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UG NRSM 408
Global Cycles and Climate
Time: T/TR 12:40 – 2:00 pm
Professor: Cory Cleveland
Email: [email protected]
Course Web Site: Blackboard (http://umonline.umt.edu/)
Office hours: T 2:00 – 3:00 pm in CHCB 423 and by appointment
Spring 2014
Phone: 243-6018
Course Description: When Bob Dylan asks: “How many years can a mountain exist, before it is washed
to the sea?” he echoes a question that has intrigued philosophers and geologists for centuries. The
atmosphere reacts with the land surface, rivers carry eroded materials to the ocean, and deposited ocean
sediments ultimately become new mountains – completing just one of many biogeochemical cycles that
have been operating since the beginning of time. The Earth's climate system reflects millions of years of
similar biogeochemical interactions between the biosphere, the atmosphere and the lithosphere. But over
the past century, human activities like industrialization, land use change and agriculture have had profound
effects on the chemical composition of the earth's atmosphere and global climate. In this course, we will
explore the Earth’s major biogeochemical cycles, how they are linked, how they have been altered by
human activities, and how they influence the global climate system. With that as a backdrop, we will then
take a close look at a number of proposed climate change mitigation strategies through a scientific lens to
assess their efficacy, practicality, and potential unintended consequences.
Learning Outcomes: Students will analyze and compare each of the earth's major global biogoechemical
cycles, evaluate the ways and extent to which each of the of them influences and interacts with the global
climate system, and will critically examine a number of potential climate change mitigation strategies and
assess their costs, benefits, and potential consequences. Students will demonstrate their understanding
through a number of written assignments and exams, and by producing an oral presentations and leading
in-class discussions and debates. At the end of the course, students will understand the potential benefits
and pitfalls of currently available strategies for mitigating global climate change, and will be able to assess
their efficacy, practicality, and potential unintended consequences.
Course Format: In most courses, you attend lectures, perhaps memorize lots of facts, occasionally ask a
question or two, and study for a series of exams. This course will be different. I will use the first part of
the semester to make sure we are all on the same page by providing an overview of the climate system, and
the major biogeochemical cycles. This will set the stage for the remaining 2/3 of the class where you - the
students - will take a much more active role: leading discussions, making presentations, and helping each
other work through, evaluate and learn about a complex, interdisciplinary topic. The goal of these classes is
to promote thoughtful reasoning, critical evaluation of "fact" from "hype," and the development of skills
that will serve you well in the “real world” no matter what profession you choose. To that end, in this class
you will be expected to think, and to do so in a critical way.
After a set of overview lectures, you will take over. Each student will be expected to do independent
research into a suite of topics, write a series of 1-page papers, participate in group projects and
presentations, and be active participants in the class. Ultimately, the goal is to have fun digging into a set
topics that are relevant to all of us, and to work as a group to achieve a better understanding that will allow
you, as educated citizens, to make more informed decisions about the science of climate change, and some
of the potential solutions.
How Will it Work?: As a class, we will explore how the major biogeochemical cycles operate, how they
influence climate, and how they underlie some of the potential solutions to this important problem. We
will do this in 3 general ways:
First, there will be several lecture/discussion days led by in which the major biogeochemical cycles and
their major climate interactions are presented and discussed. These lectures will be augmented by reading
from the text or other sources and from a number of important recent scientific papers.
Second, you will spend a few weeks (in groups) researching a variety of climate change mitigation
strategies as though you were a panel of experts, with each group ultimately presenting an overview of the
science behind each strategy, with “subcommittees” of 2-4 students each taking the lead responsibility for a
given area.
Third, you will use that background information to prepare a series of Mock Congressional Testimony
sessions about a climate change mitigation strategy. These will be modeled after the real thing, and each
student will have an opportunity to present testimony, and to act as a member of a Congressional Panel that
is hearing – and questioning – that testimony.
Please Note: This class will rely heavily on classroom discussion and debate, thus we all must work to
foster an environment in which all students feel comfortable sharing their opinions. You can challenge
opinions and disagree, but you must be respectful.
Class Responsibilities and Preparation: This class is about active learning. That means everyone must
do research, present and discuss material, debate topics and articulate opinions verbally and in writing.
Regular attendance and participation are essential, and thus these will be part of your formal grade (10%).
They are easy points! Just show up and participate. In addition, while you will only have 2-3 days in which
you are a lead presenter of some kind, everyone is expected to do research before each class, even on
topics you are not leading, and come ready to participate each day.
