Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences
270.103 (N): Introduction to Global Environmental Change: Summer Pre Session, 2012
General Information
Lectures: MWF 12:45-3:15 p.m. Olin Hall Room 204.
Instructor: Dr. Sakiko N. Olsen (office hours MWF 3:30 – 4:30p.m. Olin 324); olsen@jhu.edu
Textbook, Required:
Kump, L.R., Kasting, J.F., and Crane, R.G., 2009. The Earth System, 3/E: Prentice Hall,
Upper Saddle River, N.J.
Some Selected References, Not Required:
Mackenzie, F.T., 2010. Our Changing Planet: An Introduction to Earth System Science
and Global Environmental Change: 4th edition. Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle
River, N.J.
Grotzinger J., Jordan T.H., 2010. Understanding Earth, 6th Edition. W. H. Freeman and
Company, New York.
Bush, M.B., 2003. Ecology of a Changing Planet. 3/E. Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle
River, N.J.
Craig, J.R., Vaughan, D.J., and Skinner, B.J., 2011. Earth Resources and the
Environment, 4/E. Prentice Hall, Englewood, N.J. (CVS)
Kesler, S.E., 1994. Mineral Resources, Economics and the Environment. Macmillan
College publishing Co., N.Y. (SEK); http://wwwpersonal.umich.edu/~skesler/Mineral Resources Economics and the
Environment/Chapters/
Montgomery, C.W. 2011. Environmental Geology: 9th edition. McGraw Hill, Boston.
Purpose of the Course:
A broad survey of the Earth as a planet, with emphasis on the processes that control
global environmental changes. Topics include structure, formation, and evolution of the
Earth as a system, which comprises the solid Earth, atmosphere, oceans, and biosphere,
and the interactions between these components. Special attention is given to presentday issues, such as global climate change, air pollution, resource depletion, impacts of
population growth, habitat destruction, loss of biodiversity, and natural disasters and
hazards. We also consider the analogues of these problems from Earth history. Open to
all undergraduates; no pre-requisites.
Note:
1) A short lab exercise (~ 20 minutes), or a group discussion, which will be based on
class presentation by a student (voluntary, but with extra points), will be part of most
of the sessions. In addition, we hope to schedule at least one short field trip during
class time.
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2) There will be two midterm and one final exams, one-hour each. The grade will be
based mostly on the exams and partially on class presentation when applicable.
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Outline of the Course Schedule
Week Date
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2
Topics
May 21
Introduction: Scientific methods. Concept of system
Earth as a system: composition, structure, and evolution of planet
Earth, Earth’s space and time scales, age of the Earth.
Solar system; the Sun, other planets, orbital parameters for Earth.
Lab exercise: measuring properties of Earth materials
Reading: Chapts. 1, 2, 4, 10, 12, 14, 19
May 23
Earth’s evolving interior: Plate tectonics I: building blocks of solid
Earth, minerals , and mineral evolution, rocks, and rock cycles, soil,
the theory of Plate Tectonics.
Lab exercise: crystals/minerals
Reading:
Chapt. 7
May 25
Earth’s lithosphere: Plate tectonics II: Earth’s internal processes,
volcanoes, earthquakes, geologic hazards:,
Lab exercise: igneous rocks.
Reading:
Chapt. 7
May 30
Earth’s lithosphere and surface processes: geologic hazards
(continued): Great Tohoku Earthquake of Japan, 2011, a natural and
man-made disaster.
Lab exercise: more rocks
Reading: Chapt. 7
The Fluid Earth: Atmosphere I: Structure of atmosphere,
weather/climate and predictions.
Reading: Chapts. 3, 4
June 1
The Fluid Earth: Atmosphere II: Air-sea interaction: El NinoSouthern Oscillation and other decadal oscillations
Reading:
Chapts. 3, 4
Midterm I (1 hour)
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June 4
The Fluid Earth: Hydrosphere: Water cycle, water reservoirs. Ocean.
Cryosphere.
Lab exercise: soil and groundwater
Reading: Chapts. 5, 6, 12, 14
June 6
Earth’s ecosphere: classification of the biota. Biotic and abiotic
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components of an ecosystem. Biodiversity, extinction. Origin and
evolution of life.
Lab exercise: fossils
Reading: Chapts. 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 18
June 8
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Biogeochemical cycles of C, O, N, S, P: photosynthesis/respiration,
longer-term cycling, human interference
Lab exercise: remote sensing
Reading: Chapt. 8, 11
June 11Human forcing on the ecosphere: population, development, and
resource consumption: the need for livable environment and
resources.
Resources and consumptions I: Mineral resources. Resources and
reserves.
Resources and consumptions II: Energy resources: fossil fuels,
alternative energy resources.
Lab exercise: coal/oil shale
Reading: Chapt. 9, 15, 16, 18
June 13
Resources and consumptions II (continued): Energy resources: fossil
fuels, alternative energy resources.
Reading: Chapt. 9, 15
Midterm II (1 hour)
June 15 The changing Earth surface I: Terrestrial vegetation. Forests,
agrosystems, fertilizers and other human interference. Land use.
The changing Earth surface II: Land and water. Soil ecosystem: soil
as resource. Land-water ecosystem
Reading: Chapts. 2, 10, 11.
The changing atmosphere: Acid deposition and photochemical
smog: acid rain, air pollution, stratospheric ozone depletion
Lab exercise: JHU power plant visit (to be arranged)
Reading: Chapts. 1, 11, 17
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June 18
Changing ecosphere: Pleistocene/Holocene, and other long-term
environmental changes: records of climate, ice cores, ice ages, ice and
hot houses, Milankovitch cycles
Reading:
Chapts. 12, 13, 14
Climate change I: Global warming, greenhouse effect and climatic
change.
Class presentations/discussions?
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Reading:
Chapt. 1, 3, 13, 15, 16
June 20
Climate change II: Mitigation and preparations for global changes:
Human dimensions of global environmental change: what we know, what
we must do, environmental goals, sustainability, other habitable worlds?
Class presentations/discussions?
Reading: Chapts. 12, 16, 19
June 22
Conclusions/ Class presentations/discussions:
Final Exam (1 hour)
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