ISC6153 Spring 2015 Syllabus v011115 LS
FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY
Department of Earth & Environment
ISC 6153-U01 (19601) – Environments of a Changing Planet
Ryder Business Building Rm 140, TR 11:00 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.
Instructors:
Dr. William Anderson
Dr. Leonard Scinto
Office:
Phone:
e-mail
Office Hrs:
MSB 357
305-919-4025
[email protected]
TBA weekly
AHC5 – 368
305-348-1965
[email protected]
TR, 1-3 p.m. or by
appointment
Course description
This course focuses on a detailed understanding of the interactions of physical,
chemical, and biological components and processes that have led to recent past
and present ecosystem development. Understanding planetary systems is
important for understanding present, past and future global change’s effects on
terrestrial, aquatic, marine, and atmospheric systems. This course provides an indepth analysis of environmental change and potential consequences as related to
the global system. This course also exposes graduate students to environmental
issues and topics related to South Florida.
Course Objectives
Develop a student’s understanding of the physical, chemical, and biological
processes of the Earth, how these have changed in the recent past, their present
condition, and how they may change in response to Global Environmental
Change.
Learning Outcomes
After mastering the material in this course, students will have an in-depth
understanding of surficial Earth processes, environments, and recent past and
present vectors of environmental change. Additionally students will be able to
evaluate and project current conditions on potential future environmental
outcomes such that they are better able to evaluate human activities and their
consequences.
Required Text
1) Berner, E.K., and R. A. Berner. 2012. Global Environment: Water, Air, and
Geochemical Cycles. Princeton University Press. (ISBN: 978-0-69113678-3).
2) Assigned articles and other readings
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ISC6153 Spring 2015 Syllabus v011115 LS
Grading
Attendance/participation
Midterm Exam
Class presentations and paper/project
Final Exam
10%
30%
30%
30%
Grading scale: A, B, C, D, F scale (A is 100% to 90%, B is 89% to 80%, etc.).
Note: No Make-up EXAMS (exceptions made for only special cases, which
must be brought to the attention of the instructor before the time of the exam).
Paper and Presentation
Students will work in small groups (4 people), determined early in the semester
and based on student interests, to produce a paper and presentation that
examines, analyzes and presents information on a topic related to course
materials and that focuses on physicochemical/climatic changes in the
environment and their consequences. It is desired that the student will produce
information that will not only relate to this class but that will contribute to their
future goals. Reports are generally 30-40 pages long not including citations.
Quality and depth are certainly more important than length. It is expected that all
members of each team will equally share in the endeavor. Anonymous peerevaluations (three times; early in process, approximately mid-way, and at the
end) from your fellow group-mates and potentially the rest of the class during the
presentation will be influential in your grade. All papers should be well-supported
and based on quality information (e.g. peer-reviewed journals). Other sources
can be used (e.g. government reports, agency websites, etc.) but you need to be
able to defend your thesis. Each group will present their results along with
supportive visuals (e.g. slides, demonstrations etc.) during class. Presentations
will generally be approximately 15 minutes in length followed by questions and
discussion. Relating your project to theoretical, historical, or other thematic
contexts is a definite plus. You will, as a group, be teaching the rest of us about
your topic. Presentations will be scheduled towards the end of the semester but
may be scheduled earlier if the topic is pertinent to our lecture schedule.
Favorable consideration will be given to early presentations where warranted.
Regardless of when presented, all final reports will be due on the last day of
class: April 23, 2015. No Exceptions for late papers. FIU offers a plagiarism
detection service through Turnitin.com. This is an internet-based service for
screening papers for unoriginal text and identified sources. You may be required
to submit, or we may submit papers to this service.
