Product Description

For the past 4 billion years, the chemistry of the Earth's surface, where all life exists, has changed remarkably. Historically, these changes have occurred slowly enough to allow life to adapt and evolve. In more recent times, the chemistry of the Earth is being altered at a staggering rate, fueled by industrialization and an ever-growing human population. Human activities, from the rapid consumption of resources to the destruction of the rainforests and the expansion of smog-covered cities, are all leading to rapid changes in the basic chemistry of the Earth.
The Second Edition of Biogeochemistry considers the effects of life on the Earth's chemistry on a global level. This expansive text employs current technology to help students extrapolate small-scale examples to the global level, and also discusses the instrumentation being used by NASA and its role in studies of global change. With the Earth's changing chemistry as the focus, this text pulls together the many disparate fields that are encompassed by the broad reach of biogeochemistry. With extensive cross-referencing of chapters, figures, and tables, and an interdisciplinary coverage of the topic at hand, this text will provide an excellent framework for courses examining global change and environmental chemistry, and will also be a useful self-study guide.


* Emphasizes the effects of life on the basic chemistry of the atmosphere, the soils, and seawaters of the Earth
* Calculates and compares the effects of industrial emissions, land clearing, agriculture, and rising population on Earths chemistry
* Synthesizes the global cycles of carbon, nitrogen, phosphorous, and sulfur, and suggests the best current budgets for atmospheric gases such as ammonia, nitrous oxide, dimethyl sulfide, and carbonyl sulfide
* Includes an extensive review and up-to-date synthesis of the current literature on the Earths biogeochemistry

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #105506 in Books
• Published on: 1997-02-20
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 588 pages

Review
"Schlesinger presents a clear analysis of the interactions among biological and chemical processes that determine the composition of the atmosphere, oceans, and biosphere, and places these in the context of global change." --Pamela Matson in ECOLOGY "Schlesinger presents the material in a vivid style making the book both informative and a pleasure to read." --Peter Warneck in JOURNAL OF ATMOSPHERIC CHEMISTRY "An excellent resource for earth scientists interested in increasing their knowledge of the roles of the terrestrial biosphere and of soil organic matter in geochemical cycling, particularly as they affect the global cycles of carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus." --E.K. and R.A. Berner in GEOCHIMICA ET COSMOCHIMICA ACTA "Do not take a spin on a biogeochemical cycle without first reading Schlesinger's description of the components of that cycle." --J.C.G. Walker in SCIENCE "Careful attention to detail is evident throughout the text. The book is richly illustrated with clearly explained figures, most of which are redrawn from the original primary literature. I recommend this book for any scientitst who needs a comprehensive and thoroughly referenced overview of biogeochemistry, and it is certainly well suited as a textbook for upper-level and graduate courses that deal with biogeochemistry." --Stephen K. Hamilton, Michigan State University, BULLETIN OF THE AMERICAN METEOROLOGY SOCIETY

Review
"...a clear analysis of the interactions among biological and chemical processes that determine the composition of the atmosphere, oceans, and biosphere..."
-- P. Matson in ECOLOGY

"Schlesinger presents the material in a vivid style making the book both informative and a pleasure to read."
--Peter Warneck in JOURNAL OF ATMOSPHERIC CHEMISTRY

"An excellent resource for earth scientists..."
--Berner & Berner, GEOCHIMICA ET COSMOCHIMICA ACTA

"Do not take a spin on a biogeochemical cycle without first reading Schlesinger's description of the components of that cycle."
--J.C.G. Walker, SCIENCE

"Careful attention to detail is evident...I recommend this book for any scientitst who needs a comprehensive and thoroughly referenced overview of biogeochemistry...well suited as a textbook."
--S.K. Hamilton, BULL. AMER. METEOROLOGY SOCIETY

Customer Reviews

An Overview of a Complex Subject
Biogeochemistry starts with a grand overview, including the formation of the elements, solar system & planets, and then progressively narrows the focus into specifics. As such by the time you get to a chapter on, say, the global carbon cycle, you already have a pretty good idea of where it fits in the big picture. Part I (Processes & Reactions) contains 9 chapters (Introduction, Origin, the Atmosphere, the Lithosphere, Biosphere: Terrstrial Carbon Cycle, Biosphere: Biogeochemical Cycling on Land, Biogeochemistry of Freshwater, Rivers & Estuaries, & the Oceans), which do a balanced job of covering the biological & geological aspects (too many books focus on one or the other). Part II (Global Cycles) has 5 chapters (Water, Carbon, Nitrogen & Phosphorous, Sulfur, & a final chapter on perspectives) that provide more of the details in these specalized catagories. Suitable for the advanced undergaduate or very interested bystandard, there's little detailed math (a weakness for me, but maybe not for you) but the chemistry is well summarized (and the biochemistry made simple & understandable), and the tables & graphs are clean and very useful. Perhaps more importantly for a "textbook", the style is readable - Schlesinger keeps the essentials, but does not bury the reader in them. While it might not provide all you need at a high level, the references scattered throughout as well as the recommended readings make this a great starting point for the subject, and a handy reference book for the subject as a whole.