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R is fast becoming ubiquitous in the environmental sciences to analyse data. This book introduces environmental modeling and R. It assumes no background in either coding or calculus. It offers real-world examples, fully described programs, and detailed exercises. Readers learn how to analyse large datasets, create beautiful images, thoughtfully utilize the benefits of AI, and use techniques like optimization and sensitivity analysis in their modelling of complex environmental systems. Using examples from a range of environmental topics – including ecology, conservation, and climate science - the book will interest readers from a broad range of environmental and conservation sciences. Most graduate programs in environmental science and sustainability use R because it is both open source and powerful. R is common in government and consulting work, so students that go on to more advanced environmental modelling courses and potentially careers in the environmental field will find a grounding in R very useful.
Coastal meteorology encompasses a considerable range of small- and large-scale weather events which have shared underlying theoretical and practical principles. This book covers the foundational principles of coastal weather events and illustrates them through application to real-world examples. A wide range of topics have been covered, from sea/land breeze circulations to low-level coastal jets and the interaction fronts of cyclones with coastal features. The book represents an essential resource for upper division undergraduates, graduate students, and researchers interested in coastal meteorology, oceanography, climatology, and atmospheric science. Readers will gain a solid conceptual understanding of meteorological phenomena that can be applied to coastal weather across the world and used to better predict coastal weather variations. This capacity to predict variations is necessary for mitigating climate change risk in coastal areas, which is an issue of current and pressing importance.
Essentials of Geomorphology is an introductory textbook covering the latest research on landforms, both on Earth as well as on planets and moons. This easy-to-read, non-quantitative textbook hones in on the knowledge of leading experts in the field, and presents the practicality, applications and necessity of geomorphology. Replete with beautiful color figures and photographs, it contains in-depth discussions on fluvial and glacial geomorphology while also covering topics such as planetary geomorphology, biogeomorphology, Earth history and climate change, and periglacial systems. Descriptive, but also process-driven, it is intended for readers interested in physical landscapes, regardless of their previous background or level of training in geography or geology. To this end, it only includes the basic mathematics needed to understand the concepts presented.
This textbook reflects the changing landscape of water management by combining the fields of satellite remote sensing and water management. Divided into three major sections, it begins by discussing the information that satellite remote sensing can provide about water, and then moves on to examine how it can address real-world management challenges, focusing on precipitation, surface water, irrigation management, reservoir monitoring, and water temperature tracking. The final part analyses governance and social issues that have recently been given more attention as the world reckons with social justice and equity aspects of engineering solutions. This book uses case studies from around the globe to demonstrate how satellite remote sensing can improve traditional water practices and includes end-of-chapter exercises to facilitate student learning. It is intended for advanced undergraduate and graduate students in water resource management, and as reference textbook for researchers and professionals.
Humanity's impact on the planet is undeniable. Fairly and effectively addressing environmental problems begins with understanding their causes and impacts. Is overpopulation the main driver of environmental degradation? Poverty? Capitalism? Poor governance? Imperialism? Patriarchy? Clearly these are not technical questions, but political ones. Updated to cover new debates, data, and policy, and expanded to include chapters on colonialism, race and gender, and the impacts of energy and resource extraction, this book introduces students to diverse perspectives and helps them develop an informed understanding of why environmental problems occur. How the international community should act is deeply contested. Guiding students through the potential responses, including multilateral diplomacy, transnational voluntary action, innovative financial mechanisms, problem displacement, consumer-focused campaigns, and resistance, this book explains the different forms of political action, their limitations and injustices. Online resources include lecture slides, a test bank for instructors and updated weblinks to videos and suggested readings for students.
Written for undergraduate students with little or no exposure to economics, this introductory textbook offers a new perspective on environmental economics for the 21st century. It explains how economics for a sustainable world requires a new approach: accepting that the economy is intrinsically dependent on nature. Drawing on up-to-date case studies from around the globe, the book examines how economic concepts and techniques can apply to a wide range of environmental challenges while ensuring that poor and vulnerable members of society are included in progress toward sustainable development. The book also addresses current environmental policy options and innovations at the local, regional, and international levels. Chapters cover key topics such as climate change, pollution, energy, minerals, forests, land use, oceans, biodiversity, and water scarcity. Included in the book are the following pedagogical features: learning objectives, boxed examples, discussion questions, lists of further resources, and a glossary.
Providing a new approach to Earth history, this engaging undergraduate textbook highlights key episodes in the history of our planet and uses them to explain the most important concepts in geology. Rather than presenting exhaustive descriptions of each period of geological time, this conceptual approach shows how geologists use multiple strands of evidence to build up an understanding of the geological past, focusing on exciting events like the extinction of the dinosaurs and the formation of the Grand Canyon and the Himalaya. Beginning with an introduction to geology, tectonics, and the origin of the Universe, subsequent chapters chronicle defining moments in Earth history in an accessible narrative style. Each chapter draws on a variety of sub-disciplines, including stratigraphy, paleontology, petrology, geochemistry, and geophysics, to provide students who have little or no previous knowledge of geology with a broad understanding of our planet and its fascinating history.
