Environmental Systems: Climate and Vegetation
ENVIRONMENTAL SYSTEMS: CLIMATE AND VEGETATION
GEOG. 1001-010, TR 1100AM-1215PM; Spring 2006
Instructor: Catalina Segura, 360 MCOL Bldg.
Email:
Office hours: TR 1:30-2:30 Phone: (303) 735-4265
Teaching Assistants: Juan Paritsis (); Susan Riggins () and Andrew Meyer ()
Course Description: This course will introduce the principles of vegetation science, the dynamics of the earth's atmosphere, the characteristics and controls of climates, and the function of these physical features in determining the types and geographic distributions of life on earth. In addition, the course will focus on environmental impacts involving climate and vegetation that result from human-environment interactions at local and global scales (global change and biodiversity issues in relation to global change). Emphasis will be placed on applying concepts of climate and vegetation towards an understanding of the earth as a dynamic environmental system. This course will prepare you for subsequent, more specialized courses in climatology, hydrology, and biogeography. This is a natural science course, and graphs and calculations will be used to help understand the topics. The mathematics involved is not above high school algebra level.
I expect from you commitment and respect. This means that assistance is mandatory to all lectures and laboratories. Necessary materials should be read before coming to class (see lecture schedule below). Readings from the textbook and reserve materials will clarify lecture material. We cover a lot of material in each class, so missing a class will put you behind and will likely result in a much lower grade than you are otherwise capable of. DON’T GET BEHIND. .
Required text: 1) Christopherson, R.W. 2006. Geosystems: An Introduction to Physical Geography. Sixth Edition. Prentice Hall, NJ. 689 p. 2) Laboratory Manual for Geography 1001-010. Segura, Spring 2005.
Course Web Site: Information relative to this class may be found at: www.colorado.edu/geography/class_homepages/geog_1001_s06/
Labs: All students must enroll in one lab section (consult Schedule of Courses for meeting days and times). You are not enrolled in the lecture course unless you are enrolled in a lab section. The lab for this course is mandatory. Each student must sign up for a lab section and attend that section. No exceptions and no excuses. If you are unable to attend your regularly scheduled lab you need to work out an alternative solution with your TA beforehand, not afterwards. Labs start the second week of class. From the 11 labs that you will have to submit, the lowest grade will be dropped; there is no excuse for late or makeup labs. Late labs will not be accepted. They must be submitted during scheduled lab time in person.
Statement on Disabilities: If you qualify for accommodations because of a disability, please submit to me a letter from Disability Services at least 1 week before the test. Disability Services determines accommodations based on documents disabilities. Contact: 303-492-8671, Willard 322, and www.Colorado.edu/disability services
Religious Obligations: Campus policy regarding religious observances requires that faculty make every effort to reasonably and fairly deal with all students who, because of religious obligations, have conflicts with scheduled exams, assignments or required attendance. If the conflict is legitimate, I will provide opportunity for alternative time to write an exam or submit an assignment. See full details at www.colorado.edu/policies/fac_relig.html
Classroom Behavior Policy: Review the classroom behavior policy and associated procedures at www.colorado.edu/policies/index.html
Academic honesty: All students of the University of Colorado at Boulder are responsible for knowing and adhering to the academic integrity policy of this institution. Violations of this policy may include: cheating, plagiarism, aid of academic dishonesty, fabrication, lying, bribery, and threatening behavior. All incidents of academic misconduct shall be reported to the Honor Code Council (; 303-725-2273). Students who are found to be in violation of the academic integrity policy will be subject to both academic sanctions from the faculty member and non-academic sanctions (including but not limited to university probation, suspension, or expulsion). Other information on the Honor Code can be found at www.colorado.edu/policies/honor.html and at www.colorado.edu/academics/honorcode/
Discrimination ad Sexual Harassment: The University of Colorado at Boulder policy on Discrimination and Harassment, on Sexual Harassment and on Amorous Relationships applies to all students, staff and faculty. Any student, staff or faculty member who believes s/he has been the subject of discrimination or harassment based upon race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, or veteran status should contact the Office of Discrimination and Harassment (ODH) at 303-492-2127 or the Office of Judicial Affairs at 303-492-5550. Information about the ODH and the campus resources available to assist individuals regarding discrimination or harassment can be obtained at http://www.colorado.edu/odh
Grading: The final course grade will be based on the following:
Item / Date / % of final gradeMid Term 1 / Feb 7 / 40, The grade from the lowest midterm WILL NOT COUNT. Each of the 2 remaining midterms will count 20%.
Mid Term 2 / March 2
Mid Term 3 / April 6
Final Exam / May 8, 1:30-4:00 pm / 30
Laboratories assignments / See lab. schedule / 30, but you must receive at least a passing grade to pass the course.
