Man and Nature

About this eBook

Author

Marsh, George P. (George Perkins), 1801-1882

Title

Man and Nature; Or, Physical Geography as Modified by Human Action

Credits

Produced by Julia Miller and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.)

Language

English

LoC Class

GF: Geography, Anthropology, Recreation: Human ecology, Anthropogeography

Subject

Nature -- Effect of human beings on

Category

Text

eBook-No.

37957

Project Gutenberg

https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/37957

Release Date

November 9, 2011

Copyright

Public domain in the USA.

Contents

1. 1.MAN AND NATURE; — PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY — AS MODIFIED BY HUMAN ACTION. — NEW YORK: CHARLES SCRIBNER & CO., No. 654 BROADWAY. 1867.
2. 2.P R E F A C E.
3. 3.BIBLIOGRAPHICAL LIST — OF WORKS CONSULTED IN THE PREPARATION OF THIS VOLUME.
4. 4.TABLE OF CONTENTS.
5. 5.CHAPTER I. — INTRODUCTORY. — Natural Advantages of the Territory of the Roman Empire. — Physical Decay of the Territory of the Roman Empire, and of other parts of the Old World. — Causes of this Decay. — New School of Geographers. — Reaction of Man on Nature. — Observation of Nature. — Cosmical and Geological Influences. — Geographical Influence of Man. — Uncertainty of our Meteorological Knowledge. — Mechanical Effects produced by Man on the Surface of the Earth more easily ascertainable. — Importance and Possibility of Physical Restoration. — Stability of Nature. — Restoration of Disturbed Harmonies. — Destructiveness of Man. — Human and Brute Action Compared. — Physical Improvement. — Arrest of Physical Decay of New Countries. — Forms and Formations most liable to Physical Degradation. — Physical Decay of New Countries.
6. 6.CHAPTER II. — TRANSFER, MODIFICATION, AND EXTIRPATION OF VEGETABLE AND OF ANIMAL SPECIES. — Modern Geography embraces Organic Life. — Transfer of Vegetable Life. — Foreign Plants grown in the United States. — American Plants grown in Europe. — Modes of Introduction of Foreign Plants. — Vegetables, how affected by Transfer to Foreign Soils. — Extirpation of Vegetables. — Origin of Domestic Plants. — Organic Life as a Geological and Geographical Agency. — Number of Quadrupeds in the United States. — Origin and Transfer of Domestic Quadrupeds. — Extirpation of Quadrupeds. — Number of Birds in the United States. — Birds as Sowers and Consumers of Seeds, and as Destroyers of Insects. — Diminution and Extirpation of Birds. — Introduction of Birds. — Introduction of Insects. — Destruction of Insects. — Reptiles. — Destruction of Fish. — Introduction and Breeding of Fish. — Extirpation of Aquatic Animals. — Minute Organisms.
7. 7.CHAPTER III. — THE WOODS. — The Habitable Earth Originally Wooded. — The Forest does not Furnish Food for Man. — First Removal of the Forest. — Effects of Fire on Forest Soil. — Effects of Destruction of the Forest. — Electrical Influence of Trees. — Chemical Influence of the Forest. — Influence of the Forest, considered as Inorganic Matter, on Temperature. — a. Absorbing and Emitting Surface. — b. Trees as Conductors of Heat. — c. Trees in Summer and Winter. — d. Dead Products of Trees. — e. Trees as a Shelter to Ground to the Leeward. — f. Trees as a Protection against Malaria. — The Forest, as Inorganic Matter, tends to mitigate Extremes. — TREES AS ORGANISMS. — Specific Heat. — Total Influence of the Forest on Temperature. — INFLUENCE OF FORESTS ON THE HUMIDITY OF THE AIR AND THE EARTH. — a. As Inorganic Matter. — b. The Forest as Organic. — Wood Mosses and Fungi. — Flow of Sap. — Absorption and Exhalation of Moisture. — Balance of Conflicting Influences. — Influence of the Forest on Temperature and Precipitation. — Influence of the Forest on the Humidity of the Soil. — Influence of the Forest on the Flow of Springs. — The Forest in Winter. — General Consequences of the