How Mountains Are Made


Book Description

Even though Mount Everest measures 29,028 feet high, it may be growing about two inches a year. A mountain might be thousands of feet high, but it can still grow taller or shorter each year. Mountains are created when the huge plates that make up the earth's outer shell very slowly pull and push against one another. Read and find out about all the different kinds of mountains.




How to Make a Mountain


Book Description

Geology and earth science made easy (to learn) and super quick (to read about). You, too, can make a mountain—just grab this nonfiction picture book and start today! DO IT YOURSELF! START TODAY! From shaping peaks and crafting a glacier to nurturing your own plants and animals, these nine simple steps cover everything you need to know to make your very own mountain. In this book, you'll learn how to • Crush a piece of continent into a mountain range; • Freeze and melt glaciers; • Carve ravines, valleys, rivers, and mountain lakes; • Foster plants and develop a fertile layer of soil; and • Fill your mountain with a wide variety of animals that will work together to keep your mountain ecosystems healthy YES—YOU, TOO, CAN MAKE A MOUNTAIN! It is a big job, but it's also a thrilling adventure! Pack your snacks, load up your gear, and get ready for the challenge of a lifetime! *Tectonic plates, tools, and wildlife not included. Some restrictions apply. The authors assume no responsibility for frostbite, landslides, or accidental volcanoes. SCIENCE WITH A PLAYFUL, DIY TWIST: This fun and funny nonfiction picture book humorously encourages readers to get busy making their own mountain ranges. By the end, they will have learned the many steps that ultimately turn a rock into a peak, a slope into a gorge, snow into a glacier, and much more! GREAT FOR BUDDING ENVIRONTMENTALISTS: Once readers have "built" their mountains, their jobs aren't over—because the environment needs caretakers and stewards, of course! With rich back matter and lush illustrations accompanying an engaging text, this picture book is perfect for instilling a love of the natural world in budding scientists, environmental activists, and nature enthusiasts. STRONG CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS: Earth science is a staple classroom subject in all elementary school grades. With a depth of research and an engaging, highly visual narrative, this book is an excellent resource for librarians and primary school educators. Perfect for: • Teachers and librarians • Parents, grandparents, and caregivers • Anyone who loves or collects rocks • Lovers of fun, unique approaches to nonfiction and STEM topics • Gift-givers looking for a one-of-a-kind gift that's both funny and educational




The Science of Mountains


Book Description

For all those young scientists who aren't mountain climbers, this lively look at high-altitude ecosystems takes us to the highest peaks to learn about the amazing interactions between plants and animals of the mountains. From high-flying bees that pollinate the flowers to lumbering bears who spread seeds for plant growth, mountain organisms need each other in a multitude of ways. Flowcharts throughout this brightly designed book elucidate important concepts such as mountain food chains and the effects of climate change on mountain ecosystems.




Mountains


Book Description

"In the trademark Simon style, carefully selected color photos, drawings, and a clear and informative text tell the story of Earth's mountains: their formation, relative sizes, ecology, and influence on weather....Simon may have done more than any other living author to help us understand and appreciate the beauty of our planet and our universe;




Mountains


Book Description

In this Very Short Introduction, Martin Price addresses the role of mountains in global ecosystems and within human culture. Considering the global effects of melting glaciers, and the conservation of mountain regions and peoples, he discusses the future of mountainous regions and the implications for all of us.




Mountain Geography


Book Description

Mountains cover a quarter of the Earth’s land surface and a quarter of the global population lives in or adjacent to these areas. The global importance of mountains is recognized particularly because they provide critical resources, such as water, food and wood; contain high levels of biological and cultural diversity; and are often places for tourism and recreation and/or of sacred significance. This major revision of Larry Price’s book Mountains and Man (1981) is both timely and highly appropriate. The past three decades have been a period of remarkable progress in our understanding of mountains from an academic point of view. Of even greater importance is that society at large now realizes that mountains and the people who reside in them are not isolated from the mainstream of world affairs, but are vital if we are to achieve an environmentally sustainable future. Mountain Geography is a comprehensive resource that gives readers an in-depth understanding of the geographical processes occurring in the world’s mountains and the overall impact of these regions on culture and society as a whole. The volume begins with an introduction to how mountains are defined, followed by a comprehensive treatment of their physical geography: origins, climatology, snow and ice, landforms and geomorphic processes, soils, vegetation, and wildlife. The concluding chapters provide an introduction to the human geography of mountains: attitudes toward mountains, people living in mountain regions and their livelihoods and interactions within dynamic environments, the diverse types of mountain agriculture, and the challenges of sustainable mountain development.