Presentations: There will be two rounds of student group-led presentations/discussions, each round lasting
about a month. For each discussion day, leaders (~3 per topic) will decide on at least one relevant source to
direct their discussion and distribute it a week in advance (these should be approved by me ahead of time
as well). On days you lead a presentation (or deliver mock testimony) you are expected to show up
prepared to make a presentation on your topic and/or lead the class in discussion. Your presentation should
take up 45-60 minutes of class time – i.e., you should leave plenty of time for discussion. The mock
testimonies will be a bit different, and we’ll address those in more detail later in the term. Group-led
presentations (everyone will do one of these) will be worth 15% of your grade; mock testimony sessions
will also be worth 15% total (see grading breakdown below).
Writing Assignments: You will do a lot of writing in this class, but all of it will be short assignments,
hopefully in formats you will find enjoyable. Each day that a topic is presented (and when you are not in
the lead group), you will be expected to write a short op-ed piece on this topic (3/16 – 4/22; see below for
more information). These must include a minimum of three citations (websites, newspaper articles, journal
papers, NPR stories, etc.), and must be between 500 and 750 words (that’s about ¾ to 1 page, single
spaced). The word count does not include your list of citations you use, which can be printed after the oped itself. These must be printed out and handed in during class that day – email or handwritten versions
will not be accepted. I may encourage some of you to submit your pieces to the Missoulian. It's important
to share good ideas with others outside of this classroom!
For the mock testimony sessions (4/27-5/6), you will be asked to write three ~2 page newspaper-style
stories on sessions in which you do not participate as either a panel member or someone giving testimony.
These are due one week after the session you choose (or in the case of the final week of school, papers
will be due on Friday, May 7). You will also write up your testimony and hand it in on the day that you
give it in class. The testimony should be between 4 and 5 minutes. Practice it in advance so you know
you have the timing right, and the wording the way you want it! (See below for much more
information on the mock testimony)
Prerequisites: There are no formal prerequisites for this course, but some background in chemistry,
biology and geology is expected. I also expect that each of you have a basic understanding of the science
of climate and climate change. This course is highly interdisciplinary and uses as a language and
framework derived from multiple disciplines. You do not necessarily need an advanced background in
science to succeed in this class, but if you are uncomfortable with the basics of any of them you should
probably talk to me, and be willing to work hard in the early part of the semester to keep up.
Reading:
1. Treatise on Geochemistry, Volume 8: Biogeochemistry (2005) William Schlesinger (Editor), Elsevier.
ISBN: 978-0080446424.
This text is required. Please order a copy ASAP. This book is also available on reserve in the library.
Most of my lectures early in the semester will be drawn – at least in part – from this book.
2. IPCC The Physical Science Basis (2007) Chapter 7: Couplings between changes in the climate
system and biogeochemistry.
Available on Blackboard (http://www.umt.edu/xls/blackboard/default.aspx) and at:
http://www.ipcc.ch/publications_and_data/publications_ipcc_fourth_assessment_report_wg1_report_the_p
hysical_science_basis.htm
This material will be supplemented by readings from other sources (e.g., primary literature), especially in
the second half of the semester when students are making presentations. These additional readings will be
available as .pdf files on the course web site. You should print them out, read them, bring them with you to
class every day, and be prepared to discuss them. Periodically I may prepare quizzes that cover the
reading.
Grading: Both undergraduates and grad student grades will be assigned based on the following
percentages. However, I expect a higher level of work (quality) from the grad students.
Midterm exam: 20%
Expert Presentation (1 per person in groups): 15%
Mock Testimony & Questioning (1 per person) 15%
Op-ed Writing (8 of 10): 15%
Newspaper Writing (3 of 6): 15%
Testimony Writing (1 per person): 10%
Class Attendance & Participation: 10%
Finally, the usual rules concerning academic honesty apply in this course.
As per University rules, academic misconduct is subject to penalty by the course instructor (me) and or
disciplinary sanction by the University. Familiarize yourself with the UM Student Honor Code, and make
sure that you adhere to all aspects of it:
http://life.umt.edu/vpsa/student_conduct.php
Some resources that may be useful for assignments
Two overviews on how to write a good op-ed:
- http://www.dukenews.duke.edu/duke_community/oped.html
- http://www.anthologiesonline.com/Write%20Op%20Ed.htm
NOTE: Portions of these op-ed overviews will not apply to your assignment (e.g. where to send them, if
you need a cover letter, etc), but the general rules for how to write them are excellent guidance. Read them.
They will help you complete the assignments more easily and effectively. Bottom line? Op-eds are about
expressing an opinion, and defending it with facts. You’ll find them in newspapers all over the country,
all the time, on all sorts of topics. Dig up a few and you’ll get the idea. Here are a bunch of examples of
environmentally-related op-eds from the New York Times.
NOTE: To access many of these, you may need to register on the NYT site, but it's free and it's quick…
Murky Waters (Swanson and Conover)
That's Life (EO Wilson)
The Iceman Cometh (Friedman)
It's Time to Spray DDT (Kristof)
Let the Antelope Roam (Berger and Berger) (UM's own Joel Berger!)