Destruction of the Forest. — Condition of the Forest, and its Literature in different Countries. — The Influence of the Forest on Inundations. — Destructive Action of Torrents. — Transporting Power of Rivers. — The Po and its Deposits. — Mountain Slides. — Protection against fall of Rocks and Avalanches by Trees. — Principal Causes of the Destruction of the Forest. — American Forest Trees. — Special Causes of the Destruction of European Woods. — Royal Forests and Game Laws. — Small Forest Plants, and Vitality of Seed. — Utility of the Forest. — The Forests of Europe. — Forests of the United States and Canada. — The Economy of the Forest. — European and American Trees compared. — Sylviculture. — Instability of American Life.
8. 8.CHAPTER IV. — THE WATERS. — Land artificially won from the Waters. — a. Exclusion of the Sea by Diking. — b. Draining of Lakes and Marshes. — c. Geographical Influence of such Operations. — Lowering of Lakes. — Mountain Lakes. — Climatic Effects of Draining Lakes and Marshes. — Geographical and Climatic Effects of Aqueducts, Reservoirs, and Canals. — Climatic and Geographical Effects of Surface and Underground Draining. — Surface and Under-draining and their Effects. — Climatic and Geographical Effects of Surface Draining. — Irrigation and its Climatic and Geographical Effects. — INUNDATIONS AND TORRENTS. — a. River Embankments. — b. Floods of the Ardèche. — c. Crushing Force of Torrents. — d. Inundations of 1856 in France. — e. Remedies against Inundations. — Consequences if the Nile had been Diked. — Deposits of the Tuscan Rivers. — Improvements in the Val di Chiana. — Improvements in the Tuscan Maremme. — Obstruction of River Mouths. — Subterranean Waters. — Artesian Wells. — Artificial Springs. — Economizing Precipitation.
9. 9.CHAPTER V — THE SANDS. — Origin of Sand. — Sand now carried to the Sea. — Sands of Egypt. — The Suez Canal. — Sands of Egypt. — Sand Dunes and Sand Plains. — Coast Dunes. — Sand Banks. — Dunes on the Coast of America. — Dunes of Western Europe. — Formation of Dunes. — Character of Dune Sand. — Interior Structure of Dunes. — Form of Dunes. — Geological Importance of Dunes. — Inland Dunes. — Age, Character, and Permanence of Dunes. — Use of Dunes as a Barrier against the Sea. — Encroachments of the Sea. — The Liimfjord. — Coasts of Schleswig-Holstein, Holland, and France. — Drifting of Dune Sands. — Dunes of Gascony. — The Dunes of Denmark and Prussia. — Control of Dunes by Man. — Artificial Formation of Dunes. — Protection of Dunes. — Trees suited to Dune Plantations. — Extent of Dunes in Europe. — Dune Vineyards of Cap Breton. — Removal of Dunes. — Inland Sand Plains. — The Landes of Gascony. — The Belgian Campine. — Sands and Steppes of Eastern Europe. — Advantages of Reclaiming the Sands. — Government Works.
10. 10.CHAPTER VI. — PROJECTED OR POSSIBLE GEOGRAPHICAL CHANGES BY MAN. — Cutting of Marine Isthmuses. — The Suez Canal. — Canal across the Isthmus of Darien. — Canals to the Dead Sea. — Maritime Canals in Greece. — Canal of Saros. — Cape Cod Canal. — Diversion of the Nile. — Changes in the Caspian. — Improvements in North American Hydrography. — Diversion of the Rhine. — Draining of the Zuiderzee. — Waters of the Karst. — Subterranean Waters of Greece. — Soil below Rock. — Covering Rock with Earth. — Wadies of Arabia, Petræa. — Incidental Effects of Human Action. — Resistance to Great Natural Forces. — Effects of Mining. — Espy's Theories. — River Sediment. — Nothing Small in Nature.
11. 11.FOOTNOTES:
12. 12.APPENDIX.
13. 13.INDEX — FORSYTH'S "CICERO." — A New Life of Cicero. — BY WILLIAM FORSYTH, M. A., Q. C. — LORD DERBY'S "HOMER." — The Iliad of Homer. — RENDERED INTO ENGLISH BLANK VERSE BY EDWARD, EARL OF DERBY. — Extracts from Notices and Reviews from the English Quarterlies, &c. — AMERICAN NOTICES.

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