Latrubesse Natural Hazards and Human-Exacerbated Disasters in Latin America

Special Volumes of Geomorphology
1. Auflage 2009
ISBN: 978-0-08-093218-7
Verlag: Elsevier Science & Techn.
Format: EPUB
Kopierschutz: 6 - ePub Watermark

E-Book, Englisch, 535 Seiten

The main objective of the book is to offer a vision of the dynamics of the main disasters in South America, describing their mechanisms and consequences on South American societies. The chapters are written by selected specialists of each country. Human-induced disasters are also included, such as desertification in Patagonia and soil erosion in Brazil. The receding of South-American glaciers as a response to recent climatic trends and sea-level scenarios are discussed.
The approach is broad in analyzing causes and consequences and includes social and economic costs, discussing environmental and planning problems, but always describing the geomorphologic/geologic involved processes with a good scientific substantiation. This is important to differentiate the book from others of a more 'social' impact that discuss risks and disasters with emphases mainly on economy and simple impacts.
* actual theme, interesting for a variety of professionals.
* fills in the scarcity of specialized literature in geosciences from South America.
* is the first book in the market exclusively devoted to geomorphology of disasters in South America.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Latrubesse, Edgardo

Inhaltsverzeichnis

1;Cover;1
2;Natural Hazards and Human-Exacerbated Disasters in Latin America;4
3;Copyright Page;5
4;Contents;6
5;Editorial Foreword;14
6;Foreword;16
7;Preface;18
8;List of Contributors;22
9;Chapter 1 Climate and Geomorphologic-related Disasters in Latin America;26
9.1;1. Introduction;27
9.2;2. Latin American Climate;28
9.3;3. Geomorphologic consequences of climate;37
9.4;4. Final Remarks;51
10;Chapter 2 Geomorphology as a Tool for Analysis of Seismogenic Sources in Latin America and the Caribbean;54
10.1;1. Introduction;55
10.2;2. The Seismotectonic Setting of Latin America and the Caribbean;57
10.3;3. Geomorphologic Analysis of Neotectonic Structures;62
10.4;4. Case Histories of Geomorphic Signature of Potential Seismogenic Sources;63
10.5;5. Concluding Remarks;71
11;Chapter 3 The Changing Coastlines of South America;74
11.1;1. Introduction;74
11.2;2. Sea-Level Trends: Past, Present, and Future;76
11.3;3. Storm Surges;79
11.4;4. Tsunamis;85
11.5;5. ENSO Effects;94
11.6;6. Mud Volcanoes and Alt Diapirs;95
11.7;7. Anhropogenic Effects;95
11.8;8. Concluding Remarks;97
11.9;Acknowledgments;98
12;Chapter 4 Disasters in Mexico and Central America: A Little Bit More than a Century of Natural Hazards;100
12.1;1. Introduction;100
12.2;2. On the Nature of Mexico and Central America;102
12.3;3. Disasters in Central America and Mexico, 1902—2007;107
12.4;4. Hurricane Mitch: Beyond Political Boundaries;115
12.5;5. Future Perspectives;118
12.6;6. Discussion and Conclusions;120
12.7;Acknowledgments;122
13;Chapter 5 Venezuela: The Construction of Vulnerability and Its Relation to the High Seismic Risk;124
13.1;1. Introduction;124
13.2;2. Historical Record;128
13.3;3. Earthquakes in Caracas;132
13.4;4. Tsunamis;134
13.5;5. Urban Expansion and Types of Construction in Venezuela;136
13.6;6. Microzonation Programs;136
13.7;7. Discussion and Final Remarks;137
14;Chapter 6 Natural Hazards and Human-Induced Disasters Triggered by Intense and Episodic Tropical Rains in the Venezuelan Mountains;140
14.1;1. Introduction;140
14.2;2. Disorganized Urban Growth and Catastrophic Flood from Caribbean Mountains;141
14.3;3. The Torrential Avalanche of El Limon River;148
14.4;4. Catastrophic Floods in the Venezuelan Andes;150
14.5;5. Recent Catastrophic Flow in the Venezuelan Andes;151
14.6;6. Final Remarks;154
15;Chapter 7 Convulsive Events, a Widespread Hazard in the Colombian Andes;156
15.1;1. Introduction;156
15.2;2. Case Studies;157
15.3;3. Discussion and Conclusions;172
