Geography and Environmental Sciences

Rather than present students with a broad, novice-level introduction to geography, emphasizing places and vocabulary terms, this text approaches geography as experts understand the discipline, focusing on connections and an in-depth understanding of core themes. This thematic approach, informed by pedagogical research, provides students with an introduction to thinking geographically. Instead of repeating the same several themes each chapter, this text emphasizes depth over breadth by arranging each chapter around a central theme and then exploring that theme in detail as it applies to the particular region. In addition, while chapters are designed to stand alone and be rearranged or eliminated at the instructor's discretion, the theme of globalization and inequality unites all of the regions discussed. This core focus enables students to draw connections between regions and to better understand the interconnectedness of our world. Furthermore, the focus on both globalization and inequality helps demonstrate the real-world application of the concepts discussed.

World Regional Geography: A Short Introduction is a compact, focused, and affordable book that provides foundational materials with an emphasis on contemporary issues. The crisp text introduces students to the character of world regional geography - the distinctiveness of different parts of the world - but also the linkages and connections. Part One sets the scene: one introductory chapter discusses the opportunities and dangers in using maps, data, and different scales of analysis, while another surveys broad global trends. The second part of the book explores these trends in sharper focus in a concise geography of the major regions of the world: Central America and the Caribbean, South America, Europe, Russia and its neighbors, East Asia, South East Asia, South Asia, Middle East and North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa, Australia and Oceania, and North America. Each chapter examines a region's environmental context, historical geography, economic transformation, urban and rural trends, social geography and geopolitics. Three features distinguish each regional chapter:· Focus spotlights a unique area within each region· Connections highlights a regional attribute that connects it to other regions· Subregions illustrates the diversity within each regionThis full-color text--featuring meticulously-crafted original maps--is ideal for instructors who prefer the versatility of a concise book with the advantage of a compelling text.

Geography is a diverse discipline that has some sort of connection to most every other academic discipline. This connection is the spatial perspective, which essentially means if a phenomenon can be mapped, it has some kind of relationship to geography. Studying the entire world is a fascinating subject, and geographical knowledge is fundamental to a competent understanding of our world. In this chapter, you will learn what geography is as well as some of the fundamental concepts that underpin the discipline. These fundamental terms and concepts will be interwoven throughout the text, so a sound understanding of these topics is critical as you delve deeper into the chapters that follow.

Fundamentals of Human Geography is a college-level digital textbook aimed at introducing undergraduate students to the field of human and cultural geography. This digital textbook was initially conceived as an interactive supplemental guide for an open-source textbook on Human Geography (Introduction to Human Geography ). However, as more materials were added to this digital textbook, it slowly evolved into a standalone textbook on Human Geography which can be used by itself or as a supplemental guide. Be sure to explore all of the interactive content in each chapter and read the captions carefully, as a number of critical concepts are introduced in the interactive content. Be sure to also review the FAQ section for answers to commonly asked questions about technical aspects of this textbook.

Physical Geography is a comprehensive book covering not only the traditional components of the discipline - geomorphology, oceanography and climatology - but also environment and ecology. The book targets the students pursuing graduate and post graduate courses of various Indian universities. As Geography is a popular subject opted by aspirants to central and state civil services, care has been taken to include the subject matter relevant to such public examinations.

Geography science aims to observe the dynamics in describing earth's surface as a place and space for humans to carry out their lives, starting from simple identification using recording and sketching models, then utilizing tools such as maps, satellite imagery, statistics and Geographic Information Systems (GIS). In the development of geography science, it is appropriate to explain phenomena of the earth in the present context along with the process of developing science and technology using suitable and effective methods. Physical geography is the branch of natural science that deals with the study of processes and patterns in the natural environment such as the atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere and biosphere. This book covers the methodology of the study for all aspects of physical geography, biosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere, and atmosphere. A comprehensive geography textbook consists of a detailed research methodology for physical geography research including a few selected case studies in Asia. The uniqueness of this book is due to the contribution of several professors and subject experts from South East and East Asia with special particular reference to cases studies from a particular region. This book covered selected methodological approaches for hydrology, climatology and geomorphology including the discovery of the best method for exploring and assessing mysterious physical phenomena using a diversity of methodologies. This book explains the principal concept, basic method, optional method, detailed description of each method, and the advantages and disadvantages of the various methods.

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) play a pivotal role in the field of urban planning and management and provide better solutions for numerous urban problems. With GIS, one has the ability to better understand existing requirements of a city and its design to fulfill those needs. This book contributes to developing scientific knowledge based on geospatial technologies among planners, researchers, scientists, professionals, students, and laymen and providing them with better understanding for urban planning and management at various levels. The book manifests the importance of GIS in better understanding of current urban challenges and provides new insights on how to apply GIS in urban planning. It also encourages the various stakeholders of society to participate in the decision-making process and assists planners and authorities to formulate suitable plans for sustainable urban growth of a region. The book is divided into two parts. The first part describes thefundamental concepts of GIS and also deals with the advanced techniques of spatial planning. The second part addresses real-world case studies using various applications of GIS. The case studies include urban land-use changes, simulation of future urban growth, urban heat island, alternate landfill site selection and urban flood susceptibility mapping, among others. This book shows how to integrate GIS with remote sensing, geostatistics, artificial intelligence-machine learning techniques, and other cutting-edge technologies. Readers find this book to be an invaluable resource for understanding and solving problems relating to sustainable urban planning and management.

The study of landforms is becoming increasingly scientific. This book, first published in 1971, attempts to do justice to the work done in the last few decades, but strives to avoid a too uncritical acceptance of contemporary trends. The author first examines the fundamental characteristics and basic postulates of geomorphology. He then seeks to define the systematic stages through which the study of the landforms of a given area might proceed. Examples are drawn from a wide geographical range with emphasis on presenting examples of actual observations and measurements. The final section presents concise descriptions of simple and inexpensive methods of acquiring field data in landform study.

This book offers multidisciplinary perspectives on the changing relationships between states, indigenous peoples and industries in the Arctic and beyond. It offers insights from Nordic countries, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Russia to present different systems of resource governance and practices of managing industry-indigenous peoples' relations in the mining industry, renewable resource development and aquaculture. Chapters cover growing international interest on Arctic natural resources, globalization of extractive industries and increasing land use conflicts. It considers issues such as equity, use of knowledge, development of company practices, conflict-solving measures and the role of indigenous institutions. Focus on Indigenous peoples and Governance triangle Multidisciplinary: political science, legal studies, sociology, administrative studies, Indigenous studies Global approach: Nordic countries, Canada, Russia, Australia, New Zealand and Canada Thorough case studies, rich material and analysis The book will be of great interest to legal scholars, political scientists, experts in administrative sciences, authorities at different levels (local, regional and nations), experts in human rights and natural resources governance, experts in corporate social governance.

This handbook provides a cutting-edge, comprehensive overview of global land and resource grabbing.

This book describes and comprehensively illustrates the soils of the world in accordance with the worldwide WRB classification. The structure of the book follows the ecozone concept. For every ecozone, location, climate and vegetation as well as soil formation and distribution are presented. All soils representative of the corresponding ecozone are then described in detail: definition, properties, distribution, use, classification, genesis. Over 260 photographs illustrate soil profiles, soil details and landscapes. Instructive maps and graphs help understand soil properties and soil-forming processes and make the publication an excellent reference book about the world's soils.

This textbook addresses the increasing trend in urbanization of the world's population and its relation with urban soils. Written by active practitioners of university level teaching and research, this book is designed primarily as an educational text, while it also provides readers with an authoritative gateway to the primary literature. It includes explicit coverage of spatial and statistical (multivariate) techniques and case studies to illustrate key concept, and to support practical guidance in issues such as data collection and analysis. The authors reflect current developments in research and urban trends. In China, for example, the proportion of the population living in cities increased from 13% in 1950 to 45% in 2010 (World Bank data). Australia is one of the world's top ten urbanised countries with population greater than ten million, with approximately 90% of its population living in cities, mainly along Australia's coast. The most rapidly urbanising populations are currently in nations of the African continent. Soils in urban areas have multiple functions which are becoming more valued by urban communities: soils supply water, nutrients and physical support for urban plant and animal communities (parks, reserves, gardens), and are becoming increasingly valued for growing food. Soils may be used for building foundations, or as building materials themselves. Urban hydrology relies on the existence of unsealed soils for aquifer protection and flood control. This volume presents the importance of urban ecosystems and the impacts of global change. It examines pedogenesis of urban soils: natural materials affected by urban phenomena, and natural processes acting on urban materials, including an examination of different climatic zones. There is a focus on soils formed on landfill, reclaimed land, dredge spoils as well as soil-related changes in urban geomorphology. There is plenty of discussion on urban soil as a source and sink as well as soil geochemistry and health.  The book is intended primarily as a text for upper-level undergraduate, and postgraduate (Masters) students. It will also be invaluable as a resource for professionals such as researchers, environmental regulators, and environmental consultants. 

This book describes the fundamental scientific principles underlying high quality instrumentation used for environmental measurements. It discusses a wide range of in situ sensors employed in practical environmental monitoring and, in particular, those used in surface based measurement systems. It also considers the use of weather balloons to provide a wealth of upper atmosphere data. To illustrate the technologies in use it includes many examples of real atmospheric measurements in typical and unusual circumstances, with a discussion of the electronic signal conditioning,  data acquisition considerations and data processing principles necessary for reliable measurements. This also allows the long history of atmospheric measurements to be placed in the context of the requirements of modern climate science, by building the physical science appreciation of the instrumental record and looking forward to new and emerging sensor and recording technologies.

"Because the development of the carbon economy has always been closely bound up with the deepening of human inequalities, movements seeking climate justice need to unravel a tangle of social injustices at all scales. Through viewing the climate crisis from a range of historical and contemporary angles, Derman elevates the leadership of the most marginalized communities and nations, and interweaves their particular experiences with the universal values that bound climate justice movements together. His work is an effective introduction for educators and students to the complexities and promises of climate justice studies." -Zoltán Grossman, Faculty in Geography and Native American & Indigenous Studies, The Evergreen State College   "Guided by a five-angle framework that aims to explore the emerging intersectionalities of space, time, difference, rule, and movement in climate justice theory and action, the book brings to light new possibilities and ways of imaging, doing, and transforming climate justice in a time of planetary urgency." -Peter Little, author of Critical Zones of Technopower and Global Political Ecology    This book provides an analytical introduction to the complex challenge of climate change and the equally multi-faceted movement for climate justice.  Its approach is empirically and conceptually rich, while remaining both accessible and engaging.  Each chapter examines the topic through a different thematic lens, drawing on contemporary and landmark scholarship, advocacy, and activism across relevant disciplines and campaigns.  These distinct angles build toward a comprehensive perspective that will equip readers to ably and critically engage in era-defining policy, political, governance, and scholarly debates.    

This book provides an accessible overview of how efforts to combat climate change and social inequalities should be tackled simultaneously. In the context of the climate emergency, the impacts of extreme events can already be felt around the world. The book centres on five case studies from the Global South, Latin America, Pacific Islands, Africa, and Asia with each one focused on climate justice, resilience, and community responses towards a just transition. The book will be an invaluable reference for advanced undergraduates and postgraduate students, researchers, policymakers, and practitioners in environmental studies, urban planning, geography, social science, international development, and disciplines that focus on the social dimensions of climate change.