The ecozones of the world : the ecological divisions of the geosphere

Recent studies have greatly contributed to a better understanding of the earth's ecosystem. This abundantly illustrated book provides a fundamental introduction to the ecological zones of the geosphere. Nine terrestrial ecozones have been distinguished and described in individual chapters with respect to: distribution, climate, relief/hydrology, soil vegetation/animal lifeand land use. The first chapter provides the reader with a general introduction to each subject area. The second edition is a competely revised and updated version. A large number of new Anglo-American ecological studies are included. The book also includes more than 70 new figures and tables and detailed maps on global agricultural regions and soil classification. Another new feature is the discussion of the correlation between northern ecosystems and the carbon dioxide balance in the global atmosphere. Recent studies have greatly contributed to a better understanding of the earth's ecosystem. This abundantly illustrated book provides a fundamental introduction to the ecological zones of the geosphere. Nine terrestrial ecozones have been distinguished and described in individual chapters with respect to: distribution, climate, relief/hydrology, soil, vegetation/animal life and land use. The first section provides the reader with a general introduction to each subject area.The second edition is a completely revised edition and updated version. A lot of new Anglo-American ecological studies have been taken into consideration. The book also includes more than 70 new figures and tables, including a detailed map on global agricultural regions. The soil classification has been adapted to the revised system of the World Reference Base of Soil Resources (WBR). Another new feature is the discussion of the correlation between northern ecosystems and the carbon dioxide balance in the global atmosphere. "Recent studies have greatly contributed to a better understanding of the earth's ecosystem. This abundantly illustrated book provides a fundamental introduction to the ecological zones of the geosphere. Nine terrestrial ecozones have been distinguished and described in individual chapters with respect to: distribution, climate, relief/hydrology, soil, vegetation/animal life and land use. The first section provides the reader with a general introduction to each subject area." "The second edition is a completely revised edition and updated version. A lot of new Anglo-American ecological studies have been taken into consideration. The book also includes more than 70 new figures and tables, including a detailed map on global agricultural regions."--Jacket Front Matter....Pages 1-5 Distribution....Pages 7-10 Climate....Pages 11-15 Relief and drainage....Pages 17-19 Soils....Pages 21-33 Vegetation and animals....Pages 35-54 Land use....Pages 55-59 Front Matter....Pages 61-61 Polar subpolar zone....Pages 63-82 Boreal zone....Pages 83-101 Temperate midlatitudes....Pages 103-122 Dry midlatitudes....Pages 123-139 Subtropics with winter rain....Pages 141-155 Subtropics with year-round rain....Pages 157-167 Dry tropics and subtropics....Pages 169-192 Tropics with summer rain....Pages 193-214 Tropics with year-round rain....Pages 215-236 This abundantly illustrated book provides a fundamental introduction to the ecological zones of the geosphere. The revised edition includes more than 70 new figures and tables, plus detailed maps of agricultural regions and soil classification. A large number of new Anglo-American ecological studies are included, along with a discussion of the correlation between northern ecosystems and the carbon dioxide balance in the global atmosphere.