ALBERT

Note: Contents Preface to the fourth edition Contributors Editor's acknowledgements Acknowledgements Part I: The role of physical geography 1 Approaching physical geography 1.1 Introduction 1.2 Historical development of physical geography 1.2.1 Physical geography before 1800 1.2.2 Physical geography between 1800 and 1950 1.2.3 Physical geography since 1950 1.3 Scientific methods 1.3.1 The positivist method 1.3.2 Critique of the positivist method 1.3.3 Realism as an alternative positivist approach 1.3.4 Benefits of multiple scientific methods in physical geography 1.4 The field, the laboratory and the model 1.4.1 Approaching data collection from the environment 1.4.2 Approaching laboratory work 1.4.3 Approaching numerical modelling 1.5 Using physical geography for managing the environment 1.6 Summary Further reading Part II: Continents and oceans 2 Earth geology and tectonics 2.1 Introduction 2.2 The Earth's structure 2.2.1 The interior of the Earth 2.2.2 The outer layers of the Earth 2.3 Rock type and formation 2.3.1 Igneous rock 2.3.2 Sedimentary rock 2.3.3 Metamorphic rock 2.3.4 The rock cycle 2.4 History of plate tectonics 2.4.1 Early ideas of global tectonics 2.4.2 Evidence that led directly to plate tectonic theory 2.5 The theory of plate tectonics 2.5.1 Lithospheric plates 2.5.2 Rates of plate movement 2.6 Structural features related directly to motion of the plates 2.6.1 Divergent plate boundaries 2.6.2 Transform faults 2.6.3 Convergent plate boundaries 2.6.4 Hot spots 2.7 The history of the continents 2.8 Summary Further reading 3 Oceans 3.1 Introduction 3.2 The ocean basins 3.2.1 The scale of the oceans 3.2.2 Geological structure of the ocean basins 3.2.3 The depth and shape of the ocean basins 3.3 Physical properties of the ocean 3.3.1 Salinity 3.3.2 Temperature structure of the oceans 3.4 Ocean circulation 3.4.1 Surface currents 3.4.2 The deep currents of the oceans 3.4.3 The weather of the ocean 3.5 Sediments in the ocean 3.6 Biological productivity 3.6.1 Photosynthesis in the ocean 3.6.2 Importance of nutrient supply to primary productivity 3.6.3 Animals of the sea 3.6.4 Pollution 3.7 Effect of global climate change on the oceans 3.8 Summary Further reading Part III: Past, present and future climate and weather 4 The Pleistocene 4.1 Introduction 4.2 Long-term cycles, astronomical forcing and feedback mechanisms 4.2.1 Orbital forcing theory 4.2.2 Evidence that orbital forcing causes climate change 4.2.3 Problems with orbital forcing theory 4.2.4 Internal feedback mechanisms 4.3 Short-term cycles 4.3.1 Glacial instability 4.3.2 The Younger Dryas 4.4 Further evidence for environmental change 4.4.1 Landforms 4.4.2 Plants 4.4.3 Insects 4.4.4 Other animal remains 4.5 Dating methods 4.5.1 Age estimation techniques 4.5.2 Age equivalent labels 4.5.3 Relative chronology 4.6 Pleistocene stratigraphy and correlation 4.7 Palaeodimate modelling 4.8 Summary Further reading 5 The Holocene 5.1 Introduction 5.2 Holocene climatic change 5.2.1 How the Holocene began 5.2.2 Drivers of climate change during the Holocene 5.2.3 The Little Ice Age 5.3 Holocene geomorphological change 5.3.1 Retreating ice sheets 5.3.2 Rising seas 5.4 Holocene ecosystem change 5.4.1 Responses of ecosystems to the end of the last glacial 5.4.2 Tropical Africa and the Sahara 5.4.3 European ecosystems 5.4.4 Island ecosystems 5.5 The rise of civilizations 5.5.1 Humans at the end of the last glacial 5.5.2 The beginnings of agriculture 5.5.3 Social and environmental consequences of agriculture 5.6 Human interaction with physical geography 5.6.1 Out of Eden? 5.6.2 Deforestation 5.6.3 Soil erosion and impoverishment 5.6.4 Irrigation and drainage 5.7 Summary Further reading 6 Atmospheric processes 6.1 Introduction 6.2 The basics of climate 6.3 The global atmospheric circulation 6.4 Radiative and energy systems 6.4.1 The nature of energy 6.4.2 Distinguishing