Geography Of Global Change
Geography of Global Change (GGC) is an all-encompassing (global) course designed to consider critically many aspects of environmental threat today, most especially climate change. The course begins with basic principles by which all topics need to be evaluated, including spatial and temporal scales, principles of “change”, and much more.
We then proceed with distinct impacts spheres of the Earth, including the atmosphere, oceans, and land surfaces. Special attention will be applied to the oceans given the particular importance of this realm on our blue planet Earth.
Two field trips will occur in the GGC course, including to Barcelona to discuss many aspects of urban global change, and to an on-campus research institute for environmental sciences, in a very unique and relatively new building installation.
Courses generally have little or no prerequisite knowledge required for a given topic, however if students face any doubts, we recommend they contact course professors to clarify.
| Week | Contents | Teaching/learning activities |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Block 1 Introduction to Global Change The Earth as a System Spatial and temporal scales (e.g. human, geologic, and all in between) Global change vs. climate change, similarities and distinctions
Block 2 The Atmosphere Defining the structure and composition (baseline for change) Greenhouse gases |
|
| 2 |
Industrial pollution Block 3 The Oceans Role in global and climate change Non-climatic global changes (e.g. fisheries, pollution, exotic species invasions) Specific global change issues (monsoons, ENSO, hurricanes, etc.). Concrete look at the 2017 and 2020 Atlantic hurricane events |
|
| 3 |
Block 4 Terrestrial Impacts The nature of land surfaces Specific terrestrial-based concerns (e.g. biosphere) Causes for concern and likely futuristic developments |
|
From Monday to Friday.
From 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Block 1 Thematic Question Answers, due Wednesday of Week 1 (15%)
Block 2 Thematic Question Answers, due Friday of Week 1 (15%)
Block 3 Thematic Question Answers, due Thursday of Week 2 (15%)
Block 4 Thematic Question Answers, due Tuesday of Week 3 (15%)
Final Exam Wednesday of Week 3 (40%)
- GUGLER, J. (2004). World Cities. Globalization, Development and Inequality. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
- JOHNSTON, R.J., TAYLOR, P.J. I WATTS, M.J. (eds) (2002): Geographies of Global Change. Oxford: Blackwell (2nd edition).
- MANNION, A.M. (1991): Global environmental change. Harlow, Essex: Longman.
- MARSH,W.M. I GROSSA,J.M. Jr (1996): Environmental Geography. Science, Land Use and Earth Systems. New York: John Wiley.
- OLDFIELD, F. 2005: Environmental Change. Key Issues and Alternative Perspectives. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press.
- STEFFEN, W. et al 2004: Global Change and the Earth System: A Planet Under Pressure. New York, Springer.
- TURNER, B.T.II; Clark,W.C., KATES,R.W., RICHARDS,J.F., MATHEWS,J.T. I MEYER,W.B. (eds) (1990): The Earth as transformed by human action. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
- GISS Surface Temperature Analysis (GISTEMP v4)
- Climate-warming gas in atmosphere passes 400ppm milestone – interactive
- IPCC report: six graphs that show how we're changing the world's climate
- The Rains May Be A-Comin'
- Increase in the Asian Southwest Monsoon During the Past Four Centuries
- ENSO as an Integrating Concept in Earth Science
- Increasing destructiveness of tropical cyclones over the past 30 years
- Clues to Supertyphoon's Ferocity Found in the Western Pacific
- 2017 Atlantic Hurricane Season Now Seventh Most Active in History
- What's really warming the World?
There will also be selected readings from journal articles, and other links, highlighted during the course. Some links above are to journal articles; others are for some key sites and animations.
Graham Mortyn earned BS and MS degrees in Earth Science and a PhD in Oceanography from Scripps Institution of Oceanography (University of California at San Diego, UCSD). Prior to academia he worked as a hydrogeologist. He was an Assistant Professor in California (California State University, Fresno, CSUF) before UAB arrival in 2004, joining the Department of Geography and ICTA.
- E-mail: graham.mortyn@uab.cat
- Department of Geography