Product Description
Geomorphology has undergone a dramatic change in scope and philosophy over the last several decades. It has expanded from focusing merely on the evolutionary development of landforms to being a more applied discipline, linked with others in solving problems associated with global change and environmental stress. Today's students must understand the processes involved in landform creation. Even those examining the subject historically need to grasp surficial process mechanics before analyzing the effects of past climatic or tectonic phenomena or predicting those of the future. Process Geomorphology provides an accessible introduction to the subject and assumes only a minimal background in physical or historical geology. Whether approaching geomorphology from the perspective of hydrology, engineering, geology, pedology, forestry, or any other earth science, the process approach makes this text a practical choice. A wealth of photos and diagrams aids in understanding the concepts presented in the text. The authors include an extensive bibliography for readers who wish to pursue a particular topic in greater depth. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Not quite ready
I am currently teaching a university level geomorphology course using this text and find myself constantly wishing I had chosen another. I have five primary complaints about the book.

1) Some of the tools required to make a book like this one truly useful are simply missing or inadequate. Geomorphology is a terminology-laden science, and the lack of a glossary is a very significant shortcoming of the book. A good glossary - one including page references to detailed explanations/descriptions in the text would greatly increase the value of the book. The index is also deficient. In preparation for the course I began by creating several exercises that I definitely wanted to use, and in more than one case couldn't find an index reference to an important concept or term. However, in scanning the appropriate chapter the item is not only included but given considerable treatment. One example may help to make the point. The Hjulstrom diagram is the most accessible tool for students to relate current velocity to transported particle size despite the date of Hjulstrom's original work (1939). Hjulstrom is not included in the index though his 1939 paper is included in the list of references, and the diagram is included in the text.

2) Overall the book (fourth edition) has the appearance of a rough draft comprised of diagrams and pieces of text hurriedly cobbled together with emphasis on completeness rather than continuity, leaving need for a careful editing. As a result the text does not flow and explanations are sometimes so sketchy that someone not already familiar with the material will probably find it to be essentially unreadable. In part this results from what I assume is the absence of an editor and in part from an attempt to include more in a single text than can reasonably be included. The result, however, is likely to be unsatisfactory for the reader attempting to understand the complexities of the subject and frustrating to the instructor who has to spend class time explaining material that should be easily understandable from the text.

3) Another reviewer has mentioned the short shrift given to the geology that underlies - and in many instances controls - the morphology. Although the emphasis of the book is on the processes of geomorphology, this omission is rather severe when using the text with a class of geology students. I find it particularly difficult to understand this omission with two of the three authors being geologists. I'm supplementing the text in this area with copies of Dake and Brown "Interpretation of Topographic and Geologic Maps" (1925, reprinted 1953) that are readily available as discards from libraries where it is not understood that there is no more recent substitute.

4) Many concepts are explained so briefly that I find it difficult to believe they will be understood by the students for whom the book is written. An example of this is the description of stream numbering systems. This topic covers the work of Horton which brought the basic concepts to the awareness of geomorphologists in 1945 and refinements by Strahler and Shreve. It is entirely appropriate to describe all three of these systems as they all appear in the literature and the student should be forewarned of the multiplicity of numbering systems as well as the shortcomings of early efforts. However, in Figure 5.17 which attempts to illustrate the three, it is impossible to distinguish for example between order 1 and 2 streams of Horton because the same line pattern is used for both. Simply redrafting these figures using different symbols would make the distinction clear, something accomplished by neither Figure 5.17 nor the accompanying text.

5) Many of the photographs are difficult to interpret. Having begun my exploration of this topic in the days of few photos and many skillfully constructed line drawings I would reduce the number of photos and produce a line drawing to accompany and explain each. Just as cartoonists convey complex images with only a few lines, the same abstraction of the essence of the image would add significantly to many of the photos, making the message more accessible.

I have complained about the book, but there are some especially strong points the should be pointed out.

1) This text has by far the most extensive bibliography I have ever seen in a textbook at this level. The ability to follow a topic directly from text to primary source would be most important in a graduate course rather than an introductory one for which this book is intended, but I find it to be a particular strength of the book.

2) Having first studied geomorphology half a century ago I find the inclusion of many examples from planets other than the earth to be useful. For example in discussion of headward extension of tributary valleys the authors use examples both Martian and terrestrial to illustrate the concept of groundwater sapping. Showing similarities such as this helps to emphasize the concept rather than the specific locality or example. In this particular instance I would like to have seen an explanation that the springs MUST BE localized at the head of the tributary because the aquifer has already been drained downslope from the head; raising the question of whether the spring is the chicken or perhaps only the egg.

All in all I find the deficiencies to outweigh the positive attributes as an undergraduate text or for self-study.

