ENVIRONMENTAL SYSTEMS: CLIMATE AND VEGETATION
GEOG. 1001-010, TR 1100AM-1215PM; Spring 2006
Instructor: Catalina Segura, 360 MCOL Bldg.
Email: Catalina.segurasossa@colorado.edu
Office hours: TR 1:30-2:30 Phone: (303) 735-4265
Teaching Assistants: Juan Paritsis (Paritsis@colorado.edu); Susan Riggins
(Susan.Riggins@colorado.edu) and Andrew Meyer (Andrew.M.Meyer@colorado.edu)
Course Description: This course will introduce the principles of vegetation science, the
dynamics of the earth's atmosphere, the characteristics and controls of climates, and the
function of these physical features in determining the types and geographic distributions of
life on earth. In addition, the course will focus on environmental impacts involving climate and
vegetation that result from human-environment interactions at local and global scales (global
change and biodiversity issues in relation to global change). Emphasis will be placed on applying
concepts of climate and vegetation towards an understanding of the earth as a dynamic
environmental system. This course will prepare you for subsequent, more specialized courses in
climatology, hydrology, and biogeography. This is a natural science course, and graphs and
calculations will be used to help understand the topics. The mathematics involved is not above
high school algebra level.
I expect from you commitment and respect. This means that assistance is mandatory
to all lectures and laboratories. Necessary materials should be read before coming to class
(see lecture schedule below). Readings from the textbook and reserve materials will clarify
lecture material. We cover a lot of material in each class, so missing a class will put you behind
and will likely result in a much lower grade than you are otherwise capable of. DON’T GET
BEHIND. .
Required text: 1) Christopherson, R.W. 2006. Geosystems: An Introduction to
Physical Geography. Sixth Edition. Prentice Hall, NJ. 689 p.
2) Laboratory Manual for
Geography 1001-010. Segura, Spring 2005.
Course Web Site: Information relative to this class may be found at:
www.colorado.edu/geography/class_homepages/geog_1001_s06/
Labs: All students must enroll in one lab section (consult Schedule of Courses for
meeting days and times). You are not enrolled in the lecture course unless you are enrolled in a
lab section. The lab for this course is mandatory. Each student must sign up for a lab section
and attend that section. No exceptions and no excuses. If you are unable to attend your
regularly scheduled lab you need to work out an alternative solution with your TA beforehand,
not afterwards. Labs start the second week of class. From the 11 labs that you will have to
submit, the lowest grade will be dropped; there is no excuse for late or makeup labs. Late labs
will not be accepted. They must be submitted during scheduled lab time in person.
Statement on Disabilities: If you qualify for accommodations because of a disability,
please submit to me a letter from Disability Services at least 1 week before the test.
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Disability Services determines accommodations based on documents disabilities. Contact: 303492-8671, Willard 322, and www.Colorado.edu/disability services
Religious Obligations: Campus policy regarding religious observances requires that
faculty make every effort to reasonably and fairly deal with all students who, because of
religious obligations, have conflicts with scheduled exams, assignments or required attendance.
If the conflict is legitimate, I will provide opportunity for alternative time to write an exam or
submit an assignment. See full details at www.colorado.edu/policies/fac_relig.html
Classroom Behavior Policy: Review the classroom behavior policy and associated
procedures at www.colorado.edu/policies/index.html
Academic honesty: All students of the University of Colorado at Boulder are
responsible for knowing and adhering to the academic integrity policy of this institution.
Violations of this policy may include: cheating, plagiarism, aid of academic dishonesty,
fabrication, lying, bribery, and threatening behavior. All incidents of academic misconduct shall
be reported to the Honor Code Council (honor@colorado.edu; 303-725-2273). Students who
are found to be in violation of the academic integrity policy will be subject to both academic
sanctions from the faculty member and non-academic sanctions (including but not limited to
university probation, suspension, or expulsion). Other information on the Honor Code can be
found at www.colorado.edu/policies/honor.html and at www.colorado.edu/academics/honorcode/
Discrimination ad Sexual Harassment: The University of Colorado at Boulder policy on
Discrimination and Harassment, on Sexual Harassment and on Amorous Relationships applies to
all students, staff and faculty. Any student, staff or faculty member who believes s/he has
been the subject of discrimination or harassment based upon race, color, national origin, sex,
age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, or veteran status should contact the Office of
Discrimination and Harassment (ODH) at 303-492-2127 or the Office of Judicial Affairs at
303-492-5550. Information about the ODH and the campus resources available to assist
individuals regarding discrimination or harassment can be obtained at
http://www.colorado.edu/odh
Grading: The final course grade will be based on the following:
Item
Mid Term 1
Mid Term 2
Mid Term 3
Final Exam
Laboratories
assignments
Date
Feb 7
March 2
April 6
May 8, 1:30-4:00 pm
See lab. schedule
% of final grade
40, The grade from the lowest midterm
WILL NOT COUNT. Each of the 2
remaining midterms will count 20%.
