Encyclopedia of the Anthropocene

2. Auflage 2026
ISBN: 978-0-443-14082-2
Verlag: Elsevier Science & Technology

Medienkombination, Englisch, Format (B × H): 216 mm x 276 mm, Gewicht: 450 g

Encyclopedia of the Anthropocene, Second Edition, Four Volume Set provides a topical-based synthesis of the unprecedented rise of humanity’s ecological footprint, the result of exponential population growth, coupled with run-away consumption of the planet’s finite ecosystem services. This new edition captures our current understanding of the actual effects of human population growth on the world’s resources, whether climate change, biodiversity loss, deforestation, soil erosion, poor air quality, or undrinkable water.

Since publication of the first edition, the Anthropocene has been even more widely debated among scientists, humanists, conservationists, industry leaders, politicians and others over precisely when it began, what to call it, if it should be an official geological epoch, whether it can be contained in time, and how it will affect future generations. Sustainability has been a growing issue for the Earth's ecosystems in the Anthropocene. Humans are now using up the world's natural resources at an unsustainable rate. This is causing huge problems for the natural ecosystems, agricultural systems, and water supplies, especially in the Global South. Climate change research, through field observation and remote sensing, has enabled improved understanding of its effects, allowing us to project future effects and the adaptation measures they require. These are essential topics in the encyclopedia.

Given the high degree of public and media attention on these topics, a revised Encyclopedia of the Anthropocene is strongly needed and can have impact. With concise and focused articles, this encyclopedia is uniquely positioned to make this knowledge accessible to a wide, global audience.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Weitere Mitwirkende

Goldstein, Michael I

Elias, Scott

Fachgebiete

• Geowissenschaften Geologie Geologie

Inhaltsverzeichnis

1. Geologic History and Energy (Current and future advances in non-fossil-fuel technologies)
2. Climate Change (Predicted future changes in warming, heatwaves, precipitation patterns, droughts, and floods)
3. Biodiversity (Which organisms and habitats are suffering the greatest loss)
4. Ethical Behavior and Social Dimensions (Intrinsic and cultural biodiversity values, The responsibilities of people, industries, and governments in the field of climate change, Disability rights and environmental law, The polluter pays principle, The precautionary principle, The social values and dimensions of the global Convention on Biological Diversity 30% target)
5. Contaminants (Biological impacts of plastic waste in the world's oceans)

Über Autor(innen)

Goldstein, Michael I
Dr. Michael I. Goldstein has worked on many applied research and management issues across terrestrial and aquatic systems, addressing pesticides, dispersed recreation, timber harvest, minerals development, and other forms of human use and resource extraction. Mike's PhD focused on spatial optimization of stands across adjacent federal and private lands to benefit biodiversity, Mike's work in industry also included creating a 40-year habitat conservation plan, and Mike's Forest Service career has focused on building efficiencies in natural resources and planning.
Mike was a principal architect and editor of Elsevier's reference module "Earth Systems and Environmental Sciences", and has served as Co-Editor-in-Chief of a trilogy of recent books, namely the Encyclopedia of the Anthropocene, the Encyclopedia of the World's Biomes, and Imperiled: The Encyclopedia of Conservation. These works tie together Mike's lifetime commitment to conservation planning, enhancing ecosystem services, and protecting biodiversity.

Elias, Scott
Scott A. Elias grew up in Colorado, USA, and received both an undergraduate degree and Ph.D. in Environmental Biology from the University of Colorado. He went on to do postdoctoral fellowships at the University of Waterloo, Canada, and the University of Berne, Switzerland. Scott returned to the University of Colorado in 1982 and became a research associate of the Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research. In 2000 he took a lectureship in Physical Geography at Royal Holloway, University of London, and became a Professor of Quaternary Science in 2007. He has served as editor-in-chief of three editions of the Encyclopedia of Quaternary Science, and co-editor-in-chief of the Encyclopedia of Geology and the Cryosphere Comprehensive.