Geosystems Core 1E

Highly regarded, best-selling author Robert Christopherson has partnered with renowned geographer and educator Stephen Cunha, longtime media author Charlie Thomsen, and established educator and researcher Ginger Birkeland to develop Geosystems Core, a brief, modular, highly visual and flexible textbook and springboard into physical geography. This approach allows instructors to teach concepts in their preferred order, empowering them to bring in their own case studies and applications to further illustrate the core concepts. Instructors can also easily augment and extend the First Edition of the print book by leveraging the rich library of media and customizable assessment resources in MasteringGeography. Cover......Page 1 Inside Front Cover......Page 2 Title Page......Page 16 Copyright Page......Page 17 Brief Contents......Page 18 Contents......Page 21 Preface......Page 32 Acknowledgments......Page 33 Digital & Print Resources......Page 35 About the Authors......Page 37 Introduction to Physical Geography......Page 38 Asking Geographic Questions......Page 40 The Scientific Process......Page 42 Human–Earth Interactions in the 21st Century......Page 44 Systems Theory......Page 46 Earth Spheres & Systems Organization in Geosystems Core......Page 47 Earth’s Reference Grid......Page 48 Meridians & Global Time......Page 50 Basic Map Elements......Page 52 Map Projections......Page 53 Types of Maps......Page 55 Remote Sensing......Page 56 Geographic Information Systems & Geovisualizatio......Page 58 Introduction Review......Page 60 GeoLab: Mapping for Sustainability: How Eco-Friendly Is Your Campus?......Page 64 1. Solar Energy, Seasons, & the Atmosphere......Page 67 Earth’s Place in Space......Page 69 Dimensions, Distances, & Earth’s Orbit......Page 70 Solar Activity & Solar Wind......Page 71 Auroras......Page 72 Comparing Earth & Sun as Radiating Bodies......Page 73 Uneven Distribution of Insolation......Page 75 Global Net Radiation......Page 76 Seasonality......Page 77 Reasons for Seasons......Page 78 March of the Seasons......Page 79 Atmospheric Profile......Page 81 Atmospheric Gases......Page 82 Mesosphere......Page 83 Troposphere......Page 84 Ozone layer......Page 85 Stratospheric Ozone Losses: A Continuing Health Hazard......Page 86 Natural Sources of Air Pollution......Page 87 Natural Factors That Affect Air Pollution......Page 88 Industrial Smog & Sulfur Oxides......Page 89 Effects of the Clean Air Act......Page 90 The Human Denominator 1: Seasons & the Atmosphere......Page 91 Chapter 1: Review......Page 92 GeoLab1: Seasonal Changes: What is the role of latitude in changing insolation & day length?......Page 95 2. Atmospheric Energy & Global Temperatures......Page 97 Energy & Heat......Page 99 Shortwave & Longwave Radiation......Page 100 Scattering (Diffuse Radiation)......Page 101 Absorption......Page 102 Clouds & Earth’s “Greenhouse”......Page 103 Aerosols & Global Temperatures......Page 104 Inputs & Outputs......Page 105 Simplified Surface Energy Balance......Page 107 Temperature Scales......Page 109 Measuring Temperature......Page 110 Altitude & Elevation......Page 111 Land–Water Heating Differences......Page 112 Ocean Currents & Sea-Surface Temperatures......Page 114 Mitigating UHI Effects......Page 115 January and July Temperatures......Page 117 Annual Temperature Ranges......Page 118 The Heat Index......Page 119 Heat Waves & Climate Change......Page 120 The Human Denominator 2: Energy Balance & Global Temperatures......Page 121 Chapter 2: Review......Page 122 GeoLab2: Global Temperature Patterns: Some Like It Hot......Page 125 3. Atmospheric & Oceanic Circulations......Page 127 Air Pressure & Its Measurement......Page 129 Wind......Page 130 Coriolis Force......Page 131 The Effects of Forces on Winds......Page 132 Primary High-Pressure & Low-Pressure Areas......Page 133 ITCZ: Warm & Rainy......Page 134 Subpolar Low-Pressure Cells along the Polar Front: Cool & Moist......Page 135 Pressure in the Upper Atmosphere......Page 137 Jet Streams......Page 138 Local Winds......Page 139 Monsoon Winds......Page 140 Surface Currents......Page 141 Thermohaline Circulation—Deep Currents......Page 142 El Niño–Southern Oscillation......Page 143 The Human Denominator 3: Global Circulation......Page 145 Chapter 3: Review......Page 146 