The Fourth Edition of the widely-used physical geography text is updated to relect current knowledge and revised for better readability. Treatment is descriptive, emphasizing the ways in which the physical environment--climate, landforms, soils, and vegetation--affects human activities. Global, physical, geographical patterns are explained as simply as possible in terms of natural processes. Includes new, high quality illustrations and photographs.

The second edition of this best-selling and highly respected textbook provides an accessible and engaging introduction to the major topics within physical geography. An Introduction to Physical Geography and the Environment is designed with a range of in-text features such as case studies and reflective questions to aid study. As well as this, students have access to a rich and extensive range of online support resources such as extra weblinks, fieldwork worksheets, interactive models and new video clips of physical processes in action, all of which will help them achieve success in their Physical Geography course.

Physical Geography Made Simple focuses on developments in physical geography, including advancements in the study of landforms, weather, climate, water, soils, plants, and animals. The book first offers information on rocks and relief, weathering, slopes, and rivers and drainage basins. Topics include rock structures and landforms, crustal structure and movement, physical and chemical weathering, measurement and description of slopes, and transport, erosion, and deposition. The manuscript then ponders on glacial and periglacial landforms and desert and uropical landforms. The publication takes a look at coastal features, landscape development, and the atmosphere and its energy. The manuscript also elaborates on moisture in the atmosphere, air motion, general circulation, and weather. Discussions focus on fronts, weather prediction, planetary wind belts, pressure variations, upper air motion, adiabatic processes, and evaporation and condensation. The text is a valuable reference for geographers and readers interested in physical geography.

A systems-based approach to physical geography written in an easy-to-understand narrative style that is closely integrated with clear, single-concept illustrations.

With Wiley’s Enhanced E-Text, you get all the benefits of a downloadable, reflowable eBook with added resources to make your study time more effective, including: • Visual Concept Checks • Imbedded Glossary with clickable references & key words • Show & Hide Solutions with automatic feedback Arbogast’s Discovering Physical Geography, 4th Edition provides interactive questions that help readers comprehend important Earth processes. The Fourth Edition continues to place great emphasis on how relevant physical geography is to each reader’s life. With an enhanced focus on the interconnections between humans and their environment, this text includes increased coverage of population growth and its impact on the environment. Updated case studies are included, as well as new sections dealing with human interactions with solar energy, wind power, soils, and petroleum. This text is welcoming, taking readers on a tour of “discovery”, and delivers content that is sound and based on the most current scientific research.

Fundamentals of the Physical Environment has established itself as a well-respected core introductory book for students of physical geography and the environmental sciences. Taking a systems approach, it demonstrates how the various factors operating at Earth’s surface can and do interact, and how landscape can be used to decipher them. The nature of the earth, its atmosphere and its oceans, the main processes of geomorphology and key elements of ecosystems are also all explained. The final section on specific environments usefully sets in context the physical processes and human impacts. This fourth edition has been extensively revised to incorporate current thinking and knowledge and includes: a new section on the history and study of physical geography an updated and strengthened chapter on climate change (9) and a strengthened section on the work of the wind a revised chapter (15) on crysosphere systems - glaciers, ice and permafrost a new chapter (23) on the principles of environmental reconstruction a new joint chapter (24) on polar and alpine environments a key new joint chapter (28) on current environmental change and future environments new material on the Earth System and cycling of carbon and nutrients themed boxes highlighting processes, systems, applications, new developments and human impacts a support website at www.routledge.com/textbooks/9780415395168 with discussion and essay questions, chapter summaries and extended case studies. Clearly written, well-structured and with over 450 informative colour diagrams and 150 colour photographs, this text provides students with the necessary grounding in fundamental processes whilst linking these to their impact on human society and their application to the science of the environment.