between temperature and heat 6.4.3 Radiation 6.4.4 Thermal inertia 6.4.5 The atmospheric energy balance 6.5 Moisture circulation systems 6.5.1 Moisture in the atmosphere and the hydrological cycle 6.5.2 Global distribution of precipitation and evaporation 6.5.3 The influence of vegetation on evaporation 6.5.4 Drought 6.6 Motion in the atmosphere 6.6.1 Convective overturning 6.6.2 The Earth's rotation and the winds 6.6.3 Long waves. Planetary Waves and Rossby Waves 6.6.4 Jet streams 6.7 The influence of oceans and ice on atmospheric processes 6.8 The Walker circulation 6.8.1 El Niño Southern Oscillation 6.8.2 North Atlantic Oscillation 6.9 Interactions between radiation, atmospheric trace gases and clouds 6.9.1 The greenhouse effect 6.9.2 A simple climate model of the enhanced greenhouse effect 6.9.3 Radiative interactions with clouds and sulfate aerosols 6.10 Ceoengineering 6.11 Summary Further reading 7 Contemporary climate change 7.1 Introduction 7.2 Climate change 7.2.1 Long-term change 7.2.2 Recent climate change and its causes 7.2.3 Predictions from global climate models (GCMs) 7.2.4 Critical evaluation of the state-of-the-art in GCMs 7.3 The carbon cycle: interaction with the climate system 7.4 Mitigation 7.5 Destruction of the ozone layer by chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) 7.6 The future 7.7 Summary Further reading 8 Global climate and weather 8.1 Introduction 8.2 General controls of global climates 8.3 The tropics and subtropics 8.3.1 Equatorial regions 8.3.2 The Sahel and desert margins 8.3.3 Subtropical deserts 8.3.4 Humid subtropics 8.4 Mid and high-latitude climates 8.4.1 Depressions, fronts and anticyclones 8.4.2 Mid-latitude western continental margins 8.4.3 Mid-latitude east continental margins and continental interiors 8.5 Polar climates 8.6 A global overview 8.7 Summary Further reading 9 Regional and local climates 9.1 Introduction 9.2 Altitude and topography 9.2.1 Pressure 9.2.2 Temperature 9.2.3 Wind 9.2.4 Precipitation 9.2.5 Frost hollows 9.3 Influence of water bodies 9.4 Human influences 9.4.1 Shelter belts 9.4.2 Urban climates 9.4.3 Atmospheric pollution and haze 9.5 Summary Further reading Part IV: Biogeography and ecology 10 The biosphere 10.1 Introduction 10.2 Biological concepts 10.2.1 What is a species? 10.2.2 The naming of species 10.2.3 Levels of organization 10.2.4 Biodiversity 10.3 Patterns of distribution 10.3.1 Potential species distributions 10.3.2 Actual species distributions 10.3.3 Spatial patterns in biodiversity 10.4 Terrestrial biomes 10.4.1 Equatorial and tropical forests 10.4.2 Savanna 10.4.3 Hot Desert 10.4.4 Mediterranean-type biome 10.4.5 Temperate grassland 10.4.6 Temperate broadleaf forest 10.4.7 Taiga 10.4.8 Tundra 10.5 Aquatic biomes 10.5.1 Marine regions 10.5.2 Freshwater regions 10.6 Summary Further reading 11 Ecosystem processes 11.1 Introduction 11.2 The flow of energy and resources 11.2.1 Energy entering an ecosystem 11.2.2 Ecological thermodynamics 11.2.3 Trophic levels and food webs 11.2.4 Biogeochemical cycles 11.3 Biotic interactions 11.3.1 Mutualism 11.3.2 Herbivory, prédation and parasitism 11.3.3 Commensalism 11.3.4 Amensalism 11.3.5 Competition 11.4 Temporal change in ecosystems 11.4.1 Short-term changes 11.4.2 Disturbance and resilience 11.4.3 Succession 11.5 Human impact 11.5.1 Degrading ecosystems 11.5.2 Urban ecology 11.5.3 Conservation 11.6 Summary Further reading 12 Freshwater ecosystems 12.1 Introduction 12.2 Running waters: rivers and streams 12.2.1 River ecosystem geomorphological units 12.2.2 Spatial variability of river ecosystems 12.2.3 Temporal variability of river ecosystems 12.2.4 Human alterations to river ecosystems 12.3 Still waters: lakes and ponds 12.3.1 Classification of lake ecosystems 12.3.2 Spatial variability of lake ecosystems 12.3.3 Human influences on lake ecosystems 12.4 Summary Further reading 13 Vegetation and env