Publisher's Synopsis
This primary text, designed for undergraduate courses, provides a modern approach to the fundamentals of physical geography by linking process, form, and effect. The authors explore the natural world as a series of systems and consider the relationship between the different components of each. They examine, in turn, the atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere, and biosphere, providing a thorough discussion of their composition and the ways in which their interaction forms our global environment. Throughout, the authors demonstrate the role of humanity in influencing the physical environment and the ways in which we are affected by our surroundings. Clearly written and lavishly illustrated with maps, drawings, photographs, and charts, Fundamentals of Physical Geography is an ideal text.