Soils Of The Past

Author : Gregory J. Retallack
Publisher : Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN 13 : 9401179026
Total Pages : 451 pages
Book Rating : 4.27/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Soils of the Past written by Gregory J. Retallack and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2012-12-06 with total page 451 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Landscapes viewed from afar have a timeless quality that is soothing to the human spirit. Yet a tranquil wilderness scene is but a snapshot in the steady stream of surficial change. Wind, water and human activities reshape the landscape by means of gradual to catastrophic and usually irreversible events. Much of this change destroys past landscapes, but at some times and places, landscapes are buried in the rock record. This work is dedicated to the discovery of past landscapes and their life through the fossil record of soils. A long history of surficial changes extending back almost to the origin of our planet can be deciphered from the study of these buried soils, or paleosols. Some rudiments of this history, and our place in it, are outlined in a final section of this book. But first it is necessary to learn something of the language of soils, of what happens to them when buried in the rock record and which of the forces of nature can be confidently reconstructed from their remains. Much of this preliminary material is borrowed from soil science, but throughout emphasis is laid on features that provide most reliable evidence of landscapes during the distant geological past. This book has evolved primarily as a text for senior level university courses in paleopedology: the study of fossil soils.

Author : Gregory J. Retallack
Publisher : John Wiley & Sons
ISBN 13 : 1119530407
Total Pages : 548 pages
Book Rating : 4.04/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Soils of the Past written by Gregory J. Retallack and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2019-09-10 with total page 548 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A student-friendly textbook that describes ancient soils, how they may be identified, and their use in paleoenvironmental reconstruction Ancient soils contain vital mineralogical, geochemical, textural, and paleontological information about the continental environments in which they formed. Advances in isotope geochemistry and sequence-stratigraphic models allow evermore detailed reconstructions of environmental change from paleosols, and new insights into such diverse topics as atmospheric chemistry, global change, paleoecology, geobiology and mass extinction. This book educates readers about the field of paleopedology and how it remains a key area of investigation for geologists and environmental scientists seeking to learn about, and reconstruct, the condition and evolution of paleoenvironments. Presented in three sections—Soils and Palesols; Factors in Soil Formation; and Fossil Record of Soils—Soils of the Past: An Introduction to Paleopedology describes the main types of ancient soil, procedures for identifying and studying them, their classification and, most significantly, a wide array of examples of how paleosols have been used for paleoenvironmental reconstruction. The book is an excellent reflection of the current state of knowledge and can be widely adopted over many disciplines. All chapters have been revised and updated to reflect advances in soil science in the last two decades New tables display a wealth of new data added since the 2nd edition published in 2001 New figures have been added and line art has been redrawn to improve clarity and promote understanding References have been updated throughout Soils of the Past, 3rd Edition is written for advanced undergraduates studying paleopedology as part of a degree in geology, environmental science, or physical geography, and for interested professional earth scientists.

Author : Gregory J Retallack
Publisher :
ISBN 13 : 9789401179034
Total Pages : 540 pages
Book Rating : 4.34/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Soils of the Past written by Gregory J Retallack and published by . This book was released on 1990-02-22 with total page 540 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Author : David R. Montgomery
Publisher : Univ of California Press
ISBN 13 : 0520933168
Total Pages : 299 pages
Book Rating : 4.63/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Dirt written by David R. Montgomery and published by Univ of California Press. This book was released on 2007-05-14 with total page 299 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Dirt, soil, call it what you want—it's everywhere we go. It is the root of our existence, supporting our feet, our farms, our cities. This fascinating yet disquieting book finds, however, that we are running out of dirt, and it's no laughing matter. An engaging natural and cultural history of soil that sweeps from ancient civilizations to modern times, Dirt: The Erosion of Civilizations explores the compelling idea that we are—and have long been—using up Earth's soil. Once bare of protective vegetation and exposed to wind and rain, cultivated soils erode bit by bit, slowly enough to be ignored in a single lifetime but fast enough over centuries to limit the lifespan of civilizations. A rich mix of history, archaeology and geology, Dirt traces the role of soil use and abuse in the history of Mesopotamia, Ancient Greece, the Roman Empire, China, European colonialism, Central America, and the American push westward. We see how soil has shaped us and we have shaped soil—as society after society has risen, prospered, and plowed through a natural endowment of fertile dirt. David R. Montgomery sees in the recent rise of organic and no-till farming the hope for a new agricultural revolution that might help us avoid the fate of previous civilizations.

Author : Jo Handelsman
Publisher : Yale University Press
ISBN 13 : 030025640X
Total Pages : 281 pages
Book Rating : 4.06/5 ( download)

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Download or read book A World Without Soil written by Jo Handelsman and published by Yale University Press. This book was released on 2021 with total page 281 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A scientist's manifesto addressing a soil loss crisis accelerated by poor conservation practices and climate change

Author : Kathleen Woida
Publisher : University of Iowa Press
ISBN 13 : 1609387503
Total Pages : 257 pages
Book Rating : 4.01/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Iowa's Remarkable Soils written by Kathleen Woida and published by University of Iowa Press. This book was released on 2021-05 with total page 257 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In language that is scientifically sound but accessible to the layperson, Kathleen Woida explains how Iowa's soils formed and have changed over centuries and millennia. Its soils are what make Iowa a premier agricultural state, both in terms of acres planted and bushels harvested. But in the last hundred years, large-scale intensive agriculture and urban development have severely degraded most of our soils. However, as Woida documents, some innovative Iowans are beginning to repair and regenerate their soils by treating them as the living ecosystem and vast carbon store that they are.

