ESS-20306 System Earth: Scale Dependence, Feedbacks and Global Change

Course

Credits 6.00

Language of instruction:

English

Contents:

This course focuses on Global Change, which includes for instance Climate Change, Global Warming, Ozone Depletion and loss of biodiversity. It introduces the systems approach, emphasizes the larger scale levels, and integrates disciplinary knowledge of previous courses. Emphasis will be on the larger Earth system compartments and associated physical transport processes, for instance: regional and global hydrological systems; regulation of processes by biosphere -hydrosphere - atmosphere feedback systems; or natural versus anthropogenic factors.

Learning outcomes:

At the end of this course, the student is expected to:
- understand and apply the systems approach in the context of Global Change issues;
- have knowledge of the major Earth compartments and associated physical transport processes;
- recognize and understand spatial and temporal scales issues related to Global Change;
- have insight into the regulation of environmental processes by biosphere - hydrosphere - atmosphere feedback systems;
- be able to distinguish between natural and anthropogenic factors affecting the climate system.

Activities:

Lectures, practicals, exercises and an excursion.

Literature:

L.R. Kump, J.F. Kasting, R.G. Crane. 2004. The Earth System (second edition). Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, NJ, USA. ISBN 0-13-142059-3.