| Unit name | Earth's Critical Zone |
|---|---|
| Unit code | EASC20049 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | I/5 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 2D (weeks 19 - 24) |
| Unit director | Dr. Buss |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
All mandatory units in Year 1 of an Environmental Geoscience programme (BSc, MSci or MSci with Study Abroad) |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
All mandatory units in Year 2 of an Environmental Geoscience programme (BSc, MSci or MSci with Study Abroad). |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
N/A |
| School/department | School of Earth Sciences |
| Faculty | Faculty of Science |
Why is this unit important?
Understanding soil and critical zone processes is essential for environmental geoscientists working to ensure the sustainability of environments and life on Earth. In addition to subject knowledge, the unit develops skills in field observations and analysis, laboratory analysis, data analysis and synthesis, and hypothesis development and testing.
How does this unit fit into your programme of study?
Soils and plants are key components of the environment that are only studied in detail in this unit in the Environmental Geoscience programme. Topics from other units of the programme (e.g. geology, hydrology, climate) are linked to soils and plants to provide an integrated understanding of Earth’s critical zone. Lab and field skills that were developed on rocks and waters in previous units, will be further developed and applied to soils and plants in this unit. Skills development in data analysis and hypothesis testing will prepare you for your 3rd year research projects.
An overview of content
The critical zone is the entire portion of the terrestrial Earth that supports life. The compartments of the critical zone (such as soils, rocks, plants) are co-dependent parts of the whole system, with soil at its heart. Soil is the life support system of terrestrial Earth. It anchors crops and forests, provides nutrients and habitat, filters our water, helps regulate global temperatures, and limits flooding. This unit uses lectures, reading, practicals, and field work to provide an introduction to the biology, mineralogy, chemistry and physics of soils and the feedbacks between soils, geology, climate, topography, vegetation, microorganisms, and land use.
How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit?
You will better understand how the Earth system functions and how the key aspects of the environment are linked. You will grow in confidence as you improve your lab, field, analytical, and teamwork skills.
Learning Outcomes
You will learn by investigating questions, drawing on knowledge and information obtained from lectures, directed individual and group formative activities, practical work in the laboratory, fieldwork, office hours, and reading. The unit will run for 6 weeks including 5 weeks of lectures and practicals, one non-residential field day, and 1 week of residential field work.
Tasks which help you learn and prepare you for summative tasks (formative):
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative):
When assessment does not go to plan
The University’s Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes outline the requirements for progression on and completion of degree programmes. Students who miss an exam and self-certify their absence may complete a supplementary assessment for an uncapped mark as if taken for the first time. Resit and supplementary exams are habitually taken during the reassessment period later in the summer. As far as is practicable and appropriate, resit and supplementary assessments will be in the same form as the original assessment but will always test the same intended learning outcomes as the initial missed or failed assessment. In the case of group work, failure by a whole group would result in an appropriate group task being set and reassessed for all group members. If a single student fails a group assessment or is unable to participate for an evidenced reason, an individual reassessment will be set.
There are rigorous and fair procedures in place to support students who are ill or whose studies and assessments are affected by exceptional circumstances.
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. EASC20049).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
