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Characterized by uncompromising climate, sparse population density, and extreme aridity, deserts, steppes, and scrublands represent some of the least accessible regions on the planet. However, despite the severity of these ecosystems, they still boast mesmerizing terrains and are capable of supporting diverse animal groups and plant varieties as well as nomadic human inhabitants. This volume tours the alluring landscapes and ecosystems of the unique...
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Glaciers and sea ice are vital to sustaining aquatic ecosystems and regulating ocean water temperature. Permafrost, a type of ground ice, dramatically affects the infrastructure and agricultural output of several communities around the world. The development of these varying formations and the interplay between them and the environment are thoughtfully considered in this fascinating volume.
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Between their verdant canopies and shaded floors, forests contain a multi-tiered ecosystem that supports an abundance of flora and fauna. Together with the grasses and vegetation in the grasslands to which they are frequently adjacent, forests make up 70 percent of the Earth's land area and sustain the majority of its species. With careful detail and beautiful photographs, this volume journeys to the woodland and grassland areas of the planet and...
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Lakes and wetlands are significant ecosystems that nourish, sustain, and house many of the planet's plant and animal species. Though both of these regions are defined by water-both fresh and saline-each lake and particular type of wetland also has characteristics all its own. This detailed volume considers the formation, composition, and maintenance of these intricate ecological units and the various life forms they support. Dramatic full-color photographs...
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Earth's biosphere supports several unique biomes and ecosystems. Though they operate as self-contained units, these regions also operate as part of a global network, nurturing interdependence among greatly diverse plant and animal species. The evolution of these wondrous realms-both aquatic and terrestrial-and the various natural elements that distinguish them from one another are the subjects of this comprehensive volume.
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Its constant evolution over the millennia since its inception has made the Earth a dynamic entity, subject to numerous climactic and environmental forces that are forever changing this planet. In its most recent stage, the planet has seen an incredible diversification in plant and animal life, with the most prominent development of the Cenozoic era being the emergence of mammals. This book examines our most immediate ancestors and the geologic, geographic,...
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Winding their way through the planet's landscapes and supplying some of its most prosperous cities with fresh water, food, and transportation conduits, rivers and streams have critical ecological and economic significance. As they carve out waterfalls, valleys, canyons, deltas, and a host of other landforms, they also support a diversity of organisms and connect disparate regions. Accompanied by extraordinary color photographs, this volume examines...
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The Earth's capacity to sustain life increasingly depends on the actions of humans and our commitment to preserving the planet's incredible biodiversity. Because its ecosystems are vulnerable to pollution, overuse, and numerous other damaging activities, plants and animals that rely on these regions to subsist are significantly threatened. This insightful volume examines various conservation measures, such as habitat management, that help control...
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Constituting more than 70 percent of Earth's surface, the world's oceans are so vast as to remain something of an enigma to this day. Navigating these imposing seas and unlocking their secrets is the calling of oceanographers. Their research helps determine what climatic, geologic, and chemical impact oceans have on a variety of organisms. In spite of their magnitude and might, the world's oceans are not immune to the effects of adverse human activity,...
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Notwithstanding its detractors, evolutionary science has anticipated modern genetic research and continued to illuminate mysteries about our past and our connectedness to the species around us. Detailing the evolutionary process and speciation as well as the continuing debates about evolution's inherent validity, this engrossing volume considers all aspects of this exciting field of study.
11) Landforms
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The planet's natural dips and elevations, slopes and structures, stud the world's landscapes and enrich its panoramas. However, the Earth's landforms should not be viewed as anomalies in its topography; rather, they are often invaluable components of ecosystems and hold significant clues to the natural forces that fashion our environment. This comprehensive volume examines the various landforms-from mountains to caves to glaciers-that can be found...
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Described as craggy, rocky, or glacial, among a host of other descriptors, the Earth's geosphere-that is, its solid foundation-is subject to incredible variation. It is these permutations that inform the study of the geological sciences. This field involves not only the study of rocks, minerals, and landforms, but also that of glaciers, fossils, volcanoes, and other aspects of the Earth's surface. This sweeping volume examines the various branches...
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Characterized by a surge in biodiversity and evolutionary development, the Paleozoic Era ushered in the beginnings of life as we know it. Within these pages, readers will discover the fossil and geologic evidence from this time that reveals a dynamic planet, where new species of plants and animals were constantly emerging and continents were breaking apart and reforming. While many of the species from this era are now extinct and the continents are...
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Dinosaurs have captured the imaginations of children and adults alike since the first fossil discoveries mapped them onto our general body of knowledge. This book journeys to an era long before humans, where dinosaurs were once masters of land, sky, and sea. In addition to accounts of significant dinosaur species and their extinction, readers will learn about the major life forms, both plant and animal, alongside whom dinosaurs dwelled, as well as...
15) Minerals
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Anyone who has marveled at the glimmer of a perfectly cut diamond, tended a garden, or consumed a nutritious meal has appreciated some of the many roles that minerals play in our lives. Present in many natural substances, minerals are highly structured entities, each with a unique chemical composition and set of properties. Accompanied by detailed tables, diagrams, and sidebars, this informative volume examines the various types of minerals and their...
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Though it encompasses the majority of the Earth's history, much about Precambrian time still remains unknown to us. With its climate extremes and unstable surfaces, Precambrian Earth hardly resembled the planet we see today. Yet for all its differences, it made the existence of future generations possible. This volume helps unlock the mysteries of prehistory by considering available geologic evidence while providing a deep dive into the finesses of...
17) Rocks
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Often concealing millennia worth of Earth's history, rocks seem to project an impression of durability and permanence that belies their transformation over time. Seen in all shapes and sizes and found in many of the planet's ecosystems, rocks have been subject to various natural forces that have affected such attributes as their elasticity, strength, and ductility (that is, their ability to be fashioned into a new form). The general properties as...
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As a fixture in recent headlines, the Earth's climate has commanded much attention. While environmental and atmospheric conditions in large part determine the climate of a region, the impact of human activity has increasingly become a significant factor as well. This is especially true concerning significant climate changes, commonly known as global warming. New technologies and an ever-expanding population have contributed to worldwide climate shifts...
19) Grazers
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While they come in all shapes, textures, and sizes, animals that subsist on the Earth's natural vegetation share many common elements as well. Occupying a unique place in the food chain, grazers all over the Earth provide vital nourishment for carnivores and are often valuable to humans for meat, skins, and various domestic uses. This volume provides a colorful view of these varied and complex creatures as well as the features and behaviors that both...
20) Meat Eaters
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Primeval jungles, mountain ranges, and the cover of deep forests are not the only domains of meat-eating creatures. Carnivores also can be found stalking prey from the air, in ocean depths, and marshy swamps. Raptors, sharks, and crocodiles are among the most predominant non-mammalian meat-eaters that rely on hunting or scavenging for survival. This volume examines the various species in this select grouping, investigating the physical characteristics...