The Third Edition of Blue Planet: An Introduction to Earth System
Science treats earth science from a systems perspective, showing how
the four spheres (lithosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, biosphere) are
interrelated. In this edition, significant emphasis is placed on cycling
of materials and energy, and interactions among the spheres. The text
also places much clearer emphasis on basic science, which can be seen in
the reorganization of topics into Energy and Matter chapters, as well as
a new "The Basics" feature in each chapter. This edition is also more
systematic about documenting human impacts on the various spheres of the
Earth system.