Product Description
The investigation of how landforms develop and of rates of processes has traditionally relied on the study of surfaces and sediments. Soils that have developed on geomorphic surfaces have the potential to record more accurately the history of landscape development. Historically, however, soils have been largely ignored by most geomorphologists in favour of concentration on stratigraphic and sedimentologic relationships (i.e. the deposits) or morphometric (i.e. the form of the landscape) studies. Only recently have most geomorphologists and geologists begun to appreciate the importance and utility of soils in studies of landforms.

This book focuses on the relationship between soils and landforms and landscapes, mostly in non-glaciated areas, thus filling a major gap in the geomorphology literature. It is directed both at geomorphologists (including geologists and geographers) and pedologists.

... Read more

Product Description
The purpose of this specially commissioned volume of papers is threefold: to collect, analyze, interpret and correlate new and existing sea-level data; to survey and to analyze data from the world's coasts and continental shelves to provide information on resource exploitation, coastal land-use planning, land subsidence, reclamation, acquaculture and ecology; to analyze tide-gauge records and to model other short-term sea-level fluctuations such as palaeotides, storm surges and tsunamis, using computer simulation techniques controlled by reliable sea-level data. This book represents the culmination of more than ten years' research under the auspices of the International Geological Correlation Programme and appropriately contains contributions from geographers, oceanographers and geologists from all over the world, including Japan, United States, Australia, Scandinavia and France. This book reports and reflects on the most recent advances in the study of sea-level changes in the past, present and future and should be of interest to environmental scientists, to coastal geomorphologists and to planners and policy-makers in marine and coastal resource management. ... Read more

Product Description
Looks in detail at the important landform system of river basins and their valuable water resources. A case study of the Colorado River, supplemented with additional material on the Nile and the Rhone, provides opportunities to examine the management of river basins. ... Read more

Product Description
Perspectives on the future directions of research in geomorphology form the major theme of this volume. Ten geomorphologists were asked to "star-gaze". that is provide opinions about the future direction of their speciality. Each paper is supported by the literature that currently defines the research frontier. ... Read more

Product Description
Enhanced by photographic illustrations of extraordinary quality, this text should provide students with a complete introduction to the scientific study of environments dominated by snow and ice. Emphasizing the range of erosional and depositional landforms, drawing on the older geological record, according due attention to the marine environment, and covering all relevant parts of the world - this book should find a wide readership among students of geography, geology and environmental science.; The author has published many research papers and has also been joint-author, co-author or co-editor of six book-length publications.; This book is intended for undergraduate students of glacial environments geomorphology, glaciology/hydrology in departments of geography, environmental sciences and geology. ... Read more

Product Description
This volume provides an overview of current and future trends in aeolian research. It is written by leading scientists from the UK, Canada, India, Australia and the USA, all of whom are actively involved in aeolian research. The book seeks to provide a comprehensive account of present aeolian processes, landforms and sediments, together with an analysis of past aeolian environments. Further, it looks at some of the anthropogenic pressures on aeolian processes, both on coasts and in deserts, and discusses some management solutions. The text is characterised by the wide perspective it provides and by the authority of its authors. Its fourteen chapters cover the history of desert dune studies, recent investigations of airflow and sand transport, sand seas, coastal dune dynamics, dune management, the physics of aeolian movement, wind erosion (especially of agricultural land), dust storms, loess deposition, the aeolian rock record, palaeoenvironments in the Quaternary, luminescence dating techniques, and aeolian research for the Millennium. ... Read more

Product Description
The first detailed review of global climate change in the Late Quaternary, combining a summary of research and a synthetic description. The author focuses on changes in the Earth's geology and climate between the last interglacial period and the final melting of the last great ice sheets 130,000 to 7,000 years ago. A special emphasis is given to regional variability in glacial history, the rapidity of past climate change, and the complexity of environmental responses to widespread deglaciation. ... Read more

Product Description
Rivers provide the primary link between land and sea. Utilizing the world's largest database, this book presents a detailed analysis and synthesis of the processes affecting fluvial discharge of water, sediment and dissolved solids. The ways in which climatic variation, episodic events, and anthropogenic activities - past, present and future - affect the quantity and quality of river discharge are discussed in the final two chapters. The book contains 26 tables and more than 165 figures - many in full color - including global and regional maps. The book's extensive appendix presents the 1534-river database as a series of 44 tables that provide quantitative data regarding the discharge of water, sediment and dissolved solids. The complete database is also presented within a GIS-based package available online at www.cambridge.org/milliman. River Discharge to the Coastal Ocean provides an invaluable resource for researchers, professionals and graduate students in hydrology, oceanography, geology, geomorphology and environmental policy. ... Read more

Product Description
This undergraduate textbook provides a current and comprehensive survey of the sediments and forms generated within Pleistocene and pre-Pleistocene glacial environments. Techniques and methods used in the examination of these sediments and forms are extensively reviewed. This is the most comprehensive and wide-ranging book ever prepared on this topic, and will form the basis for future work in the area.