16;Chapter 8 Geomorphology of Natural Hazards and Human-induced Disasters in Ecuador;174
16.1;1. Introduction;174
16.2;2. Ecuador and Anthropogenic Disturbances;176
16.3;3. Conclusion;188
17;Chapter 9 Natural Hazards in Peru: Causation and Vulnerability;190
17.1;1. Introduction;190
17.2;2. Natural Hazards and Human Vulnerabilities;191
18;Chapter 10 Geomorphology of Natural Hazards and Human-induced Disasters in Bolivia;206
18.1;1. Introduction;206
18.2;2. Volcanoes;209
18.3;3. Earthquakes;210
18.4;4. Floods and Droughts in Bolivia;211
18.5;5. Landslides;216
18.6;6. Conclusions;218
18.7;Acknowledgment;219
19;Chapter 11 Soil Erosion in Brazil from Coffee to the Present-day Soy Bean Production;220
19.1;1. Introduction;220
19.2;2. The Interrelationship of Coffee, Soy, and Erosion in Brazil: Geographic Context and Background;224
19.3;3. Erosion and Agriculture;231
19.4;4. Development Models for the Gully Erosion Process in Brazil;242
19.5;5. Conclusion;245
20;Chapter 12 Landslides and Disasters in Southeastern and Southern Brazil;248
20.1;1. Introduction;248
20.2;2. Interaction between Rainfall and Landslides;251
20.3;3. Mechanisms and Conditions Initiating Landslides;254
20.4;4. Landslides and Disasters;257
20.5;5. Other Catastrophic Events Recorded in Brazil;266
20.6;Acknowledgment;268
21;Chapter 13 Floods in Urban Areas of Brazil;270
21.1;1. Introduction: Water versus Urbanization;270
21.2;2. Floods in Brazil;273
21.3;3. Final Remarks;291
22;Chapter 14 Seismic and Volcanic Hazards in Argentina;292
22.1;1. Introduction;292
22.2;2. Seismotectonic Setting;294
22.3;3. Neotectonics and Historical Seismicity;301
22.4;4. Seismic Hazard and Risk;310
22.5;5. Volcanism and Volcanic Hazard;311
22.6;6. Final Remarks;322
23;Chapter 15 Landslide Processes in Argentina;326
23.1;1. Introduction;326
23.2;2. Geographical Location of Landslides;327
23.3;3. Paleo-Landslides;342
23.4;4. Outburst Floods Caused by Dammed Lake Failure;347
23.5;5. Main Landslide Trigerring Mechanisms in Argentina;349
23.6;6. Losses, Economical Impacts, and Physical Land-Use Planning;354
23.7;7. Final Remarks;356
23.8;Acknowledgments;357
24;Chapter 16 Floods in Argentina;358
24.1;1. Introduction;358
24.2;2. Torrential Rivers with Headwaters in Mountain Areas;359
24.3;3. Flat-plain Rivers with Insufficient Drainage Efficiency;363
24.4;4. Large Tropical Rivers;371
24.5;5. Climatic Trends and Floods;372
24.6;6. Final Remarks;373
24.7;Acknowledgments;374
25;Chapter 17 Desertification in Patagonia;376
25.1;1. Introduction;376
25.2;2. Geographical Characterization of Patagonia;377
25.3;3. Desertification in Patagonia;383
25.4;4. Evaluation of the Status of Desertification in Patagonia;384
25.5;5. Spatial Distribution of bajos sin salida (Closed Basins) and the Dynamics of "Aeolian Plumes’’ in the South of Santa Cruz;391
25.6;6. Degradation of Meadows;396
25.7;7. Degradation Induced by Hydrocarbon Activities;398
25.8;8. Conclusions;401
26;Chapter 18 Geology and Geomorphology of Natural Hazards and Human-Induced Disasters in Chile;404
26.1;1. Introduction;404
26.2;2. General Geologic, Geomorphic, and Climate Characteristics of Chile;405
26.3;3. Geo-hazards and Risks;409
26.4;4. Final Remarks;437
26.5;Acknowledgments;438
27;Chapter 19 Impact of Global Climate Change on Glaciers and Permafrost of South America, with Emphasis on Patagonia, Tierra del Fuego, and the Antarctic Peninsula;440
27.1;1. Global Climate Change;440
27.2;2. Climate of the Twenty-first Century and Its Impact on Glaciers;445
27.3;3. A Few Examples of Global Climate Change Impact on South American Glaciers;445
27.4;4. Permafrost;462
27.5;5. Final Remarks;462
27.6;Acknowledgments;463
28;Chapter 20 Possible Future Changes in Geomorphological Hazards in Latin America;464
28.1;1. Introduction;464
28.2;2. Glaciers and Permafrost;466
28.3;3. Sea Level and Coastal Environments;466
28.4;4. Conclusions;468
29;Chapter 21 A Latin American Perspective on Geomorphologic Hazards and Related Disasters;470
30;References;474
31;Index;520