Global Biogeochemical Cycles

Textbook: Biogeochemistry - An Analysis of Global Change, by W. H. Schlesinger, 2nd ed., AP 1997

Welcome to the course web page.
Throughout the semester I will be posting class material that I covered.
Generally, posting will happen on Thursday afternoons, latest Friday afternoons.
All overheads used in the class will be available. Please contact me immediately
via e-mail if you miss a certain one.

Remember that term paper drafts are due Thursday, Dec. 1!
Email me your text file (word preferred).

PLEASE be in class Tuesday, Dec. 6, to attend class presentations and to fill out the class evaluation form!


Class Syllabus

Term Paper Assignments

Schedule for the Term Papers:
1. Hand in outline: Thursday, Nov. 17
2. Hand in draft: Thursday, Dec. 1
3. Presentations: Tuesday, Dec. 6
4. Last day to hand in final version: Tuesday, Dec. 13
Advisor feedback follows each step.

Quizzes
1. Quiz, Sept. 13, 2005
    Correct Answers with Comments
2. Quiz, Oct. 6, 2005
    Correct Answers with Comments
3. Quiz, Nov. 3., 2005
    Correct Answers with Comments


The correct Entry-Quiz answers are here.
The statistics are here.

Schedule:

August 30: Origin of elements

September 1: Origin of earth, early atmosphere; the building blocks of life


September 6: Origin of life and the rise of oxygen in the atmosphere

September 8: Biogeochemical Cycle - Definitions; Global Oxygen Cycle

September 13 & 15: Earth's Atmosphere - Transport Medium and Reactor

September 20 & 22: Earth's Atmosphere - Transport Medium and Reactor

September 27 & 29:  The Lithosphere - Soils and Soil Processes

October 4 & 6: Terrestrial Ecosystems, Processes and Reactions

October 11 & 13: Terrestrial Ecosystems, NPP fate and N-cycling

October 18 & 20+25: The role of the Oceans in biogeochemical cycling

October 27: Biogeochemistry of Anaerobic Metabolism (in sediments and soils)

November 1: A case study: Methane in the Atmosphere

November 3: The Global Water Cycle

November 8: The Global Sulfur Cycle

November 10: The Global Nitrogen Cycle

November 15: Biomass burning as a source of trace gases to the atmosphere

November 17: The Global Phosphorus Cycles

November 22: The Global Carbon Cycle - Basics

November 29: The Global  Carbon Cycle - Details