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ISC6153 Spring 2015 Syllabus v011115 LS
Web Access:
Access to Blackboard Learn is required for this class. Students will use
Blackboard Learn to obtain updates to the syllabus, obtain reading materials,
send email, review grades, and participate in peer-to-peer chats. Tentative
lecture presentations will generally be accessible before the lectures. These
presentations will be edited soon after the lecture to accurately describe what
was covered in the class. Lack of Internet access is not an excuse for missed
material. Access Blackboard Learn through http://online.fiu.edu/login and follow
login instructions.
This syllabus will be updated as needed. Please refer to Blackboard Learn for
updates and announcements.
Academic Honesty
A fundamental concept at this level of education is that we are and will be
leaders of our society. This is an important responsibility that depends to a large
extent on a well-developed sense of ethics. It is therefore assumed that
instructors and students will conduct themselves in a responsible manner and
that there will be no tolerance for Academic Dishonesty. University policies for
academic misconduct as given in the Student Handbook
(http://www.fiu.edu/student.htm) are very strict, and the results of cheating and/or
plagiarism can be a failing grade or ultimately expulsion from the University.
Electronic Devices
Cell phones, I-Pods, Blackberries or similar devices must be turned off during
class.
Students must request to use laptop computers for note taking in class. Students
will be asked to sit near the front of the classroom and will lose their computer
privilege if their computer activities disrupt the class. Otherwise computer use is
not allowed in class.
Other Considerations
An Incomplete grade will only be given out in accordance with FIU grading
guidelines. The majority (>75%) of the course work must be completed before
an incomplete grade will be considered. Students who have issues that prevent
them from completing the course should petition the Registrar for late withdrawal
from the course.
If a student has a disability and needs assistance with class, please contact the
Disability Resource Center (GC 190; 305-348-3532). It is the responsibility of
each student to work with the Center and Instructor to make arrangements for
the classroom and course activities as needed for their accommodations.
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ISC6153 Spring 2015 Syllabus v011115 LS
Tentative Lecture Schedule
#
Date
Topic
1
13-Jan
2
3
4
15-Jan
20-Jan
22-Jan
5
27-Jan
6
7
8
9
29-Jan
3-Feb
5-Feb
10-Feb
10
11
12
13
12-Feb
17-Feb
19-Feb
24-Feb
25-Feb
14
15
16
Introduction – Earth as a biogeochemical
system
Global environment, cycles and circulation
Atmosphere: Structure and composition
Atmosphere: GHG and global climate
change
Global climate change: past, present and
future (effects of climate change)
Paper Topics Due
Atmosphere: Aerosols and ozone
Air Chemistry: Rain and snow
Air Chemistry: S, N, and acid rain
Chemical Weathering: Minerals, plants and
water chemistry
Chemical weathering and soils
Chemical Weathering: groundwater
Rivers
Dire Predictions
Dr. Michael Mann Lecture – Wednesday 2
pm – GC140
Rivers
Rivers
Mid-term Exam
Spring Break – No Classes
26-Feb
3-Mar
5-Mar
9 to 13
Mar
17-Mar Lakes: Physical and biological processes
19-Mar Lakes: Cultural eutrophication, pollution,
acid, saline, and alkaline lakes
24-Mar Marginal Marine Environments: Estuaries
26-Mar Marginal Marine Environments: Estuaries
cont.
31-Mar Oceans
2-Apr
Oceans
7-Apr
Oceans
9-Apr
Sea Level Rise and South Florida
14-Apr Human and Urban Systems
16-Apr TBD – GEER conference 04/21-23/2015
21-Apr Class Presentations
23-Apr Class Presentations - Papers Due
30-Apr
Final Exam: 9:45 – 11:45 a.m.
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
Reading
B&B
4
C1: 1-23
C2: 24-59
C2: 24-59
C2: 24-59
C2: 59-78
C3:79-102
C3:102-150
C4:151-184
C4:151-184
C4:151-184
C5:185-212
TBD
C5:213-236
C5:237-256
C6:257-285
C6:285-302
C7:303-321
C7:321-338
C8:339-347
C8:347-369
C8:369-388
TBD
TBD