Global Change and the Earth System: A Planet Under PressureThe interactions between environmental change and human societies have a long, complex history spanning many millennia, but these have changed fundamentally in the last century. Human activities are now so pervasive and profound that they are altering the Earth in ways which threaten the very life support system upon which humans depend. This book describes what is known about the Earth System and the impact of changes caused by humans. It considers the consequences of these changes with respect to the stability of the Earth System and the well-being of humankind; as well as exploring future paths towards Earth System science in support of global sustainability. |
From inside the book
Results 1-5 of 75
Page v
... aerosol particles - is now significantly different from what it was a century ago . The Earth's biota is now experiencing the sixth great extinction event , but the first caused by another species : Homo sapiens . The evi- dence that ...
... aerosol particles - is now significantly different from what it was a century ago . The Earth's biota is now experiencing the sixth great extinction event , but the first caused by another species : Homo sapiens . The evi- dence that ...
Page viii
... Aerosols 164 4.3 Response of the Earth System to Land - Use and Land - Cover Change 4.3.1 The Conversion Process 4.3.2 Effects of Changed Land Cover 168 170 174 4.3.3 Intensification of Agriculture 182 4.4 Multiple and Interacting ...
... Aerosols 164 4.3 Response of the Earth System to Land - Use and Land - Cover Change 4.3.1 The Conversion Process 4.3.2 Effects of Changed Land Cover 168 170 174 4.3.3 Intensification of Agriculture 182 4.4 Multiple and Interacting ...
Page 3
... aerosol ( dust and sulphate ) concentrations , all of which are linked in part to biological processes . The main maxima and minima of temperature and trace gas concentrations , which mark the alternation between glacial and ...
... aerosol ( dust and sulphate ) concentrations , all of which are linked in part to biological processes . The main maxima and minima of temperature and trace gas concentrations , which mark the alternation between glacial and ...
Page 23
... aerosols , understanding the expression , causes and consequences of past natu- ral variability is of vital concern for developing realistic scenarios of the future . Moreover , the complex interac- tions between external forcings and ...
... aerosols , understanding the expression , causes and consequences of past natu- ral variability is of vital concern for developing realistic scenarios of the future . Moreover , the complex interac- tions between external forcings and ...
Page 25
... aerosols and changes in greenhouse gases other than carbon dioxide and methane ( IPCC 2001 ) . Af- forestation and reforestation activities intended to mitigate cli- mate change through carbon sequestration may therefore also exert ...
... aerosols and changes in greenhouse gases other than carbon dioxide and methane ( IPCC 2001 ) . Af- forestation and reforestation activities intended to mitigate cli- mate change through carbon sequestration may therefore also exert ...
Contents
1 | |
6 | |
Harvard University USA The University of Newcastle | 60 |
Claussen Martin | 75 |
How Humans are Changing the Earth System | 81 |
3 | 109 |
Magnitudes Rates and Significance of Human Changes | 131 |
4 | 142 |
Department of Geosciences Harvey Nick | 166 |
5 | 203 |
NASA Headquarters Washington DC USA Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research | 234 |
Dalhousie University Canada Scholes R | 251 |
References | 299 |
Mitra A | 305 |
Acknowledgements | 307 |
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Common terms and phrases
aerosol aerosol particles Africa agricultural anthropogenic areas Asia atmos atmospheric CO2 Berlin Heidelberg biodiversity Biogeochem Cy biological biomass biosphere Cambridge carbon cycle century chemical climate change climate system CO₂ coastal zone complex concentration decades deforestation dynamics Earth System functioning ecosys ecosystems effects emissions ENSO environment environmental estimated example extinction feedbacks fertilisation flux forcing forest fossil fuel Gaia Geophys Res glacial Greenland growth Heidelberg New York Holocene human activities human-driven hydrological hydrological cycle ice core IGBP IGBP Global Change impacts important increase influence interactions IPCC land-cover Lovelock marine natural nitrogen North Atlantic nutrients ocean organic ozone past patterns perturbation photosynthesis phytoplankton plant population processes production radiative forcing record regions responses river role scale Science sediment significant simulations soil solar species surface temperature terrestrial ecosystems Tg N yr–1 thermohaline circulation tion transport trends tropical tropospheric variability vegetation warming Younger Dryas