Aaas Atlas of Population and Environment

by Harrison, Paul

• ISBN13: 9780520230842
• ISBN10: 0520230841
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2001-03-01
• Publisher: Univ of California Pr

Summary

TheAAAS Atlas of Population and Environmentis an important analysis of the relationships between human population and the environment. Illustrating through text, maps, and diagrams how population factors such as rates of growth, density, movement, and resource consumption, along with the use of certain technologies, affect the world's ecosystems and natural resources both in the short and long term, theAtlasbrings together a wealth of information from the most up-to-date sources. In view of the profound significance of these issues as we enter the new century, this accessible resource will be an invaluable tool for individuals, academics, governments, and corporations. TheAtlasdraws on research and data from a number of academic institutions and international organizations, including the United Nations, its specialist organizations and agencies; the World Resources Institute; the Center for International Earth Sciences Information Network; Oak Ridge National Laboratory; U.S. Geological Survey; and the UNEP-World Conservation Monitoring Centre. Using sophisticated mapping and graphic techniques, it provides quantitative analyses of the important links between such factors as human population density, rates of growth, migration, resource consumption, and technologies, and the state of the global environment. While the impact of people on the environment may have seemed intuitively obvious in the past, theAtlasmakes accessible a wealth of badly needed empirical evidence that will be invaluable for both specialists and general readers. This pathbreaking book tackles the difficult job of connecting the social and natural sciences to provide a thorough analysis of the interplay between population and the environment. Its interdisciplinary approach brings a unique comparative perspective to the discussion and makes it pertinent to a broad range of disciplines.

Table of Contents

Introduction	vii
Foreword	ix
Peter H. Raven
PART 1: OVERVIEW
The scale of our presence	3	(4)
The theory of population-environment links	7	(5)
Population and consumption trends	12	(9)
Natural resources and wastes	21	(6)
The state of major ecosystems	27	(8)
Policy responses	35	(3)
Overview endnotes	38	(5)
PART 2: ATLAS
Population and natural resources	43	(28)
Energy	47	(4)
Freshwater	51	(4)
Foodcrops	55	(4)
Meat and fish	59	(4)
Forest products	63	(4)
International trade	67	(4)
Population and landuse	71	(24)
Croplands	75	(4)
Pastures	79	(4)
Mineral extraction	83	(4)
Migration and tourism	87	(4)
Urbanization	91	(4)
Population and atmosphere	95	(12)
Climate change	99	(4)
Air pollution	103	(4)
Population, waste and chemicals	107	(12)
Industrial chemicals	111	(4)
Agrochemicals	115	(4)
Population and ecosystems	119	(40)
Mountains	123	(4)
Forests	127	(4)
Deserts and drylands	131	(4)
Freshwater wetlands	135	(4)
Mangroves and estuaries	139	(4)
Coral reefs	143	(4)
Regional seas	147	(4)
Oceans	151	(4)
Polar regions	155	(4)
Population and biodiversity	159	(31)
Species	163	(4)
Ecosystems and conservation	167	(4)
Atlas endnotes	171	(7)
PART 3: CASE STUDIES
The Northern Andes	178	(2)
Canaima National Park	180	(2)
The Dominican Republic	182	(2)
The Eastern Himalayas	184	(2)
Madagascar	186	(2)
The Sonoran Desert	188	(2)
Index	190	(8)
Sources	198	(4)
World map	202	(2)
Conversion tables	204