Geology of the Everglades...

I have decided to occasionally profile new books that are added to our collection. Today's selection is the following:

Petuch, E. J., & Roberts, C. E. (2007). The geology of the Everglades and adjacent areas. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press.

Petuch, Professor of Geology, and Roberts, Associate Professor of Geology, at the Department of Geosciences, Florida Atlantic University (Boca Raton, Florida), wrote 7 chapters detailing the geological development of the Everglades from late Paleogene to Holocene Southern Florida. The preface of this 212-page book acquaints us with the Everglades through an evocative line,

There is but one Everglades on this planet...

This work identifies the Everglades as a marine environment that must be studied from an oceanographic perspective. According to Petuch and Roberts, what was essentially an enclosed sea was flooded 12 times, providing layers of unique ecosystems.

The introduction serves as both a historical overview and a literature review. Students will find the exposure to the historical aspects of the geological foundation to the Everglades useful to understanding and researching its formation.

The book also comes with a DVD that includes and Powerpoint and a Quicktime video depicting the development of the Florida peninsula using simulated space shuttle photography.

Students at Eckerd are likely to find this book especially fascinating as it deals with areas close to home. In addition, most of the research on the area is relatively new, providing fascinating exposure to the development of an area of study within geology.