The Encyclopaedic Dictionary of Environmental Change - Softcover

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0340809760 ISBN 13: 9780340809761

Publisher: Hodder Education Publishers, 2003

Synopsis

The Encyclopaedic Dictionary of Environmental Change covers changes affecting the Earth over geological, intermediate and short timescales, including pre-Quaternary, Quaternary, Holocene, historical and current environmental changes. Recent climatic change is a major focus but other topics covered in detail relate to natural and human-induced changes to the lithosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere and biosphere. Concepts, theories and issues relating to environmental change are included, as are the diverse sources of evidence of environmental change, the local, regional and global effects of environmental change from the poles to the tropics, and the approaches and techniques used for reconstructing, dating, monitoring, modelling and predicting change. This involves an interdisciplinary approach extending from the natural environmental sciences into relevant areas of the physical, earth, biological, archaeological and social sciences. The dictionary emphasises the science of environmental change but its social implications are not neglected. Entries range in level from short review articles of around 1,000 words which provide an up-to-date introduction to major topics, to concise one or two sentence definitions of terms likely to be encountered in this field.

About this title

About the Author

John Matthews is at University of Wales, Swansea.

Review

'All in all, The Encyclopaedic Dictionary of Environmental Change helps to make sense of the babel that can be so characteristic of the literature and conferences in the environmental sciences and gives excellent support when reading across the disciplines. But beware: if you enjoy following up cross-references, this book may bind your attention longer than you had intended.' -- NATURE '... a reference work which, because of its comprehensiveness and clarity of layout, prose and illustration, has something to offer everyone who, regardless of background, is concerned with environmental change and with the role played by people in it. This encyclopaedic dictionary can be thoroughly recommended as a gateway to deeper studies.' -- THE HOLOCENE 'The Encyclopaedic Dictionary of Environmental Change is a very valuable contribution to the literature on environmental change and the editors are to be congratulated for making an excellent job of such a large and difficult project.' -- QUATERNARY SCIENCE REVIEWS 'A valuable feature is the intensity of reference citation throughout; even some brief items have reference lists citing mainly primary sources in the scientific literature. This will be of considerable value to those wishing to follow up particular topics in greater detail ... Most of the references cited have the advantage of being relatively accessible, increasing their usefulness to undergraduate students ... The quality and clarity of writing is extremely high, as are the line drawings and diagrams.' -- BRITISH ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY BULLETIN ... this is very good value. I can strongly recommend this title. -- Reference Reviews 20031001

Edition details

• Publisher: Hodder Education Publishers
• Publication date: 2003
• ISBN 10: 0340809760
• ISBN 13: 9780340809761
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 704
• Editor: Matthews (Coordinating Editor) John A., Bridges E. Michael, Caseldine Christopher J., Luckman Adrian J., Owen Geraint, Perry Allen H., Shakesby Richard A., Walsh Rory P.D., Whittaker Robert J., Willis Katherine J.