| Unit name | Oceans in a Changing World |
|---|---|
| Unit code | GEOG20021 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | I/5 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 4 (weeks 1-24) |
| Unit director | Dr. Ros Death |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
GEOG10003 Key Concepts in Human and Physical Geography |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
GEOG25010 Spatial Modelling 2 and GEOG20011 Research Methods in Physical Geography |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
None |
| School/department | School of Geographical Sciences |
| Faculty | Faculty of Science |
Why is this unit important?
Oceans are a key component of the Earth System and critical to coastal communities that rely on them for their economic and cultural well-being. The unit will develop your understanding of how oceans are impacted by anthropogenic forcing and the subsequent feedbacks to the climate system. The unit will encourage you to actively explore the link between the ocean and climate as well as the importance of micro-biology in feedbacks to ocean biogeochemical nutrient cycles. The unit will introduce you to the global challenges in ocean research and provide you with the field and laboratory skills that are used to answer some of these questions.
How does this unit fit into your programme of study
This Year 2 unit builds on the knowledge attained in the Oceans and Freshwater components of the first year unit, ‘Key concepts in physical and human Geography’. It links to other year 2 units through the application of techniques that you learn in ‘Research Methods in Physical Geography’ and ‘Spatial Modelling’ to the practicals that will form part of this unit. The unit will prepare you for several Year 3 units, including; Ice and Oceans, Extreme climates of the past, and sea level, as well as linking to the Catchment science unit. The field and laboratory skills will consolidate learning that can be applied in physically-based dissertations.
An overview of content
The unit will provide students with a recognition of the challenges that the ocean environment faces under increased anthropogenic pressures. The unit will be divided into three main sections. First, the physical impact of warming on the oceans in terms of increased sea surface temperature and stratification and the feedbacks this can have on circulation as well as extreme weather events. The impact of stratification is not only important for circulation and feedbacks to the climate but is critical to the nutrient cycles within the ocean. Increase warming and stratification can lead to decrease in the oxygen. Second, the uptake of carbon by the ocean is already causing a change in the ocean’s pH, which has an impact on the ocean’s future ability to buffer increased atmospheric CO2. Other changes are driven by increased nutrient fluxes from land. Increased effluent pumped from sewage plants, run off from agriculture, or the consequence of fish farms – all can lead to damaging ‘red tides’. These two parts of the unit will provide the basis for third part which is an exploration of the how these physical and biogeochemical changes will drive shifts in marine ecosystems and the subsequent feedbacks.
How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit
This unit will develop confidence in key research skills that the students will be able to apply to their study beyond this unit. They will be encouraged to become more confident in problem-solving and studying beyond what is being taught.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this unit, a student will be able to;
This unit will be taught across two terms (TB4) to allow you to build and develop your understanding of the challenges faced in ocean research. The teaching will be delivered with a mixture of learning approaches, from traditional lectures, active participation seminars and critical reading groups, to field work and laboratory-based learning which encourages creative problem solving and independent research. This range of learning modalities, which have been tested and proven effective in other units, use active learning to build confidence in exploration of complex ideas.
Tasks which help you learn and prepare you for summative tasks (formative)
There will be critical reading seminars (small group teaching) and worksheet sessions that will provide the opportunity for you to test your understanding and reflect on your learning.
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative):
The unit will comprise of three summative assessments:
When assessment does not go to plan
Alternative individual re-assessments will be provided that allow you to demonstrate the learning outcomes of the unit. The laboratory and field reports will be based on secondary data if you have not been able to complete the laboratory and practical parts of the unit. The essay-based assessment will be in a similar form to the original assessment.
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. GEOG20021).
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 Faculty 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. If you have self-certificated your absence from an
assessment, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (this is usually in the next assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any extenuating circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
