Carbon and Its Domestication [Paperback]

Carbon is a vital component of environmental and economic systems. Its unique chemistry makes it important biologically, geologically, and climatically. Its domestication in time and space has many manifestations, including the control of fire, development of agriculture, fossil-fuel use and biotechnology. All have exacted an environmental price. Many agencies exist to manage carbon through conservation, etc. Carbon management is now a highly charged international political issue in which energy provision is a primary factor. This cross-disciplinary text focuses on the pivotal role of carbon in society and in the environment.

Carbon is chemically versatile and is thus the body and soul of biological, geological, ecological and economic systems. Its appropriation by humans through diversion of its biogeochemical cycle has been a mainstay of development. This domestication is characterized by a number of thresholds: control of fire, development of agriculture, expansion of Europe, fossil-fuel use and biotechnology. All have exacted an environmental toll, not least being climatic change and biodiversity loss. Carbon management now and in the future is a hot political issue.

There is no existing book which focuses on the pivotal role of carbon in the environment and society and the ways in which carbon has been domesticated in time and space to generate wealth and political advantage. Students of environmental science, geography, biology and general science will find this work invaluable as a cross-disciplinary text.

List of Figures. List of Tables. Preface. Acknowledgements.1 Introduction. 1.1 What is carbon? 1.2 Why is carbon so important? 1.3 Carbon and climate. 1.4 Carbon and the environment in the last 3 million years. 1.5 Carbon and technology through prehistory and history. 1.6 Carbon and development. 1.7 Carbon and the future.-2 The Chemistry Of Carbon. 2.1 The mineral world. 2.2 Organic compounds. 2.3 The l#