Good service
It came in fast and it excellent condition. It was out of print but I was not let down by this service

GeoMorphology
This book is a companion resource to my GeoMorphology class I am taking at Florida Atlantic University.
I find this book easy to read and comprehend and a good source to re-enforce material I learn in lecture.
This will be yet another book I can add to my library of Computer & Geology material I use in my careers.

Solid textbook
This is a solid introductory geomorphology book.As a scientist from another field (physics) I needed a basic reference to understand notation and the basic foundations of geomorphology, specifically dealing with sediment transport, and this was a good match.It's not a textbook I'd buy if I didn't need it, but it's a very helpful source.

Very Detailed
This book is very detailed, even explaining the common sense concepts.The writer asks questions that I would not be interested in asking or knowing the answers to,then gives the answer.For someone who would like to specialize in the study of geomorphology, this book may be more interesting.For me, is was very boring to read, and too detailed to absorp the general concepts. ... Read more

Product Description
Landscapes are all around us, but most of us know very little about how they have developed, what goes on in them, and how they react to changing climates, tectonics, and human activities. Examining what landscape is, and how we use a range of ideas and techniques to study it, Andrew Goudie and Heather Viles demonstrate how scientists have built on classic methods--pioneered by the great researchers of the nineteenth century--to shed new light on our planet. Using examples from around the world, including New Zealand, the Tibetan Plateau, and the deserts of the Middle East, they examine some of the key controls on landscape today such as tectonics and climate, as well as humans and the living world. They also discuss some major "landscape detectives" from the past, including Charles Darwin, who did some important, but often overlooked, research on landscape.Concluding with the cultural importance of landscape, and exploring how this has led to the conservation of much "earth heritage," they delve into the future and look at how we can predict the response of landscapes to the projected climate change. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

An Introductory View of Landscapes
There are very few things in the world that can inspire instantaneous awe and admiration as much as a beautiful and dramatic landscape. Be it the Grand Canyon, Himalayas, the Amazon rainforest or any other similarly spectacular natural formation, landscapes provoke in us an inimitable sense of astonishment. Wondering how these incredible, and some less so, natural features came about has been a subject of human pondering for millennia, and only over the past couple of centuries have adequate answers started to emerge.

This short book deals with the scientific explanation of the major geographical features. It talks in some detail about the major forces that have shaped various landscapes: plate tectonics, various forms of erosion, biological factors, and in recent centuries human impact. There is also a mention of how climate change has in the past affected geomorphology, and what we can expect if there are significant climate changes in the near future. A particularly interesting was the chapter on the "invisible" landscapes: deep ocean floors and other planets in the solar system. The extreme difference of the physical properties of these environments (pressure, temperature, gravity) as compared to those on the Earth's dry surface makes for some incredibly alien landscape formations.

Overall this is a very well written and accessible introduction to landscapes and geomorphology.
... Read more

Product Description
This textbook provides a modern, quantitative and process-oriented approach to equip students with the tools to understand geomorphology. Insight into the interpretation of landscapes is developed from basic principles and simple models, and by stepping through the equations that capture the essence of the mechanics and chemistry of landscapes. Boxed worked examples and real-world applications bring the subject to life for students, allowing them to apply the theory to their own experience. The book covers cutting edge topics, including the revolutionary cosmogenic nuclide dating methods and modeling, highlights links to other Earth sciences through up-to-date summaries of current research, and illustrates the importance of geomorphology in understanding environmental changes.Setting up problems as a conservation of mass, ice, soil, or heat, this book arms students with tools to fully explore processes, understand landscapes, and to participate in this rapidly evolving field. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Geomorphology as a mature science
I have seen the future (of geomorphology) and it's in this book.

Today the emphasis in geomorphology is on understanding of the processes. This book focuses on those processes with quantitative description/explanation being the objective. The list of topics is reasonably complete (view the Table of Contents). Some topics such as "Tectonic Geomorphology" and "Dating Methods" are a bit unusual but reading the chapters leaves no doubt about their permanence in this book.

The things I believe will cause this book to be widely used are the layout, the depth of the quantitative/mathematical explanation of processes, and the chapter problem sets.

Each chapter begins with a half-page overview that should help focus the reader on the intended reason for that chapter's existence. At the end of each chapter is a one page summary that puts major points made in the chapter into perspective. Finally, each chapter has a problem set with mainly quantitative problems , but some thought questions requiring integration/extrapolation of material from the chapter. There are none of the classic topographic map or aerial photo type questions. That shouldn't present a problem in the classroom as older faculty surely have their own favorites of these.

