The Periglacial Environment

About this book

The Periglacial Environment, Fourth Edition, is an authoritative overview of the world's cold, non-glacial environments. First published in 1976 and subsequently revised in 1996 and 2007, the text has been the international standard for nearly 40 years.

The Fourth Edition continues to be a personal interpretation of the frost-induced conditions, geomorphic processes and landforms that characterize periglacial environments. Part One discusses the periglacial concept and describes the typical climates and ecosystems that are involved. Part Two describes the geocryology (permafrost science) associated with frozen ground. Part Three outlines the weathering and geomorphic processes associated with cold-climate conditions. Part Four provides insight into the periglacial environments of the Quaternary, especially the Late Pleistocene. Part Five describes some of the problems associated with human occupancy in regions that experience frozen ground and cold-climate conditions.

Contents

Preface to Fourth Edition xv
Preface to Third Edition xvii
Preface to Second Edition xix
Preface to First Edition xxi
Acknowledgments xxiii

Part I The Periglacial Domain 1
1 Introduction 3
2 Periglacial Climates 17

Part II Frozen Ground and Permafrost 63
3 Periglacial Ecosystems 41
4 Ground Freezing, Permafrost and the Active Layer 65
5 Permafrost Distribution and Stability 87
6 Ground Ice and Cryostratigraphy 111
7 Aggradational Permafrost Landforms 139

Part III Periglacial Geomorphology 193
8 Thermokarst Processes and Landforms 169
9 Cold-ClimateWeathering 195
10 Mass-Wasting Processes and Active-Layer Phenomena 219
11 Azonal Processes and Landforms 247

Part IV Pleistocene Periglacial Environments 299
12 Slope Development and Landscape Evolution 275
13 The Pleistocene Periglacial Domain 301
14 Previously-Frozen Ground 323

Part V Human Occupance and The Periglacial Environment 371
15 Pleistocene Periglaciation 343
16 Urban and Social Infrastructure 373
17 Transportation and Resource Development 399

References 423
Index 503

Customer Reviews

Biography

Hugh M. French is now Professor Emeritus, University of Ottawa, and an Adjunct Professor, University of Victoria. He lives on southern Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada.