Terrestrial Climate and Environmental Changes

This course introduces the student to how different exogenous (abiotic and biotic) processes can be used to reconstruct past and present terrestrial changes in climate, geomorphology, environment, and landscape changes in time and space, emphasizing Norway.

The course aims to present different methods for reconstructing past, present, and future climate, environmental, and landscape changes. It includes glacial, fluvial, marine, periglacial, aeolian, and chemical processes based on how ocean-atmosphere interactions are reflected in exogenic terrestrial processes and landforms on the Earth´s surface. The course also intends to explore successional changes in natural forests and human-made landscapes and discuss possible causes and consequences of these changes.

Individually and under supervision, the student will carry out four (4) theoretical tasks related to the course's central themes. As part of a small group and under supervision, the student will carry out four (4) field-based investigations dealing with climate, environment, and landscape recontructions in the Bergen region. From one of these investigations, the student will submit a written report.

Based on how the ocean-atmosphere interactions are reflected in exogenic terrestrial processes and landforms, including sea-level fluctuations, the course aims to present different methods to reconstruct past and present climate and environmental changes. The course also aims to discuss possible causes for these changes.

In connection with the field-based investigations, the students will be split into smaller groups to collect relevant field data, and use available scientific literature to discuss their own results in a wider scientific contect. Finally, each field-based investigation is to be presented as a written report using a professional language and disciplinary terms, and with adequate analysis, illustrations and referencing.

On completion of the course, the student should have the following learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and general competence:

Knowledge

The student

• can explain what proxy data and indicator species are, and how these can be used for the reconstruction of terrestrial climate, environmental, and landscape changes.
• can explain the most important exogenous agents and related processes which have and are shaping terrestrial climate, environmental, and landscape changes in Norway.
• has knowledge about potential causes for terrestrial climate, environmental and landscape changes.
• has knowledge about strengths and weaknesses of the most common dating methods used in the reconstruction of terrestrial climate, environmental and landscape changes.
• has knowledge about the chronostratigraphic framework for NW Europe.

Skills

The student

• can evaluate the use of different proxy data for the reconstruction of terrestrial climate, environmental and landscape changes.
• can recognize the most important agents/processes that are related to climate, environmental and landscape changes in Norway.
• can discuss potential causes for terrestrial climate, environmental and landscape changes.
• can discuss strengths and weaknesses for the most common dating methods used in the reconstruction of terrestrial climate, environmental and landscape changes.
• can use the chronostratigraphic framework for northwestern Europe.

General competence

The student

• can perform a field project in accordance with the guidelines for proper behaviour and safety at the University of Bergen.
• can write an assignment and field report either alone or in a small group by using a professional language and disciplinary terms, make adequate analysis, and graphical presentations, and put own work into a wider context by finding and properly referring to relevant literature.
• can communicate orally and write an academic text on current issues regarding the research field of interest and relate it to the scientific literature.
• can exchange opinions with others having a background in the field, and provide constructive comments to their work.