Geog 415

Environmental Systems Geography

Note: This course is now taught by Dr. Hessl.

Environmental Systems Geography
GEOG 415

Syllabus - Spring 2004

Class meets: M, W, F. 10:30 - 11:20
Room: White Hall 310

Instructor: Dr. Tim Warner
Office: 218 White Hall
Office Hours: M & F 9-10, OR By appointment
Telephone: 293-5603 x 4328
Email: tim.warner@mail.wvu.edu

Week	Month	Day	Subject	Reading	Other
1	Jan	10	Introduction	1-8 (Intro)
		12	Example model: Calculating river discharge
		14	Lab 1: River discharge model		Meet in room 312
2		17	Martin Luther King Day (Observed)
		19	Is the environment getting worse? ("The Pristine Myth")	Handout
		21	Lab 2: Temperature prediction model		Meet in room 312
3		24	The scientific method	Handout
		26	Toxicology
		28	Lab 3: Calibrating a Model		Meet in room 312
4		31	“Understanding Clinical Trials”	Handout
	Feb	2	Scientific models / Introduction to the Gaian hypothesis;	172-175 (Chap 6)
		4	Lab 4: Gaian Hypothesis		Meet in room 312
5		7	Hazards and Risks
		9	Lithospheric processes / Introduction to Chaos	43-69 (Chap 2)	Exam I
		11	Lab 5: Chaos		Meet in room 312
6		14	Case study: Seismic risks in the Pacific Northwest	Handout
		16	Atmospheric processes	71-98 (Chap 3)
		18	Water pollution issues – Evan Hanson	99- 123 (Chap 4)
7		21	Hydrospheric processes
		23	Exam I
		25	Lab 6: Water modeling		Meet in room 312
8		28	The Biosphere	143-169 (Chap 5)
	Mar	2	The Biosphere	143-169 (Chap 5)
		4	Changes in the biosphere: forests	265-288 (Chap9)
9		7	Case study: Forests and deer	Handout
		9	Lab 7: Internet investigation of Morgantown hazards
		11	Complete lab 7
		14	Spring Break		Spring Break
		16	Spring Break		Spring Break
		18	Spring Break		Spring Break
10		21	The coupled land-water ecosystem	314-339 (Chap 10)
		23	Case study: The Colorado River	Handout
		25	Friday before Easter Recess
11		28	Biogeochemical cycles: C	175-183 (Chap 6)
		30	Carbon sequestration	Handout
		1	Biogeochemical cycles: Nitrogen	183-193 (Chap 5)
12	April	4	Biogeochemical cycles: S, P, O	166-179 (Chap 5)
		6	Exam II		Exam II
		8	Past worlds	Chapters 7, 12
13		11	Global warming	419-465 (Chap 13)
		13	Global warming (2)	419-465 (Chap 13)
		15	Lab 8: Is the climate changing?		Meet in room 312
14		18	Links between climate and ocean ("Chaotic climate")	Handout
		20	Ozone	466-484 (Chap 13)
		22	The hydrogen economy: a solution?	Handout
15		25	Acid deposition	344-365 (Chap 11)
		27	Smog	366-377 (Chap 11)
		29	Remote sensing of global change
16	May	2	Monday, 11 am -1 pm, Exam III (Comprehensive)		Exam III

Note: This course outline is only a guide.

Note: This course outline is only a guide.

Text: Mackenzie, F. T., 2003. Our Changing Planet. Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, 580pp.

Laboratory Exercises
We will occasionally meet in the Department's computer laboratory (Room 312) to undertake computer-based laboratory exercises to build simple models in Excel (a spreadsheet program), and to explore the environment through the Internet.

Policies:

1. It is essential that you attend class, and you should also keep current with assigned readings from the text. Class participation (NOT just attendance!) will count as 10% of your grade.

2. If you hand in all material on time, you will receive a bonus of 10 points

3. For each day that material is late there will be a 10% penalty. This penalty will be enforced strictly, unless you provide an official university excuse. Lab assignments are due at the start of class.

4. Please review important computer policies:

http://oit.wvu.edu/oit/policy/oit-6.htm

http://oit.wvu.edu/oit/policy/oit-8.htm

Grades:

Exam I	100
Exam II	100
Exam III (Comprehensive)	100
Laboratory exercises (Scaled total of points earned)	100
Class Participation (see note under Policies above)	50
Total	450
Bonus (all material handed in on time)	10

Exams will be based dominantly on material covered in class. Note that the final exam will be comprehensive.

Environmental Systems Geography, Geog 215
Course Philosophy and Overview

This class is an integrative one for two reasons. Firstly, the aim of this class is to try to show you how the earth operates as system. Energy and matter is moved through different reservoirs in the earth system through processes that vary from the biological processes of photosynthesis and respiration, to geological processes such as plate tectonics. In order to understand these systematic components of the earth's system, as well as to appreciate how humans are disturbing these processes, you need to have a command of many different physical and human aspects of the environment. Thus this class has to be integrative.

Another reason for the integrative nature of this class is that it will attempt to make connections between some of the classes you have taken before. It does not matter if this class repeats material that you may have had in another class, so long as at the end of the class you have made connections that you had not made before. Each student has a slightly different background, and therefore can make slightly different connections, but each student must strive to make links across the syllabus of this class, and between this and other classes.

Environmental Systems Geography comprises formal lectures, class discussion, laboratory assignments and exams. As a whole, these components of the class are designed to give you an insight into the subject, and build your ability to make critical analyses of complex issues. The lectures are to provide a core basis for the intellectual content of the course. I will try to explain the material, and also draw out the issues that are most important. I expect you to be engaged in the lecture, and respond to my questions regarding the work we are discussing. The lectures therefore should not be seen as just one-way communication. I am sure you know that you are unlikely to retain the material you learn immediately prior to an exam. Therefore, I do not feel you have met the expectations of this course unless you regularly participate in classes in a manner that demonstrates that you are grappling with the issues raised. Regular attendance, and intellectual engagement in the course material, is a requirement for this class. Ten percent of your grade will come from in-class participation, and you will not be able to earn this credit if are passive when you are present, or if you are repeatedly absent.

The laboratory assignments have two purposes. Firstly, I would like to give you an understanding of the concept of a scientific model that you cannot obtain from reading about models. Actually building a few simple models will give you great insight into fundamental strengths and weaknesses of a model of the earth's environment. Our major tool for this work will be a spreadsheet, which is an amazingly handy computer program. In addition to the value of learning about models, gaining some skills in using spreadsheets will be very useful to you.

Exams are not just a way for me to evaluate your progress. They also serve an educational function in helping you to find out what you know, and don't know. Use your first two exams as study aids for preparing for the final exam.

Social Justice Statement

West Virginia University is committed to social justice. I support that commitment and expect to maintain a positive learning environment based upon open communication, mutual respect, and non-discrimination. Our University does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, age, disability, veteran status, religion, sexual orientation, color or national origin. Any suggestions as to how to further such a positive and open environment in this class will be appreciated and given serious consideration.

If you are a person with a disability and anticipate needing any type of accommodation in order to participate in this class, please advise me and make appropriate arrangements with Disability Services (293-6700).

TOP

Geog 415

Grades:

Total

450

Bonus (all material handed in on time)

10