This book presents serious environmental science, in a nutshell. There is no better or more authoritative vehicle for staying up to speed with today's environmental science than the "McGraw-Hill Concise Encyclopedia of Environmental Science". Derived from the world-renowned "McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of Science & Technology", this vital reference provides brief yet substantive articles from scientists and engineers at the forefront of their fields, summarizing the state of the art in environmental science today.Learned enough for professional users, yet written in clear, simple language that will appeal to students and general readers wanting to explore the exciting developments in contemporary environmental science, the "McGraw-Hill Concise Encyclopedia of Environmental Science": features over 800 articles encompassing the scope of environmental sciences today; puts the world of environmental science at your fingertips, in a conveniently portable, alphabetically organized volume; includes clear, concise, expert-authored coverage of topics such as agriculture, climatology, ecology, environmental engineering, epidemiology, forestry, geochemistry, geography and mapping, geology, microbiology, oceanography, plant pathology, and zoology; provides illustrations, bibliographies, appendices, and other valuable supplements to the articles. Carefully reviewed for accuracy, clarity, and completeness, the "McGraw-Hill Concise Encyclopedia of Environmental Science" offers an unparalleled standard of excellence.