Instructor: Edwin Schauble
3642
Geology
schauble@ess.ucla.edu
310-206-9292
Lecture:
Geology
4677, Monday 1:00p-1:50p/Friday 2:00p-3:50p
Web Pages: https://ccle.ucla.edu/course/view/18W-EPSSCIC113-1,
http://www2.ess.ucla.edu/~schauble/Biogeochemistry/index.html
Office Hours:
Tuesday-Thursday, 2-3pm or by appointment.
Prerequisites: College-level calculus
and chemistry. Geology (EPSS 1) and/or oceanography (EPSS
15), or equivalent will be helpful, but are not required.
Textbook:
Schlesinger WH and Bernhardt ES (2013, 3rd ed.),
Biogeochemistry, an analysis of global change. Academic
Press. Required. An electronic version is
available through the UCLA library, but only from campus
locations (http://catalog.library.ucla.edu/vwebv/holdingsInfo?searchId=959&recCount=50&recPointer=0&bibId=7143064).
Morel FMM and Hering
J (1993) Principles and applications of aquatic
geochemistry. Wiley Interscience.
Supplemental Š doesnÕt need to be purchased.
Will be available on library reserve.
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%
|
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 4: Photosynthesis and the Earth's
carbon cycle.
Reading: Schlesinger Ch. 5.
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.
Term Papers due.
Week 10: Biogeochemical cycles of
nitrogen and phosphorus.
Reading: Schlesinger Ch. 12.
Student presentations.
Final Exam: (Time TBA)