuomo Part Three: Virtues of Sustainability Chapter 7: Cooperativeness as a Virtue of Sustainability, Laura M. Hartman Chapter 8: Patience and Sustainability, Jason Kawall Chapter 9: Treading Lightly: Conscientiousness, Information, and Ecological Impacts, Steve Vanderheiden Chapter 10: The Roles of Creativity and Open-Mindedness in Implementing Sustainable Solutions, Sarah Wright
£35.37
Oxford University Press Inc City Planning
Book SynopsisTable of ContentsIntroduction Chapter 1: Streets and Buildings Chapter 2: The Suburban Solution Chapter 3: Experts and Citizens Chapter 4: Saving the Center Chapter 5: Metropolis and Megaregion Chapter 6: Nature in the City Chapter 7: Unnatural Disasters and Resilient Cities Epilogue: Imagining Future Cities List of Illustrations References Further Reading
£8.54
Oxford University Press Oxford
Book Synopsis''Few cities,'' Jan Morris observes, ''have been much more loved, loathed, and celebrated.'' This book has become a classic account of the character, history, mores, buildings, climate, and people of one of Britain''s most fascinating cities. ''A book of outstanding excellence, with a sweep of knowledge and a distinction of style such as I have never before encountered in a work of this sort ... Brilliant alike in observation and imagination ... brings the very stones of Oxford to life''Sunday Telegraph.Trade ReviewSurely no one has ever celebrated any city with such fluent, persuasive and utterly charming prose as Jan Morris celebrates Oxford here. * Scotsman *Table of Contents1. Piebald ; 2. Rich Mixture ; 3. Town and Country ; 4. Universitas Oxoniensis ; 5. Ornery ; 6. College Spirit ; 7. No Good Aire ; 8. Fauna and Flora ; 9. Sorts and Conditions ; 10. Pleasures ; 11. The Look of It ; 12. Learning ; 13. Vineyard of the Lord ; 14. Compact of Ancient Tales ; 15. The Ark ; 16. The Argosy ; 17. In Art ; 18. Right of Way ; 19. Distant Trumpets ; 20. The Heart of Things ; 21. Gone Away
£15.29
Oxford University Press Fossils
Book SynopsisFossils have been vital to our understanding of the formation of the earth and the origins of all life on it. However, their impact has not been limited to debates about geology and evolution: attempts to explain their existence has shaken religion at its very roots, and they have remained a subject of ceaseless fascination for people of all ages and backgrounds. In this delightful book, Keith Thomson provides a remarkably all-encompassing explanation of fossils as a phenomenon. How did Darwin use fossils to support his theory of evolution? What are ''living fossils''? What fossils will we leave behind for future generations to examine? Building on the scientific aspects, he places fossils in a very human context, highlighting their impact on philosophy and mythology, our concept of time, and today''s popular culture. What quickly becomes obvious is that the discovery of fossils and the ways in which they have been interpreted over time makes for fascinating reading. From the black market to the Piltdown Man, and from mythological dragons to living dinosaurs, fossils hold a permanent place in the popular imagination.ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.Table of Contents1. Introduction ; 2. A cultural phenomenon ; 3. In the popular imagination ; 4. Some things we know, some things we don't ; 5. Against the odds ; 6. Bringing fossils to life ; 7. Evolving ; 8. Of molecules and man ; 9. Fakes and fortunes ; 10. Back to the future ; Further reading
£9.49
Oxford University Press Essential Entomology
Book SynopsisComprising well over half of all known animal species, insects are the most successful organisms on the planet. Indeed, it is no exaggeration to say that one cannot study agriculture, biology, and the environment, without a basic understanding of entomology. Furthermore, insects are indispensable to advances in molecular biology and genetics, and their ongoing decline in many parts of the world has stimulated much research in the crucial roles they play in global ecosystems. However, the sheer diversity of insects can be a challenge to every newcomer to entomology. Most entomology textbooks tend to focus on insect biology, leaving readers with only a superficial idea of insect diversity and evolution, while others delve into too much detail that will deter the novice. In contrast, Essential Entomology has a clear taxonomic structure that provides readers with the necessary framework to understand the diversity, life history, and taxonomy of insects in a new light. This fully revised edition provides the most up-to-date guide to insects and includes all the major developments in molecular biology and palaeontology of the last 20 years. This textbook is an essential read for undergraduate and graduate students taking courses in entomology, agriculture, and forestry. It will also appeal to a broad academic audience of ecologists, conservationists, natural resource managers, as well as to the far more numerous general readers who are interested in wildlife, nature, and the environment. With these diverse audiences in mind, the straightforward and accessible style of the first edition has been maintained, technical