Volcanoes and the Environment

Volcanoes and the Environment incorporates contributions from some of the foremost authorities in volcanology from around the world to form a comprehensive and accessible text. This book is an indispensable guide for all those interested in how volcanism has affected our planet’s environment in the past and will continue to do so in the future. Spanning a wide variety of topics from geology to climatology and ecology, it also considers the economic and social impacts of volcanic activity on humans. Chapters cover the role of volcanoes in shaping our planet’s environment through the eons, and their effect on the geological cycle; the impacts on atmosphere and climate; impacts on the health of those living on active volcanoes; the role of volcanism on early life; effects of eruptions on modern plant and animal life and implications from these studies; links between large eruptions and mass extinctions; relationships between contrasting human societies and volcanic disasters; how volcanoes can provide heat energy and supply precious base metals, as well as raw material, for our industries; and impacts of volcanic disasters on the economy. This book is intended for students and researchers interested in environmental change from the fields of earth and environmental science, geography, ecology, and social science. It will also interest and inform policy-makers and professionals working in natural hazard planning and mitigation.