A Short History of Earth’s Changing Climate – Causes and Effects
From its birth 4.6 billion years ago, Earth’s climate has been in flux. Its atmosphere, oceans and land masses have experienced chemical and physical changes and these have played the leading role in the evolution of life. And life, in its many forms, has and continues to change our planet’s climate. This book explains why global and regional climates have consistently changed and what has been the effects of these changes. The theories and questions presented are drawn from research within a range of scientific fields, yet does so in a way that those without a scientific background can readily grasp. They give the reader a vision of a dynamic and sensitive planet, a home to countless life forms, yet one that has witnessed many mass extinctions. While the history of climate is traced, certain chapters have been devoted to topics. Among others, these include the importance of ocean currents, the role climate played in the evolution of humans, and an explanation of ‘feedbacks.’
- 146 pages
- Soft cover
- 240 mm x 170 mm
- ISBN 978-0-646-71339-7
- (includes $A7.50 postage within Australia)
Our Planet and the Evolution of Western Australia’s Far South West
An area of some 360,000 square kilometres of the south west of Western Australia is one of the world’s 36 recognised ‘biodiversity hotspots.’ The far south west corner of this region, centred on the town of Margaret River, is distinctive. It consists primarily of a piece of India left behind when that continent separated from Gondwana to push up the Himalayas, adjacent to this is a deep trough containing excellent aquifers, and there are numerous limestone caves close to its coastline. This book describes the global and regional events that have fashioned this small area of the continent and that have given rise to it having such a wonderfully diverse ecosystem.
- 98 pages
- Soft cover
- 245 mm x 170 mm
- ISBN 978-0-646-85690-2
- (price includes $A7.50 postage within Australia)
Geology of Western Australia’s National Parks – 4th Edition
Western Australia not only has some of the oldest rocks on Earth, it has an extraordinary diversity of young and old rock formations and landforms. As the state is renowned for its mines and mineral wealth, it may come as a surprise that so many areas have been put aside and protected as national parks. In a number of these parks geological features, such as gorges cut into rocks billions of years old or ancient limestone reefs rich in fossils, are the prime attraction, and even in those parks where the geology may be somewhat more subtle, a basic understanding of it is not simply interesting, but can well be fascinating and enhance the experience of visiting these parks.
- Fourth edition published 2017
- 156 pages
- Soft cover
- 245 mm x 170 mm
- ISBN 978-0-646-48217-0
- (price includes $A 7.50 postage within Australia)