Andrew Goudie (1) (1945–)

Human impacts are often subtle and complex. They easily escape our notice as they make small cumulative changes in the environment. Only by intensive analysis of the chemistry and spatiotemporal dynamics of particles, forces, and flows can some impacts be detected. But as human population and land use have grown, so has the visibility of the impacts.

In this book, British geographer Andrew Goudie gives well-illustrated discussions of many types of human impacts. Throughout, he points out the complexity of the impacts and uncertainties about their causes. With examples drawn from hundreds of studies, Professor Goudie summarizes a broad array of previous research.

Following an introduction to the development of human attitudes toward nature, the book covers vegetation, animals, soil, water, geomorphology, and climate. It ends with a chapter on the current view of human impacts.

When The Human Impact was first published in 1981, one reviewer, Paul Ward English, said, "this is an unusually fine book." I agree.
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One of the 'Very Short Introduction' series aimed at students. I've seen them in bookshops but not tried one before. It fulfills its purpose well. A readable review of the subject. Quite obviously summarising a syllabus of subject study. Principally used either as initial orientation or emergency revision. Good for my purpose too of getting a basic grip of lanscape formation without having to go into anything too deeply. As you would expect there is an extensive 'further reading' list at the back. If ever I'm looking for a quick, readable introduction to a topic I'd use this series again.… (más)

2011, Feb.: #7
The Very Short Introduction series lives up to its name. Compiling an entire field into just 125 pages is no small task, so the information presented here is often far too generalized. Terms and phrases show up and disappear without any solid explanation, which seems to suggest the reader should have some prior knowledge of basic physical geography--it certainly couldn't hurt--and because of how many topics are briefly covered in such a small space, it'll probably be difficult to remember much of what you can learn from the slim book. (The Very Short Introduction series is published by the University of Oxford, and because of that has a somewhat irritating focus on the UK--irritating to me, at least.)

Topics covered include:
-Geologic time and its influence on geomorphology.
-History of geomorphology and geology and the advancement of theory up until plate tectonics.
-Changes and formation of various important geomorphological features, e.g., atolls, glacial moraines, the Tibetan Plateau, fluvial systems, soil erosion, thaw lakes, the Storegga Slide, and many, many more.
-A focus on the pleistocene and holocene epochs.
-Methods and tools used to study geomorphology (somewhat confusingly covered--there's so much!): DGPS, LIDAR, SRI, various dating methods, SRTM, bathymetry, and far too many others to keep track of.
-Changing climate's effects; anthropogeomorphology; impact of plant and animal, dust and methane, etc.
-The 'discovery' of planetary and marine geology.
-A fairly uninteresting (and out-of-place) look at geomorphology and culture.

The chapters on anthropogeomorphology, climatic effects and how man's studying the alien landscapes of distant planets and the ocean floor were very worthwhile, making me particularly curious of planetary geology. Included at the end is a welcome list of detailed "further reading" suggestions.

Overall, it's not a bad introduction, and the suggested reading list closing the overview may prove useful to those with deep pockets and a love for textbooks.

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