Biological Hazards Ahead (David Lodge)
Moving Beyond Kyoto (Al Gore)
A Tuna Meltdown (Paul Greenberg)
Eating Our Future (John McMurray)
Dumb as We Want to Be (Friedman)
Home on the Rainforest (Powers and Hurowitz)
Cold, Hard Facts (Peter Doran - interesting scientist's response to getting his work misquoted and misused)
In America, Let's Clear the Air (Bob Herbert)
Some Info on Mock Testimony Sessions
The Written Statement
General info: The written testimony should be roughly 1500-2000 words long, and must be handed in
the day you testify. Practice in advance! Your testimony must no more than 5 minutes long when you
give it out loud. If you go over, I will cut you off! See below for some examples of some real testimony.
Write simply, clearly and concisely. Remember that your audience is not a group of experts. Think of it
as writing for about a 6th grade level, or for your parents.
Write in a newspaper style. This means put the punch line up front, then highlight no more than 2-3 main
points, then fill in the details.
Present your most compelling data early and what course of action, if any, you are proposing.
Use specific, real data when possible, but don’t get bogged down in the details.
Make sure your facts are correct!
Where appropriate, characterize the nature of the uncertainty in the problem you are addressing. Betting
odds or analogies are useful approaches here.
The Oral Statement
General info: In real life, the written testimony that is submitted to Congress is often longer and more
detailed than what is said, though not always. For this class, the best approach is probably to just write
what you will say, and then try to simply read your testimony…but practice enough that you don’t have to
simply stare at the page and therefore lose your powers of persuasion.
Again, you have 5 minutes. This means get the important stuff in right away, and be sure you will be on
time.
Know your key points well enough that you can keep going if you get off track from the specfic text of
what you have written.
Introduce yourself at the beginning, thank the panel at the end.
Make eye contact. Don’t stare down at the table and read.
It is ok to go off script and try to refute something a previous witness said…but be sure you are good at adlibbing if you plan to do this.
The Questions
Each member of the panel will have 2 minutes to question each witness. If you are a panel member, you
can play whatever role you want – supportive, skeptical, and/or simply theatrical (making a political
statement). The latter is done a lot in real life. Prepare in advance! Remember that you are also
graded on this role, so come ready to ask questions and informed on the topic.
If you are a witness, try to answer the question concisely and politely. Use specific examples whenever
possible. If your group of witnesses has varied opinions on the topic, when appropriate, you can use your
answer time to try to refute anything your fellow witnesses (or other panel members) have said….but
again, be concise and accurate.
The Newspaper Stories
As described above, choose two days when you are a member of the audience to write a ~2 page (single
spaced) story on the event. It should be like a newspaper article, where you will both report on what
happened and give background on the topic. These are due one week after the day of your choice.
Some examples of real testimony:
Note: Some of these are longer than what you need to do, but they give you a sense of what to aim for.
Also, searching just with google, or on the Congressional websites (http://www.house.gov or
http://www.senate.gov) can lead you to hundreds of more examples on all kinds of topics.
CDC testimony on climate change and disease
Schlesinger testimony on forest carbon storage
Williams testimony representing Trout Ulimited on water issues
Hansen testimony on climate change and recent presidential administration
Howarth testimony on nutrient issues
Pielke testimony on climate change
Crockett testimony on ocean fisheries
Wilson testimony on carp invasion
Chalk testimony on energy efficiency
Preliminary Class Schedule (subject to change!)
Mtg #
Date
Textbook Reading
Topic
Other Assignments
The Global Biogeochemical Cycles and Climate Interactions
Part I
1
1/26
Introduction & Climate Science
Review
Ruddiman Ch 2 (2001)
Schlesinger Ch. 1 (1997)
2
1/28
Climate Science Review, cont.
3
2/2
The Long-Term C Cycle
Falkowski et al. (2000)
4
2/4
The Contemporary C Cycle
IPCC WG1 – Summary;
IPCC Intro (7.1)
Ch. 8.09 (pp. 425-454);
IPCC 7.3
Ch. 8.10
5
2/9
The Marine C Cycle
Ch. 8.05; IPCC 7.3
Falkowski et al. (1998)
6
2/11
The Terrestrial C Cycle
Ch. 8.06; IPCC 7.3
Le Quéré et al. (2009)
7
2/16
The Terrestrial C Cycle
Heimann & Reichstein
(2008)
8
2/18
The Hydrologic Cycle
9
2/23
The N Cycle
10
2/25
The P Cycle
Ch. 8.07 (pp.249-256;
266-268-306; Ch. 8.08
(pp. 332-348)
Schlesinger Ch. 10; IPCC
7.2
Ch 8.12; Ch. 8.08 (pp.
