The Earth System

by Robert George Crane, Lee Kump, Robert Crane

New Edition Available Now! The Earth System is revolutionary in its design because it addresses the issues of global change from a true Earth systems perspective.  Lessons from Earth’s past allow students to put such modern global change issues in historical context. The book describes how the Earth system “works” and maintains homeostasis, highlighting those events that provide lessons for the future. It describes the effects of humans on the Earth system, emphasizing the global issues of climate change, ozone depletion, and loss of biodiversity. Finally, it concludes by discussing the prospect for life on planets outside the solar system and on Earth in its long-term future. Now available in an accessible and up-to date format through Kendall Hunt Publishing, the NEW 4 th edition of The Earth

Genres: Science, Geology, Nonfiction, Academic, College

554 pages, Paperback

First published March 3, 1999

Reviews

[Julia Russ]

For the past two terms, this was the textbook for my Earth Systems Science class, and, despite how dense it is, I feel like it was well written and has given me a pretty comprehensive view on how all of the different Earth systems interact with one another. The textbook touches on the atmosphere, the oceans, the cryosphere, the geosphere, and how life originated on Earth -- it really is fascinating.

My biggest complaint is how out-of-date the textbook is in relation to the final chapters on global warming. We read the third edition of the textbook for my class -- which was published in 2010 -- and so much has changed since then. I feel like a new edition is warranted to update these chapters in relation to how the state of climate change has advanced nearly 15 years after its initial publication.

There may be a new edition and my professor just didn't assign it for some reason -- if so, I would recommend picking that one up. Overall, this was very much a solid, foundational textbook.

[Nick Black]

Our textbook for EAS1600 back in Fall 2003. Lots of good detail and coverage, although it'd have been difficult to synthesize the disparate material without our professor.

[Jennifer]

I only had to read a few for school, that is why I skipped through it. Very good text book though.

Last day of class today :)

[Marie Schuh]

I read this book for my Earth Dynamics and Systems class. It wasn't too awful for a textbook, but it wasn't great either.

[Ken]

4.5/5