Historically geomorphology has been largely a descriptive science with math limited primarily to quantifying the description. Here the math is in the nature of explanation - much as it would appear in a physics or engineering text. Opening the book randomly (P. 333), in a discussion of landslides I find an explanation of failure angle as a function of the angle of internal friction. For geology students it is of more than passing interest that the fields of geomorphology and structural geology overlap. On page 377 a problem statement is: "Consider a thin flow of water on a smooth slope. The slope is 10 deg., and the thickness of the flow is measured to be 4 mm. Calculate the mean speed of the flow and assess whether the flow will be turbulent or laminar." Hello - geomorphology meets sedimentology.

I like the book - I like it a lot. But there are a couple of points that I found to be disappointing.

There is no glossary. Having been in the classroom for several decades now both as student and teacher I have learned to look first at the table of contents then the glossary. Due to the mathematical/engineering nature of this book the glossary is less necessary than it would be in a more classic approach, however I still think it is needed. And with text in digital form, construction of a glossary (preferably with page references so it also functions as an index) is only an editing job.

Because of my own history with geomorphology I would have liked to see at least a brief discussion of two topics. Despite the incompleteness of Davis' model of youth-maturity-old age, that generalization still has a great deal of utility and should be in the working toolkit of every student of geomorphology. Being a geologist one of the primary reasons I want my students to study geomorphology is to learn what the landforms reveal about the structure/stratigraphy of the bedrock. Though both of these items are present "between the lines" I think students should be introduced to them face-to-face.

Faculty considering this text are likely to face three major concerns:
1) "Missing material" - the classic and geologic stuff mentioned above
2) Student weakness - The text will provide a considerable challenge to students' knowledge/proficiency in math, physics, and chemistry.
3) Faculty weakness - The text will provide a considerable challenge to faculty knowledge/proficiency in math, physics, and chemistry.

In 1961, Adrian Scheidegger's "Theoretical Geomorphology" introduced the mode of analysis now brought to fruition in "Geomorphology: The Mechanics and Chemistry of Landscapes. If you realized as I did upon seeing that embryonic work that it was pointing to the future of geomorphology you'll be delighted to see in this book the same in early maturity.

I recommend this book without reservation for serious students and researchers in geomorphology as well as for persons venturing into the study of landscapes from the more quantitative branches of science. As an introductory text, the decision will depend strongly on my concerns #2 and #3 listed above.


... Read more

Product Description
Soils and Geomorphology, now in its third edition, remains popular among soil scientists, geomorphologists, geologists, geographers, and archaeologists.While retaining the useful "factors of soil formation format," it has been extensively revised, incorporating a considerable amount of new research and offering a greater number of topics and examples -- particularly in the chapters "Weathering and Soil Development with Time" and "Topography: Soil Relations with Time in Different Climatic Settings."Greater emphasis is placed on the role of dust in pedogenesis, and new data are included on tropical soil development, global soil-loess relations, neotectonics, and reduction processes. The text discusses field applications such as the use of soils in recognizing climate change, estimating the age of geological deposits, and dealing with environmental problems such as acid rain. New "how-to" appendices on soil descriptions and calculating the profile development index are also included. Soils and Geomorphology is an ideal text for advanced undergraduate and graduate students in courses on pedology, soil science, Quaternary geology, archeology, and sedimentary petrology. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Breadth, Depth, and Specifics
The process is pedogenesis and this book will tell you what you want to know. I'm using this book in a class I am taking and I would recommend it to anyone who is seriously thinking about wanting to understand soils in a more geomorphologic and geologic perspective. Not a light read, but definitely not a traditional textbook either. The extensive references section will also help to lead you in other directions you may wish to take in order to find more on specific studies and research papers.

soil from earth
I read this book for one of my graduate courses. Totaly this is a good book for people who know about soil science, but the weakness of this book is using too much terms which are not explained in this book. So, if you donot have a very good back ground in geology, it will be difficult for youto understand some parts of this book and you need a geology dictionary toread this book. ... Read more

Product Description

About one-third of the Earth’s land surface experiences a desert climate, and this area supports approximately 15% of the planet’s population. This percentage continues to grow, and with this growth comes the need to acquire and apply an understanding of desert geomorphology. Such an understanding is vital in managing scarce and fragile resources and in mitigating natural hazards.

This authoritative reference book is comprehensive in its coverage of the geomorphology of desert environments, and is arranged thematically. It begins with an overview of global deserts, proceeds through treatments of weathering, hillslopes, rivers, piedmonts, lake basins, and aeolian surfaces, and concludes with a discussion of the role of climatic change. Written by a team of international authors, all of whom are active in the field, the chapters cover the spectrum of desert geomorphology.

Product Description

The plate tectonics revolution in the earth sciences has provided a valuable new framework for understanding long-term landform development.

