2026 (Current Year) 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
- Media-enhanced courses
- -
- Day of week/Period
(Classrooms) - Class
- -
- Course Code
- EPS.A334
- Number of credits
- 200
- Course offered
- 2026
- Offered quarter
- 3Q
- Syllabus updated
- Mar 5, 2026
- 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 material including practice questions will be distributed at each chapter. Student performance will be assessed by a 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 |
Radiative transfer, Convective adjustment, Habitability |
| Class 4 | Planetary Atmosphere 3 - Chemistry |
Photochemistry, Kinetics |
| 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 |
Limiting factors, Biological Pump |
| Class 8 | Biogeochemical Cycle 1 - Basics |
Box model, Residence time |
| Class 9 | Biogeochemical Cycle 2 - Carbon cycle and Atmospheric O2 |
Great Oxidation Event (GOE) |
| Class 10 | Biogeochemical Cycle 3 - Analysis of Environmental Evolution using Stable Isotopes |
Stable Isotope Biogeochemistry |
| Class 11 | Biogeochemical Cycle 4 - Climate |
Faint Young Sun Paradox |
| Class 12 | Environmental Microbiology |
Energy metabolism, CO2 fixation (Autotrophy) |
| Class 13 | Metabolism |
What is Life? |
| Class 14 | Emergence and Evolution of Biosphere |
Summary |
| Class 15 | Final Examination |
Solving questions |
Study advice (preparation and review)
The handouts for each class will include practice questions. Please aim to be able to answer these practice questions when preparing for and reviewing the content of each class. Similar questions will also be asked in the final exam.
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