Introduction and objectives of course:
Physical geography studies the features and dynamic processes of landform, climate, hydrology, soil and ecology, as well as their interactions and future trends. Among these varied topics, landform evolution and climatic change and their interactions are the most fundamental elements in physical geography. In this course, we will use the formation and evolution of the Tibetan Plateau as a case study to introduce geomorphology as the frontier and active field of study in the Earth system science. In the context of the Tibetan Plateau, we will cover the following important topics: 1) the collision of Indian plate with European-Asian plate and its impact on the landform evolution of the Plateau; 2) ecological changes with fauna and flora evolution caused by the structural uplifting; 3) the impacts of the landform evolution on the atmospheric circulation patterns, in particular the Asian monsoon system and the westerlies in the Northern Hemisphere; 4) the impacts of the landform change on the development and evolution of drainage and fluvial systems; 5) the impacts of landform evolution on human migration and evolution.
Geomorphology is a frontier scientific field in the Earth system science because of its integrated nature. In order to understanding landform formation and evolution, we need a wide range of knowledge from geochronology, sedimentology, stratigraphy, ecology, paleoclimatology and numerical simulation, as well as extensive field investigations and laboratory analysis techniques. In addition, climate change has become an important topic that has attracted great attention from both the government and the general public. People are particularly interested in possible policy and lifestyle changes that are needed to address the problem of global warming caused by CO2 emissions from human activities. However there are still great uncertainties on the natural patterns and mechanisms of climate change, and our understanding of the source and sink of CO2 is still quite limited. At the same time, the contributions of the solar radiation, ocean circulation, the surface feedback and anthropogenic influence on climate change still need to be investigated in more accurate and quantitative ways. In this course, we will also cover the basic climate research methods based on both observation and modeling, and introduce the significance of climate research on studying global changes. Based on detailed investigations on landform evolution and climate change, as well as their impacts on soil, hydrology and ecology, we hope that through this course, students will obtain a good understanding of both the foundation and the frontier scientific topics in physical geography, and develop a passion for studying our world through physical geography.
Course content:
1) The importance of Physical geography in science and society; the overview physical geography coverage and methodology
2) The earth system science, the global sustainable development and physical geography
3) The Tibetan Plateau case study (I): the evidence for geomorphological evolution: clues from sedimentology, ecology, and fluvial terrace systems
4) The Tibetan Plateau case study (II): the evidence for geomorphological evolution: clues from plaeoclimatology, isotope geochemistry, and tectonic movement
5) Geomorphological-hydrological processes (I)
6) Geomorphological-hydrological processes (II)
7) Climate change
8) Ecological processes
Readings:
Robert E. Gabler, James F. Petersen, et al., 2009. Physical geography (nine edith).
Addition journal articles which will be provided before each lecture.
Course assessment:
Students will be assessed based on their class participation, participation in discussions, and exams, with the following breakdown:
1. Class participation (10%)
2. Participation in discussions (20%)
3. Exams (70%)
