* GLY 1073 – Introduction to Global Change
(formerly GLY1033 Earth System Science)

The Earth can be thought of as a complex system of interacting components that includes the atmosphere, biosphere, geosphere, and hydrosphere. The human species has increased its population and technology to the point where we are no longer passive members of the earth system. Rather, we have begun to modify components of the earth system by our industrial and agricultural activities. GLY1073 seeks to understand the complex issues of global environmental change that challenge society today (e.g., greenhouse warming, ozone depletion, deforestation, acid rain, desertification, biodiversity, etc), from a systemsí perspective. Students will learn to view the Earth as a complex system of interacting components that exchange mass and energy, and we will explore the complex linkages and feedback processes that exist among its components. This systemís perspective fosters an appreciation for how the Earth works as a whole and provides the conceptual framework for discussion of relevant global change issues.

This course makes extensive use of the World Wide Web (WWW) and provides students with on-line access to mostly all relevant course materials (electronic bulletin board, syllabus, examinations and grades, reading assignments, class notes, laboratory exercises, links to earth science resources, on-line student assessment, and e-mail communication). Students are encouraged to browse the class homepage at http://ess.geology.ufl.edu for further information.

The laboratory portion of the course consists of computer-assisted exercises using the WWW and discussion of global change issues. Students will work with simple computer models developed with STELLA system modeling software to explore the earthís radiation budget, greenhouse warming, carbon cycling, and population growth and habitat sustainability. Students will also undertake a term project on some issue of global change that will be presented in class using Powerpoint and published on the WWW. No advanced knowledge of computers is assumed or required.

GLY 3074: THE OCEANS AND GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE

Instructor: Dr. Ellen E. Martin, emartin@geology.ufl.edu

Course Description: The oceans store vast amounts of heat, moisture and carbon dioxide, therefore they profoundly influence and modulate natural and anthropogenic climate change. Topics to be discussed include: Earth's climate system- how the oceans, atmosphere, earth and biosphere interact Earthís energy balance- what energy comes in and what energy goes out The carbon cycle- including past and present variations in atmospheric CO2. The role of the ocean in natural and anthropogenic climate change- the impact of ocean circulation, how and why sea level changes, the cause of glacial periods, conditions leading to El Nino events, past and present global warming Florida is practically surrounded by the ocean. Why not learn how the ocean/climate systems impact your life?   Prerequisites: None

(* taught by ESSE PI)