GeoLab3: El Niño or La Niña?......Page 149 4. Atmospheric Water & Weather......Page 151 Heat Properties & Phase Changes of Water......Page 153 Water Phase Changes in the Atmosphere......Page 154 Relative Humidity......Page 155 Expressions of Humidity......Page 157 Adiabatic Processes......Page 159 Stable & Unstable Atmospheric Conditions......Page 160 4.4. Clouds & Fog......Page 161 Cloud Types & Identification......Page 162 Precipitation......Page 163 Classifying Air Masses......Page 165 Air Mass Modification......Page 166 Orographic Lifting......Page 167 Frontal Lifting: Cold & Warm Fronts......Page 169 Life Cycle of a Midlatitude Cyclone......Page 171 4.8. Weather Forecasting......Page 173 Weather Maps & Forecasting......Page 174 Formation & Characteristics of Thunderstorms......Page 175 Derechos......Page 176 How a Tornado Forms......Page 177 Tornado Measurement & Frequency......Page 178 Characteristics of Tropical Cyclones......Page 179 Prediction & the Future......Page 182 The Human Denominator 4: Weather......Page 183 Chapter 4: Review......Page 184 GeoLab4: Stormy Weather: How do you track a midlatitude cyclone on a weather map?......Page 187 5. Water Resources......Page 189 Worldwide Equilibrium......Page 191 The Hydrologic Cycle......Page 192 Actual & Potential Evapotranspiration......Page 193 Applying Water Budget Concepts......Page 195 Surface Water Resources......Page 197 Groundwater Resources......Page 198 High Plains Aquifer Overdraft......Page 201 5.5. Our Water Supply......Page 203 Water Supply in the United States......Page 204 5.6a. Water Scarcity: The Colorado River System Out of Balance......Page 205 Colorado River: Sharing a Scarce Resource......Page 206 Sierra Snowpack: California’s Dwindling Treasure......Page 207 Water Scarcity: A Global Challenge......Page 208 The Human Denominator 5: Water Use......Page 209 Chapter 5: Review......Page 210 GeoLab5: Good to the Last Drop: How do Planners use the Water Budget Concept to meet Community Needs?......Page 213 6. Global Climate Systems......Page 215 Components That Interact to Produce Climate......Page 217 Köppen Climate Classification System......Page 218 6.2. Climate Classification System......Page 221 Tropical Rain Forest Climates......Page 223 Tropical Savanna Climates......Page 224 Humid Subtropical Climates......Page 225 Mediterranean Dry-Summer Climates......Page 226 6.5. Microthermal Climates (Midlatitudes & High Latitudes, Cold Winters)......Page 227 Subarctic Climates......Page 228 Tundra Climates......Page 229 Polar Marine Climates......Page 230 6.7. Dry Climates (Permanent Moisture Deficits)......Page 231 Midlatitude Cold Steppe Climates......Page 232 The Human Denominator 6: Climate Regions......Page 233 Chapter 6: Review......Page 234 GeoLab6: Industrial Location: Which Location is Optimum?......Page 237 7. Climate Change......Page 239 Methods for Long-Term Climate Reconstruction......Page 241 7.2. Climates of Earth’s Past......Page 243 5 mya: Fluctuating Temperatures......Page 244 Methods for Short-Term Climate Reconstruction......Page 245 Short-Term Climate Trends......Page 246 Solar Variability......Page 247 Earth’s Orbital Cycles......Page 248 Continental Position & Topography......Page 249 Atmospheric Gases & Aerosols......Page 250 Water Vapor Feedback......Page 251 Earth’s Carbon Budget......Page 252 Rising Temperatures......Page 253 Melting Ice......Page 254 Rising Sea Levels......Page 256 Increased Atmospheric Water Vapor......Page 257 Extreme Events......Page 258 Contributions of Greenhouse Gases......Page 259 Factors that Affect Earth’s Energy Balance......Page 261 Radiative Forcing Scenarios......Page 263 Future Temperature Scenarios......Page 264 Possible Climate Futures......Page 265 Weighing the Evidence......Page 267 Taking a Position on Climate Change......Page 268 Climate Change Action: Global, National, & Local......Page 269 Climate Change Action: What Can You Do?......Page 270 The Human Denominator 7: Taking Action on Climate Change......Page 271 Chapter 7: Review......Page 272 GeoLab7: Getting to the Core: Reconstructing Past Climates......Page 275 8. Tectonics, Earthquakes, & Volcanism......Page 277 Absolute Time & Relative Time......Page 279 The Principle of Uniformitarianism......Page 280 Earth’s Mantle......Page 281 Earth’s Lithosphere & Crust......Page 282 Subcycles within the Geologic Cycle......Page 283 Minerals, Rocks, & the Rock Cycle......Page 284 Sedimentary Processes......Page 285 Metamorphic Processes......Page 286 The Theory of Plate Tectonics......Page 287 Evidence for Seafloor Spreading: Geomagnetism......Page 289 Subduction Zones......Page 290 Interactions at Plate Boundaries......Page 291 Hot Spots......Page 292 Folding & Broad Warping......Page 293 Faulting......Page 294 Earthquake Intensity & Magnitude......Page 295 Earthquake Prediction......Page 296 Earthquake Hazards & Safety......Page 297 Types of Volcanic Activity......Page 299 Volcanic Features......Page 300 Volcano Hazards & Monitoring......Page 301 Types of Orogenesis......Page 303 The Human Denominator 8: Earth Materials & Plate Tectonics......Page 305 Chapter 8: Review......Page 306 GeoLab8: Life on the Edge: How do Plate Boundaries put Humans at Risk?......Page 309 9. Weathering, Karst Landscapes, & Mass Movement......Page 311 Stable & Unstable Slopes......Page 313 Weathering Processes......Page 314 Frost Action......Page 315 Pressure-Release Jointing......Page 316 Hydration & Hydrolysis......Page 317 Carbonation......Page 318 Formation of Karst......Page 319 Features of Karst Landscapes......Page 320 Mechanisms that Trigger Mass Movements......Page 321 Falls & Avalanches......Page 323 Landslides......Page 324 Creep......Page 325 Human-Induced Mass Movements......Page 326 The Human Denominator 9: Weathering, Karst, & Hillslopes......Page 327 Chapter 9: Review......Page 328 GeoLab9: Seasonal Changes: What is the Role of Latitude in Changing Insolation & day Length?......Page 331 10. River Systems & Landforms......Page 333 Drainage Basins......Page 335 Classifying Drainage Patterns......Page 337 Stream Gradient......Page 339 Base Level......Page 340 Stream Discharge......Page 341 Stream Types......Page 342 How Streams Transport Sediment......Page 343 Deposition of Sediment......Page 344 Features Formed by Stream Erosion......Page 345 Stream Nickpoints......Page 346 Features of Floodplains......Page 347 Other Depositional Features......Page 348 Flood Hazards......Page 349 Rating Floodplain Risk......Page 350 The Human Denominator 10: Rivers, Floodplains, & Deltas......Page 351 Chapter 10: Review......Page 352 GeoLab10: Risky Waters: Determining Flood Risk......Page 355 11. Coastal Systems & Wind Processes......Page 357 Oceans & Seas......Page 359 The Chemistry of Seawater......Page 360 Pollution & Oil Spills......Page 362 Coastal System Components......Page 363 The Coastal Environment & Sea Level......Page 364 Waves......Page 365 Erosional Coastlines......Page 367 Depositional Coastlines......Page 369 Eolian Erosion......Page 371 Eolian Deposition......Page 373 Coral Reefs......Page 375 Coastal Wetlands......Page 376 Storm Surges & Erosion......Page 377 Beach Protection......Page 378 The Human Denominator 11: Oceans, Coasts, & Dunes......Page 379 Chapter 11: Review......Page 380 GeoLab11: Trash Talk: Can We Predict the Pathway & Decomposition of Trash in the Great North Pacific Garbage Patch?......Page 383 12. Glacial & Periglacial Landscapes......Page 385 Alpine Glaciers......Page 387 Continental Glaciers......Page 388 Glacial Mass Balance......Page 389 Glacial Movement......Page 390 Glacial Landforms......Page 391 Landforms Deposited by Glaciers......Page 393 The Geography of Permafrost......Page 395 Periglacial Processes......Page 396 12.6. The Pleistocene Epoch......Page 397 Medieval Warm Period & Little Ice Age......Page 399 Mechanisms of Climate Fluctuation......Page 400 Polar Environments......Page 401 Recent Polar Region Changes......Page 402 The Human Denominator 12: The Cryosphere......Page 403 Chapter 12: Review......Page 404 GeoLab12: Big Relief: Using Topographic Maps to Determine Elevation Profiles......Page 407 13. Ecosystems & Soils......Page 409 What are the Living & Nonliving Components of Ecosystems?......Page 411 Net Primary Productivity......Page 413 Oxygen & Carbon Cycles......Page 415 Nitrogen Cycle......Page 416 13.3. Soil Development & Soil Profiles......Page 417 Natural Soil-Formation Factors......Page 418 Soil Horizons......Page 419 Physical Properties......Page 421 Chemical Properties......Page 422 Energy Pyramids......Page 423 Biological Amplification......Page 424 The Niche