Natural environmental change

by Antoinette M. Mannion

Environmental Change has been transforming the Earth throughout its 5 billion year history. The dynamism of planet Earth is especially well illustrated by the changes that have occured during the past 3 million years; during this period, cycles of climatic change have been dominant, involving fluctuations in global temperatures by as much as 10 degrees celcius, and including warm episodes similar to those of the last ten thousand years. In order to predict and manage future change caused by both natural and human agencies, contemporary research is focusing on archives of environmental data and on the response of environmental components. Natural Environmental Change offers a concise introduction to this key topic in the study of the environment, geography, and earth science. Illustrated throughout, each chapter provides a broad spectrum of international case studies from diverse regions along with guides to further reading.Introductory chapters examine theories developed to explain env