Syllabus
GEOG 110: Modeling of Environmental Systems
Fall 2005
Course
Description:
The environment is a dynamic and
living system in which the interactions of numerous biological, biophysical and
biogeochemical processes determine the rate and direction of change. A comprehensive understanding of the
past and current status of the environment and prediction for its status in the
future cannot be achieved without the help of computer-based models. On the one hand, computer-based models
can integrate natural history, physiological, and ecological information that
has been gathered over may years by many people; on the other hand,
computer-based models can simulate the environment in various hypothetical
conditions (e.g. a common hypothetical condition in global climate change is
doubling the CO2 concentration).
GEOG 110 takes a system view of the environment, and
introduces the fundamental concepts and approaches in modeling of environmental
systems. Essentially all
environmental processes are driven by energy associated with the flow of matter
(e.g. water and nutrients). The
course will be focused on modeling the dynamics of energy and matter flow
through the environment, including the energy and matter flow in the natural
environment, and in the presence of human disturbance. Throughout the course,
we will use the Stella software as a tool to assist us in modeling
environmental systems. The course is composed of three components: instructor lectures, hands-on lab experience in
using Stella to model environmental systems, and in class discussions of exercises.
The objectives of the course include:
1. Developing
an understanding of the fundamental principles of how environmental systems
work
2. Developing
an understanding of systems thinking
3. Making proficient use of the Stella
software in solving systems problems
Instructor: David Tenenbaum
Office
Hours:
1:30 – 2:30 PM Monday
2:30 – 3:30 PM Wednesday
Other times by appointment only.
310 Saunders Hall
Email: davidten@email.unc.edu
Phone: 843-4764
Teaching
Assistant:
Taehee Hwang
Email: h7666@email.unc.edu
Office hours: 1:00 – 2:00 PM Wednesday, 320 Saunders Hall
Lab
Session:
Friday, 12:00-1:50pm
Location: Saunders Hall Room 322
Final course grades will be determined using the following formula:
Midterm 1 (Wednesday, October 5, 2005): 15%
Midterm 2 (Wednesday, November 9, 2005): 15%
Final Exam: (Saturday, December 10, 2005 at Noon) 30%
Labs: 30%
Exercises: 10%
Note:
No make up tests are given. Any student failing to take an exam will score zero
for that test unless a legitimate, documented reason is presented. In the
latter case the student will have the average score from their other exams
added in place of the missing test.
Required
Textbook:
Michael L. Deaton and James J.
Winebrake. 2000. Dynamic Modeling of Environmental
Systems. New York:
Springer.
Barry Richmond.
2001. An
Introduction to Systems Thinking. USA: High Performance Systems Inc. (Multiple copies on
reserve)
Daniel B. Botkin and Edward A. Keller. 1995. Environmental Science: Earth
as a Living Planet. USA: Wiley.
John Aber and Jerry Melillo.
2001. Terrestrial
Ecosystems. 2nd Edition. USA: Academic Press.
Schedule (tentative, subject
to change):
|
Week |
Day |
Date |
Topic |
Reading |
|
|
|
|
I. Modeling Concepts and
Strategies |
|
|
1 |
Wednesday |
31-Aug |
|
|
|
|
Friday |
2-Sep |
Botkin,
Chapter 2 |
|
|
2 |
Monday |
5-Sep |
Deaton,
pp. 1-12, Richmond, Ch. 2 |
|
|
|
Wednesday |
7-Sep |
Deaton,
pp. 12-21 |
|
|
|
Friday |
9-Sep |
|
|
|
3 |
Monday |
12-Sep |
Deaton,
pp. 28-43, Richmond, Ch. 3 |
|
|
|
Wednesday |
14-Sep |
Deaton,
pp. 43-54 |
|
|
|
Friday |
16-Sep |
|
|
|
4 |
Monday |
19-Sep |
Deaton,
pp. 54-58, Richmond, Ch. 4 |
|
|
|
Wednesday |
21-Sep |
Deaton,
pp. 66-77 |
|
|
|
Friday |
23-Sep |
In class
discussion: Page 21 exercises |
|
|
5 |
Monday |
26-Sep |
Deaton,
pp. 77-83, Richmond, Ch. 5 |
|
|
|
Wednesday |
28-Sep |
Deaton,
pp. 83-89 |
|
|
|
Friday |
30-Sep |
|
|
|
6 |
Monday |
3-Oct |
|
|
|
|
Wednesday |
5-Oct |
Midterm 1 |
|
|
|
Friday |
7-Oct |
In class
disc.: p.58 exercises, Modeling Predator-Pray Sys. |
Deaton,
pp. 95-101 |
|
|
|
|
II.
