The Blue Planet
An Introduction to Earth System Science
3. Edition March 2011
672 Pages, Hardcover
Textbook
Short Description
Geologists who need a reader-friendly Earth System Science book have made The Blue Planet the clear market leader. Many of the chapters have been reorganized for a more accessible introduction to the concepts. It includes improved coverage of the biosphere, atmosphere, and the oceans. Coverage of resources and hazards has been integrated throughout the pages to make the material more relevant. The discussions on physical geology have been streamlined to provide a better-balanced presentation of all spheres. Geologists will also find that the book better illustrates the integration of the four spheres.
The Third Edition of Blue Planet: An Introduction to Earth System Science treats earth science from a systems perspective, showing how the four spheres (lithosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, biosphere) are interrelated. In this edition, significant emphasis is placed on cycling of materials and energy, and interactions among the spheres. The text also places much clearer emphasis on basic science, which can be seen in the reorganization of topics into Energy and Matter chapters, as well as a new "The Basics" feature in each chapter. This edition is also more systematic about documenting human impacts on the various spheres of the Earth system.
Chapter 2: Matter
Chapter 3: Energy
Chapter 4: The Solar System
Chapter 5: The Dynamic Geosphere
Chapter 6: Earthquakes and Volcanoes
Chapter 7: The Rock Cycle
Chapter 8: The Hydrologic Cycle
Chapter 9: The Frozen Hydrosphere
Chapter 10: The World Ocean
Chapter 11: The Atmosphere
Chapter 12: Wind and Weather Systems
Chapter 13: The Climate System
Chapter 14: Life, Death, and Evolution
Chapter 15: Energy and Matter in Life Systems
Chapter 16: Earth's Major Ecosystems
Chapter 17: Habitat, Interactions, and Diversity
Chapter 18: Earth's Resources
Chapter 19: The Changing Earth System
