Biogeochemical Cycles

The course deals with the Earth's climate system seen from a historical perspective and in a changing time linked to human influence. The course covers the biogeochemical cycles of the state of the elements in the atmosphere, the biosphere, the hydrosphere, the pedosphere and the lithosphere. The course therefore has a strong interdisciplinary approach.

The course will take an interdisciplinary approach to more specifically address the following topics:

Earth's history: the evolution of the oceans, atmosphere and life. The structure and composition of the lithosphere, pedosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere and biota.

Models that describe flow and circulation, residence times, etc. The main features of the global cycles of water, carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur and trace elements. Cycles of carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus in the Baltic Sea. A key theme is the human impact on cycles and the implications of this.

The course is designed primarily for advanced undergraduate and graduate students in meteorology, geology, biology, chemistry, ecology and oceanography. The course will be taught in English.

Those who follow the whole course and complete a project with a seminar and report and pass the exam receive 15 credits (MO7014). There is a possibility to opt out of the project. Those who do are still required to pass the final exam to receive 7.5 credits (MO7013).

The courses is given in collaboration with the Bolin Center for Climate Research and the Climate Research School of Stockholm University (http://www.bolin.su.se). The lectures will be given by scientists from several institutions at SU.