Lancaster University

 This course examines how the biosphere reacts to environmental change. It concentrates on the responses to changes such as increasing drought, global warming, ozone depletion, and air pollution. Emphasis will be placed on understanding plants as the driving force for the effects of environment change on other organisms within terrestrial ecosystems. This will range from consideration of changes in complex natural ecosystems through to effects on humans, through changes in global food production. The course will also consider the direct effects of environmental change on human populations

 

Type     No.   Description
Lecture  1      Introduction. The elements of environmental change and their potential effects.   
Lecture  2-3  Effects of drought on physiology, growth and development. Plant adaptations to life with a limited water supply. 
Lecture  4      Life in a changing atmosphere I: plant responses to elevated CO2 
Lecture  5      Life in a changing atmosphere II: plant responses to air pollutants 
Lecture  6      Life in a changing atmosphere: III the impacts of ozone depletion and increased UV-B radiation. 
Lecture  7-8  Plants as the driving force for ecosystem responses to environment change: effects on animals and microbes 
Lecture  9     Agriculture in a changing environment: strategies for protecting future food production. 
Lecture  10-11  Environment change and human health. 
Lecture  12   Overview: unifying themes in understanding responses to a changing environment. 

Practical  1   Workshop: Effects of the environment on carbon fixation and water use 
Practical  2   Practical: Effects of the environment on carbon fixation and water use 
Practical  3   Workshop: human health and environment change 

 

Compulsory at Part II for BIOL 263 Environmental Physiology.

 

This course examines how the biosphere reacts to environmental change.  It concentrates on the responses to changes such as increasing drought, global warming, ozone depletion, and air pollution.  Emphasis will be placed on understanding plants as driving force for the effects of environment change on other organisms within terrestrial ecosystems.  This will range from consideration of changes in complex natural ecosystems through to effects on humans, through changes in global food production.  The course will also consider the direct effects of environmental change on human populations.

On completion of this module a student should be able to:-

• Describe the effects of global warming and pollution on plants and terrestrial ecosystems
• Describe the links between basic plant physiology and understanding the consequences of environment change.
• Summarise the direct and indirect effects of environmental change on human populations.

 

Campbell and Reece, Biology 7^th Edition, (Benjamin Cummings)