Environments For Life module (EV12002)

This module provides an overview of key processes that drive life on Earth. It covers concepts such as:

• the atmosphere and climate processes
• the influence of oceans
• the diversity and functioning of the biosphere

The module focuses on how the uneven heating by the sun drives key atmospheric and oceanic processes. These create the climatic conditions for Earth's biomes.

The module will cover our understanding of past and current climate changes. It will also cover the proxies on which this historical understanding is based.

It will further explore some of the biological adaptations to these environmental gradients. It will explore how energy travels through trophic levels.

What you will learn

In this module, you will:

• learn about the nature of the atmosphere and its relevance to earth surface processes, e.g. hydrology and oceans
• learn about the nature of the oceans, their contribution to climate change, and the life forms they support
• learn about ecology and biodiversity
• learn about factors that affect the health of ecosystems

By the end of this module, you will be able to:

• use methods for simplifying, exploring, and visualising environmental observations
• understand the limitations to and consequences of reducing complex data sets
• synthesise and express scientific concepts
• develop study skills for examinations
• work well within a team to collect, analyse, interpret, and present data

Assignments / assessment

• atmospheric processes class test (15%)
  • based on work from two practical workshops
  • visualising and interpreting meteorological data using excel and describing spatial patterns of annual rainfall
• oceans and climate change class test(15%)
  • based on work from two practical workshops
  • visualising and interpreting ocean temperatures with excel and analysing Arctic and Antarctic ice records using RStudio
• biosphere group presentation (20%)
  • based on two field visits to the University of Dundee Botanic Gardens and one IT suite workshop
  • groups will present data collected on the biotic and abiotic conditions for two ponds collated from the class and interpret key patterns
• end-of-semester exam (50%)
  • essay-based, with questions from each topic

Teaching methods / timetable

• two 1-hour lectures per week
  • lectures are recorded but not live-streamed
• one 2-hour practical or study skill workshop per week
  • workshops are generally not recorded to encourage more student participation
• two field visits to the University of Dundee Botanic Gardens to collect data on the aquatic environment