jargon has been kept to a minimum, and sufficient background information is provided to enable the reader to follow the text with ease.Trade ReviewReview from previous edition This book should be as indispensable to students as to amateur entomologists, ecologists, and nature enthusiasts...it is to be hoped that this excellent value reference book will achieve a wide circulation. * Galathea, 2001 *Essential Entomology guides and inspires the entomological student, and at the same time, offers up-to-date notions about generic entomology for the more expert reader. * Alfredo Venturo, Community Ecology *Essential Entomology guides and inspires the entomological student, and at the same time, offers up-to-date notions about generic entomology for the more expert reader. * Community Ecology *Table of ContentsSECTION 1: INTRODUCTION TO INSECT EVOLUTION AND BIOLOGY SECTION 2: THE INSECT ORDERS ARCHAEOGNATHA (Bristletails) ZYGENTOMA (Silverfish and Firebrats) EPHEMEROPTERA (Mayflies) ODONATA (Dragonflies and Damselflies) HAPLOCERCATA (DERMAPTERA and ZORAPTERA) (Earwigs and Angel Insects) PLECOPTERA (Stoneflies) ORTHOPTERA (Grasshoppers and Crickets) DICTYOPTERA (BLATTODEA and MANTODEA) (Cockroaches, Termites, and Praying Mantids) XENONOMIA (GRYLLOBLATTODEA and MANTOPHASMATODEA) (Ice Crawlers and Heel Walkers) EUKINOLABIA (PHASMATODEA and EMBIOPTERA) (Stick Insects, Leaf Insects, and Webspinners) PSOCODEA (Barklice, Booklice, and True Lice) HEMIPTERA (True Bugs) THYSANOPTERA (Thrips) RAPHIDIOPTERA (Snakeflies) MEGALOPTERA (Alderflies, Dobsonflies, and Fishflies) NEUROPTERA (Lacewings, Antlions, and Mantidflies) COLEOPTERA (Beetles) STREPSIPTERA (Strepsipterans) MECOPTERA (Scorpionflies) SIPHONAPTERA (Fleas) DIPTERA (Flies) TRICHOPTERA (Caddisflies) LEPIDOPTERA (Butterflies and Moths) HYMENOPTERA (Bees, Wasps, and Ants) SECTION 3: FIELDWORK
£39.42
Oxford University Press The Natural History of Selborne Oxford Worlds
Book SynopsisThe Natural History of Selborne (1789) is written as a series of letters, which describe with wit and precision the flora and fauna White observes in his Hampshire parish. A classic of nature writing, this edition includes contemporary illustrations, a contextualizing introduction, and an appendix of readers' responses over 200 years.Trade Review'I can wholeheartedly recommend this edition ... Beautifully produced ... Secord's introduction - surely one of the chief reasons to purchase this new edition of a book never out of print - provides a nuanced and stimulating account of the origins, character, and legacies of Selborne.' * Diarmid A. Finnegan, Journal of Historical Geography *'This Oxford edition offers new insights into a work that has been hugely popular. ' * Land and Business *
£13.49
Oxford University Press Carnivoran Ecology The Evolution and Function of
Book SynopsisThis unique synthesis uses examples from a diverse and expanding carnivoran literature, drawing from all carnivoran families and spanning the world's oceans and continents, to produce a clearly written and richly illustrated book that reviews our current state of knowledge of carnivoran ecology.Table of Contents1: Introduction 2: Functional morphology 3: Evolution and historical biogeography 4: Physiological ecology 5: Sensory biology and neuroanatomy 6: Community ecology 7: Interactions with non-prey animals 8: Interactions with prey 9: Cascades 10: Population ecology 11: How carnivorans affect humans 12: How humans affect carnivorans Appendix I List of extant carnivoran species Appendix II List of non-carnivoran species mentioned
£37.99
Oxford University Press Sustainable Materialism
Book SynopsisA growing number of environmental groups focus on more sustainable practices in everyday life, from the development of new food systems, to community solar, to more sustainable fashion. No longer willing to take part in unsustainable practices and institutions, and not satisfied with either purely individualistic and consumer responses or standard political processes and movement tactics, many activists and groups are increasingly focusing on restructuring everyday practices of the circulation of the basic needs of everyday life. This work labels such action sustainable materialism, and examines the political and social motivations of activists and movement groups involved in this growing and expanding practice. The central argument is that these movements are motivated by four key factors: frustration with the lack of accomplishments on broader environmental policies, a desire for environmental and social justice, an active and material resistance to the power of traditional industries, and a form of sustainability that is attentive to the flow of materials through bodies, communities, economies, and environments. In addition to these motivations, these movements demonstrate such material action as political action, in contrast to existing critiques of new materialism as apolitical or post-political. Overall, sustainable materialism is explored as a set of movements with unique qualities, based in collective rather than individual action, a dedication to local and prefigurative politics, and a demand that sustainability be practiced in everyday life - starting with the materials and flows that provide food, power, clothing, and other basic needs.Table of ContentsPart One: Introducing Sustainable Materialism 1: An Introduction to Sustainable Materialism Part Two: Political Motivations for Sustainable Materialism 2: From Postmaterialism to Sustainable Materialism 3: Environmental and Social Justice in Sustainable Materialist Movements 4: Material Practice and Resistance to Power 5: Sustainability and the Politics of Materialist Action Part Three: Innovations and Conclusions 6: New Directions and Virtues in Sustainable Materialist Movements 7: Conclusion: From Sustainable Materialism to System Change About the Authors Bibliography Index