This innovative text provides a comprehensive introduction to the subject of global geomorphology, with the emphasis placed on large-scale processes and phenomena. Integrating global tectonics into the study of landforms and incorporating planetary geomorphology as a major component the author discusses the impact of climatic change and the role of catastrophic events on landform genesis and includes a comprehensive study of surface geomorphic processes.

Customer Reviews (4)

Global Geomorfology
I LIKED SO MUCH TO BUY IN THIS SITE. MY PRODUCT ARRIVED BEFORE I HOPE.
I THINK THAT IT IS NOT EXPENSIVE AND THE RETUNS IS RIGHT.
THANKS

Very Educational
This was my textbook for a STUDY OF LANDFORMS, a course I needed for my undergraduate Minor (Geography) several years ago.I was immediately impressed by the thorough coverage provided by Summerfield.

The work starts with the basics: s-waves and p-waves and a brief introduction to seismology, a look at the apparent strata of the earth from the core to the atmosphere, and an introduction to endogenic (earth-originated) - e.g. mantle plumes and the "conveyor belt" effect leading to the movement of the lithosphere on the athenosphere - and exogenic (largely solar-related) processes - e.g., wind - which provide the energy for plate tectonics and the building up & erosion of land forms.Following this the work takes a more indepth look at topics such as various forms of uplift (orogenic and epierogenic processes such as block faulting, folding and igneous-related activity) followed by individual chapters on processes relating to coastlines, deserts, glacial, permafrost & etc.

This is an excellent introduction to the earth sciences which treats the subject in a professional manner and largely eschews any indoctrination into or against ecological considerations.

Highly recommended!

Not worth your reading time
I find this book to be extremely dull and lifeless. I love studying geomorphology, but this book is almost enough to turn me away. The graphs, diagrams, and charts are overwhelming. It seems to based more on statistics then observations of how systems really work. The photos are boring and uninspirational. Reading through the text is like slowly dragging my fingernails down a chalkboard. I can barely make it through 5 pages at a time without losing complete interest. The explanations of how systems and processes work makes no sense to me. I find myself having to cross refernce this text with other geology texts from different classes. Also, many of the people that are quoted are from the 1940's and '50's. Ridiculous!! It reads like a computer assembly manual in Japanese. Granted, the text does cover a wide range of geomorphological features, it does not cover them well.

Excellent introductory text
A wide ranging, well written summary of geomorphic knowledge.This is one of the better introductions to the interesting field of geomorphology and I whole-heartedly recommend this book. ... Read more

Product Description

Rivers are significant geomorphological agents, they show an amazing diversity of form and behaviour and transfer water and sediment from the land surface to the oceans. This book examines how river systems respond to environmental change and why this understanding is needed for successful river management. Highly dynamic in nature, river channels adjust and evolve over timescales that range from hours to tens of thousands of years or more, and are found in a wide range of environments.

This book provides a comprehensive overview of recent developments in river channel management, clearly illustrating why an understanding of fluvial geomorphology is vital in channel preservation, environmentally sensitive design and the restoration of degraded river channels.

It covers:

• flow and sediment regimes: flow generation; flow regimes; sediment sources, transfer and yield
• channel processes: flow characteristics; processes of erosion and sediment transport; interactions between flow and the channel boundary; deposition
• channel form and behaviour: controls on channel form; channel adjustments; floodplain development; form and behaviour of alluvial and bedrock channels
• response to change: how channels have responded to past environmental change; impacts of human activity; reconstructing past changes
• river management: the fluvial hydrosystem; environmental degradation; environmentally sensitive engineering techniques; river restoration; the role of the fluvial geomorphologist.

Fundamentals of Fluvial Geomorphology is an indispensable text for undergraduate students. It provides straightforward explanations for important concepts and mathematical formulae, backed up with conceptual diagrams and appropriate examples from around the world to show what they actually mean and why they are important. A colour plate section also shows spectacular examples of fluvial diversity.

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Customer Reviews (2)

award-winning author
Wolman won a medal in 2000 from the American Geophysical Union, and in thecitation they said, "although written 35 years ago, it remains one ofthe most cited works in geopmorphology and was recently republished byDover, not as a historical artifact but as required reading for the newestgeneration of fluvial geomorphologists. Brimming with clarity andliteracy... a good bedtime read." (well... at least for those who wantto understand stream morphology.)

