2024 Faculty Courses School of Science Undergraduate major in Earth and Planetary Sciences
Biogeochemistry
- Academic unit or major
- Undergraduate major in Earth and Planetary Sciences
- Instructor(s)
- Yuichiro Ueno
- Class Format
- Lecture (Face-to-face)
- Media-enhanced courses
- -
- Day of week/Period
(Classrooms) - 3-4 Tue / 3-4 Fri
- Class
- -
- Course Code
- EPS.A334
- Number of credits
- 200
- Course offered
- 2024
- Offered quarter
- 3Q
- Syllabus updated
- Mar 14, 2025
- Language
- Japanese
Syllabus
Course overview and goals
First half of this course focusses on physical and chemical environment in the atmosphere and oceans. Then, the basics of environmental microbiology will be examined for understanding interactions between the environmental and biological processes. Interim exam will be held for enhancing student's understanding. Latter half of this course focusses on global biogeochemical cycles, particularly for carbon. Evolution of Earth's biosphere in a geological time scale will be examined.
Course description and aims
The goal of this course is to understand environmental factors enabling the Earth habitable. First, this course will examine physical, chemical and biological processes in the atmosphere and oceans for understanding the present day biogeochemical cycling. Then, environmental changes in a geological time scale will be examined. Quantitative understanding is necessary to analyze material cycles through the interaction between environmental and biological processes and to understanding its evolution.
Keywords
Atmosphere, Ocean, Biosphere, Biogeochemical Cycle
Competencies
- Specialist skills
- Intercultural skills
- Communication skills
- Critical thinking skills
- Practical and/or problem-solving skills
Class flow
Summary slides and reference papers will be distributed at the end of each chapter. Student performance will be assessed by interim and final exams.
Course schedule/Objectives
| Course schedule | Objectives | |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | Introduction: Planetary Environment and Life | Biogeochemical cycling |
| Class 2 | Planetary Atmosphere 1 - Structure | Total atmospheric pressure, Hypsometric equation |
| Class 3 | Planetary Atmosphere 2 - Temperature | Green house effect, convective adjustment |
| Class 4 | Planetary Atmosphere 3 - Chemistry | Photochemistry |
| Class 5 | Atmosphere-Ocean Interaction | Partitioning of volatiles between atmosphere and ocean |
| Class 6 | Ocean Chemistry | Equilibrium of carbonate system |
| Class 7 | Biological Processes in the Ocean | Biological Pump |
| Class 8 | Environmental Microbiology | autotrophy, carbon and nitrogen fixation |
| Class 9 | Thermodynamic Aspects of Microbiology | Energy metabolism |
| Class 10 | Interim Exam. | Interim Exam. |
| Class 11 | Biogeochemical Cycle 1 - Basics | Residence tiime |
| Class 12 | Biogeochemical Cycle 2 - Carbon cycle and Atmospheric O2 | Great Oxidation Event (GOE) |
| Class 13 | Biogeochemical Cycle 3 - Analysis of Environmental Evolution using Stable Isotopes | 安定同位体地球化学 |
| Class 14 | Biogeochemical Cycle 3 - Climate | Faint Young Sun Paradox |
| Class 15 | Summary: Evolution of Biosphere | Summary |
Study advice (preparation and review)
To enhance effective learning, students are encouraged to spend approximately 100 minutes preparing for class and another 100 minutes reviewing class content afterwards (including assignments) for each class.
They should do so by referring to textbooks and other course material.
Textbook(s)
Introduction to Atmospheric Chemistry Daniel Jacob (1999)
Reference books, course materials, etc.
Geochemistry, Sadao Matsuo
Biogeochemistry, Minagawa ed. (2005)
Evaluation methods and criteria
Student performance will be assessed by interim and final exams.
Related courses
- EPS.A203 ： Introduction to History of the Earth
- EPS.A338 ： Earth System Science
- EPS.A423 ： Geochemistry B
Prerequisites
None