£29.49
Oxford University Press Statistics and Dynamics of Urban Populations
Book SynopsisUrbanization is a fundamental process in human history and is increasingly affecting our environment and society. Although cities have existed for centuries, describing and controlling urbanization has always been difficult and still is: cities are continuously changing over time in a non-homogeneous fashion that has puzzled historians, geographers, philosophers, economists, urbanists, engineers, mathematicians and physicists. In particular, one of the most debated issues of urban studies has been the question of urban population growth. How do cities appear and disappear, grow or decline? Why do we observe a hierarchy of cities from small to large and not a typical city size ? These questions are not only relevant for census purposes. The population size of the city is an important determinant for most of urban issues: land management, congestion, public transport planning, economic growth, innovation incentives, food and good supply and climate-change adaptation. A sound understanding of population growth processes is an inescapable path for a good monitoring of city planning.This book describes all aspects of quantitative approaches to urban population growth, ranging from measures and empirical results to the mathematical description of their evolution. It will be of interest to researchers working on quantitative aspect of cities and from many different disciplines such as quantitative geography, spatial economics, geomatics, urbanism and transportation, physics, or applied mathematics. This book will also be of interest to graduate students and researchers entering the field or interested in quantitative studies of urban systems.Table of ContentsPART I COUNTING PEOPLE 1: Urban population 1.1 Defining the city 1.2 An historical example: Paris 1.3 Functional and morphological denitions 1.4 Gridded population of the world 2: Why does population matter? 2.1 Population is a good start 2.2 Scaling in cities PART II RANKING CITIES 3: The distribution of urban populations 3.1 Power-laws 3.2 Zipf's law for cities 3.3 How to t a power-law? 3.4 Revisiting Zipf's law for cities 4: Dynamics of ranking 4.1 Stable versus unstable ranking 4.2 Modelling the ranking dynamics 4.3: Rank variations of cities PART III MODELS OF URBAN GROWTH 5: Stochastic calculus 5.1 Brownian motion 5.2 Itô and Stratonovich prescriptions 5.3 Fokker-Planck equation 6: Stochastic models of growth 6.1 Yule-Simon's model of growth 6.2 Gibrat's law for cities 6.3 Gabaix's mode 7: Models with migration 7.1 A modied Yule-Simon model 7.2 A master equation approach 7.3 Diusion with noise: the Bouchaud-Mezard model PART IV HOW CITIES TRULY GROW 8: The generalized central limit theorem and Levy stable laws 8.1 The central limit theorem and its generalization 8.2 Levy stable laws 8.3 The generalized central limit theorem 9: From First principles to the growth equation 9.1 Building a bottom-up equation 9.2 Gravitational model 9.3 Minimal model for the inter-urban migration flows 10: About city dynamics 10.1 Solving a new kind of equation 10.2 Analysis and scaling of the solution 10.3 Rank dynamics 11: Outlook: Beyond Zipf's law 11.1 Zipf's law: the end? 11.2 And space? References Index
£81.00
Oxford University Press Plant Strategies The Demographic Consequences of
Book SynopsisThe goal of this accessible book is to articulate a coherent framework that unifies life history theory with comparative functional ecology to advance prediction in plant ecology. Predicting how species respond to global change is perhaps the most important challenge of our time.Trade ReviewThis book is remarkable for the enthusiastic treatment of not only the critique of published ideas about plant strategies, but also the wide range of studies that underpin those ideas. The author seems equally at home as he reviews relevant findings (and gaps in understanding) in areas as different as plant morphology and physiology on the one hand and demography, evolution, and game theory on the other. * Peter Grubb, Professor Emeritus, Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, UK *A stout-hearted trek through the rugged landscape of plant ecological strategies, species traits, and how they translate into demographic success in some settings but not others. The writing is energetic and richly illustrated; Laughlin must be a lively