Concept......Page 425 Abiotic Influences on Distribution......Page 427 Limiting Factors Affecting Distribution......Page 428 Wildfire & Fire Ecology......Page 429 Terrestrial Succession......Page 430 Aquatic Succession......Page 431 Ecosystem Stability & Resilience......Page 433 Biodiversity on the Decline......Page 434 The Human Denominator 13: Soils & Land Use......Page 437 Chapter 13: Review......Page 438 GeoLab13: Net Primary Productivity......Page 441 14. Terrestrial Biomes......Page 443 Biomes......Page 445 Ecotones......Page 446 Invasive Species......Page 447 Island Biogeography for Species Preservation......Page 448 Soil Taxonomy......Page 449 Soil Orders of the Soil Taxonomy......Page 451 14.5. Soils: Weathered Forest Soils & Young Soils......Page 453 14.6. Soils: Cold, Volcanic & Organic Matter Soils......Page 455 Tropical Rain Forest......Page 457 Tropical Savanna......Page 462 Midlatitude Broadleaf & Mixed Forest......Page 463 Boreal & Montane Forest......Page 464 Temperate Rain Forest......Page 465 Mediterranean Shrubland......Page 466 Deserts......Page 467 Arctic & Alpine Tundra......Page 469 Anthropogenic Biomes......Page 470 The Human Denominator 14: Anthropogenic Biomes......Page 471 Chapter 14: Review......Page 472 GeoLab14: Global Biomes......Page 475 Appendix: Maps in This Text and Topgraphic Maps......Page 477 Glossary......Page 479 Credits......Page 496 Index......Page 500 Inside Back Cover......Page 516 For introductory physical geography courses. A brief, visual, and media-rich approach to physical geography Highly regarded, best-selling author Robert Christopherson has partnered with renowned geographer and educator Stephen Cunha and longtime media author Charlie Thomsen to establish Geosystems Core, a brief, modular, highly visual and flexible textbook and springboard into physical geography. This approach allows instructors to teach concepts in their preferred order, empowering them to bring in their own case studies and applications to further illustrate the core concepts. Instructors can also easily augment and extend the 1st Edition of the print book by leveraging the rich library of media and customizable assessment resources in MasteringGeography. Also available with Mastering Geography This title is also available with MasteringTM Geography--an online homework, tutorial, and assessment program designed to work with this text to engage students and improve results. Interactive, self-paced tutorials provide individualized coaching to help students stay on track. With a wide range of activities available, students can actively learn, understand, and retain even the most difficult concepts. Note: You are purchasing a standalone product; Mastering Geography does not come packaged with this content. Students, if interested in purchasing this title with Mastering Geography, ask your instructor for the correct package ISBN and Course ID. Instructors, contact your Pearson representative for more information. If you would like to purchase both the physical text and Mastering Geography, search for: 0321949552 / 9780321949554 Geosystems Core Plus Mastering Geography with eText -- Access Card Package This package contains: 0321834747 / 9780321834744 Geosystems Core 0321958276 / 9780321958273 Mastering Geography with Pearson eText -- ValuePack Access Card -- for Geosystems Core Geosystems Core, 1st Edition is also available via Pearson eText, a simple-to-use, mobile, personalized reading experience that lets instructors connect with and motivate students – right in their eTextbook. Learn more. "A brief, visual, and media-rich approach to physical geography. Highly regarded, best-selling author Robert Christopherson has partnered with renowned geographer and educator Stephen Cunha and longtime media author Charlie Thomsen to establish Geosystems Core, a brief, modular, highly visual and flexible textbook and springboard into physical geography. This approach allows instructors to teach concepts in their preferred order, empowering them to bring in their own case studies and applications to further illustrate the core concepts. Instructors can also easily augment and extend the 1st Edition of the print book by leveraging the rich library of media and customizable assessment resources in MasteringTM Geography."--Site Web de l'éditeur