Land Ecosystems, Air, and Climate

This experimental course will consider processes and phenomena of the exchanges of energy, water, momentum, and carbon between the atmosphere, soil, and vegetation which determine the climate of the land surface and profoundly affect atmospheric energetics and circulation. We’ll consider the surface energy balance and the processes that control its partition, and the fate of precipitated water on and in the land surface. Surface layer turbulence and fluxes will be presented in the context of atmospheric boundary-layer processes. Plant and canopy structure and physiology will be considered from both biological and physical points of view. Ecosystem dynamics including disturbance, succession, and responses to climate change. We’ll examine land-surface parameterization in climate models, including urban-suburban landscapes, seasonal-to-interannual variability and long term coupled climate change.

The Course

The class format consists of two formal lectures per week. Lecture notes will be downloadable from this web site. Readings will be assigned each week from the required textbook and the current scholarly literature. A semester-long student-led group research project will be assigned to develop understanding. Each student will also choose a topic for further research out of class. This research will be presented in a brief final presentation and term paper.

Students are encouraged to download and print lecture notes to bring to class. An online calendar will also be maintained, to announce upcoming events like exams, homework, and rescheduled classes.