Since the publication of the first edition of this highly regarded textbook, the value of data assimilation has become widely recognized across the Earth sciences and beyond. Data assimilation methods are now being applied to many areas of prediction and forecasting, including extreme weather events, wildfires, infectious disease epidemics, and economic modeling. This second edition provides a broad introduction to applications across the Earth systems and coupled Earth–human systems, with an expanded range of topics covering the latest developments of variational, ensemble, and hybrid data assimilation methods. New toy models and intermediate-complexity atmospheric general circulation models provide hands-on engagement with key concepts in numerical weather prediction, data assimilation, and predictability. The inclusion of computational projects, exercises, lecture notes, teaching slides, and sample exams makes this textbook an indispensable and practical resource for advanced undergraduate and graduate students, researchers, and practitioners who work in weather forecasting and climate prediction.
This advanced undergraduate textbook provides a thoroughly modern overview of plate tectonics and is the perfect resource for a capstone geology course. It presents plate tectonics as a multifaceted, interdisciplinary theory that unites many different geological observations and processes into a harmonious model so that readers grasp how the outer part of our planet works in relation to the deep interior. Supported by clear prose, helpful analogies, and stunning colour imagery, readers will gain an in-depth understanding of how and why plates interact to produce different topography, rock assemblages and deformation features along plate boundaries. Written by an author pairing renowned for their research, teaching, and textbook writing experience, this text covers necessary ground for a single-semester course without overwhelming readers and offers a truly accessible introduction to quantitative topics. Student-friendly features chart clear paths through every chapter and a rich suite of online resources bring plate tectonics to life.
This introductory textbook with a global scope aims to train students of geography, sustainability, and urban and environmental studies to re-imagine and transform cities to meet climate, biodiversity, and sustainability challenges. A dedicated team of authors critically examine the relationships between nature and urban areas, sharing an inspiring account of how nature helps us re-think our cities and their futures. Prior to this textbook, literature for courses covering urban nature was written by and for practitioners, whereas this textbook is written by experienced course instructors specifically to be accessible to diverse students. The textbook is illustrated with numerous photos and figures which bring key topics, challenges, and opportunities to life. It contains focus boxes and case studies from every continent, offering students an international scope and multiple entry points into the field. Chapters conclude with thought-provoking follow-up questions and recommended reading. The authors provide an array of supplementary online resources.
Focusing on the physics of the catastrophe process and addressed directly to advanced students, this innovative textbook quantifies dozens of perils, both natural and man-made, and covers the latest developments in catastrophe modelling. Combining basic statistics, applied physics, natural and environmental sciences, civil engineering, and psychology, the text remains at an introductory level, focusing on fundamental concepts for a comprehensive understanding of catastrophe phenomenology and risk quantification. A broad spectrum of perils are covered, including geophysical, hydrological, meteorological, climatological, biological, extraterrestrial, technological and socio-economic, as well as events caused by domino effects and global warming. Following industry standards, the text provides the necessary tools to develop a CAT model from hazard to loss assessment. Online resources include a CAT risk model starter-kit and a CAT risk modelling 'sandbox' with Python Jupyter tutorial. Every process, described by equations, (pseudo)codes and illustrations, is fully reproducible, allowing students to solidify knowledge through practice.
Water shapes the planet and all life upon it. Breaking down traditional disciplinary barriers, this accessible, holistic introduction to the role and importance of water in Earth's physical and biological environments assumes no prior knowledge. It provides the reader with a clear and coherent explanation of the unique properties of water and how these allow it to affect landscapes and underpin all life on Earth. Contemporary issues surrounding water quality – such as the rise of microplastics and climate change – are highlighted, ensuring readers understand current debates. Giving all of the necessary background and up-to-date references, and including numerous examples and illustrations to explain concepts, worked mathematical calculations, and extensive end-of-chapter questions, this is the ideal introductory textbook for students seeking to understand the inextricable links between water and the environment.
This compelling textbook provides a broad overview of the science underpinning our understanding of our climate, and how it is changing. Presented in clear and accessible language, and requiring only minimal algebra, it enables students to understand how our planet “behaves” under “normal conditions” and how human activity has moved us away from that normal. It walks the student comprehensively through the basic science, including how greenhouse gases absorb radiation and, crucially, a chapter on aerosols, major players in climate change. Diverse case studies and examples illuminate the impact and connections to real world events while review questions and exercises consolidate knowledge. Including the latest results from the IPCC 6th Assessment Report, it concludes by exploring climate modelling, equipping students with an understanding of how to simulate both past climate changes and projections of future climate change. Online resources include lecture slides, solutions and Excel code.
