Mountain Geography: Physical and Human Dimensions

Mountains cover a quarter of the Earth's land surface and a quarter of the global population lives in or adjacent to these areas. The global importance of mountains is recognized particularly because they provide critical resources, such as water, food and wood; contain high levels of biological and cultural diversity; and are often places for tourism and recreation and/or of sacred significance. This major revision of Larry Price's book Mountains and Man (1981) is both timely and highly appropriate. The past three decades have been a period of remarkable progress in our understanding of mountains from an academic point of view. Of even greater importance is that society at large now realizes that mountains and the people who reside in them are not isolated from the mainstream of world affairs, but are vital if we are to achieve an environmentally sustainable future. Mountain Geography is a comprehensive resource that gives readers an in-depth understanding of the geographical processes occurring in the world's mountains and the overall impact of these regions on culture and society as a whole. The volume begins with an introduction to how mountains are defined, followed by a comprehensive treatment of their physical geography: origins, climatology, snow and ice, landforms and geomorphic processes, soils, vegetation, and wildlife. The concluding chapters provide an introduction to the human geography of mountains: attitudes toward mountains, people living in mountain regions and their livelihoods and interactions within dynamic environments, the diverse types of mountain agriculture, and the challenges of sustainable mountain development.

Table of Contents:
Foreword Jack D. Ives Preface to the Second Edition Alton C. Byers Acknowledgements Chapter 1 Introduction to Mountains Alton C. Byers, Larry W. Price and Martin F. Price Chapter 2 Origins of Mountains John F. Shroder, Jr. and Larry W. Price Chapter 3 Mountain Climate Andrew J. Bach and Larry W. Price Chapter 4 Snow, Ice, Avalanches and Glaciers Leland R. Dexter, Karl W. Birkeland, and Larry W. Price Chapter 5 Mountain Landforms and Geomorphic Processes Jason R. Janke and Larry W. Price Chapter 6 Mountain Soils Larry W. Price and Carol P. Harden Chapter 7 Mountain Vegetation Keith S. Hadley, Larry W. Price and Georg Grabherr Chapter 8 Mountain Wildlife Larry W. Price and Valerius Geist Chapter 9 Attitudes Towards Mountains Edwin Bernbaum and Larry W. Price Chapter 10 People in the Mountains James S. Gardner, Robert E. Rhoades, and Christoph Stadel Chapter 11 Agricultural Settlement and Land Use in Mountains Stephen F. Cunha and Larry W. Price Chapter 12 Sustainable Mountain Development Martin F. Price and Thomas Kohler Index