Biogeosciences in the Earth System

Catalog description

This interdisciplinary course applies concepts from chemistry, physics, biology and geology to understand biogeochemical cycles in the Earth system. Course topics includes terrestrial, ocean and freshwater environments; water and energy cycles; carbon, nitrogen, phosphorous and sulfur cycles; biogeochemical cycles through Earth history and a synthesis of how humans have impacted the Earth system. Students will use quantitative methods to explore relationships between causes and effects, positive and negative feedbacks, and thresholds in the Earth systems.