350-361)
Ch. 8.13
11
3/2
The S Cycle
Ch. 8.14; Ch. 8.08 (pp.
374-389); IPCC 7.4 – 7.5
Robock (2002)
12
3/4
Midterm Exam
Climate Change Solutions?
Part II
Solomon et al. (2009)
Li et al. (2006)
Galloway et al. (2008)
Filipelli (2008)
IPCC: Chapter 7
13
3/9
Intro to Part III
14
3/11
Climate Change Mitigation
15
3/16
Alternative Energy
Writing assignments,
presentations, etc
Biello (2007); IPCC
WG3—Summary; Pacala
& Socolow (2004)
Diana Maneta
16
3/18
Alternative Energy/Energy
Efficiency
Group 1: Erika, Tyler,
Bridger
Op Ed due
17
3/23
Biological C Sequestration
Group 2: Lindsay,
Whitney
Op Ed due
18
3/25
OPEN
19
3/30
Spring Break
20
4/1
Spring Break
21
4/6
Sustainable Building
Jeff Crouch
Op Ed due
22
4/8
Biofuels
Group 3: Sheryl, Cory
Op Ed due
23
4/13
OPEN (REDD)
Jordan Golinkoff
Op Ed due
24
4/15
OPEN (CAP & TRADE)
Keegan Eisenstadt
Op Ed due
25
4/20
Geoengineering
Op Ed due
26
4/22
Ethics of Geoengineering
Group 4: Kathryn,
Patrick, Tabatha
David Keith
27
4/27
Geologic C Sequestration
Group 5: Hannah, Tim
Op Ed due
Op Ed due
Op Ed due
28
4/29
Mock Testimony
TBD
Newspaper/Testimony
29
5/4
Mock Testimony
TBD
Newspaper/Testimony
30
5/6
Mock Testimony
TBD
Newspaper/Testimony
Note: There will not be a final exam per se, but I reserve the right to use the final exam period to complete
any unfinished mock testimony sessions. The final exam period is scheduled for 8am – 10am on
Wednesday, May 12, 2010.
Supplemental Reading (Available as PDFs for download on Blackboard)
http://www.umt.edu/xls/blackboard/default.aspx
Biello, D. 2007. Ten solutions for climate change. Scientific American, November 26, 2007.
Falkowski, P. G.. et al. 1998. Biogeochemical controls and feedbacks on ocean primary production. Science 281: 200-206.
Falkowski, P. et al. 2000. The global carbon cycle: A test of our knowledge of earth as a system. Science 290:291-296.
Filipilli, G. 2008. The global phosphorus cycle: Past, present and future. Elements 4:89-95.
Galloway, J. et al. 2008. Tranformations of the nitrogen cycle: Recent trends, questions and potential solutions. Science 320:889-892.
Heimann, M., and M. Reichstein. 2008. Terrestrial ecosystem carbon dynamics and feedbacks. Nature 451: 289-292.
IPCC, 2007: Summary for Policymakers. In: Climate Change 2007: Mitigation. Contribution of Working Group III to the Fourth
Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change [B. Metz, O.R. Davidson, P.R. Bosch, R. Dave, L.A. Meyer
(eds)], Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, United Kingdom and New York, NY, USA.
IPCC, 2007: Summary for Policymakers. In: Climate Change 2007: The Physical Science Basis. Contribution of Working Group I to
the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change [Solomon, S., D. Qin, M. Manning, Z. Chen, M.
Marquis, K.B. Averyt, M.Tignor and H.L. Miller (eds.)]. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, United Kingdom and New York,
NY, USA.
Le Quéré, C. et al. 2009. Trends in the sources and sinks of carbon dioxide. Nature Geoscience 2:1-6.
Li, W., R. Fu, and R. Dickinson. 2006. Rainfall and its seasonality over the Amazon in the 21st century as assessed by the coupled
models for the IPCC AR4. Journal of Geophysical Research 111:doi:10.1029/2005JD006355, 002006.
Pacala, S. and . Socolow 2004. Stabilization wedges: Solving the climate problem for the next 50 years with current technologies.
Science 305: 968-972.
Robock, A. 2002. The climatic aftermath. Science 295:1242-1244.
Ruddiman, W. F. (2001) Earth's Climate: Past and Future. Freeman and Co., New York.
Schlesinger, W. H. (1997) Biogeochemistry: An Analysis of Global Change. Academic Press, San Diego.
Solomon, S., G. Plattner, R. Knutt, and P. Friedlingstein. 2009. Irreversible climate change due to carbon dioxide emissions. PNAS
106:1704-1709.
Solomon, S. et al. (2010) Contributions of Stratospheric Water Vapor to Decadal Changes in the Rate of
Global Warming. Sciencexpress, January 28, 2010.