Degree | Type | Year | Semester |
---|---|---|---|
2500250 Biology | OB | 3 | 2 |
There are no prerequisites, but it is recommended to have passed Ecology, Mathematics and Physics.
The objective is to know and analyze the processes that determine the functioning of the biosphere on a global scale, with a particular emphasis on the mutual interaction between biota and geophysical components, and on the alterations that human activity is introducing. It will also be considered the environmental history of the Earth as a tool to understand the processes that currently govern the functioning of the planet.
This implies a conception of the Earth as a system with different components interconnected in the atmospheric, oceanic and continental environments. This connection results on processes as balance and flow of energy, climate system, atmospheric and ocean circulation, primary production, distribution and functionalism of biomes, nutrient fluxes.
PART 1
1. Introduction. Why about biosphere sciences? The Earth system and its components. Global change. The Gaia hypothesis.
2. Introduction to systems theory. Positive and negative feedback. Equilibriums. Qualitative behavior of dynamic systems.
3. The global balance of energy.Electromagnetic energy. Albedo. Equilibrium temperature of a planet. Composition of the atmosphere and the greenhouse effect. Effect of clouds on the energy balance. Main climatic feedbacks.
4. Atmospheric circulation system. Vertical and horizontal movement of the air. Atmospheric circulation at different latitudes. The effect of Coriolis and the distribution of surface winds. Global distribution of temperature and precipitation. The global hydrological cycle.
5. Ocean circulation. Winds and superficial currents. Convergence, divergence and upwelling. El Niño. Teleconnexions. Salinity and thermohaline circulation. Deep circulation of the oceans. Effect of ocean circulation on climate.
6. Cryosphere. Components of the cryosphere. Snow cover. Permafrost. Glaciers, Greenland and Antarctica. Marine ice. Interactions between the atmosphere and the cryosphere.
7. Lithosphere. Inner Earth structure. Plate tectonics and continental drift. The recycling of the lithosphere: vulcanism, orogeny, weathering, sedimentation.
PART 2
8- Environmental history of the Earth system. Techniques of environmental reconstruction of the past. History of climate, atmospheric composition and continents. Evolution of the biological groups along the Earth history.
9- Distribution of primary production. Measurement of primary production. Limiting factors in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Changes induced by human activity.
10- Terrestrial biomes functioning. Tropical rainforest, tropical deciduous forests, savannahs, warm deserts, Mediterranean forests and shrublands, cold deserts, deciduous forests, temperate rainforests, prairies, boreal forests, tundra.
11- Effect of biota on the atmosphere and the climate. Climate-vegetation feed-backs at global and regional scales: albedo, evapotranspiration, chemical composition of the atmosphere. Control of the concentration of atmospheric gases: oxygen, N2O, CO2, methane, DMS.
12- Carbon balance. The cycles of organic and inorganic carbon in the short and long term. Sources and sinks. Anthropogenic modifications of the carbon cycle.
13- Global nutrient cycles. Global cycle of N in terrestrial and marine ecosystems: atmospheric flows, recycling and anthropogenic modifications. Global cycle of P: sedimentation and long-term return. S global cycle: atmospheric fluxes and anthropogenic modifications.
14- Global change and climate change. History and causes of global change. Recent climate change. Global circulation patterns and scenarios of global change. Changes in atmospheric chemistry: ozone layer - origin, effects and anthropogenic alteration. Impacts of global change in biota and human systems. Land use changes. Strategies for mitigation and adaptation. Geoengineering.
Unless the requirements enforced by the health authorities demand a prioritization or reduction of these contents.
Theory classes: they provide the main knowledge of the proposed subjects. However, personal study and information search is essential for the acquisition of this knowledge.
Classroom practicum: they will be based on presentations by students of topics proposed by the teachers; the presentations will be prepared in group. The contents, and the rigorous communication in public will be valued. Assistance and participation in the seminars presented by other students will also be valued, carrying out questionnaires in the classroom about the presentations.
Problem classes: Numerical resolution of problems related to the contents of some topics. They may involve the complete resolution of problems in the classroom or the correction of problems previously proposed to students. They will also be done in computer classrooms.
The proposed teaching methodology may experience some modifications depending on the restrictions to face-to-face activities enforced by health authorities.
Title | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
---|---|---|---|
Type: Directed | |||
Classroom seminars | 15 | 0.6 | 3, 5, 9, 8, 4, 6, 20 |
Problem classes | 4 | 0.16 | 3, 4, 6 |
Theory classes | 30 | 1.2 | 3, 9, 8, 4 |
Type: Supervised | |||
Tutorial | 6 | 0.24 | |
Type: Autonomous | |||
Problemes report | 10 | 0.4 | 3, 9, 4, 6 |
Seminars preparation | 20 | 0.8 | 5, 9, 8, 4, 6, 20 |
Study | 58 | 2.32 | 9, 4 |
The evaluation will be based on different activities: exams, oral presentations in public by the student, problems and resolution of questionnaires in class or autonomously. The program is structured in two parts that comprise approximately half of the content each one.
There will be two exams corresponding to the two parts of the programt. To pass the program, a minimum score of 4.5 must be obtained in both exams. Students with a mark of less than 5 in any of the exams may do another examination at the end of the course. The student can only do these additional exam from the non-approved previous exams of each part (with a score of less than 5); it is not contemplated that the additional exams serve to raise the score of the approved exams.
The final grade will be obtained by weighting the scores of the different activities in the following proportion:
- Exam of the first part of the program: 35%.
- Exam of the second part of the program: 35%.
- Computer practicum: 10%.
- Seminars (oral presentation and questionnaires): 20%.
To pass the course, the final grade must be equal to or equal to 5.
The recovery system contemplates a written additional exam corresponding to the examinations of the first and the second part.
To participate in the recovery, the students must have been previously evaluated in a series of activities with a weight equivalent to a minimum of two thirds of the total grade of the program.
The students will obtain a "Non-Valuable" qualification when the evaluation activities carried out have a weighting of less than 67% in the final grade.
Student’s assessment may experience some modifications depending on the restrictions to face-to-face activities enforced by health authorities.
Title | Weighting | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Computer practicum | 10% | 1 | 0.04 | 3, 8, 4, 20 |
Exams | 70% | 4 | 0.16 | 18, 3, 5, 9, 17, 16, 15, 4 |
Seminars | 20% | 2 | 0.08 | 1, 19, 18, 7, 2, 9, 10, 11, 12, 15, 13, 14, 8, 4, 6, 20 |
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