Author : RAYMOND. COOPER
Publisher :
ISBN 13 : 9781605955599
Total Pages : pages
Book Rating : 4.90/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Ancient Grains in Modern Soils written by RAYMOND. COOPER and published by . This book was released on 2021-09-02 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Presents a comprehensive description of the past, the present, and the future of ancient grainsProvides a review of scientific properties, flour preparation, milling and baking properties of ancient grainsContains chapters from experts devoted to many of the key grainsIncludes expert contributions from members of academia, industry, and government labsProvides nutritional and health properties of ancient grainsThis comprehensive volume is written by international experts on the cultivation, properties, and use of ancient grains, pseudo-grains, and rice in modern agriculture and their consumption. Sixteen chapters organized into six sections focus on unique properties including genetics and hybrids, phytochemicals, and implications for milling and baking.A renaissance in ancient grains is leading to the exploration of a variety of new cereals and breads and there is a demand for increased cultivation of ancient grains and pseudo-grains, including chia, quinoa, einkorn and emmer wheat.The book offers perspectives from the past, current research on ancient grains, and in conclusion, an essay suggesting the potential of wheat as the food for future explorers to planet Mars.

Author : Alex Maltman
Publisher : Oxford University Press
ISBN 13 : 0190863285
Total Pages : 273 pages
Book Rating : 4.89/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Vineyards, Rocks, and Soils written by Alex Maltman and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2018 with total page 273 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Jurassic, basalt, moraine, flint, alluvial, magma: what are these words and what do they have to do with wine? The answers are here in this book. They are geological terms that reflect a bond between wine and the land. Understanding geology, however, is tricky. Geological concepts are obscure; processes can be imperceptibly slow, invisible, and unimaginably ancient. The terminology is formidable, such that even the names of common rocks carry an air of mystery. Geology is introduced plainly, starting with basic principles, all in the context of wine. The emphasis is on the kinds of processes that shape vineyards, and on the minerals, rocks and soils that host the vines. Geological words now commonly seen in wine writings are systematically explained. You will learn the stories behind some of the names, the human face of geology. The book also explores how the geology-wine connection manifests in the finished product and evaluates its importance, particularly in the contexts of minerality, terroir, and wine taste. The fact is that geology is increasingly being promoted in the world of wine; the aim here is to help it be properly understood.

Author : Mohammad Hassan Roozitalab
Publisher : Springer
ISBN 13 : 3319690485
Total Pages : 255 pages
Book Rating : 4.83/5 ( download)

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Download or read book The Soils of Iran written by Mohammad Hassan Roozitalab and published by Springer. This book was released on 2018-03-30 with total page 255 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This unique book addresses Iran’s extremely rich soil diversity and resources, which have developed under various climatic conditions ranging from dry to humid conditions. Featuring contributions by a group of respected experts on Iranian soils and agriculture, it provides comprehensive information on the management approaches needed for sustainable soil utilization and conservation under such conditions, and the attendant challenges. As such, it offers a valuable resource for anyone interested in soils and agriculture in Iran, but also in other Middle East and North African countries with similar climatic conditions. The book contains 14 chapters which illustrate the long history of indigenous knowledge and soil research, climate, geology and geomorphology, vegetation cover, soil forming factors and processes, major soils, properties and their classification. Furthermore, it presents past climate change and paleosols, agroecological zones, soil fertility, soil biology and biotechnology, human induced land degradation and “soil management in space and time”. In the end, major challenges facing the soil resources of the country are defined and recommendations are made to face the future challenges.

Author : Steve Ellis
Publisher : Routledge
ISBN 13 : 1134915071
Total Pages : 396 pages
Book Rating : 4.71/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Soils and Environment written by Steve Ellis and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2002-09-26 with total page 396 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Soils represent the result of a complex set of interacting processes and are an integral component of the environment. Yet soils remain the most undervalued and misused of the Earth's resources. This work examines the fundamental importance of soils. Combining practical analysis and interpretation with a theoretical approach, the authors discuss the properties of soils, debate the environmental factors that influence their development, and address their resulting spatial characteristics on a global scale. Examining the impact of environmental controls on soil formation this book also analyzes the role of soils as components of natural environmental systems, and soil-human interactions. A glossary of terms aids the less scientific reader. Adopting macro and micro-scale, pure and applied, spatial and temporal, and natural and human related approaches, this book offers an understanding of soils within an environmental context. As environmental problems, such as pollution, acidification, erosion and climatic change become matters of greater concern, this work offers an understanding for readers across a spectrum of environmentally-related subjects.