Human Impact on the Environment


Book Description

This atlas presents a collection of geographical maps showing human impact on the environment. A wide variety of human impacts are discussed, ranging from the energy, mining, transport and agricultural industries as well as less visible impacts such as those of space exploration. This book is a highly illustrated atlas with 300 photos from 70 countries. Each map is accompanied by a short description of each human impact and its effect on the specific natural environment.




The Balance of Nature and Human Impact


Book Description

Explores equilibrium and non-equilibrium in undisturbed and disturbed ecological systems, examining how human activities affect the balance/imbalance of nature.




The Human Impact


Book Description




Human Impact on Ancient Environments


Book Description

Threats to biodiversity, food shortages, urban sprawl . . . lessons for environmental problems that confront us today may well be found in the past. The archaeological record contains hundreds of situations in which societies developed long-term sustainable relationships with their environments—and thousands in which the relationships were destructive. Charles Redman demonstrates that much can be learned from an improved understanding of peoples who, through seemingly rational decisions, degraded their environments and threatened their own survival. By discussing archaeological case studies from around the world—from the deforestation of the Mayan lowlands to soil erosion in ancient Greece to the almost total depletion of resources on Easter Island—Redman reveals the long-range coevolution of culture and environment and clearly shows the impact that ancient peoples had on their world. These case studies focus on four themes: habitat transformation and animal extinctions, agricultural practices, urban growth, and the forces that accompany complex society. They show that humankind's commitment to agriculture has had cultural consequences that have conditioned our perception of the environment and reveal that societies before European contact did not necessarily live the utopian existences that have been popularly supposed. Whereas most books on this topic tend to treat human societies as mere reactors to environmental stimuli, Redman's volume shows them to be active participants in complex and evolving ecological relationships. Human Impact on Ancient Environments demonstrates how archaeological research can provide unique insights into the nature of human stewardship of the Earth and can permanently alter the way we think about humans and the environment.




Natural Processes and Human Impacts


Book Description

This highly topical book comes at a time when the two-way relationship between humankind and the environment is moving inexorably to the top of the agenda. It covers both sides of this delicate balancing act, explaining how various natural processes influence humanity, including its economic activities and engineering structures, while also illuminating the ways in which human activity puts pressure on the natural environment. Chapters analyze a varied selection of phenomena that directly affect people’s lives, from geological processes such as earthquakes and tsunamis to cosmic events such as magnetic storms. The author moves on to consider the effect we have on nature, ranging from the impact of heavy industry to the environmental consequences of sport and recreational pastimes. Complete with maps, photographs and detailed case studies, this book provides a comprehensive overview of the biggest issue we face as a species—the way we relate to the natural world around us. This book includes more than 100 maps showing the global distribution of different natural processes/human activities and more that 450 photographs from many countries and all oceans. It will provide a valuable resource for both graduate students and researchers in many fields of knowledge. Sergey Govorushko is a chief research scholar at the Pacific Geographical Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences. He is also Professor at the Far Eastern Federal University (Vladivostok). Sergey Govorushko received his PhD from the Institute of Geography, Russian Academy of Sciences. His research activities focus on the interaction between humanity and the environment, including the impact of nature on humanity; the impact of humanity on the environment; and assessment of the interaction (environmental impact assessment, environmental audit, etc.). He has authored eight and co-authored seven monographs.




The Human Impact on the Natural Environment


Book Description

The book also discusses the development of ideas on global change."--BOOK JACKET.




Human Impacts on Weather and Climate


Book Description

As the world's population rises, there is increasing evidence that human activities are having a significant impact on the weather and climate, from a local to global scale. Human Impacts on Weather and Climate is a non-mathematical presentation of the basic physical concepts of how human activity may affect weather and climate. This book assesses the current hypotheses, and examines whether the impacts are measurable. Included are: critical evaluations of the scientific status of weather modification by cloud seeding; human impacts on regional weather and climate; and human impacts on global climate, including the greenhouse gas hypothesis. Discussions also focus on the modern philosophy of science and its application to determining human impacts on weather and climate. Human Impacts on Weather and Climate will be invaluable for upper-division undergraduate and graduate courses in meteorology, geophysics, and earth and atmospheric science, as well as for policymakers and readers with an interest in how humans are affecting the atmosphere. An extensive reference list is included.




Environmental Science


Book Description




Human Impact on the Natural Environment


Book Description

A brand new edition of the definitive textbook on humankind’s impact on the Earth’s environment—now in full color This classic text explores the multitude of impacts that humans have had over time upon vegetation, animals, soils, water, landforms, and the atmosphere. It considers the ways in which climate changes and modifications in land cover may change the environment in coming decades. Thoroughly revised to cover the remarkable transformation in interest that humans are having in the environment, this book examines previously uncovered topics, such as rewilding, ecosystem services, techniques for study, novel and no analogue ecosystems, and more. It also presents the latest views on big themes such as human origins, the anthropocene, domestication, extinctions, and ecological invasions. Extensively re-written, Human Impact on the Natural Environment, Eighth Edition contains many new and updated statistical tables, figures, and references. It offers enlightening chapters that look at the past and present state of the world—examining our impact on the land itself and the creatures that inhabit it; the oceans, lakes, rivers and streams; and the climate and atmosphere. The book also takes a deep look at our future impact on the planet and its resources—our affect on the coastal environments, the cryosphere and the drylands, as well as the hydrological and geomorphological impacts. Fully updated to take account of recent advances in our understanding of global warming and other phenomena Offers current opinions on such topics as human origins, the anthropocene, domestication, extinctions, and ecological invasions Features a full-color presentation to allow for more and clearer photographs and diagrams Contains more international case studies than previous editions to balance UK examples Human Impact on the Natural Environment is essential reading for undergraduates in geography and environmental science, and for those who want a thorough, wide-ranging and balanced overview of the impacts of humans upon natural processes and systems from the Stone Age to the Anthropocene and who wish to understand the major environmental issues that concern the human race at the present time.




Human Environmental Impact


Book Description

Audio and text highlighting make this title accessible for all readers. In this title readers will learn about alternative energy sources such as solar, wind, and geothermal energy, and what they can do to positively affect Earth. Meets Next Generation Science Standards.