A systematic analysis of landforms of the late Cenzoic Era that fully covers the constructional processes of tectonism and volcanism and the erosional processes of weathering, flurial erosion, glaciers, winds, and waves. It explains each set of processes and the resulting landforms in a separate chapter to provide a comprehensive, nonmathematical overview of the subject. Coverage of rock weathering includes more discussion of soils, soil formation, and soils chronosequences, which tell about the evolution of the present landscape. A chapter on The Last Glacial-Interglacial Cycle,¿ stresses the intensity of change during and since the last ice age when human civilization has risen, and appeals to readers to understand change as a normal factor of life on Earth.
This extensively revised, restructured, and updated edition continues to present an engaging and comprehensive introduction to the subject, exploring the world’s landforms from a broad systems perspective. It covers the basics of Earth surface forms and processes, while reflecting on the latest developments in the field. Fundamentals of Geomorphology begins with a consideration of the nature of geomorphology, process and form, history, and geomorphic systems, and moves on to discuss: structure: structural landforms associated with plate tectonics and those associated with volcanoes, impact craters, and folds, faults, and joints process and form: landforms resulting from, or influenced by, the exogenic agencies of weathering, running water, flowing ice and meltwater, ground ice and frost, the wind, and the sea; landforms developed on limestone; and landscape evolution, a discussion of ancient landforms, including palaeosurfaces, stagnant landscape features, and evolutionary aspects of landscape change. This third edition has been fully updated to include a clearer initial explanation of the nature of geomorphology, of land surface process and form, and of land-surface change over different timescales. The text has been restructured to incorporate information on geomorphic materials and processes at more suitable points in the book. Finally, historical geomorphology has been integrated throughout the text to reflect the importance of history in all aspects of geomorphology. Fundamentals of Geomorphology provides a stimulating and innovative perspective on the key topics and debates within the field of geomorphology. Written in an accessible and lively manner, it includes guides to further reading, chapter summaries, and an extensive glossary of key terms. The book is also illustrated throughout with over 200 informative diagrams and attractive photographs, all in colour.
The surface features of the Earth are commonly split into two cate gories, the first of which comprises those features that are due to processes occurring inside the solid Earth (endogenetic features) and the second those that are due to processes occurring outside the solid Earth (exogenetic features). Specifically, the endogenetic features are treated in the science of geodynamics, the exogenetic features in the science of geomorphology. I have treated the theoretical aspects of the endogenetic features in my "Principles of Geodynamics", and it is my aim to supplement my earlier book with a discussion of the theory of the exogenetic features. It is my hope that the two books will together present a reasonably coherent, if necessarily incomplete, account of theoretical geology. Contrary to endogenetic phenomena, exogenetic processes can often be directly observed as they occur: the action of a river, the development of a slope and the evolution of a shore platform are all sufficiently rapid so that they can be seen as they take place. This has the result that in geomorphology one is generally on much less speculative ground regard ing the mechanics of the processes at work than one is in geodynamics.
Now in a fourth edition, this standard student reference has been totally revised and updated. It remains the definitive introduction to the history, philosophy, and methodology of human geography; now including a detailed explanation of key ideas in human geography's post-modernist and post-structuralist 'turns'. The book is organized into six sections: What is Geography?: an introduction to the discipline, and a discussion of its organization and basic research approaches, informed by the question 'what difference does it make to think geographically?' Foundations of Geography: an examination of geography from Antiquity to the 1950s, with a special focus on human/environment relation. Geography 1950-1980: a critical review of the development of geography as a spatial science. Paradigms and Revolutions: an analysis of paradigm shifts in geography, introducing students to key debates in the philosophy of science. Positivism and its Critics: a detailed discussion of positivism, critical theory, humanistic geography, behavioural geography, and structuralism. New Trends and Ideas developing critical responses: structuration theory, realism, post-structuralism, post-modernism, feminism and actor-network theory. This text explores complex ideas in an intelligible and accessible style. Illustrated throughout with research examples and explanations in text boxes, questions for discussion at the end of each chapter and a concept glossary, this is the essential student companion to the discipline.