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30, but you must receive at least a passing
grade to pass the course.
Exams will cover the material from the lectures, assigned readings, labs, field trips and
movies. NO makeup tests are given; students who miss a test without a documented and
acceptable excuse (eg. medical), will receive a score of zero for the missed test. If you know
of a valid conflict with any of the exams, please contact me in advance (at least one week
ahead) and arrange to take the exam earlier.
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Lecture Schedule and Assigned Readings - GEOG_1001 (subject to change)
Dates
Topic
Readings*
Ch 1 –Ch2
1/17
Intro + Systems & Lat/Long system, Earth-sun relations
Ch 2
1/19
Earth motions, earth-sun relations
1/24
Earth atmosphere and earth's radiation balance
Ch 3 (61-68) and Ch 4
1/26
Heat at the earth surface
Ch 5
1/31
Pressure and winds
Ch 6 (143-153)
2/2
Atmospheric and ocean circulation patterns
Ch 6 (153-171)
2/7
Mid-term-1
---
2/9
Atmospheric moisture relationships
Ch 7
2/14
Air masses, fronts, and storms
Ch 8
2/16
Soil-water balance and climate
Ch 9 (245-259)
2/21
Climate classification: Low-latitude climates
Ch 10 (275-288)
Climate classification: Mid-latitude climates
Ch 10 (289-294; 301306)
Ch 10 (295-301)
2/23
2/28
Climate classification: High-latitude climates
3/2
---
3/9
3/14
Mid-term 2
Terrestrial biomes in relation to climate: Tropical
Ecosystems
Mid-Latitude Broad leaf Deciduous & evergreen Forest
Needle-leaf Coniferous Forests
3/16
Mediterranean shrub lands & Deserts
Ch 20 (667-670)
3/21
3/23
Grasslands
Arctic & Alpine Tundra
“
Ch 20 (670-671)
3/28
Spring break
No reading
3/30
No reading
4/4
Spring break
Limiting factors, Life & Growth forms
4/6
Mid-term-3
4/11
Nutrient cycling in ecosystems
Ch 19 (618-623)
4/13
Succession, Disturbance and Recovery of ecosystems
Ch 19 (628-645)
4/18
Historical development of the ecosphere
---
4/20
Energy flow and ecosystem structure
Ch 19 (623-628)
4/25
Environmental impacts: Climate change
Ch 10 (306-315)
4/27
Acid precipitation
Ch 3 (75-84)
3/7
Ch 20 (649-664)
Ch 20 (664-666)
“
Ch 19 (605-618)
Ch 21
5/2
Loss of biodiversity; species extinction
5/4
Review session final exam
----5/8
Final exam
* Note: Detailed listing of the Reserve Readings will be given out during the semester and
posted online.
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Geog 1001 Lab Schedule
Lab exercise and topic
Week of
Assignment*
1/15
----
----
1/23
Earth motions, earth-sun relations
Exercise A
1/30
Temperature & Earth’s heat budget
Exercise B; Exer. A due
2/6
Atmospheric Pressure, Winds & Circulation
Exercise C; Exer. B due
2/13
Atmospheric Moisture and Relative Humidity
Exercise D; Exer. C due
2/20
Air Masses, Fronts and Storms
Exercise E; Exer. D due
2/27
---
---
3/6
Climate Classification
Exercise F; Exer. E due
3/13
Plant Identification
Exercise G; Exer. F due
3/20
Exercise H; Ex. G due
3/27
Gregory Canyon field trip: Vegetation/Environment
Relations
---
4/3
---
---
4/10
Chautauqua Park field trip: Forest Succession
Exercise I; Ex. H due
4/17
Forest Succession Data Analysis Report
Exercise J; Ex. I due
4/24
Global Change: Wildfire in Boulder County (due the
same day!)
---
Exercise K; Ex. J due
---
--5/1
---No lab schedule (Use the free time to study for mid-terms).
*All exercises for lab will be found in the Lab Manual that you purchased. Some exercises will
require additional materials handed out in lab, or obtained on field trips. If you miss a lab, you
may not receive the necessary materials to complete the exercises, and therefore lose points
for the assignments.
Teaching assistant’s recitations
Time
M 1200PM-0150PM
W0800AM-0950AM
W 1000AM-1150AM
W 1200PM-0150PM
W 0200PM-0350PM
F 1000AM-1150AM
F 1200PM-0150PM
F 0200PM-0350PM
Teaching Assistant
Susan Riggins
Susan Riggins
Juan Paritsis
Juan Paritsis
Juan Paritsis
Andrew Meyer
Andrew Meyer
Andrew Meyer
Office hours
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