Modeling of Environmental Systems |
|
|
7 |
Monday |
10-Oct |
Deaton,
pp. 101-110 |
|
|
|
Wednesday |
12-Oct |
University
Day, No Class |
|
|
|
Friday |
14-Oct |
|
|
|
8 |
Monday |
17-Oct |
Lecture
Notes, Botkin, Chapter 4 |
|
|
|
Wednesday |
19-Oct |
Lecture
Notes, Aber, Chapters 6&7 |
|
|
|
Friday |
21-Oct |
Fall
Break, No Class |
|
|
9 |
Monday |
24-Oct |
Lecture
Notes, Botkin, Chapter 4 |
|
|
|
Wednesday |
26-Oct |
Deaton, pp.
128-139, Botkin, Ch. 4 |
|
|
|
Friday |
28-Oct |
In class
discussion: Page 89 exercises |
|
|
10 |
Monday |
31-Oct |
Deaton,
pp. 128-139, Botkin, Ch. 4 |
|
|
|
Wednesday |
2-Nov |
Lecture
Notes, Aber, Ch. 12 & 13 |
|
|
|
Friday |
4-Nov |
|
|
|
11 |
Monday |
7-Nov |
|
|
|
|
Wednesday |
9-Nov |
Midterm 2 |
|
|
|
Friday |
11-Nov |
In class
discussion: Page 111 exercises |
|
|
|
|
|
III.
Human-Environment Interactions |
|
|
12 |
Monday |
14-Nov |
Deaton,
pp. 113-121 |
|
|
|
Wednesday |
16-Nov |
Deaton,
pp. 121-126 |
|
|
|
Friday |
18-Nov |
|
|
|
13 |
Monday |
21-Nov |
Deaton,
pp. 158-169 |
|
|
|
Wednesday |
23-Nov |
Cane
Toads: An Unnatural History - Film |
|
|
|
Friday |
25-Nov |
Thanksgiving
Holiday, No Class |
|
|
14 |
Monday |
28-Nov |
Lecture
Notes |
|
|
|
Wednesday |
30-Nov |
Lecture
Notes |
|
|
|
Friday |
2-Dec |
In class
discussion: Page 139 exercises |
|
|
15 |
Monday |
5-Dec |
|
|
|
|
Wednesday |
7-Dec |
|
|
|
|
Friday |
9-Dec |
|
|
|
16 |
Saturday |
10-Dec |
Final
exam @ Noon |
|
Lab #1: Getting Started With Stella
Due
Date and Time: Friday, September
23, 2005 by 23:59 PM (Extension given)
Lab #2: Modeling Growth and Decay Dynamics
Due
Date and Time: Friday,
September 30, 2005 by 23:59 PM
Lab #3: Understanding System Dynamics
Due
Date and Time: Friday, October
14, 2005 by 23:59 PM
Lab #4: Modeling Predator-Prey Dynamics
Due
Date and Time: Friday,
November 4, 2005 by 23:59 PM
Lab #5: Modeling Ecosystem Matter and Energy Flow
Due
Date and Time: Friday,
November 18, 2005 by 23:59 PM
Lab #6: Modeling Surface Water Contamination
Due
Date and Time: Friday,
December 9, 2005 by 23:59 PM
In Class Discussion
Exercises:
Chapter 1: Pages 21-22, Exercises 1, 3, 4, and 7
Due
Date: Friday,
September 23, 2005
Chapter 2: Pages 58-63, Exercises 2, 6, 14, and
23,
Due
Date: Friday,
October 7, 2005
Chapter 3: Pages 89-90, Exercises 1, 2, 4, and 5
Due
Date: Friday,
October 28, 2005
Chapter 4: Page 111, Exercises 1, 4, 5, and 6
Due
Date: Friday,
November 11, 2005
Chapter 6: Page 139-140, Exercises 1, 3, and 9
Due Date: Friday, December 2, 2005