Block 3, 2009

Block 2, 2008

Course Description:

An introduction to the chemical, physical, geological, and biological processes and reactions that govern the composition of the natural environment and the cycles of matter and energy that transport the Earth's chemical components in time and space. Course includes a significant emphasis on mathematical modeling of radiative transfer, fossil fuel consumption, the global carbon cycle, and implications of these processes on environmental policy. Prerequisite: Environmental Science 128 and Mathematics 126. 1 unit

Class Introduction

Biogeochemical cycles employ solar energy to drive material cycles on planet Earth. Though all the major biogeochemical cycles are interconnected, the three cycles that provide the best understanding of the dynamics of the biosphere are the hydrologic cycle, carbon cycle and the nitrogen cycle. Thus, the class will focus on dynamic and steady state models of each of these cycles and then create better models or sub-models to explore the role of natural and anthropogenic forcing and feedback for the control of these systems.  Though math skills are required to build all the models, the underlying principles will require gaining a basic understanding of the underlying chemistry, physics, biology and geology associated with the feedback interactions.  Each week will be motivated by learning chemistry in context and developing and refining related models.  The final project will require a model with a prescribed level of integration among or between different aspects of the nitrogen cycle.

Class Objectives:

• Learn enough about chemistry to succeed in advanced classes in Energy, Ecology, Water and Air.
• Learn enough about environmental chemistry to improve your ability to make and interpret environmental policy
• Learn about the environmental problems of ozone depletion, acid rain, air pollution, safe drinking water, fossil fuels and extend your knowledge about global climate change
• Enhance your quantitative thinking skills.
• Understand what a model is and what limitations models have
• Enhance your understanding of systems thinking and systems dynamics
• Enhance your STELLA modeling skills
• Enhance your understanding of your personal environmental impact through ecological footprint analysis
• Address specific questions that may include:

What is a Biogeochemical Cycle?

What Impacts Might Climate Change Have on the Regional Hydrologic Cycle?

Image from: http://www.tiimes.ucar.edu/highlights/fy06/images/hydrological%20cycle.jpg

What Campus Actions Might Reduce Our Impact on the Carbon Cycle?

Image from : http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Library/Carbon Cycle/Images/carbon_cycle_diagram.jpg

How Do We Model Human Impacts on the Nitrogen Cycle?

Nitrogen Cycle image from: http://www.windows.ucar.edu/earth/climate/images/nitrogencycle.jpg

Last Updated October 7, 2009
Webmaster: Howard Drossman, hdrossman@ColoradoCollege.edu
©copyright 2009 Colorado College Environmental Science Program

Images from the following sites:

Earth image from: http://serc.carleton.edu/images/NAGTWorkshops/visualize04/SeaWiFS.gif

Hydrologic Cycle: http://www.tiimes.ucar.edu/highlights/fy06/images/hydrological%20cycle.jpg

Carbon Cycle: http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Library/Carbon Cycle/Images/carbon_cycle_diagram.jpg

Nitrogen Cycle: http://www.windows.ucar.edu/earth/climate/images/nitrogencycle.jpg