Cycles of Life: Civilization and the Biosphere

by Vaclav Smil

Book Overview

Once seen as a collection of individual components, nature is now regarded as a unified system--a biosphere that permeates the Earth's waters and extends from parts of its crust up into the... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0716750791
• ISBN13: 9780716750796
• Release Date: January 1997
• Publisher: Scientific American Library
• Length: 221 Pages
• Weight: 1.90 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 8.8" x 9.5"

Customer Reviews

Fascinating

I found this book (2 ed. Scientific American 2001) to be easily readable, and while the general thrust of the work may be about the greenhouse effect that is not the main topic. Rather, the book focuses on exploring the flows of major substances in the environment e.g; carbon, nitrogen, water and phosphorous. I've loaned this book and and it was greatly appreciated there too. Alas, it seems it can be difficult to go back and reference material; the index is a bit skimpy and the text arrangement works well for reading but may only allow you to find the general section of what you are looking for.

The background to the "Greenhouse Effect"

This book gives the reader the background to consider the "Greenhouse Effect" and all its ramifications in a serious way. Very good reading and very thought provoking.