Biogeography and Ecology of New Guinea
Biogeography and Ecology of New Guinea

Author: J.L. Gressit

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2012-12-06

Total Pages: 962

ISBN-13: 9400986327

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

J. L. Gressitt New Guinea is a fantastic island, unique and fascinating. It is an area of incredible variety of geomorphology, biota, peoples, languages, history, tradi tions and cultures. Diversity is its prime characteristic, whatever the subject of interest. To a biogeographer it is tantalizing, as well as confusing or frustrating when trying to determine the history of its biota. To an ecologist, and to all biologists, it is a happy hunting ground of endless surprises and unanswered questions. To a conservationist it is like a dream come true, a "flash-back" of a few centuries, as well as a challenge for the future. New Guinea is so special that it is hard to compare it with other islands or tropical areas. It is something apart, with its very complicated history (chapters I: 2-4, II: 1-4, III: I, VI: I, 2). It is partly old but to a great extent very young, yet extremely rich and complex. It has biota of different sources - to such a degree that it is still disputed in this volume as to what Realm it belongs to: the Paleotropical or Notogaean (Australian); or what Region: Oriental, "Oceanic," Papuan or Australian. The terms Papuasian, Indo-Australian and Australasian also have been applied to the area.

Geomorphology of the Tropics
Geomorphology of the Tropics

Author: Alfred Wirthmann

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2013-04-17

Total Pages: 328

ISBN-13: 3662118343

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Geomorphological research in the humid to seasonal tropics has primarily concentrated on the most characteristic landform assemblage of this zone, namely that of stepped, largely undissected etchplains, often dotted with inselbergs and cutting across ancient basement rocks. Although the author discusses extensively this subject, he puts particular emphasis on the differences of chemical weathering and land-forming processes on rocks of various lithology and structure. This contrast becomes most evident, when comparing the highly resistant quartzitic sediments often covering the basement rocks with the easily weathered volcanics, e.g. the Deccan traps of India. The book was first published in German in 1987. However, the present version is much more than a translation, encompassing a range of new ideas and findings in the field of tropical geomorphology. The number of maps and illustrations has also been increased.

World Geomorphology
World Geomorphology

Author: E. M. Bridges

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Published: 1990-11-30

Total Pages: 276

ISBN-13: 9780521289658

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Large scale relief features of the earth are emphasized to reveal how they are related to the major segments of the earth's crusts, known as lithospheric plates.

The Purari — tropical environment of a high rainfall river basin
The Purari — tropical environment of a high rainfall river basin

Author: T. Petr

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2012-12-06

Total Pages: 624

ISBN-13: 9400972636

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

One of the major river systems of our country, the Purari River, finds its outlet to the sea in the Gulf of Papua on the southern coast of Papua New Guinea. All highlands provinces contribute to this mighty river: the Erave of the Southern Highlands Province joins with the Kaugel and Wahgi Rivers (Western High lands), the Tua River (Simbu), and Asaro and Aure Rivers of the Eastern High lands Province to make the Purari the third largest river in P. N. G. Unlike its rivals, the Fly and the Sepik, the distance between its escape from the mountains and its entrance to the sea is short. After winding its way mostly through deep gorges flanked by high mountains, the river leaves the foothills of the southern slopes of the central cordillera barely eighty kilometers from the sea. The energy potential of such a river is enormous. Could the waters be utilised in any way to the advantage of the nation? Twelve years ago the Electricity Com mission of Papua New Guinea proposed an answer to this question: the building of a dam across the river in the Wabo area of the Gulf Province. The generation of vast quantities of hydro-electric power could be fed into a national distribu tion grid and heavy industries could be established in the Gulf Province and other suitable localities to benefit from this power.