teacher! An excellent read for research students and discussion groups. * Mark Westoby, Professor Emeritus, Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia *This book is as rich in scientific knowledge as it is passionate about scientific history and the complexity of plant life on earth. With the aim to merge various concepts in plant ecology, the thought-provoking framework it provides will certainly stimulate research in holistic plant functioning. Furthermore, it is simply an absolute pleasure to read! * Joana Bergmann, PhD, Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF), Germany *Step by step, the reader is patiently guided and encouraged into conceptual thinking in plant ecology, inevitably leading to new hypotheses and ways of testing them in plants at different ecological scales. I specifically admire the tone of the book. When reading, I 'hear' the caring teacher sharing both the concepts and the personal stories beyond the ecology; the true excitement of the botanist discovering the secrets of plants; the experienced scientist leading us to the state-of-art of this field, and the connecting optimist believing that it is still possible to restore the plant diversity in our ecosystems. This is hardcore science, but in an encouraging and light hearted tone. This book is for the new (and old!) generations of students in plant science and ecology! I am deeply impressed. * Liesje Mommer, Professor of Plant Ecology and Nature Conservation, Wageningen University, The Netherlands *Table of ContentsPrologue Part 1: Foundations 1: Perspectives on Plant Strategies 2: A Menagerie of Plant Strategy Models 3: The Dimensionality of Plant Strategy Theory Part 2: Demography and Life History 4: Plant Demography 5: Life History Theory Applied to Plants Part 3: Comparative Functional Ecology 6: Plant Functional Traits and the Multidimensional Phenotype 7: Plant Strategies Along Resource, Disturbance, and Temperature Gradients Part 4: The Net Effect of Traits on Fitness 8: Empirical Approaches to Infer Fitness from Traits 9: Game Theoretical Approaches to Infer Fitness from Traits 10: Applying Plant Strategies in Conservation and Restoration Part 5: The Effect of Traits on Demographic Rates 11: Plant Traits That Promote Growth and Enhance Survival 12: Plant Traits That Bolster Recruitment Epilogue
£37.99
Oxford University Press Geophysical and Climate Hazards
Book SynopsisVery Short Introductions: Brilliant, Sharp, InspiringIn this Very Short Introduction Bill McGuire takes a fresh look at our sometimes perilous planet, and evaluates the causes and consequences of what used to be thought of as ''natural'' hazards through the prism of planetary heating and the continuing destabilising of our climate. Our world has always been a dangerous and deadly place, and storms, floods, earthquakes, tsunamis and volcanic blasts have taken an enormous toll on lives and livelihoods throughout recorded history and before. In the past, such events were regarded first as acts of God, or gods, and later as simply a consequence of hazardous natural phenomena that are a normal part of how our planet works. In recent decades, however, this picture has changed. Relentless global heating, arising from the 2.4 trillion tonnes of carbon dioxide pumped into the atmosphere as a result of human activities, has completely altered the ''natural'' hazard landscape. There has long been
£9.49
Oxford University Press The Fundamental Processes in Ecology
Book SynopsisThis thought-provoking book introduces a way to study ecosystems that is resonant with current thinking in the fields of earth system science, geobiology, and planetology. Instead of organizing the subject around a hierarchical series of entities (e.g. genes, individuals, populations, species, communities, and the biosphere), the book provides an alternative process-based approach and proposes a truly planetary view of ecological science. It demonstrates how the idea of fundamental ecological processes can be developed at the systems level, specifically their involvement in control and feedback mechanisms. This enables the reader to reconsider fundamental ecological processes such as energy flow, guilds, trade-offs, carbon cycling, and photosynthesis, and to put them in a global (and even planetary) context. In so doing, the book places a much stronger emphasis on microorganisms. Since publication of the first edition in 2006, ever growing societal concern about environmental sustainability has ensured that the earth system science/Gaian approach has steadily gained traction. Its integration with ecology is now more important than ever if ecological science is to effectively contribute to the massive problems and future challenges associated with global environmental change. The Fundamental Processes in Ecology is an accessible text for senior undergraduates, graduate student seminar courses, and researchers in the fields of ecology, environmental sustainability, earth system science, evolutionary biology, palaeontology, history of life, astrobiology, planetology, climatology, geology, and physical geography.Table of ContentsPreface Part I: Introduction 1: Introducing the Thought Experiment Part II: The Fundamental Processes 2: Energy Flow 3: Multiple Guilds 4: Trade-offs and Biodiversity 5: Dispersal 6: Ecological Hypercycles: Covering a Planet with Life 7: Merging of Organismal and Ecological Physiology 8: Photosynthesis 9: Carbon Sequestration Part III: Emerging Systems 10: Nutrient Cycling as an Emergent Property 11: Historical Contingency and the Development of Planetary Ecosystems 12: From Processes to Systems
