2024/25 Undergraduate Module Catalogue

SOEE3480 Past Global Environmental Systems

10 creditsClass Size: 75

Module manager: Robert Newton
Email: r.j.newton@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) View Timetable

Year running 2024/25

Pre-requisite qualifications

SOEE2145 (Palaeoeco, Palaeobio & Evo)

This module is not approved as a discovery module

Module summary

Earth’s surface environments have changed drastically with time and have both directly influenced, and been influenced by, biological evolution. This module will explore a range of approaches to generate information about past environments, before examining a series of case studies across the broad span of Earth history. This will enable you to understand the interacting factors that have controlled the Earth's climate and other environmental variables, both at times of crisis and during background states that were fundamentally different to today.

Objectives

To understand the interacting factors that controlled the Earth's climate and other environmental variables through time.
To integrate multidisciplinary data sources (geochemical, geological, palaeontological) with the results from models (e.g. palaeoclimate) to evaluate the causes of environmental phenomena such as glaciation, mass extinction and intense greenhouse climates.

Learning outcomes
An understanding of the range of approaches and proxies used to evaluate the palaeo-environmental conditions at the Earth’s surface.
The ability to critically evaluate data from these approaches to derive an understanding of Earth’s past environments.
Specific knowledge of the evolution of Earth surface environments at a number of key points in Earth’s history.

Syllabus

An example syllabus is shown below. The structure and topics may change from year to year, but will cover a similar range of time periods and techniques.
1. The climate system
2. Proxies for palaeoenvironment
3. Modelling approaches to palaeoenvironments
4. The Precambrian oxidation of Earth’s surface environments and Snowball Earth
5. The end-Permian mass extinction
6. The early Triassic recovery
7. CO2 control of climate in the Cenozoic
8. Gateway control of climate in the Cenozoic
9. Orbital control on climate
10. Rapid climate change in the Quaternary and course wrap-up

Teaching methods

Delivery type	Number	Length hours	Student hours
Group Project	1	20.00	20.00
Lecture	20	1.00	20.00
Private study hours			60.00
Total Contact hours			40.00
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits)			100.00

Private study

15 hours group poster preparation
30 hours reading (1.5 per lecture)
35 hours revision

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

In course tests and quizzes.

Methods of assessment

Coursework

Assessment type	Notes	% of formal assessment
Poster	In Groups	20.00
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework)		20.00

Resits will be in the form of an exam

Exams

Exam type	Exam duration	% of formal assessment
Standard exam (closed essays, MCQs etc)	2 hr 15 mins	80.00
Total percentage (Assessment Exams)		80.00

Resits will be in the form of an exam.

Reading list

The reading list is available from the Library website

Last updated: 04/09/2024

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