The classic of stream geomorphology
This book forms one of the foundations of the field of stream geomorphology from one of the founding fathers. I would recommend it as the basic text for someone serious about learning about fluvial geomorphology. Considerable work has been added to the field since Dr. Leopold's book wasfirst published in 1964 but this forms a very good synthesis of a complexsubject.As a civil engineer/geomorphologist, I have referred to this bookmany times over the past 25 years since I was one of his students atBerkeley. A great value in paperback. ... Read more

Product Description
Written for undergraduate students studying coastal geomorphology, this is the complete guide to the processes at work on our coastlines and the features we see in coastal systems across the world. Accessible to students from a range of disciplines, the quantitative approach of this book helps to build a solid understanding of wave and current processes that shape coastlines. The resulting processes of erosion, transport and deposition and the features they create are clearly explained, with over 400 illustrations and photographs. From sandy beaches to coral reefs, the major coastal features are related to contemporary processes and to sea-level changes over the past 25,000 years. Key equations describing or predicting measurements from instruments used to map these processes are all presented in this wide-ranging overview. Davidson-Arnott completes this teaching package with online material that brings the subject to life, including videos of coastal processes and virtual field trips. ... Read more

Product Description
Introduces and reviews the science of geomorphology, explaining what it is, how it works, and the phenomena that surround the entire field. Brings to light the recent advances that have caused a renewed interest in the field, which includes data from a variety of disciplines, including geodesy, seismology, and Quaternary climate change. Softcover. DLC: Geomorphology. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Tectonic Geomorphology
Tectonic Geomorphology

An Excellent New Book in Tectonic Geomorphology
A new 274-page book on tectonic geomorphology has been authored by Douglas Burbank of the University of California at Santa Barbara, and Robert Anderson of the University of Colorado.Tectonic geomorphology is a new branch of geology that evaluates the "unrelenting competition between tectonic processes that tend to build topography, and the surface processes that tend to tear them down."

This affordable soft-bound book is organized into 11 chapters, as follows:(1) Introduction, (2) Geomorphic Markers, (3) Establishing Timing in the Landscape - Dating Methods, (4) Stress, Faults, and Folds, (5) Short-term Deformation - Geodesy, (6) Paleoseismology, (7) Rates of Erosion and Uplift, (8) Holocene Deformation and Landscape Processes, (9) Deformation and Geomorphology at Intermediate Time Scales, (11) Numerical Modeling of Landscape Evolution.

The book is targeted for upper-division undergraduates, first-year graduate students in geology, and for working engineering geologists who need an update in tectonic geomorphology.There are 461 references, most of them within the past five years, so the book contains a robust foundation of new citations that will be particularly useful for students.

The authors include nine developments that have driven rapid changes in tectonic geomorphology:new age-dating methods, process-oriented geomorphic studies, new insights into past climatic change, new geodetic tools (like GPS), paleoseismology methods (like trenching of active faults), new ability for physical characterization of faulting and folding, new digital topographic methods (like GPR), and accessibility to high-speed computing for numerical modeling of geomorphic processes.

The geomorphic concepts explained in the text are shown in 295 line-drawings or sketches (black & white) that have been carefully redrawn for clarity from the original sources.There is minimal use of field photographs, and no color is employed.Instead, the authors utilize drawings, graphs, cross sections, and simplified maps to convey geomorphic concepts.Quantitive methods are emphasized, yet the book is not burdened by difficult higher mathematics.

"Tectonic Geomorphology" is highly recommended for the following reasons:(1) understandable explanations of complex geologic processes are provided in clear diagrams, (2)world-wide examples are used, (3) modern interdisciplinary approaches are emphasized, (4) a robust bibliography is provided, and (5) the book is affordable and represents "good value" for students and working professionals alike. ... Read more

Product Description
This overview of fluvial geomorphology provides river engineers and managers, who may lack specialist training in this field, with useful insights into, and understanding of, natural channel forms and fluvial processes. Such information is a pre-requisite for carrying out environmental impact assessments and for developing environmentally sensitive design and management procedures to preserve riverine environments and restore degraded ones. Designing with nature is preferable to imposing hard engineering solutions as it sustains natural biodiversity and minimises costs. This book will also be an invaluable teaching aid for students, both under- and post-graduate, studying civil engineering, environmental management or sciences, or geography who are looking to have a wider knowledge of new approaches to the subject. Geomorphology requires the collection and consideration of a wide range of data, mostly field based but also including historical information such as archive documents and maps, which are outside the experience of most river engineers and managers. These data enable the current condition of the river to be explained, both locally and within the catchment, and establish historical changes and future trends. In addition, process studies have now identified many of the mechanisms controlling river morphology which underpin the development of soft, bio-engineering, design procedures. The book incorporates material on methods and techniques of data collection, analysis and interpretation, making extensive use of case studies throughout. Thus the experienced authors go some way towards demystifying applied fluvial geomorphology by demonstrating that, while there is still an element of judgement, major contributions to geomorphic understanding usually come from the careful assemblage and objective analysis of all available data and information. ... Read more