In studying past glacial environments, links are made between understanding modern glaciodynamics, ice physics, and the processes of erosion, transport and deposition of glacial sediments and the generation of various glacial landforms.Past Glacial
Environments presents physical geography, earth and environmental science students with an extensive review of the latest research on past glacial environments. The text encompasses Pleistocene subglacial, supraglacial and proglacial sediments and environments, pre-Pleistocene global glacial conditions and sediments, as well as past glacioaeolian, glaciolacustrine, and glaciomarine sediments. Subsequent chapters focus on stratigraphy, lithofacies associations, paleosols, glacio-eustasy and isostasy, micromorphology, SEM, drift prospecting and placer mining.
... Read more

Product Description
The Arctic is characterized by strangely eroded rocks, special wind-formed lakes, sand dunes and loess deposits that owe their formation to aeolian processes controlled by snow cover and frost formation.This book presents a detailed description and explanation of these wind-generated polar landforms, modern-day as well as those preserved in the geological record. It is an important introduction to this area of geocryology and a useful reference for graduate students and researchers in geomorphology, geology and environmental science. ... Read more

Product Description
This is a collection of about 50 articles which treats the development of geomorphology around the world. Countries represented range from some of the smallest to the largest, and also vary in their experience of geomorphology. Emphasis is given to pioneers in the field and their concepts, especially those with international implications. Education, experience and theoretical bases as well as political, economic, legal and military factors are shown to have affected the pursuit of relevant research. However, the major impacts on geomorphology are shown to be the nature of the landscape itself, the training of individual scientists and national characteristics. ... Read more

Product Description
It is important to consider both the geotechnical engineering and the engineering geology implications of static and dynamic behavior of landslides. In studying landslides, one must consider mechanical characterization of the materials, appropriate modeling and analysis of landslides, geologic setting that results in landslide, and geomorphology indicative of landslide susceptible terrain. This proceedings, Landslides under Static and Dynamic Conditions: Analysis, Monitoring, and Mitigation, contains papers presented at the ASCE National Convention in San Diego, California on October 23, 1995. They discuss topics of analysis, monitoring and mitigation. Case study landslides come from various locations, including Maine, Kentucky, Southern California, and France with various geotechnical conditions. ... Read more

Product Description
Every year a landslide disaster occurs somewhere in Europe. Destructive events are fortunately infrequent but when they do occur they are often tragic in their effects. Europe is heavily populated and development is expanding into areas where natural events are more likely to happen. Landslide Recognition is written by specialists from several European institutions and is designed to portray the diagnostic features of landslides as they would appear in the field, on maps or in photographs. Brief descriptions are provided and some guidance is given in the area in which different landslide types might be expected. This book will assist planners, developers, engineers and earth scientists to recognise where a problem may exist and to diagnose what type of failure may occur. The correct investigations and remedial measures may then be applied. ... Read more

Product Description

In the last one hundred years, a number of catastrophic events associated with rockslide dam formation and failure have occurred in the mountain regions of the world. This book presents a global view of the formation, characteristics and behaviour of natural and artificial rockslide dams. Chapters include a comprehensive state-of-the-art review of our global understanding natural and artificial rockslide dams, overviews of approaches to rockslide dam risk mitigation, regional studies of rockslide dams in India, Nepal, China, Pakistan, New Zealand, and Argentina. Rockslide dams associated with large-scale instability of volcanoes are also examined. Detailed case histories of well-known historic and prehistoric rockslide dams provide examples of investigations of rockslide dam behaviour, stability, and characteristics. The formation and behaviour of rockslide-dammed lakes ("Quake Lakes") formed during the 2008 Wenchuan Earthquake, China are also comprehensively summarised. The formation, sedimentology and stability of rockslide dams is examined in several analytical papers. An analysis of break-out floods from volcanogenic lakes and hydrological methods of estimating break-out flood magnitude and behavior are reviewed. The use of remote sensing data in rockslide-dammed lake characterisation is explored and a new approach to the classification of rockslide dams is introduced. Finally, a unique section of the book summarises Russian and Kyrgyz experience with blast-fill dam construction in two papers by leading authorities on the technology. The volume contains 24 papers by 50 authors from 16 countries including most of the recognised world authorities on the subject.

Product Description
This book deals with the principles and practices of electrochemical methods as applied to soil and water research, particularly those that can be carried out in the field. Beginning with the basis of potentiometric methods, including electrode potential, principles of potentiometric methods, reference electrodes, liquid-junction potential and characteristics of ion-selective electrodes, the author then proceeds to describe the properties and applications of various types of potentiometric electrodes, including glass, solid-state membrane, liquid-state membrane, oxidation-reduction and gas sensors. A special chapter devoted to commonly encountered problems will aid readers not familiar with potentiometric methods. Voltammetric methods, conductometric methods and electrochemical instruments are also discussed. ... Read more

Product Description
The prime purpose of this book is to provide undergraduate students with an introductory understanding of process mechanics and how process leads to the genesis of landforms.

In addition to historical concerns, today's geomorphologist must relate to problems that face hydrologists, engineers, geologists, pedologists, foresters, and many other types of earth scientists. The bond that unites geomorphology with so many apparently diverse disciplines is the common need to understand the processes operating within the Earth's surficial systems. Thus, although the historical aspect of landscapes remains important, it is absolutely essential for earth scientists to have a basic understanding of surface mechanics. ... 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
The beach and adjacent shoreface are the most dynamic part of the Earths surface. They represent a narrow zone where waves, tides and winds continuously interact, producing, wherever sediment is available, hundreds of thousands of kilometres of beach systems. Beaches are also the focus of intense pressure from users and developers, and for these reasons alone a knowledge of beach systems and their morphodynamics is critical to their sustainable management. This book is the first to provide an in-depth and holistic view of beach systems, looking both in detail at the dynamics of the shoreface, surf, swash and back beach zones, as well as globally at the range of parameters which influence regional variation in beach systems from the tropics to the poles. Furthermore it examines the relationship between beaches and ancillary dune systems, and has chapters on beach ecology, safety, stratification and barrier evolution. The book is designed for use in the classroom and the office, being aimed at university level students and coastal professionals. ... Read more