Book Description Fully revised and presented in fifty-two short, easy-to-teach units, the third edition of Physical Geography: The Global Environment covers complex topics including long-distance weather linkages, biodiversity, and global change in a manner easily accessible to first- and second-year undergraduates. Set against a backdrop of human interaction with the environment, the text offers comprehensive treatments of Earth's five major components: the atmosphere, the hydrosphere, the lithosphere, the cryosphere, and the biosphere. FEATURES OF THE THIRD EDITION BLUnit Approach: Flexible, self-contained units make the material in the text easier for students to understand and instructors to navigate. BLFrom the Field Notes: This thought-provoking collection of on-the-scene geographical photographs and writings is taken from the travels of Professor de Blij, who was the Geography Editor on ABC's Good Morning America for seven years and subsequently the Geography Analyst for NBC News. This compelling feature includes new photographs with expanded captions and accompanying locator maps that pinpoint each picture's global position. BLPerspectives on the Human Environment: These revised boxed essays in each unit highlight humanity's relationships with the environment. BLNew and Improved Art Program: More than 90% of the photographs, 4-color maps, illustrations, and line art that appear throughout the text are new to this edition. BLSystems Approach Part Openers: These stunning, full-page illustrations graphically display and interrelate each Earth system. BLWeb Resources: Included at the end of each unit, these links give students an interactive way to find out more about concepts discussed in the unit.