Table of Contents

Part I. Fundamental Concepts: How Humans View and Study the Earth
  1. Introduction to Environmental Geosciences
    • Example: Introductory Riddle Regarding Population Growth
    • Earth's Changing Environment and Humans
    • Critical Issues In Environmental Geosciences
    • Science as a Way of Knowing
    • The History of Science
    • Limits to Science
    • An Emerging Environmental World View
  2. Dynamic Earth Systems
    • An Ongoing Experiment: The Eruption of Mt. Pinatubo and Global Cooling Earth Systems
    • Links and Cycles Among Earth Systems
    • Cycles
    • Energy
    • Earth Dynamics
  3. Time and Change: Earth and Human History
    • Experiment: Determining When Something Began to Happen from its Decay
    • Temporal Aspects of Earth Systems
    • Geologic Time : A Temporal Perspective of the Earth
    • The Absolute Geologic Time Scale
 
Part II. Solid Earth Systems
  1. The Crustal Rock System
    • Experiment: An Ancient Experiment with Melted Sand
    • The Geosphere and Humans
    • Processes
    • Resources
    • Hazards and Wastes
    • Environmental Management
    • Environmental and Global Change
  2. Soil and Weathering Systems
    • Experiment: Unvegetated Soils and Soil Erosion
    • Soil and Humans
    • Processes
    • Resources
    • Hazards and Wastes
    • Environmental Management
    • Environmental and Global Change
 
Part III Fluid Systems

  1. Surface Water Systems
    • Example: Finding Ancient Rivers in the Desert with Satellites
    • Surface Water and Humans
    • Processes
    • Resources
    • Hazards and Wastes
    • Environmental Management
    • Environmental and Global Change
  2. Ground Water Systems
    • Example: Getting Water out of Sand and Gravel
    • Ground Water and Humans
    • Processes
    • Resources
    • Hazards and Wastes
    • Environmental Management
    • Environmental and Global Change
  3. Atmospheric Systems
    • Example: Changing Climates by Altering Gases in the Atmosphere
    • The Atmosphere and Humans
    • Processes
    • Resources
    • Hazards
    • Environmental and Waste Management
    • Environmental and Global Change
  4. Oceans and Coastal Water Systems
    • Example: Salinity, Density, and Ocean Currents
    • Oceans and Humans
    • Processes
    • Resources
    • Hazards and Wastes
    • Environmental Management
    • Environmental and Global Change
 
Part IV: Energy Systems and Changing Earth Systems

  1. Earth's Energy Systems
    • Example: Using Solar Energy to do Mechanical Work
    • Energy and Humans
    • The Energy Cascade
    • Energy as a Human Resource
    • Environmental Impacts of Energy Use
    • Energy Policy and the Environment
  2. Causes and Indicators of Global Environmental Change
    • Example: California Droughts
    • What is Global Environmental Change?
    • Origin of Earth's Climate: Insights from Other Planets
    • Faint Young Sun Paradox
    • Causes of Climate Change
    • Indicators of Past Climatic and Environmental Change
  3. History of Global Environmental Change
    • Example: Dessication of the Mediterranean Sea
    • Introduction
    • History of Global Change
    • Human Evolution and Environmental Change
    • Earth at the Last Glacial Maximum
    • Medieval Warm Period and the Little Ice Age
    • Humans as Agents of Environmental Change
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© 1997 W. H. Freeman & Co. and Sumanas, Inc.