The changing focus and approach of geomorphic research suggests that the time is opportune for a summary of the state of discipline. The number of peer-reviewed papers published in geomorphic journals has grown steadily for more than two decades and, more importantly, the diversity of authors with respect to geographic location and disciplinary background (geography, geology, ecology, civil engineering, computer science, geographic information science, and others) has expanded dramatically. As more good minds are drawn to geomorphology, and the breadth of the peer-reviewed literature grows, an effective summary of contemporary geomorphic knowledge becomes increasingly difficult. The fourteen volumes of this Treatise on Geomorphology will provide an important reference for users from undergraduate students looking for term paper topics, to graduate students starting a literature review for their thesis work, and professionals seeking a concise summary of a particular topic. Information on the historical development of diverse topics within geomorphology provides context for ongoing research; discussion of research strategies, equipment, and field methods, laboratory experiments, and numerical simulations reflect the multiple approaches to understanding Earth’s surfaces; and summaries of outstanding research questions highlight future challenges and suggest productive new avenues for research. Our future ability to adapt to geomorphic changes in the critical zone very much hinges upon how well landform scientists comprehend the dynamics of Earth’s diverse surfaces. This Treatise on Geomorphology provides a useful synthesis of the state of the discipline, as well as highlighting productive research directions, that Educators and students/researchers will find useful. Geomorphology has advanced greatly in the last 10 years to become a very interdisciplinary field. Undergraduate students looking for term paper topics, to graduate students starting a literature review for their thesis work, and professionals seeking a concise summary of a particular topic will find the answers they need in this broad reference work which has been designed and written to accommodate their diverse backgrounds and levels of understanding Editor-in-Chief, Prof. J. F. Shroder of the University of Nebraska at Omaha, is past president of the QG&G section of the Geological Society of America and present Trustee of the GSA Foundation, while being well respected in the geomorphology research community and having won numerous awards in the field. A host of noted international geomorphologists have contributed state-of-the-art chapters to the work. Readers can be guaranteed that every chapter in this extensive work has been critically reviewed for consistency and accuracy by the World expert Volume Editors and by the Editor-in-Chief himself No other reference work exists in the area of Geomorphology that offers the breadth and depth of information contained in this 14-volume masterpiece. From the foundations and history of geomorphology through to geomorphological innovations and computer modelling, and the past and future states of landform science, no "stone" has been left unturned!
"Geography for students of the International Baccalaureate Diploma, New South Wales Higher School Certificate, and other senior secondary geography courses with a contemporary global focus" -- back cover.
The Book Is Meant For Graduate And Post Graduate Students In India. Gives Basic Knowledge About The Subject And Interacts Between Physical Environment And Human Activities. 16 Chapters, Glossary Etc.
The new fourth edition of Fundamentals of Geomorphology continues to provide a comprehensive introduction to the subject by discussing the latest developments in the field, as well as covering the basics of Earth surface forms and processes. The revised edition has an improved logically cohesive structure, added recent material on Quaternary environments and landscapes, landscape evolution and tectonics, as well as updated information in fast-changing areas such as the application of dating techniques, digital terrain modelling, historical contingency, preglacial landforms, neocatastrophism, and biogeomorphology. The book begins with a consideration of the nature of geomorphology, process and form, history, and geomorphic systems, and moves on to discuss: Endogenic processes: structural landforms associated with plate tectonics and those associated with volcanoes, impact craters, and folds, faults, and joints. Exogenic processes: landforms resulting from, or influenced by, the exogenic agencies of weathering, running water, flowing ice and meltwater, ground ice and frost, the wind, and the sea; landforms developed on limestone; and long-term geomorphology, a discussion of ancient landforms, including palaeosurfaces, stagnant landscape features, and evolutionary aspects of landscape change. Featuring over 400 illustrations, diagrams, and tables, Fundamentals of Geomorphology provides a stimulating and innovative perspective on the key topics and debates within the field of geomorphology. Written in an accessible and lively manner, and providing guides to further reading, chapter summaries, and an extensive glossary of key terms, this is an indispensable undergraduate level textbook for students of physical geography.
