Instructor: Edwin
Schauble
3642 Geology
310-206-9292
Lecture:
Geology
3656, Tuesday/Thursday 12:30a-1:45p
Web Page: http://www2.ess.ucla.edu/~schauble/Biogeochemistry/index.html
Office Hours: Tuesday-Wednesday-Thursday,
2-3pm or by appointment.
Prerequisites: Calculus,
chemistry. Geology (ESS 1) and/or oceanography (ESS 15), or
equivalent are helpful, but not required.
Textbook: Schlesinger
WH and Bernhardt ES (2013, 3rd ed.), Biogeochemistry, an analysis of
global change. Academic Press. Required
Morel FMM and Hering J (1993) Principles and applications of aquatic
geochemistry.
Wiley Interscience.
Supplemental Š doesnÕt need to be
purchased.
Class Summary
This course is about the chemistry of the Earth's surface environment,
and the
interplay between biology, human activity, and geology. The first part
of the
class will introduce the origin and composition of the Earth, including
the
atmosphere, crust, and hydrosphere. Then we will examine how these
reservoirs
are affected by biological cycles, and feedbacks to biological
evolution and
diversity. Finally we will focus more closely on local and global-scale
movements
of biologically important elements like carbon, nitrogen, and
phosphorus. This
course is intended to be accessible for upperclassmen and graduate
students in
the Physical Sciences and Biology. Coursework will consist of lectures,
homework, midterm, final exam, and a term paper or project.
Grading:
|
Homework |
40% |
|
Midterm
Project |
15%
|
|
Final
Exam |
25% |
|
Final
Project/Paper |
20%
|
Syllabus (Rough - subject to
revision):
Week 1: Introduction to
biogeochemistry. The origin of Earth, the solar system, and
life.
Reading: Schlesinger Ch. 1-2
Week 2: Major reservoirs: the
atmosphere.
Reading: Schlesinger Ch. 3.
Homework 1 due.
Week 3: Major reservoirs: rocks
and soils.
Reading: Schlesinger Ch. 4.
Week 4: Photosynthesis and the
Earth's carbon cycle.
Reading: Schlesinger Ch. 5.
Homework 2 due.
Week 5:
Biosphere/Soil/Atmosphere interactions.
Reading: Schlesinger Ch. 6.
Midterm Project
Week 6: Biogeochemistry of
freshwater ecosystems.
Reading: Schlesinger Ch. 7-8.
Homework 3 due.
Week 7: The oceans in light and
darkness.
Reading: Schlesinger Ch. 9.
Week 8: The history and future
of Earth's hydrological cycle.
Reading: Schlesinger Ch. 10.
Homework 4 due.
Week 9: Greenhouse Earth.
Reading: Schlesinger Ch. 11.
Week 10: Biogeochemical cycles
of nitrogen and phosphorus.
Reading: Schlesinger Ch. 12.
Final projects/student presentations.
Final Exam: (Wednesday,
June 12 11:30am-2:30pm)