£36.09
Oxford University Press Guide to the Birds of China
Book SynopsisChina covers about 7% of the earth''s land surface and encompasses a hugely diverse range of habitats. As a result, it boasts a rich and diverse avifauna, including some of the most spectacular and fascinating birds to be found anywhere in the world. Building on the enormous popularity and reputation of the original A Field Guide to the Birds of China (2000), John MacKinnon''s fully updated and refreshed work remains a truly comprehensive, taxonomically modern, fully illustrated, and authoritative field guide. 1484 bird species are richly illustrated in 164 annotated colour plates, which are closely integrated with up-to-date colour distribution maps, QR codes providing easy access to birdcalls, IUCN Red List status indicators and new, concise descriptions. These descriptions feature key observations as well as conveying crucial changes to species distributions resulting from climate change and landscape transformation. Guide to the Birds of China will appeal to an international and grTrade Reviewuide to the Birds of China will appeal to an international and growing audience of professional and amateur ornithologists and birding enthusiasts, academic researchers and students, wildlife photographers, and conservationists ... Currently the best available English language guide to the birds of China. * Ian Paulsen, THE BIRDBOOKER REPORT *Table of ContentsPreface Acknowledgements Introduction to the Region A Brief History of Ornithology in China Practical Tips for Birdwatching Anatomy and Plumage of a Bird Glossary of Terms Used Species Descriptions, Maps and Plates Non-Passerines Passerines Appendices Additional Birds Selected Bibliography
£44.99
Oxford University Press Competition Theory in Ecology Oxford Series in
Book SynopsisThis novel textbook addresses the shortcomings of current competition theory and suggests a more useful approach that can provide a basis for future models that have far greater predictive ability in both ecology and evolution.Trade ReviewThis book offers readers a compelling introduction to these complexities. * Mark A. McPeek, Biological Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire, The Quarterly Review of Biology *
£39.42
Oxford University Press Oxford Monographs on Geology and Geophysics
Book SynopsisWith significant advances in the field of atmospheric radiation and remote sensing in recent years, the need for an up-to-date treatment of radiation and cloud physics has become evident. This monograph addresses these advances, focusing on the physical principles and approximations required to develop specific subjects. In addition to its scientific value, the information presented here is essential for the development of better weather prediction models for medium- and long-range forecasting. It is also critical for achieving accurate retrieval of temperature and humidity profiles from satellite measurements, since new techniques for monitoring global biogeochemical changes rely on radiation theory and a precise knowledge of clouds and their role in radiative transfer.Trade Review'The author is an expert in the field of cloud-radiation interaction. His book presents basic material in a clear and interesting manner, mentioning very recent publications - essential in such a rapidly developing field. The author has also not been afraid to note areas where understanding is incomplete ... and the book is destined to become a classic reference in the subject.' Times Higher Education Supplement'This volume of substance is clearly written and would be useful for postgraduate courses.' M.J. Rycroft, Cranfield Institute of Technology, Journal of Atmospheric and Terrestrial Physics'The material is topical but, despite its importance, few books cover the same area ... The author is an expert in the field fo cloud-radiation interaction. His book presents basic material in a clear and interesting manner ... the book is destined to become a classic reference in the subject.' Peter Jonas, Times Higher Educ Supplement, 16 April 1993 d'This book discusses the significant advances in the field of atmospheric radiation and remot sensing in the past 20 years.' Bulletin of the AMSTable of ContentsIntroduction; Theory and parameterization of thermal infrared radiative transfer; Theory and parameterization of solar radiation transfer; Theory, observation and modeling of cloud processes in the atmosphere; Radiative transfer in clouds; Atmospheres in radiative and thermal equilibrium; The role of radiation and cloud processes in atmospheric models; Appendices: Physical constants; Standard atmospheric profiles; Complex refractive indices of water and ice.
