The human-induced emissions of carbon dioxide has led to atmospheric CO2 concentrations that Earth likely has no’t seen for the last 30 million years. This course aims to investigate and understand the impact of humans on Earth's biogeochemical cycles with a focus on the carbon cycle and its interaction with the physical climate system for the past, the present, and the future.
Learning objective
This course aims to investigate the nature of the interaction between the carbon cycles on land and in the ocean with climate and how this interaction has evolved over time and will change in the future. Students are expected to participate actively in the course, which includes the critical reading of the pertinent literature.
Content
Topics discussed include: The anthropogenic perturbation of the global carbon cycle and climate. Response of land and oceanic ecosystems to past and future global changes; Interactions between biogeochemical cycles on land and in the ocean; Biogeochemical processes controlling carbon dioxide and oxygen in the ocean and atmosphere on time-scales from a few years to a few hundred thousand years.
Lecture notes
Sarmiento & Gruber (2006), Ocean Biogeochemical Dynamics, Princeton University Press. Additional handouts will be provided as needed. see website: http://www.up.ethz.ch/education/biogeochem_cycles
The performance assessment is offered every session. Repetition possible without re-enrolling for the course unit.
Mode of examination
written 120 minutes
Additional information on mode of examination
The exercises will be used as learning elements (Lernelemente). The successful completion of 5 out of 6 homeworks will be taken into account for the final grade as a bonus of 0.25.
Written aids
open book exam - all written material permitted
This information can be updated until the beginning of the semester; information on the examination timetable is binding.
Learning materials
No public learning materials available.
Only public learning materials are listed.
Groups
No information on groups available.
Restrictions
There are no additional restrictions for the registration.
Performance assessment as a semester course