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McKnight's Physical Geography: A Landscape Appreciation, 13th edition

Published by Pearson (March 1, 2021) © 2022

  • Darrel Hess
  • Redina Finch
  • Dennis G. Tasa Tasa Graphic Arts, Inc.

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For courses in physical geography.

Comprehending Earth's physical landscape

McKnight's Physical Geography: A Landscape Appreciation presents the concepts of physical geography in a clear, readable way to help students comprehend Earth's physical landscape, using the time-proven approach established by Tom McKnight over 35 years ago.

The 13th Edition focuses on the parks, monuments, seashores and recreational areas that comprise this country's National Park system. The Parks provide the perfect introduction to topics ranging from Earth's physical features and the processes that form them to the opportunities for scientific research, providing students with a lens for viewing climate change.

Hallmark features of this title

  • Practicing Geography highlights geography and science in the real world and features people in scientific jobs to help students see job opportunities in geoscience.
  • Have You Ever Wondered...? chapter-openers present real-world phenomena related to the chapter and engage students with an active and lively introduction.
  • Environmental Analysis activities provide a higher-level application exercise that sends students outside their text to analyze data and perform higher-order learning tasks.
  • Seeing Geographically questions ask students to perform visual analysis and use critical thinking to check their understanding of key concepts and misconceptions.
  • Tasa Illustrations present the latest data and visually impactful presentations of physical geosciences processes.

New and updated features of this title

  • Featured National Park explores or focuses on an aspect of a Park or includes Snapshots From Our National Parks with a series of images related to a particular topic.
  • National Parks banners highlight photographs that appear in the numbered figures with each accompanied by a locator map of the Park. Science in the Field banners highlight photos of scientists and researchers at work with many taken in a national park. 
  • Seeing Geographically in Our National Parks starts the chapter with an image of the featured national park to test students' ability to analyze and interpret what they see before they begin the chapter and again at the chapter's end. 
  • UPDATED: Global Environmental Change by expert contributors present brief case studies on natural and human-caused environmental change that explore important contemporary events and implications for the future.
  • UPDATED: Energy for the 21st Century features are mostly by expert contributors and provide balanced coverage of both renewable and non-renewable energy resources. 
  • UPDATED: Focus features, many by expert contributors, focus on science and technology. UPDATED: People & the Environment boxes, some by expert contributors, discuss the effects of human activity on the environment. 

Features of Mastering Geography for the 13th Edition

  • NEW: More than 20 National Park Service videos appear within features as embedded links in the eText and are assignable in Mastering. 
  • NEW: 3D models allow students to get virtually hands on with rocks, minerals and outcrops they may never see or handle in person by manipulating the models on x,y,z axes and clicking hot spots for guided exploration.
  • NEW: 5 Figure Walkthroughs, created and narrated by the authors, give clear concise explanation of key figures in each chapter.
  • MapMaster 2.0, inspired by GIS, enables students to layer and explore thematic map data at global and regional scales. Students can enhance spatial reasoning skills and geographic literacy, using hundreds of map layers with a multitude of data points and current data. 
  • Mobile Field Trip videos from geologist–pilot–photographer Michael Collier give students another avenue for exploring iconic US landscapes and the major themes of physical geography concepts. 
  • Condor Quadcopter Videos capture stunning footage of the Mountain West region with a quadcopter and a GoPro camera. The videos explore the physical processes that have helped shape monoclines, streams, terraces and more, and include annotation, sketching, and narration. 

Features of Pearson eText for the 13th Edition

  • More than 20 National Park Service videos appear within features as embedded links in the eText. 
  1. Introduction to Earth
  2. Portraying Earth
  3. Introduction to the Atmosphere
  4. Insolation and Temperature
  5. Atmospheric Pressure and Wind
  6. Atmospheric Moisture
  7. Atmospheric Disturbances
  8. Climate and Climate Change
  9. The Hydrosphere
  10. Cycles and Patterns in the Biosphere
  11. Terrestrial Flora and Fauna
  12. Soils
  13. Introduction to Landform Study
  14. The Internal Processes
  15. Weathering and Mass Wasting
  16. Fluvial Processes
  17. Karst and Hydrothermal Processes
  18. The Topography of Arid Lands
  19. Glacial Modification of Terrain
  20. Coastal Processes and Terrain

About our authors

Darrel Hess began teaching geography at City College of San Francisco in 1990 and served as chair of the Earth Sciences Department from 1995 to 2009. After earning his bachelor’s degree in geography at the University of California, Berkeley, in 1978, he served for two years as a teacher in the Peace Corps on Jeju Island, Korea. Upon returning to the United States, he worked as a writer, photographer, and audio visual producer. His association with Tom McKnight began as a graduate student at UCLA, where he served as one of Tom’s teaching assistants. Their professional collaboration developed after Darrel graduated from UCLA with a master’s degree in geography in 1990.

He first wrote the Study Guide that accompanied the fourth edition of Physical Geography: A Landscape Appreciation, and then the Laboratory Manual that accompanied the fifth edition. Darrel continues to author the Laboratory Manual, along with the California Edition of this book, now in its fourth incarnation. In 1999 Tom asked Darrel to join him as coauthor of the textbook. Darrel was the 2014 recipient of the American Association of Geographers (AAG) Gilbert Grosvenor Geographic Education Honors. As did Tom, Darrel greatly enjoys the outdoor world. Darrel and his wife, Nora, are avid hikers, campers, and scuba divers.

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