GEOGG133 Past Climates

GEOGG133 - Past Climates
(15 credits)

Term 1 (2011)


Staff:
Prof. Mark Maslin

Aims:
·    to provide an introduction to Past Climate Change
·    to provide an understanding of the causes and mechanisms of natural climate variability as a basis for assessing future climate changes

Content:
The module will provide:
·    An introduction to the theoretical framework of climate variability
·    Fundamentals of reconstructing past environments
·    Fundamentals of dating techniques and developing chronological frameworks
·    An overview of climatic evolution through geological time
·    An assessment of mechanisms of orbital- and millennial-scale climate variability
·    A focus on the effects of climate changes on terrestrial ecosystems and human populations
·    An assessment of future climate changes within the context of natural climate variability

Assessment:
Coursework 100%

Format:
The course is based upon lectures and class discussion and coursework.

Learning Outcomes:
At the end of the module, students should:
·    have an understanding of the techniques used in palaeoenvironmental reconstructions.
·    have an awareness of the strengths and limitations of palaeoclimatic inferences
·    have an understanding of the patterns and scales of natural climate variability
·    have an appreciation of the role of climate on biotic evolution
·    have an appreciation of natural vs anthropogenic causes of future climate change