Rediscovering the Golden State

Now in its fourth edition, Rediscovering the Golden State: California Geography examines this unique state’s incredibly diverse landscapes, and how geography and geographic change influences everything from the state’s natural systems and cycles, to its agriculture and more advanced industries, to human migration, cultures, and urban planning. Exploring California through a geographic lens reveals how the field has evolved to cross traditional boundaries, connect local and global issues, and provide the insights that lead to practical solutions to problems new and old. Challenging the reader to look beyond stereotypes and assumptions, this book encourages active participation in planning the state’s dynamic future. And this project makes teaching and learning about the geography of California more convenient, exciting, and rewarding for instructors and students.   Going beyond a scientific analysis of natural features and environmental processes, this book illustrates how social, political, and economic divides can be bridged through the study of geography and the connections it brings to light. From geology, weather and climate, biogeography, and hydrology, we cover the state’s physical geography. And from demography and migration, to cultures and economies, to rural and urban geography, we monitor the state’s human geography pulse and then make the vital connections. California continues to lead the nation in population, economics (5th largest in the world), agriculture, natural and cultural diversity, and a host of other categories. This powerful state has earned this powerful publication. This timely and versatile book will prove useful to Californians in business, education, government, and to concerned citizens and curious readers seeking to learn more about the Golden State.

Preface iv 1 Getting to Know the Golden State, 1 2 Geologic History and Processes, 40 3 Modern Geology and Geomorphology: California’s Recent, Current, and Future Physical Landscapes, 64 4 California’s Weather and Climate, 104 5 Biogeography: Distribution of Plants and Animals, 142 6 Water Resources: Hydrology of California, 200 California Soils Appendix, 250 Exploring California Using the Latest Technologies, 254 7 Human Population and Migration in California, 261 8 California’s Ethnic Groups, Cultures, and Lifestyles, 298 9 Primary Industries and Rural Landscapes, 359 10 California’s Modern, Advanced Economies, 408 11 California’s Urban Landscapes, 461 12 Applying Geographic Concepts to Explore California, 516 References and Further Readings, 545 Index 557