Climate Change: Biological and Human AspectsIn recent years climate change has become recognised as the foremost environmental problem of the twenty-first century. Not only will climate change potentially affect the multibillion dollar energy strategies of countries worldwide, but it also could seriously affect many species, including our own. A fascinating introduction to the subject, this textbook provides a broad review of past, present and likely future climate change from the viewpoints of biology, ecology and human ecology. It will be of interest to a wide range of people, from students in the life sciences who need a brief overview of the basics of climate science, to atmospheric science, geography, and environmental science students who need to understand the biological and human ecological implications of climate change. It will also be a valuable reference for those involved in environmental monitoring, conservation, policy-making and policy lobbying. |
Contents
1 | |
Principal indicators of past climates | 37 |
Past climate change | 67 |
climate and biology | 113 |
Present climate and biological change | 184 |
Current warming and likely future impacts | 231 |
The human ecology of climate change | 310 |
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activity agricultural analysis atmospheric atmospheric carbon become beginning biological carbon dioxide caused Chapter circulation climate change compared concentration concerns Consequently considerable considered consumption continue contribution cooling countries cycle decades developed early Earth economic ecosystems effect emissions energy Environment environmental estimates et al Europe event evidence example extinction factors Figure flooding forest fossil fuels further future glacial global global warming greater greenhouse growth human impact important increase indicators interglacial IPCC isotope land less levels major means methane models Nature North northern noted ocean past period plants Pleistocene population possible present problem production range reason recent record reduced regional release result rise scenario Science soils South species suggests summer temperature terrestrial tion tropical twenty-first century warmer warming World
Popular passages
Page 6 - Emissions of greenhouse gases and aerosols due to human activities continue to alter the atmosphere in ways that are expected to affect the climate.