£133.00
Oxford University Press, USA Atmospheric Boundary Layer Flows
Book SynopsisBoundary layer meteorology is the study of the physical processes that take place in the layer of air that is most influenced by the earth''s underlying surface. This text gives an uncomplicated view of the structure of the boundary layer, the instruments available for measuring its mean and turbulent properties, how best to make the measurements, and ways to process and analyse the data. The main applications of the book are in atmospheric modelling, wind engineering, air pollution, and agricultural meteorology. The authors have pioneered research on atmospheric turbulence and flow, and are noted for their contributions to the study of the boundary layer. This important work will interest atmospheric scientists, meteorologists, and students and faculty in these fields.Trade Review'Chandram Kaimal has an impressive background in measuring the structure of the atmospheric boundary layer ... John Finnigan also brings a wealth of experience in measuring atmospheric boundary-layer flow. This ia a practically oriented book designed with the experimentalist in mind. It is well written and gives a valuable overview of the structure of the ABL. I highly recommend it.' Dale Hess, Australian Meteorological Magazine 43:2 June 1994... this book provides a clear, broad overview of the subject, with an emphasis on empirical and experimental aspects. The analysis of ABL data is not trivial, and a comprehensive discussion of the topic is very valuable. The approach adopted by Kaimal and Finningan is very accessible and should act as a useful introduction to many topics within ABL research. Because of its breadth of practical descriptions and guidance for ABL researchers, this book is a valuable addition to the resources available to ABL scientists and research students. * Journal of Atmospheric and Terrestiral Physics *Table of Contents1. Flow over flat uniform terrain ; 2. Spectra and cospectra over flat uniform terrain ; 3. Flow over plant canopies ; 4. Flow over changing terrain ; 5. Flow over hills ; 6. Sensors and techniques for observing the boundary layer ; 7. Acquisition and processing of boundary layer data ; Index
£152.00
Oxford University Press Atmospheric Convection
Book SynopsisAtmospheric Convection is a scientifically rigorous description of the multitude of convective circulations in the Earth''s atmosphere. The book introduces the student to three principal techniques used in understanding and predicting convective motion: theory, field experiment, and numerical modelling. Each chapter is followed by a set of exercises designed to test the understanding of the phenomena themselves as well as the techniques used in exploiting them. Topics covered include dry convection, Raleigh-Benard convection, the thermodynamics of moist and cloudy air, and the characteristics of individual convective clouds.Trade Review"[A]n excellent monograph by a leading atmospheric scientist...will be consulted by everyone interested in the complexities of dynamical meteorology and in the improvement of practical methods of climate and weather prediction."--Physics Today "Exceptionally interesting....Stimulating....Moist convection is not easy to characterize by models that can be analyzed analytically and yet illuminate essential physical mechanisms. The strength of this book is to blaze an intellectual trail through the field by collecting such models and presenting them and their assumptions completely and clearly enough that readers can derive and understand for themselves all essential equations and results....A major contribution that belongs on the bookshelf of any scholar of the subject. Its orientation toward conceptual models also makes it particularly useful for and accessible to researchers in areas such as climate dynamics....Makes a nice (and affordable) textbook on atmospheric convection for mathematically inclined advanced graduate students and it includes exercises of all levels of difficulty." --Christopher S. Bretherton, University of Seattle, Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society "The author...has written an excellent graduate level teaching text....If the reviewer had not inherited the book by way of reviewing, he would have gone out and bought it anyway for its contained value in shaping and forming one's avenue of approach to the subject - praise enough, indeed!--Physics in Canada "Each chapter concludes with exercises for students and the author gives as well the e-mail address from which codes useful for solving some of them are available. The clear layout of the text and the favorable selection of the illustrations should also be emphasized...Useful not only for students but for professionals as well. A valuable contribution to the library of meteorological textbooks and monographs."--Krzysztof Haman, Institute of GeophysicsTable of ContentsPART I: Dry Convection 1: General Principles 2: Convection from Local Sources 3: Global Convection: The Rayleigh-Benard Problem and Dry Convective Boundary Layers PART II: Moist Thermodynamics and Stability 4: Moist Thermodynamic Processes 5: Graphical Techniques 6: Stability PART III: Local Properties of Moist Convection 7: Observed Characteristics of Nonprecipitating Cumuli 8: Theory of Mixing in Cumulus Clouds 9: Observed Characteristics of Precipitating Convection 10: Numerical Modeling of Convective Clouds 11: Dynamics of Precipitating Convection 12: Slantwise Convection PART IV: Global Moist Convection 13: Stratocumulus and Trade-Cumulus Boundary Layers 14: Deep Convective Regimes 15: Interaction of Convection with Large-scale Flows 16: Cumulus Representations in Numerical Models
£144.50
Oxford University Press, USA Geological Methods for Archaeology