Product Description

Anthropogenic geomorphology studies society’s impact on the geographical environment, and especially on the Earth’s surface. This volume provides guidance to students discussing the basic topics of anthropogenic geomorphology. The chapters cover both its system, and its connections with other sciences, as well as the way the subject can contribute to tackling today’s practical problems. The book represents all fields of geomorphology, giving an introduction to the diversity of the discipline through examples taken from a range of contexts and periods, and focusing on examples from Europe. It is no accident that anthropogenic geomorphology has been gaining ground within geomorphology itself. Its results advance not only the theoretical development of the science but can be applied directly to social and economic issues. Worldwide, anthropogenic geomorphology is an integral and expanding part of earth sciences curricula in higher education, making this a timely and relevant text.

Product Description

This extensively revised, restructured, and updated edition continues to present an engaging and comprehensive introduction to the subject, exploring the world’s landforms from a broad systems perspective. It covers the basics of Earth surface forms and processes, while reflecting on the latest developments in the field. Fundamentals of Geomorphology begins with a consideration of the nature of geomorphology, process and form, history, and geomorphic systems, and moves on to discuss:

• Structure: structural landforms associated with plate tectonics and those associated with volcanoes, impact craters, and folds, faults, and joints.

• Process and form: landforms resulting from, or influenced by, the exogenic agencies of weathering, running water, flowing ice and meltwater, ground ice and frost, the wind, and the sea; landforms developed on limestone; and landscape evolution, a discussion of ancient landforms, including palaeosurfaces, stagnant landscape features, and evolutionary aspects of landscape change.

This third edition has been fully updated to include a clearer initial explanation of the nature of geomorphology, of land surface process and form, and of land-surface change over different timescales. The text has been restructured to incorporate information on geomorphic materials and processes at more suitable points in the book. Finally, historical geomorphology has been integrated throughout the text to reflect the importance of history in all aspects of geomorphology.

Fundamentals of Geomorphology provides a stimulating and innovative perspective on the key topics and debates within the field of geomorphology. Written in an accessible and lively manner, it includes guides to further reading, chapter summaries, and an extensive glossary of key terms. The book is also illustrated throughout with over 200 informative diagrams and attractive photographs, all in colour.

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Customer Reviews (3)

Front pages started falling out
Prose could be more concise, sometimes seemed circular and hard to get to the point.Graphics need the touch of a professional artist.I would have kept the book in my library but the front pages including the table of contents began falling out and this was a new book.I put it back on Amazon with that caveat and buyer should get a full semester use before the book totally self destructs.Too bad because the book has a high quality feel to it otherwise.

An impact is missing for the tenderfoot.
I love Huggett's work in physical geography. But check out these 3 others--Geoecology, Environmental Change, and Catastrophism --and ask yourself, as you read Geomorphology, why a geographer like Huggett would write extensively about impact craters as fundamental surface features of the earth and destroyers of biota(in the 3 books mentioned above) yet chose NOT to include a chapter on this important topic for introductory geomorphology students. Even Lobeck covered meteor craters in the final chapter of his '39 text. Tectonics has permeated geomorphological writings and Huggett introduces this topic well, but impact cratering continues to be coveredby geologists and earth systems researchers rather than geomorphologists (who probably would like to deny the existence of these landforms). Still, Huggett is a geographer who knows better. Geomorphology (and the field of physical geography in general according to Olav Slaymaker) needs to be connected to global environmental change research efforts addressed by geographers. Huggett could've beenthe guy to make this connection too, but failed to do so in this book. With this said, I still gave the book 4 stars-- Huggett is an eclectic geographer who only gets better.

An impact is missing for the tenderfoot.
I love Huggett's work in physical geography. But check out these 3 others--Geoecology, Environmental Change, and Catastrophism --and ask yourself, as you read Geomorphology, why a geographer like Huggett would write extensively about impact craters as fundamental surface features of the earth and destroyers of biota(in the 3 books mentioned above) yet chose NOT to include a chapter on this important topic for introductory geomorphology students. Even Lobeck covered meteor craters in the final chapter of his '39 text. Tectonics has permeated geomorphological writings and Huggett introduces this topic well, but impact cratering continues to be coveredby geologists and earth systems researchers rather than geomorphologists (who probably would like to deny the existence of these landforms). Still, Huggett is a geographer who knows better. Geomorphology (and the field of physical geography in general according to Olav Slaymaker) needs to be connected to global environmental change research efforts addressed by geographers. Huggett could've beenthe guy to make this connection too, but failed to do so this book. With this said, I still gave the book 4 stars-- Huggett is an eclectic geograper who only gets better. ... Read more

Product Description
Originally published in 1989, Karst Geomorphology and Hydrology became the leading textbook on karst studies. This new textbook has been substantially revised and updated.

