1. Announcements: Please fill out the Entry Survey on the Web (10 Points). If you can’t access the CourseTools site, contact globalchange@umich.edu

2. Global Change: Physical Processes A “Road Map”

3. Course Objectives Understand Earth as an integrated system: –Change and evolution (stars, solar systems, soils, and life evolve from pre- cursors) –Underlying physical and natural processes and how they are integrated –Variability and uncertainty (climate has always varied, prediction is difficult in complex systems) –Human alteration of Earth's physical and biological systems

4. Responder Question: (Anonymous) Do you believe the Big Bang hypothesis for the origin of the Universe?

5. Evolution of the Universe and Atmosphere Evidence for the Big Bang The formation of stars and elements How the structure of earth and the atmosphere is characterized Lab: the energy balance of earth; Why aren’t we as hot as Venus?

6. Geology of the Evolving Planet The layered earth Natural hazards Plate tectonics Lab: topography and hazards

7. Evolution How is soil formed? The emergence of complex life The fossil record

8. Speciation and Competition Darwin’s theory of evolution Communities and food webs Lab: –How humans affect the evolution of other species (the peppered moth example) –Modeling of predator-prey relationships

9. Responder Question: (Anonymous) Do you believe the theory that increased carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere lead to global warming and an increase in average global temperatures? A.YES B.NO

10. The Study of Climate Evolution of atmospheric oxygen Warming potential of greenhouse gases Ocean circulation and El Niño Climate models: Predictions Lab: Study original data from ice cores

11. Responder Question: (Anonymous) Do you think that global warming is, or is not, probably a cause of the large number of forest wildfires in the West? A.Is not a cause B.Is probably a cause C.Not sure

12. Results from Americans Polled in 2000: Do you think that global warming is, or is not, probably a cause of the large number of forest wildfires in the West? A.Is not a cause (54.1 %) B.Is probably a cause (35.5%) C.Not sure (10.10%) Source: the Odum Institute

13. Human Interaction With the Atmosphere Air quality Ozone Feedback mechanisms The human response Lab: –Regional trends in temperature change –Modeling how policies have changed the rate of ozone depletion

14. Responder Question: (Anonymous) Do you think that it is important to our survival to preserve Earth’s biodiversity? A.YES B.NO C.Not sure D.No opinion

15. The Ecosystem Microbes and energy transformations Global element cycles Effects of elevated atmospheric CO 2 The flow of energy and production Tropical rain forests Lab: Modeling the global carbon and hydrological cycles

16. You Are the Researcher You will have a chance to examine original research on a global change topic and present it to your classmates and instructors Projects are done in groups of 2-4 and will be turned in as a web page at the end of the term Some examples of past projects are on the web. You will get more Information from Your GSI later.

17. Conclusion Global Change encompasses all of the ways that our planet has been changing since its formation ~4.5 billion years ago Humans are affecting Earth and its life support systems at an unprecedented rate, which poses a new challenge to our planet