Book SynopsisThis book discusses the application of geological methods and theory to archaeology. Written as a survey text covering appropriate methods and techniques taken from geology, geophysics, geochemistry, and geochronology, it shows the student the practicality and importance of the techniques'' use in solving archaeological problems. Specific techniques are illustrated by practical results obtained from their use on archaeological digs. The geographical scope is international, drawing on sites from both hemispheres, eg the Franchti Cave (Greece), St. Catherines Island (USA), the Roman site of Drand (France), and Monte Verde (Chile). The authors also address applications in less traditional areas such as underwater, historical, industrial, and conservation archaeology.Trade Review"Herz and Garrison (p viii) state that the purpose of their book . . . is to 'show archaeologists the many ways that geological sciences can help solve their problems.' The authors divide their book into four major sections with multiple chapters in each section. Part I, 'The Archaeological Site and Its Environment,' presents a discussion of geomorphology, sediments, and soils; Part II, 'Dating Techniques,' covers chemical, radioactive, and other methods of dating; Part III, 'Site Exploration,' addresses geophysical and geochemical applications to archaeology; and Part IV, 'Artifact Analysis,' offers a discussion of the analysis of the raw materials used to manufacture artifacts and features."--Geoarchaeology "Herz and Garrison (p viii) state that the purpose of their book . . . is to 'show archaeologists the many ways that geological sciences can help solve their problems.' The authors divide their book into four major sections with multiple chapters in each section. Part I, 'The Archaeological Site and Its Environment,' presents a discussion of geomorphology, sediments, and soils; Part II, 'Dating Techniques,' covers chemical, radioactive, and other methods of dating; Part III, 'Site Exploration,' addresses geophysical and geochemical applications to archaeology; and Part IV, 'Artifact Analysis,' offers a discussion of the analysis of the raw materials used to manufacture artifacts and features."--GeoarchaeologyTable of ContentsForeword ; 1. Scope of Archaeological Geology ; 2. Geomorphology in Archaeology ; 3. Sediments and Soils ; 4. Chemical Methods ; 5. Radioactive Methods: Radioactive Decay and Age Determination ; 6. Radiation Damage, Cosmogenic and Atom Counting Techniques ; 7. Other Chronological Methods ; 8. Archaeogeophysical Exploration ; 9. Soil Phosphate in Archaeological Surveys ; 10. Archaeological Materials - Rocks and Minerals ; 11. Instrumental Analytical Techniques ; 12. Metallic Minerals and Archaeological Geology ; 13. Ceramics ; 14. Applications of Stable Isotopes in Archaeological Geology
£61.75
Oxford University Press Wealth of Nature
Book SynopsisHailed as one of the most eminent environmental historians of the West by Alan Brinkley in The New York Times Book Review, Donald Worster has been a leader in reshaping the study of American history. Winner of the prestigious Bancroft Prize for his book Dust Bowl, Worster has helped bring humanity''s interaction with nature to the forefront of historical thinking. Now, in The Wealth of Nature, he offers a series of thoughtful, eloquent essays which lay out his views on environmental history, tying the study of the past to today''s agenda for change. The Wealth of Nature captures the fruit of what Worster calls my own intellectual turning to the land. History, he writes, represents a dialogue between humanity and nature--though it is usually reported as if it were simple dictation. Worster takes as his point of departure the approach expressed early on by Aldo Leopold, who stresses the importance of nature in determining human history; Leopold pointed out that the spread of bluegrass inTrade Reviewan eloquent study of nature, humanity, values, and history ... passionate ... extraordinary reading * Ecology Review *
£17.99
Oxford University Press, USA Tropical Forest Ecology A View from Barro Colorado Island
Book SynopsisSynoptic comparison of tropical forests, based on a detailed understanding of one particular tropical forest, Barro Colorado Island. Covers various aspects of tropical forest biology including natural history, tree architecture and forest physiognomy, ecosystem dynamics, community ecology, niche differentiation and species diversity.Trade Review"Throughout this book the imprint of Egbert Leigh's keen intellect is apparent. He has pulled together an incredible mass of information both from his own observations from forests throughout the world but also from a summary of the works of others. Each chapter has very extensive list of references. When needed, Leigh summarizes natural law in the form of mathematical equations and while these may be beyond the comprehension of some readers, the book also is written in a style that is fun to read. Subjects are treated thoroughly and in an interesting manner; despite the wealth of information in each chapter the progression of subjects makes sense and is easy to follow. While the book uses Barro Colorado Island as a sounding board the information in this book is pertinent to tropical forests everywhere. The book should be mandatory reading for any student of ecology or biology."--Plant Systematics and Evolution "This book introduces rain forests and their ecological organization, using the tropical rain forest on Barro Colorado Island, Panama as a representative. Three essential questions addressed in the book are: How do tropical forests stay green with so many herbivores? Why do tropic forests have such diverse flora and fauna? And what role does mutualism play in rain forest ecology? . . . The text is illustrated with figures and tables. This book should be of interest to scientists in the fields of tropical biology, ecology, botany, zoology, evolution, and natural history."