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. |
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Page v
... perturbations of extraterrestrial origin. The Earth's environment has been a bountiful source of resources as well as a remarkably accommodating life support system that has allowed human civilisations to develop and flourish. This book ...
... perturbations of extraterrestrial origin. The Earth's environment has been a bountiful source of resources as well as a remarkably accommodating life support system that has allowed human civilisations to develop and flourish. This book ...
Page 4
... perturbations to the Earth System. Secondly, the detailed Vostok ice core record, as shown more fully in Fig. 1.3, also points to a relationship between the atmospheric concentrations of CO2 and CH4 and the climate, at least as ...
... perturbations to the Earth System. Secondly, the detailed Vostok ice core record, as shown more fully in Fig. 1.3, also points to a relationship between the atmospheric concentrations of CO2 and CH4 and the climate, at least as ...
Page 19
... perturbations. The amplitude and frequency of past hydrological variability (e.g., droughts) are especially important because human populations are concentrated in temperate and tropical latitudes. Moreover, in many of the populous ...
... perturbations. The amplitude and frequency of past hydrological variability (e.g., droughts) are especially important because human populations are concentrated in temperate and tropical latitudes. Moreover, in many of the populous ...
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... perturbation) and also any feedbacks present in the system. Biophysical effects of vegetation can feature in both of these components of climate change. Feedbacks on climate change forced by the enhanced greenhouse effect can occur from ...
... perturbation) and also any feedbacks present in the system. Biophysical effects of vegetation can feature in both of these components of climate change. Feedbacks on climate change forced by the enhanced greenhouse effect can occur from ...
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Contents
1 | |
6 | |
18 | |
24 | |
Department of Geography Richey Jeffrey | 41 |
New Insights into the Connectivity of the Earth System over Space and Time | 51 |
Dalhousie University Canada Scholes R | 54 |
New Insights into Nonlinearities Surprises and Thresholds | 64 |
How Humans are Changing the Earth System | 81 |
Mitra A | 110 |
Climate Environmental Physics Physics Institute Fu Congbin | 162 |
5 | 194 |
National Physical Laboratory University of Bern Switzerland | 197 |
New Delhi India | 278 |
Appendix | 305 |
Index | 311 |
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aerosol aerosol particles agricultural anthropogenic areas assessment atmos atmospheric CO2 Berlin Heidelberg biodiversity Biogeochem Cy biogeochemical cycles biological biomass biosphere carbon cycle century chemical climate change climate system CO2 concentration coastal zone complex decades deforestation dynamics ecosys ecosystems effects emissions ENSO environment environmental estimated example extinction feedbacks fertilisation fluxes forcing forest fossil fuel Gaia gases Geophys Res glacial Global Change Series greenhouse Greenland Heidelberg New York Holocene human activities human-driven hydrological cycle ice core IGBP IGBP Global Change impacts important increase interactions IPCC land cover land-cover land-use marine natural nitrogen North Atlantic nutrient ocean organic ozone past patterns perturbation phytoplankton plants population processes production radiative forcing record reefs regions responses river role scale Science sediment significant simulations soil species temperature terrestrial ecosystems Tg N yr–1 thermohaline circulation tion transport trends tropical tropospheric variability vegetation warming Younger Dryas