NGEK10019U Ecological Climatology and Climate Change

Volume 2016/2017
Education

MSc Programme in Geography and Geoinformatics
MSc Programme in Geography and Geoinformatics with a Minor Subject
MSc Programme in Agriculture

Content

The course focuses on the relations between terrestic ecosystems and global climate systems and place it in an historical and present perspective as well as on a time and spatial scale from seconds to millennia and from stomata to continents. Furthermore the focus will be on how models (GMC’s) and data bases are used to develop future climate scenarios and reconstruction of previous climate conditions.

Learning Outcome

Knowledge:

Theories and concepts on ecological climatology, terrestric ecosystems, the global climate system, climate variations, Milankovitch cycles, greenhouse gasses, annual variations in relation to the regional climate and the effects hereof, the relation of vegetation dynamics and CO2 balance, climate models, climate predictions.

Skills:

  • ccount for the changes in climate in recent times
  • account for the relations between the climate, ecosystems and land use in different climate zones
  • identify and explain the interaction between atmospheric circulation and radiation/energy balance and the relation to the global climate zones.
  • explain and discuss the weather phenomena El Ninõ and NAO and their influence on the weather in the northern Atlantic and Europe.
  • identify and explain spatiotemporal variations in permafrost processes and ice cover extent in the north Atlantic – causes and consequences.
  • explain and discus the background and use of global climate models in Arctic and temperate areas.
  • identify and explain variation in radiation balance and wind climate at different surface types
  • explain and discus photosynthesis, evapotranspiration and energy balance in relation to spatiotemporal variation in the vegetation and land use.
  • describe and interpret ecosystems and vegetation dynamics – carbon budget, net primary production, biogeography and vegetation modelling.
  • identify and describe the carbon exchange I relation to agricultural areas and other ecosystems under human influence and the problems caused by deforestation, desertification and change in land use.

 

Competences:

Analyse, assess and apply results, methods, theory and data in connection with Ecological climatology & climate change

Please see Absalon.

BSc in Geography and Geoinformatics or equivalent.
The form of teaching is theory exercises combined with ad hoc lectures. For the teaching plan, please see Absalon.
  • Category
  • Hours
  • Preparation
  • 136
  • Project work
  • 35
  • Theory exercises
  • 35
  • Total
  • 206
Credit
7,5 ECTS
Type of assessment
Written assignment
Oral examination, 20 minutes
The written assignment is prepared during the course and must be handed in prior to the exam week. The oral exam uses the written assignment as its point of departure. It includes the titles listed in the officially approved reading list. A combined grade is given after the oral exam.
Aid
Without aids
Marking scale
7-point grading scale
Censorship form
External censorship
Re-exam

Resubmission of written assignment, 20 minutes oral examination. The written assignment must be handed in prior to the re-examination week. The oral exam uses the written assignment as its point of departure. It includes the titles listed in the officially approved reading list.

Criteria for exam assesment

Please see learning outcomes.