--Biological Abstracts/RRM® "Leigh has produced a wonderful synthesis of our understanding of tropical forests, one that should attract a wide audience. . .I greatly appreciated that much of the mathematical details were left for appendicies after each chapter. I look forward to further editions of thisbook as our knowledge of the tropical forests of the world continues to grow--at least as long as there are any tropical forests left to study."--Ecology "Focusing on the climate, structure, and productivity of this well-studied Panamanian rainforest, Leigh discusses three critical issues: why tropical forests are green despite their abundant herbivores, why forests are so diverse, and the importance of mutualistic interactions in the forsts' ecology/"--Science "Throughout this book the imprint of Egbert Leigh's keen intellect is apparent. He has pulled together an incredible mass of information both from his own observations from forests throughout the world but also from a summary of the works of others. Each chapter has very extensive list of references. When needed, Leigh summarizes natural law in the form of mathematical equations and while these may be beyond the comprehension of some readers, the book also is written in a style that is fun to read. Subjects are treated thoroughly and in an interesting manner; despite the wealth of information in each chapter the progression of subjects makes sense and is easy to follow. While the book uses Barro Colorado Island as a sounding board the information in this book is pertinent to tropical forests everywhere. The book should be mandatory reading for any student of ecology or biology."--Plant Systematics and Evolution "This book introduces rain forests and their ecological organization, using the tropical rain forest on Barro Colorado Island, Panama as a representative. Three essential questions addressed in the book are: How do tropical forests stay green with so many herbivores? Why do tropic forests have such diverse flora and fauna? And what role does mutualism play in rain forest ecology? . . . The text is illustrated with figures and tables. This book should be of interest to scientists in the fields of tropical biology, ecology, botany, zoology, evolution, and natural history."--Biological Abstracts/RRM® "Leigh has produced a wonderful synthesis of our understanding of tropical forests, one that should attract a wide audience. . .I greatly appreciated that much of the mathematical details were left for appendicies after each chapter. I look forward to further editions of thisbook as our knowledge of the tropical forests of the world continues to grow--at least as long as there are any tropical forests left to study."--Ecology "Focusing on the climate, structure, and productivity of this well-studied Panamanian rainforest, Leigh discusses three critical issues: why tropical forests are green despite their abundant herbivores, why forests are so diverse, and the importance of mutualistic interactions in the forsts' ecology/"--ScienceTable of ContentsIntroduction ; 1. Barro Colorado Island: The Background ; 2. Dramatis Personae ; 3. Tropical Climates ; 4. Runoff, Erosion, and Soil ; 5. Telling the Trees from the Forest: Tree Shape and Leaf Arrangement ; 6. Biomass and Productivity of Tropical Forest ; 7. The Seasonal Rhythms of Fruiting and Leaf Flush, and the Regulation of Animal Populations ; 8. Tropical Diversity ; 9. The Role of Mutualism in Tropical Forest ; 10. The Rainforest Endangered
£121.50
Oxford University Press Atmospheric Radiation
Book SynopsisEarth, like the other inner planets, receives virtually all of its energy from space in the form of solar electromagnetic radiation. The Earth''s total heat content does not vary significantly with time, indicating a close overall balance between absorbed solar radiation and the diffuse stream of low-temperature, thermal radiation emitted by the plant. This book, a reprint of the second edition of Goody''s classic work, is concerned with the interaction of solar electromagnetic energy with planetary atmospheres, the subsequent redistribution of this energy, and its ultimate return to space as terrestrial thermal radiation.Trade ReviewI have always regarded the original first edition of this book by Richard Goody as being the definitive reference text on atmospheric radiative transfer. This new edition provides a welcome update to the original 1964 text which, after 33 years, benefits from the inclusion of more recent developments both in the remote-sensing field and in measurements of atmospheric constituents ... this new edition is much more than just a cosmetic updating of the old edition. The structure of the book has been modified to include new topics and many of the figures are new. This makes its purchase clearly justifiable not only for those who do not have the original edition, but also for those who do. For anyone with more than a superficial interest in atmospheric radiation, this book is mandatory reading, to gain an insight into the physical processes involved. * R.W. Sauders, Royal Meteorological Society *This is the book I actually used the most in my career to understand what I was trying to do with infrared instruments to study the atmospheres of the Earth and planets from spacecraft ... 'Goody' is still the Bible * Astronomy Now *Table of ContentsIntroduction ; 1. Theory of Radiative Transfer ; 2. Vibration-Rotation Spectra of Gaseous Molecules ; 3. Band Models ; 4. Absorption by Atmospheric Gases ; 5. Radiation Calculations in a Clear Atmosphere ; 6. Extinction by Molecules and Droplets ; 7. Radiative Transfer in a Scattering Atmosphere ; 8. Atmospheres in Radiative Equilibrium ; 9. Evolution of a Thermal Disturbance ; Appendix 1: Physical constants ; Appendix 2: Spectroscopic units ; Appendix 3: A model atmosphere ; Appendix 4: Properties of water vapor ; Appendix 5: The Planck function ; Appendix 6: The exponential integrals ; Appendix 7: The Ladenburg and Reiche function ; Appendix 8: The Elsasser function ; Appendix 9: The physical state of the sun
£126.00