The first half of the book is a systematic presentation of the dissolution kinetics, chemical equilibria and physical flow laws relating to karst environments. It includes details of the many environmental factors that complicate their chemical evolution, with a critique of measurement of karst erosion rates. The second half of the book looks at the classification system for cave systems and the influence of climate and climatic change on karst development. The book ends with chapters on karst water resource management and a look at the important issues of environmental management, including environmental impact assessment, environmental rehabilitation, tourism impacts and conservation values. Practical application of karst studies are explained throughout the text.

"This new edition strengthens the book's position as the essential reference in the field. Karst geoscientists will not dare to stray beyond arm's reach of this volume. It is certain to remain the professional standard for many decades." Journal of Cave and Karst Studies, August 2007 ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Excellent Revision of Classic Karst Text
Most revisions of textbooks include a few minor updates, some additional graphics and new developments since the last publication date, and a new cover.This book serves as a welcome exception, in that it contains major changes that enhance a text that was already a classic.The field is rapidly expanding, and the authors are intimately knowledgeable with it all.I've chosen it as our text, and I strongly recommend it for anyone who wants to gain an in-depth understanding of the state of the science.

Improved second edition
The First edition of this textbook was already very good, and the second reflects the increase of knowledge since then making it the current text of choice about karst. There can be few readers even those active in the field who will not find something in the way of a new insight or data collection useful to them.
There is a natural reluctance to buy a second edition of a textbook already possessed. In this case it has been so extensively rewritten that such fears are as full of holes as the karst topography in the text!



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Product Description
Geomorphology is an eclectic subject, drawing from geology, physical geography, soils and atmospheric sciences, civil and environmental engineering, and still other fields. The third edition of Bloom’s outstanding, classroom-tested text reflects the diversity of geomorphology, synthesizing its principles to make them accessible to students and practitioners from all disciplines. Bloom covers all of the major constructional and erosional processes of landform creation and change with separate sections devoted to glaciation and coastal geomorphology. Each set of processes and the resulting landforms are explained in a separate chapter, providing a comprehensive, nonmathematical overview. Profuse examples and illustrations represent landforms from around the world, avoiding the regionalism pervading other texts in the field. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Alright text nothing exciting.
I have read many well written and well organized texts about geology,this is not one of them.The language is so dry, and information is scattered.

Geomorphology the last 15 million years
It is an excellent textbook, can be used in different ways, to meet the students need. Recomend the textbook, will be using it this fall. ... Read more

Product Description
Geomorphological research in the humid to seasonal tropics has primarily concentrated on the most characteristic landform assemblage of this zone, namely that of stepped, largely undissected etchplains, often dotted with inselbergs and cutting across ancient basement rocks. Although the author discusses extensively this subject, he puts particular emphasis on the differences of chemical weathering and land-forming processes on rocks of various lithology and structure. This contrast becomes most evident, when comparing the highly resistant quartzitic sediments often covering the basement rocks with the easily weathered volcanics, e.g. the Deccan traps of India.
The book was first published in German in 1987. However, the present version is much more than a translation, encompassing a range of new ideas and findings in the field of tropical geomorphology. The number of maps and illustrations has also been increased. ... Read more

Product Description
Geomorphology is the study of landforms on the surface of the earth - mountains, valleys, slopes and dunes, as well as submarine forms on the sea floor - coastal mud flats, coral reefs, and submarine canyons. In describing existing landforms, geomorphology investigates the past processes that have created them, and anticipates the future developments that will change them. Created by the movements of the earth's crust, by volcanoes and weathering, and eroded by streams, glacier ice, winds, coastal waves and currents, landforms are the product of the complex interaction between form, material and process.

Using as its central theme the functional interdependence of form, material and process, 'Introduction to Geomorphology' is an essential tool for all first-year students seeking a comprehensive understanding of the subject. It presents and explains the science of landforms, linking empirical results with theoretical models of landform development. The book includes a wide range of examples from around the world, together with a superb collection of photographs, maps and diagrams. ... Read more

Product Description
With a balance of theory and practical applications, Tectonic Geomorphology of Mountains is essential reading for research geologists and upper-level undergraduate and graduate students in the earth sciences.

