Chemical Complexity and Landscape Geochemistry

Abstract

The purpose of this chapter and the three which follow it is to examine more closely each of the four aspects of the philosophy for environmental geochemistry (outlined in Chap. 3) and to discuss each aspect in relation to landscape geochemistry. In this chapter the role of chemical complexity in environmental geochemistry is related to three aspects of chemical complexity: (1) the hierarchy of chemical complexity with respect to chemical entities studies in the environment (see Table 3.2); (2) the accuracy and precision of chemical data which was listed under the heading of scientific effort on Table 3.2; and (3) the type of data base upon which chemical information is obtained. These three will be discussed in relation to eight examples, each of which is concerned with a particular level in this hierarchy of environmental goechemistry.

“For the human race, classification is a natural and inherent, intuitive process; to create some semblance of order from an otherwise disorderly matrix by the pigeon-holing and catagorization of the matrix entities. But when it comes to vegetation and natural communities, can this process work in a similar manner to the classification of colors or species? Webb (1954), the eminent taxonomist, views the scene with a certain amount of exasperation and contends that until problems of unit diagnosis and delimitation have been solved all attempts at precise classificatory procedures are useless. Like the ordinary taxonomist the plant sociologist must select his characters for description and delimitation of units.”

David W. Shimwell, The Description and Classification of Vegetation (Seattle, Wash.: University of Washington Press, 1972), p. 42.