Publisher's Synopsis
We are in the grip of global warming, so we are told: sea levels are rising; glaciers are melting; meteorological events are becoming more extreme. But to what extent are these differences a deviation from the norm or merely part of an ongoing cycle of change? How can they be put into perspective? Global Environments through the Quaternary delves into the environmental changes that have taken place during the Quaternary: the two to three million years during which man has inhabited the Earth. Taking the reader through the Pleistocene and the Holocene, the book describes the evidence that has helped us to characterize environmental changes during these two epochs. It then explores the changes captured by more recent meteorological records in the period up to the present day. Current climate change research foretells of potentially catastrophic sea-level changes in the future; chapter seven examines sea-level changes throughout the Quaternary, putting current concerns into perspective. The book closes with a look at the environmental basis of climate change - and the impact of human activity upon it. Global Environments through the Quaternary captures our current understanding of the field within in a vibrant, two-colour text design, using many custom-drawn figures to help students visualise the concepts being presented. With climate change - itself but part of a the perpetual process of environmental change - as fierce a topic of debate now as at any other time, Global Environments through the Quaternary is essential reading for any students seeking a balanced, objective overview of this truly interdisciplinary subject. Online Resource Centre: The Online Resource Centre features figures from the book available to download, to facilitate lecture preparation