• This book describes how tectonic events influence geomorphic processes and explores how landscapes respond to tectonic deformation in the ways in which they are weathered, washed, and abraded
  
• Uses new approaches to enhance theoretical models of landscape evolution and to solve practical problems such as the assessment of earthquake hazards
  
• Includes previously unpublished research and theory
  
• Examines how to use key landforms as reference levels in changing landscapes, estimate rates of mountain-range uplift, and map seismic shaking caused by prehistorical earthquakes
  
• Presents a diverse range of examples from around the world

Product Description
We are poised to embark on a new era of discovery in the study of geomorphology.The discipline has a long and illustrious history, but in recent years an entirely new way of studying landscapes and seascapes has been developed. It involves the use of 3D seismic data.Just as CAT scans allow medical staff to view our anatomy in 3D, seismic data now allows Earth scientists to do what the early geomorphologists could only dream of - view tens and hundreds of square kilometres of the Earth's subsurface in 3D and therefore see for the first time how landscapes have evolved through time. This volume demonstrates how Earth scientists are starting to use this relatively new tool to study the dynamic evolution of a range of sedimentary environments. ... Read more

Product Description
This comprehensive work on all aspects of soils includes introductory chapters on soil morphology, physics, mineralogy and organisms in anticipation of the more advanced analysis of the subject that follows. Replete with hundreds of high-quality figures and a large glossary, its global perspective makes it an invaluable text for anyone studying soils, landforms and landscape change in middle to upper-level undergraduate and graduate courses. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

An outstanding book on soils for amateurs and professionals alike
I am an adult student in a 13-course Natural History curriculim run by the local Audubon society and the USDA.Of all the soils books I have sampled, this one provides the greatest depth and range and seemingly endless new avenues for appreciation and discovery.It's a lifetime investment for a life-time of learning. The new price is very steep, so it's worth waiting for a used copy to become available at a reasonable price.

Very good soils text
The text was listed as used, but the book was brand new.Priced well below used text prices at the University bookstore. Recieved it within 7 days with standard shipping.Very good book for anyone interested in soils.

High Bulk Density
This is a useful first-edition textbook in a field that has long lacked an adequate reference. The subject is soil development relative to geology and landform. A background in mineralogy and soil science is helpful but not critical.

The subject matter is dense, yet the writing is clear and engaging and the sequence of topics meaningful. The numerous tables help summarize information that could otherwise be cumbersome to organize mentally; the diagrams and graphs effectively illustrate key concepts; and sidebars enliven the basic text with interesting examples. It's true there are no color plates but I didn't find that a glaring omission.

Although I am sure there are shortcomings, the authors seem to do a very good job of maintaining a global perspective. They are not bound to any particular school of analysis or taxonomic classification system. They also present the development of this fairly young science and the important work of its pioneers. Despite being a dry subject to non-specialists, soil science appears to be populated by colorful characters and it's nice to have some of that come out in a textbook. The authors don't shy away from the controversies that have beset the field of pedogenesis and geomorphology.

I did find some topics given short shrift -- wetland formation and classification, some historical topics like the peneplain concept, the use of advanced technologies (GIS, remote sensing), landscape analysis. And for my purposes the index was less helpful than the table of contents in returning to topics of interest. The hardcover binding is rather cheap so handle carefully.

This is a much-needed reference for a fascinating topic, one that deserves wide distribution and future editions.

High Bulk Density
This is a laudable first edition textbook in a field that has gone for some time without a satisfying reference. The subject matter is the science of how soils form in relation to geology and landform.

The subject matter is extremely dense but clearly and engagingly presented, and in a meaningful sequence. A background in soil science and mineralogy is helpful but not critical. Especially welcome are the tables that compile information and the graphs and diagrams that illustrate key concepts. There are no color plates as in other soils textbooks but I did not find this a glaring omission.

Although I am sure there are some weaknesses or omissions, I did appreciate the global perspective -- the authors are not bound to any one school of interpretation or classification system. The book is also very successful in providing the history of how this field of study developed and in depicting the contributions (and personalities) of the scientists who founded pedogenesis and geomorphorphology. However dry soil science may appear to non-specialists, it appears to be populated by colorful characters so it is nice to get a sense of that in a textbook.

A couple of topics are given short shrift in my opinion -- such as wetland formation and classification, the peneplain concept, and the utilization of advanced technologies (GIS, remote sensing) to advance analysis and landscape-scale applications. I also found the index inadequate in searching for topics of interest, having better luck with the table of contents.

This is an auspicious start for a much-needed reference that I hope will see future editions.

A long time coming!
This book was begging to be written for the longest time.Thank goodness Randy went ahead and did it.The book fills a void in soil science by linking soil formation and geomorphology, an obvious connection.It is well-written in terms of organization and style.I can tell that Randy certainly enjoys studying soils, as his enthusiasm pours off the pages.Not only that, but he and his co-author clearly have the knowledge and background to put forth such a work.

I recommend this book for anyone interested in soils, but especially for a college-level text book for any soils-related course. ... Read more