Earth's Evolving Systems: The History of Planet EarthEarth's Evolving Systems: The History Of Planet Earth Is Intended As An Introductory Text That Examines The Evolution Of The Earth And Its Life From A Systems Point Of View. The Text Covers Major Topics Like The Lithosphere, Hydrosphere, Atmosphere, And Biosphere, And Discusses How These Systems Interacted With Each Other And Evolved Through Geologic Time. The Author Takes Care To Integrate The Current State Of Our Earth Systems With Those Of The Past In An Effort To Develop Students' Interests In Earth System In General. It Begins With By Examining The Basics Of Earth Systems, Including Discussions Of Sedimentation, Evolution, Stratigraphy, And Plate Tectonics. Part Two Looks At The Beginning Of Time With The Origin Of The Earth And Discusses Its Early Evolution, Through The Origin Of Life And Its Evolution To Multiculluraity. The Third Section Goes On To Cover The Paleozoic Through The Neogene Eras, Discussing Topics Such As Tectonics, Mountain Building, Sea Level, Climate, Life, And Mass Extinctions In Each Era. The Final Part Moves On To The Modern World, Discussing The Interactions Between Humans And Earth Systems, With An Emphasis On The Climatic System. Key Features Of Earth's Evolving System: - Presents The Earth As A Continuously Evolving And Dynamic Planet Whose History Consists Of A Succession Of Vastly Different Worlds Very Much Unlike Our Modern Earth. - Discusses The Scientific Method In Chapter 1, Emphasizing How Historical Geology Differs From The Standard "Scientific Method" Presented As The Paradigm Of Experimental Sciences And Of All Science. - Bridges Traditional Historical Geology Texts By Discussing Historical Information In The Context Of The Interaction And Integration Of Earth Systems Through Geologic Time By Using The Tectonic (Wilson) Cycle As A Unifying Theme. - Concentrates On North America But Offers A Global Perspective On Earth Systems On Processes Such As Orogenesis, Seaways, And Ocean Circulation, The Evolution Of Life, And Mass Extinction. - Discusses Rapid Climate Change And Anthropogenic Impacts In The Context Of A Continuously Evolving Earth Whose Environments Are Now Being Altered By Anthropogenic Climate Change. - End-Of-Chapter Materials Include: General Review Questions, More Challenging "Food For Thought" Questions, Key Terms Listing, And A "Sources And Further Readings" Section. - Boxes Throughout The Text Highlight Interesting Bits Of Related Information, Unusual Occurrences, Or Elaborates On Material Presented In The Text |
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Adapted appear Atlantic basins began biosphere Box Figure Cambrian carbon dioxide cells Chapter chemical climate change Concept and Reasoning continental continents Cretaceous Darwin deposited Devonian dinosaurs early Early-to-Middle Paleozoic Earth systems Earth’s atmosphere Earth’s surface energy environments Eocene erosion evolution evolutionary evolved Farallon plate fault Fauna formation fossil fossil record glacial glaciers human hypothesis igneous impact increased indicate Jurassic Late Paleozoic limestones lithosphere magma mammals mantle marine Mesozoic metamorphism million years ago minerals modern mountain Neoproterozoic North America North American plate nutrients occurred ocean circulation ocean crust origin Orogeny Pacific Paleogene Paleozoic Pangea Permian Phanerozoic photosynthesis plankton plants plate tectonics processes produce Proterozoic range Reasoning Checks reefs relatively result rift River Sandstone Science scientists sea level seafloor spreading seaways sediment sedimentary rocks sequence Shale Snowball Earth solar South species structure subduction taxa tectonic cycle temperature terranes terrestrial theory tion Triassic tropical uplift volcanic warm zone