Exams will cover the material from the lectures, assigned readings, labs, field trips and movies. NO makeup tests are given; students who miss a test without a documented and acceptable excuse (eg. medical), will receive a score of zero for the missed test. If you know of a valid conflict with any of the exams, please contact me in advance (at least one week ahead) and arrange to take the exam earlier.
Lecture Schedule and Assigned Readings - GEOG_1001 (subject to change)
Dates / Topic / Readings* /1/17 / Intro + Systems & Lat/Long system, Earth-sun relations / Ch 1 –Ch2
1/19 / Earth motions, earth-sun relations / Ch 2
1/24 / Earth atmosphere and earth's radiation balance / Ch 3 (61-68) and Ch 4
1/26 / Heat at the earth surface / Ch 5
1/31 / Pressure and winds / Ch 6 (143-153)
2/2 / Atmospheric and ocean circulation patterns / Ch 6 (153-171)
2/7 / Mid-term-1 / ---
2/9 / Atmospheric moisture relationships / Ch 7
2/14 / Air masses, fronts, and storms / Ch 8
2/16 / Soil-water balance and climate / Ch 9 (245-259)
2/21 / Climate classification: Low-latitude climates / Ch 10 (275-288)
2/23 / Climate classification: Mid-latitude climates / Ch 10 (289-294; 301-306)
2/28 / Climate classification: High-latitude climates / Ch 10 (295-301)
3/2 / Mid-term 2 / ---
3/7 / Terrestrial biomes in relation to climate: Tropical Ecosystems / Ch 20 (649-664)
3/9 / Mid-Latitude Broad leaf Deciduous & evergreen Forest / Ch 20 (664-666)
3/14 / Needle-leaf Coniferous Forests / “
3/16 / Mediterranean shrub lands & Deserts / Ch 20 (667-670)
3/21 / Grasslands / “
3/23 / Arctic & Alpine Tundra / Ch 20 (670-671)
3/28 / Spring break / No reading
3/30 / Spring break / No reading
4/4 / Limiting factors, Life & Growth forms / Ch 19 (605-618)
4/6 / Mid-term-3
4/11 / Nutrient cycling in ecosystems / Ch 19 (618-623)
4/13 / Succession, Disturbance and Recovery of ecosystems / Ch 19 (628-645)
4/18 / Historical development of the ecosphere / ---
4/20 / Energy flow and ecosystem structure / Ch 19 (623-628)
4/25 / Environmental impacts: Climate change / Ch 10 (306-315)
4/27 / Acid precipitation / Ch 3 (75-84)
5/2 / Loss of biodiversity; species extinction / Ch 21
5/4 / Review session final exam / ---
5/8 / Final exam / ---
* Note: Detailed listing of the Reserve Readings will be given out during the semester and posted online.
Geog 1001 Lab Schedule
Week of / Lab exercise and topic / Assignment*1/15 / ---- / ----
1/23 / Earth motions, earth-sun relations / Exercise A
1/30 / Temperature & Earth’s heat budget / Exercise B; Exer. A due
2/6 / Atmospheric Pressure, Winds & Circulation / Exercise C; Exer. B due
2/13 / Atmospheric Moisture and Relative Humidity / Exercise D; Exer. C due
2/20 / Air Masses, Fronts and Storms / Exercise E; Exer. D due
2/27 / --- / ---
3/6 / Climate Classification / Exercise F; Exer. E due
3/13 / Plant Identification / Exercise G; Exer. F due
3/20 / Gregory Canyon field trip: Vegetation/Environment Relations / Exercise H; Ex. G due
3/27 / --- / ---
4/3 / --- / ---
4/10 / Chautauqua Park field trip: Forest Succession / Exercise I; Ex. H due
4/17 / Forest Succession Data Analysis Report / Exercise J; Ex. I due
4/24 / Global Change: Wildfire in Boulder County (due the same day!) / Exercise K; Ex. J due
5/1 / --- / ---
---No lab schedule (Use the free time to study for mid-terms).
*All exercises for lab will be found in the Lab Manual that you purchased. Some exercises will require additional materials handed out in lab, or obtained on field trips. If you miss a lab, you may not receive the necessary materials to complete the exercises, and therefore lose points for the assignments.
Teaching assistant’s recitations
Time / Teaching Assistant / Office hoursM 1200PM-0150PM / Susan Riggins
W0800AM-0950AM / Susan Riggins
W 1000AM-1150AM / Juan Paritsis
W 1200PM-0150PM / Juan Paritsis
W 0200PM-0350PM / Juan Paritsis
F 1000AM-1150AM / Andrew Meyer
F 1200PM-0150PM / Andrew Meyer
F 0200PM-0350PM / Andrew Meyer
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