The study of the Quaternary ice age has revolutionized ideas about Earth system change and the pace of landscape and ecosystem dynamics. The Ice Age: A Very Short Introduction looks at evidence from the continents, the oceans, and the ice core records, and the human stories behind it all. Jamie Woodward examines the remarkable environmental shifts that took place during the Great Ice Age of the Quaternary Period. He explores the evolution of ideas, evaluatesthe contributions of the leading players in the great debates, and presents some of the ingenious methods that have been used to retrieve information about the recent geological past.In an era of warming climate, the study of the ice age past is now more important than ever. This book examines the wonders of the Quaternary ice age - to show how ice age landscapes and ecosystems were repeatedly and rapidly transformed as plants, animals, and humans reorganized their worlds.ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

Introduction; 1 The Quaternary Ice Age; 2 Erratic Boulders and the Diluvium; 3 Monster Glaciers; 4 Die Eiszeit; 5 1840; 6 Ice sheets or icebergs; 7 Glacials, interglacials, and celestial cycles; 8 Deep ocean sediments and dating the past; 9 Ice cores, abrupt climate shifts, and ecosystem change; Epilogue; Further reading