The fully updated second edition of this innovative textbook provides a system analysis approach to sustainability for advanced undergraduate and graduate students. To an extent unparalleled in other textbooks, the latest scientific data and insights are integrated into a broad and deep transdisciplinary framework. Readers are encouraged to explore and engage with sustainability issues through the lenses of a cultural and methodological pluralism which promotes dialogue and alliances in the search for a (more) sustainable future. Ideal for students and their teachers in sustainable development, environmental science and policy, ecology, conservation, natural resources and geopolitics, the book will also appeal to interested citizens, activists, and policymakers, exposing them to the variety of perspectives on sustainability issues. Review questions and exercises provide the opportunity for consolidation and reflection. Online resources include appendices with more advanced mathematical material, model answers, and a wealth of recommended additional sources.
Introduction to Applied Geophysics covers the fundamental methods of exploration geophysics in a depth and style both challenging and appropriate to undergraduates. Because of the increasing opportunities for students to conduct field experiments, the authors focus on methods, examples, illustrations, applications, and problem sets that emphasize shallow exploration of the Earth's surface. The textbook includes chapters on refraction seismology, electrical resistivity methods, gravity, magnetic surveying, and electromagnetic methods, including ground conductivity measurements and ground-penetrating radar. Geologic, engineering, and environmental applications are emphasized throughout. For each geophysical method, the theory and its application in exploring a given target in introduced. Each chapter includes a brief discussion of the applicable instruments, field operations, data collection and reduction, and limitations on interpretation. The textbook is supported by an extensive package of software. This edition from Cambridge University Press is a re-issue of the W.W. Norton edition, first published in 2006.
Richly illustrated in colour and packed with examples from every major continent and wetland type, this third edition has been completely rewritten to provide undergraduates with a thoroughly accessible introduction to the basic principles. It divides the world's wetlands into six principal types and presents six major causal environmental factors, arranged by importance and illustrated with clear examples, making it easy for instructors to plan tailored lectures and field trips and avoid overwhelming students with unnecessary detail. It retains its rigor for more advanced students with sections on research methods and experiments, and over a thousand classic and contemporary references. Each chapter ends with questions that review the content covered and encourage further investigation. With expanded sections on topical issues such as sea level rise, eutrophication, facilitation and the latest approaches to restoration and conservation, the new edition of this prize-winning textbook is a vital resource for wetland ecology courses.
Data Science for the Geosciences provides students and instructors with the statistical and machine learning foundations to address Earth science questions using real-world case studies in natural hazards, climate change, environmental contamination and Earth resources. It focuses on techniques that address common characteristics of geoscientific data, including extremes, multivariate, compositional, geospatial and space-time methods. Step-by-step instructions are provided, enabling readers to easily follow the protocols for each method, solve their geoscientific problems and make interpretations. With an emphasis on intuitive reasoning throughout, students are encouraged to develop their understanding without the need for complex mathematics, making this the perfect text for those with limited mathematical or coding experience. Students can test their skills with homework exercises that focus on data scientific analysis, modeling, and prediction problems, and through the use of supplemental Python notebooks that can be applied to real datasets worldwide.
An engaging, comprehensive, richly illustrated textbook about the atmospheric general circulation, written by leading researchers in the field. The book elucidates the pervasive role of atmospheric dynamics in the Earth System, interprets the structure and evolution of atmospheric motions across a range of space and time scales in terms of fundamental theoretical principles, and includes relevant historical background and tutorials on research methodology. The book includes over 300 exercises and is accompanied by extensive online resources, including solutions manuals, an animations library, and an introduction to online visualization and analysis tools. This textbook is suitable as a textbook for advanced undergraduate and graduate level courses in atmospheric sciences and geosciences curricula and as a reference textbook for researchers.
Wilfried Brutsaert (2022 Stockholm Water Prize Laureate) has revised and updated his classic textbook to take into account recent developments, while retaining the rigor and structure of the previous edition to introduce the fundamental principles of hydrology. New topics include the response of the global water cycle to climate change, the land surface energy budget closure, snow melt, groundwater trends and statistical surface variability with disturbed atmospheric boundary layers. Hydrologic phenomena are dealt with at the spatial and temporal scales at which they occur in nature. The physics and mathematics necessary to describe these phenomena are introduced and developed: readers will require a working knowledge of calculus and basic fluid mechanics. This classroom-tested textbook – based on the author's long-running course at Cornell - is invaluable for entry-level courses in hydrology directed at advanced undergraduate and graduate students in physical science and engineering. In addition, it is also a great reference text for practising scientists and engineers.
This contemporary textbook and manual for aspiring or new environmental managers provides the theory and practical examples needed to understand current environmental issues and trends. Each chapter explains the specific skills and concepts needed for today's successful environmental manager, and provides skill development exercises that allow students to relate theory to practice in the profession. Readers will obtain an understanding not only of the field, but also of how professional accountability, evolving science, social equity, and politics affect their work. This foundational textbook provides the scaffolds to allow students to understand the environmental regulatory infrastructure, and how to create partnerships to solve environmental problems ethically and implement successful environmental programs.