Introduction to Aquatic Systems ENVS 202

                        Faculty of Natural Resources and Environmental Studies

                                University of Northern British Columbia

                                            Professor J.D. Ackerman

                                            Click on the following for Information on:


 
 
 

Fall 2002

PROFESSOR:            Dr. J.D. Ackerman; NewLab 8-143; 960-5839; ackerman@unbc.ca

TA:                              Barbara Prime; 960-____, b_prime@hotmail.com

OFFICE HOURS:      Tuesday 11:00-12:00 & Thursday 14:30 – 15:30; or by appointment

LOCATION:              Library 5-124: Tuesday and Thursday 13:00-14:20

HOMEPAGE:            http://web.unbc.ca/~ackerman/envs202.htm
 

COURSE OBJECTIVES:
Aquatic systems are central to all areas of life, as well as human endeavors.  In addition to the site of our earliest evolution, aquatic systems are recognised as fundamental to the regulation of atmospheric gases and so our climate.  This course will provide a broad overview of the physical, chemical, geological, and biological aspects of freshwater and marine systems.  Human perspectives will focus on the conservation and exploitation of the resources found within and below lakes, rivers and oceans.

RESPONSIBILITIES:
1) Student: open mind / willing to discuss and exchange views to participate
                  Academic integrity/offence (see UNBC Calendar)
2) Professor: responsive to students
                  Fair and equitable

PROBLEMS:  See one me or have me recommend someone for you to see.

PREREQUISITE:        BIOL 102, CHEM 101; or permission.
RECOMMENDED:    PHYS 100; MATH 100 or 152.

COURSE TEXT:  Garrison, T. 2001. Essential of Oceanography, 2nd Ed. Brooks/Cole, Pacific Grove.
                               Pielou, E.C. 1998. Fresh Water. University of Chicago Press, Chicago.

COURSE TEXT:
            Required:              Garrison, T. 2001. Essential of Oceanography, 2nd Ed. Brooks/Cole, Pacific Grove.
                                           Pielou, E.C. 1998. Fresh Water. University of Chicago Press, Chicago.

EVALUATION:
 
Annotated Bibliography  10%
Position Paper  10%
Midterm Exam 20%
Term Paper  20%
Final Exam  40%
Total
 100%

LATE ASSIGNMENTS: Not accepted without prior arrangement (penalty imposed).
 

LECTURE OUTLINE

Date         Lecture Topic
 I - Introduction
Sept 3    (1)   What is Water?

II - Geology of Aquatic Systems
Sept   5  (2)  Plate tectonics (ocean spreading, subduction zones)
Sept 10  (3)  Glaciated landscapes (glacial lakes, hydrology)
Sept 12  (4)  Flow and sedimentary processes I (fluid forces and conditions)
Sept 17  (5)  Flow and sedimentary processes II
Sept 19  (6)  Geological Oceanography and hydrothermal vents
Sept 24  (7)  Biogeological processes (coral reefs)

III - Physics and Chemsitry of Aquatic Systems
Sept 26  (8)  Ground water processes  I
Oct     1  (9)  Atmospheric-aquatic linkage I
Oct     3  (10)  Atmospheric-aquatic linkage II
Oct     8  (11)  Ocean circulation
Oct    10 (12)  Tides

Oct    15 (13) MID-TERM EXAM

Oct    17 (14)  Waves I
Oct    22 (15)  Waves II
Oct    24 (16)  Physical processes in freshwater systems I
Oct    29 (17)  Physical processes in freshwater systems II
Oct    31 (18)  Chemical processes in marine systems
Nov     5 (19)  Chemical processes in freshwater systems

V - Biology of Aquatic Systems
Nov     7 (20)  Biology of aquatic ecosystems
Nov   12 (21)  Marine pelagic ecosystems I
Nov   14 (22)  Marine benthic ecosystems II
Nov   19 (23)  Freshwater lentic ecosystems
Nov   21 (24)  Freshwater lotic ecosystems

VI - Conservation and Exploitation of Aquatic Resources
Nov   26 (25)  Marine environmental issues
Nov   28 (26)  Introduced species in freshwater

Textbook Readings
(1)         Forms of Water     G-1,2 P-1
(2)         Plate Tectonics    G-3
(3)         Glaciated Landscapes   P-6:109
(4)         Flow and Sedimentary Processes  G-5, P-5:80, P-6:109
(5)         Geology & Hydrothermal Vents   G-4:74
(6)         Biogeological Processes: Corals  G-14:283
(7)         Groundwater Process   P-2:5, P-3:31, P-4:56
(8)         Atmospheric-aquatic Linkages   G-7, P-12:238
(9)         Ocean Circulation    G-8
(10)       Tides      G-10
(11)       Waves     G-9
(12)      Physical Processes in Freshwater P-7:159
(13)      Chemical processes marine systems G-6
(14)      Chemical processes freshwater sys. P-7:159
(15)      Chemical processes groundwater. P-3,4
(16)      Biology of aquatic ecosystems  G-12:233-244
(17)      Marine pelagic ecosystems  G-13
(18)      Marine benthic ecosystems  G-14
(19)      Freshwater lentic ecosystems  P-11
(20)      Freshwater lotic ecosystems  P-6:131
(21)      Marine environmental issues  G-15:293-298, 15:306-312
(22)      Introduced species    TBA
Legend:    G14: = Garrison Chapter 14
                P10:  = Pielou Chapter 10

Important Dates (also see UNBC Calendar)
  Sept 16  Last Day for Add/Drop without Financial Penalty
 Oct  15  Last Day for Add/Drop without Academic Penalty

 Sept 21 Annotated Bibliography (10%) (Example from James Fenneman, 1999)
 Oct 17  Midterm Exam (20%)
 Nov  2  Position Paper (10%) (Example from Barbara Prime, 1999)
 Nov 28 Term Paper (20%)
 Dec 5-14 Final Exam (40%)

Please note that the schedule may change.

Lecture Summaries

Please click on the link above.

RESERVE READINGS
 

GENERAL READING JOURNALS

The following is a partial list of journals from the UNBC Library that may have appropriate papers for your assignments and general interests.  Remember that thousands of other journals are available through interlibrary loan.
 



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Last modified on September 13, 2002.