Mountains, Climate and Biodiversity


Book Description

Mountains, Climate and Biodiversity: A comprehensive and up-to-date synthesis for students and researchers Mountains are topographically complex formations that play a fundamental role in regional and continental-scale climates. They are also cradles to all major river systems and home to unique, and often highly biodiverse and threatened, ecosystems. But how do all these processes tie together to form the patterns of diversity we see today? Written by leading researchers in the fields of geology, biology, climate, and geography, this book explores the relationship between mountain building and climate change, and how these processes shape biodiversity through time and space. In the first two sections, you will learn about the processes, theory, and methods connecting mountain building and biodiversity In the third section, you will read compelling examples from around the world exploring the links between mountains, climate and biodiversity Throughout the 31 peer-reviewed chapters, a non-technical style and synthetic illustrations make this book accessible to a wide audience A comprehensive glossary summarises the main concepts and terminology Readership: Mountains, Climate and Biodiversity is intended for students and researchers in geosciences, biology and geography. It is specifically compiled for those who are interested in historical biogeography, biodiversity and conservation.




Mountain Environments


Book Description

Using examples chosen from a variety of geographical settings and scales, A. J. Gerrard presents a novel approach to the study of mountain environments. He provides a framework in which mountains as special environments can be studied and shows how, no matter what their location or origin all mountain regions share common characteristics and undergo similar shaping processes. Gerrard's integrated approach combines ecological, climatological, hydrological, volcanic, and environmental management concerns in a systematic treatment of mountain geomorphology. He begins by examining the special nature of mountains, including a new classification of mountain types. He discusses mountain ecosystems, stressing the interaction between biota, soil, climate, relief, and geology, examines the high-energy systems of weathering and mass movement, and analyzes the role of rivers and hydrology and the processes of slope evolution. Two chapters are devoted to the particular characteristics of glaciation and vulcanism in mountain formation. The book concludes with a discussion of the special problems that human use of mountain regions create, including engineering, natural hazards, soil erosion, and the concept of integrated development. A. J. Gerrard is Lecturer in Geography at the University of Birmingham, England




High Places


Book Description

High mountains, polar expanses, volcanic peaks are exciting and special environments. 13 leading international geographers explore different aspects of these environments - disorientation, exploration, native knowledge, polar research. This is the first book to do this.High places - be they mountain peaks or the vast expanses of the polar latitudes - have always captured the human imagination. Inaccessible, extreme, they are commonly invested with awe and reverence, as places of physical challenge, intense experience. Increasingly, they are also treated as unique locations for science."High Places" explores the fascinating geographies of these special environments, revealing how senses are challenged, objectivities exposed, cultural assumptions laid bare. Whether walking the summit of Pico de Orizaba, the fourth highest volcano in the northern hemisphere; recounting the tale of the American explorer Charles Wilkes, charged with 'immoral mapping' in Antarctica; or exploring the 200,000 year old Greenland ice core; the international contributors reveal the richness and significance of these unique locations. Embracing Europe, Asia, North and Central America, Antarctica and the Arctic, "High Places" will interest geographers, historians of science, and those interested in polar/mountain studies, landscape, culture and environment.




The Origin of Mountains


Book Description

The Origins of Mountains approaches mountains from facts about mountain landscapes rather than theory. The book illustrates that almost everywhere, mountains arose by vertical uplift of a former plain, and by a mixture of cracking and warping by earth movements, and erosion by rivers and glaciers, the present mountainous landscapes were created. It also gives evidence that this uplift only occured in the last few million years, a time scale which does not fit the plate tectonics theory. Another fascinating part of the evidence, shows that mountain uplift correlates very well with climatic change. Mountain building could have been responsible for the onset of the ice age. It certainly resulted in the creation of new environments. Fossil plants and animals are used in places to work out the time of mountain uplift, which in turn helps to explain biogeographical distributions.