
Physical Geography
Made Simple
Free Global Shipping
No minimum orderDescription
Physical Geography Made Simple focuses on developments in physical geography, including advancements in the study of landforms, weather, climate, water, soils, plants, and animals. The book first offers information on rocks and relief, weathering, slopes, and rivers and drainage basins. Topics include rock structures and landforms, crustal structure and movement, physical and chemical weathering, measurement and description of slopes, and transport, erosion, and deposition. The manuscript then ponders on glacial and periglacial landforms and desert and uropical landforms. The publication takes a look at coastal features, landscape development, and the atmosphere and its energy. The manuscript also elaborates on moisture in the atmosphere, air motion, general circulation, and weather. Discussions focus on fronts, weather prediction, planetary wind belts, pressure variations, upper air motion, adiabatic processes, and evaporation and condensation. The text is a valuable reference for geographers and readers interested in physical geography.
Table of Contents
Preface
1 Introduction to Physical Geography
Recent Trends in Physical Geography
Models and Systems
Suggested Further Reading
Part One: Landforms
2 Rocks and Relief
Crustal Structure and Movement
Major Tectonic Landforms
Rock Structures and Landforms
Rock Type and Landforms
Suggested Further Reading
3 Weathering
Physical Weathering
Chemical Weathering
Factors Affecting Weathering
Conclusion
Suggested Further Reading
4 Slopes
The Measurement and Description of Slopes
Approaches to Slope Studies
Slopes as Open Systems
Mass Movements
Run-Off on Slopes
Controls on Slope Processes
Slope Evolution
Suggested Further Reading
5 Rivers and Drainage Basins
Hydrology
Water Flow in Rivers
Transport, Erosion and Deposition
The Long Profile
Channel Patterns
The River Basin
Suggested Further Reading
6 Glacial and Periglacial Landforms
Ice and Glaciers
Glacial Erosion
Glacial Deposition
Other Effects of Glaciation
Periglacial Phenomena
Suggested Further Reading
7 Desert and Tropical Landforms Deserts
The Humid Tropics
Suggested Further Reading
8 Coastal Features
Factors Affecting Coasts
Shoreline Processes
Cliffs and Platforms
Beaches
Low-Energy Coasts
Coral Coasts
Coastal Classification
Suggested Further Reading
9 Landscape Development
Reconstructing Landscape Development
Cyclic and Non-Cyclic Development
Pianation Surfaces as Indicators of Landscape Development
Landscape Development in the Pleistocene
Suggested Further Reading
Part Two: Weather and Climate
10 The Atmosphere and Its Energy
The Nature of the Atmosphere
Atmospheric Energy
Air Temperatures
Suggested Further Reading
11 Moisture in the Atmosphere
Humidity and Its Expression
Evaporation and Condensation
Adiabatic Processes
Stability and Instability
Clouds and Fog
Precipitation
Thunderstorms
World Precipitation
Suggested Further Reading
12 Air Motion
Pressure Variations
Forces Governing Air Movement
Upper Air Motion
Suggested Further Reading
13 The General Circulation
The Planetary Wind Belts
The Mechanics of the Circulation
Surface Features and the Circulation
The Role of the Monsoon
Suggested Further Reading
14 Weather
Air Mass Weather
Fronts
Frontal Depressions
Non-Frontal Depressions
Anticyclones
Weather Prediction
Suggested Further Reading
15 Climatic Types
Climatic Classification
Equatorial Zone
Tropical Summer Rain Zone
Subtropical Dry Zone
Subtropical Winter Rain Zone
Temperate Zone
Subpolar Zone
High Polar Zone
Suggested Further Reading
16 Local Climate
The Climatic Effects of Relief
The Climatic Effects of Water Bodies
The Climatic Effects of Vegetation
Urban Climates
The Climate Nearest The Ground
Suggested Further Reading
17 Climatic Change
The Climatic Record
Causes of Climatic Change
Conclusions
Suggested Further Reading
Part Three: Soils, Plants and Animals
18 Soils
Physical and Chemical Characteristics of Soils
Soil-Forming Processes
Factors Controlling Soil Formation
The Classification of Soils
World Pattern of Soils
Suggested Further Reading
19 The Working of Ecosystems
The Structure of Ecosystems
The Trophic Structure of Ecosystems
Energy Flow and the Standing Crop
Productivity
Ecological Niche and Species Structure
Nutrient Cycles
Succession and Climax
Suggested Further Reading
20 Environmental Controls
The Concept of Tolerance
Light
Temperature
Water
Wind
Topography
Edaphic Factors
Biotic Factors
Suggested Further Reading
21 Dispersal and Adaptation
Sources of Variation
Natural Selection
Adaptive Radiation
The Formation of New Species
Migration and Dispersal
The Pattern of Evolution
Suggested Further Reading
22 The Historical Factor in the Distribution of Species
The Distant Past
Pleistocene Changes
Post-Glacial Vegetation Change in Britain
Suggested Further Reading
23 Major Natural Ecosystems
Forest Ecosystems
Grassland Ecosystems
Biological Deserts
The Marine Ecosystem
Suggested Further Reading
Part Four: Physical Geography and Man
24 Human Impact on the Natural Environment
Modification of Landforms
Modification of the Atmosphere
Modification of Ecosystems
Suggested Further Reading
25 Applied Physical Geography
Environmental Hazards
Environmental Management
Economic Value
Resource Evaluation
Suggested Further Reading
Appendix: The Geological Time-Scale
Index
Product details
- No. of pages: 336
- Language: English
- Copyright: © Made Simple 1982
- Published: February 8, 1982
- Imprint: Made Simple
- eBook ISBN: 9781483278476