Lectures for Spring 2009
This is a general outline of the material that will be discussed each
day, and we will probably deviate from it as the course progresses. It
is meant to be an overview of the topics to be discussed in roughly the
order they will be discussed. Some topics may take more or less time than
You must read the appropriate chapter before coming to
class, and you must turn in your solution to each day's problem. See
the Class Syllabus for details.
21 January 2009 - Introduction
23 January 2009 - Earth
Problem 1. Earth's systems
are strongly influenced by life on earth. Please list a few systems
influenced by life, and how life influences the systems.
the Role of the Ocean in Climate
You have read that climate is warming, that the warming
will lead to disaster if we don't stop burning fossil fuels, and that
we may be required to stop driving our cars. What's happening? Is it
really that bad? Are there other ways to solve the problem? Isn't earth
just warming up naturally as a result of coming out of the last ice age?
26 January 2009 - The
Ocean and Climate
Problem 2. The web page on the C02 problem
includes information on sources of C02, but nothing about
sinks. Knowing something about the earth's systems, and about carbon
dioxide in the atmosphere, what might be some processes that remove
C02 from the atmosphere?
28 January 2009 - The
Problem 3. The
web page on the Ocean
and Climate lists many ways
the ocean is important. It doesn't, however, list the fundamental
reason why it dominates the earth system. What is the fundamental
reason why the ocean is so important?
30 January 2009 - Earth's
Radiation Balance, Oceanic Heat Fluxes
Problem 4. Explain very
simply, in one paragraph, how greenhouse gases increase earth's surface
2 February 2009 - What
is the Evidence for Global Warming?
Problem 5. How much and how quickly
has earth's temperature changed over the last few hundred thousand
4 February 2009 - Abrupt
Climate Change and the Ocean's Circulation
Problem 6. How does the sinking of water
in the far north Atlantic influence northern-hemisphere climate?
6 February 2009 - Carbon
Cycle in the Ocean and the Iron Hypothesis plus Microbial
Problem 7. Give an example of a feedback
loop, in the carbon cycle, that influences global warming.
9 February 2009 - Modeling
the Climate System
Problem 8. Predictions of climate for
the rest of the century are based on models. How good are these climate
models? Please provide evidence that justifies your answer.
11 February 2009 - Climate
Change Policy Issues
Problem 9. Based on your readings, please
come to class prepared to defend your opinion on global-change policy.
Bring a one sentence summary of your opinion and a one-paragraph summary
of the basis for your opinion.
Niño and Role of Ocean in Weather
El Niño is
influencing the weather everywhere according to many newspaper articles.
Or is it really El Niño that
is causing changes in the weather? Why should events in the equatorial
Pacific be so important? How can events so far away influence
2009 - El
Niño and Tropical Heat
Problem 10. Find at least
two newspaper articles that mention El Niño or La Niña.
What do they say?
16 February 2009 - Equatorial
Currents and Typical El Niño
El Niño Definition
El Niño is
a disruption of the ocean-atmosphere system in the tropical Pacific
having important consequences for weather and climate around the globe
Problem 11. Why does El
Niño have such a large influence on
global weather patterns?
18 February 2009 - Observing
the Tropical Pacific
Problem 12. Please
use an atlas or other source of information to estimate the width of
the Pacific along the equator in degrees of longitude, and the distance
between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn in degrees of
latitude. Now, express these values as a percentage of the circumference
20 February 2009 - Teleconnections and Forecasting
Problem 13. What is the El
Niño forecast for this Spring, March-June
2009? For an answer, go to the Forecast
Forum of the Climate
Diagnostics Bulletin issued monthly by NOAA's Climate
Prediction Center. Can you trust the forecast?
23 February 2009 - El
Niño Policy Issues
Problem 14. Please list
at least three major industries in this country that would benefit
from improved seasonal forecasts of temperature and precipitation,
and how the forecasts benefit each industry.
25 February 2009 - Test 1
This is an open book test covering earth system science,
global climate change and the role of the ocean in climate, and the
role of the ocean in changing weather patterns associated with El Niño.
Coastal Erosion, Storm Surges, and Tsunamis
Your uncle was planning to buy a beachfront house southwest
of Galveston beyond the end of the seawall. Now, after the hurricanes
of 2008 and the great 2004 tsunami in the Indian Ocean, he is worried.
Since you are taking an oceanography class, he asks you: What is the
possibility that his beach house will be wiped out by a hurricane or
a tsunami? After all, New Orleans was safe for centuries, now it is destroyed.
Tsunamis were rare in the Indian Ocean, but then the big one hit. Is
a coastal house safe? What advice can you give him?
Before you can give an answer, you need more information.
27 February 2009 - The Annual
Cycle of a Coast
30 Minute Film- Portrait of
This is a beautiful film that follows the seasonal cycle of a New
England coast noting problems caused by coastal development. Although
it shows New England, the same processes apply to any low, sandy coast
with barrier islands, including the Texas gulf coast. While watching
the film try to remember:
- Why are beaches important?
- What is the seasonal cycle of the beach? When is it
highest, when lowest?
- What five processes influence the beach?
- How does coastal development lead to problems?
- What are the problems?
2 March 2009 - During Class Time:
Meet with Your Team and Begin Picking a Topic For Your Class Report
Today, form teams of four to do the required
class report, and select a topic for your report. Please read the Syllabus section
on the class project, and the web page with
more information on the report. Please provide me with a brief
outline of one or two paragraphs describing the topic your team will
include in your end-of-semester report.
I will be in Austin today with the Faculty Senate. I
expect you to work without my supervision.
Your brief outline is due Wednesday 4 March. Please submit only one
outline per team.
4 March 2009 - Types
of Coasts, and Beach
Team Outline Due: Description of
what subject your team will present at the end of the semester.
Problem 15. How do beaches
in California differ from beaches in Texas?
6 March 2009 - Beach
Erosion and Coastal Structures
Problem 16. What types
of changes did Hurricane Ike produce along the Texas coasts?
9 March 2009 - Storm
Problem 17. What factors
led to the breaching of the levees surrounding New Orleans and the
flooding of the city by Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
11 March 2009 - Earthquakes, Tsunamis,
and the Great
Indian Ocean Tsunami of 2004.
Problem 18. Knowing about
the Indian Ocean tsunami, what type of measurements and information
might be needed to warn residents of Galveston Island of an approaching
tsunami? Please be specific about the warning network. Where might
a earthquake occur that could produce a tsunami. How could it be detected?
13 March 2009 - Coastal
Erosion Policy Issues
Problem 19. Who should
be responsible for storm-surge damage to structures along the Texas
coast? Please provide a basis for your answer
16 March 2009 - 20 March 2009 - Spring
Fisheries: The Ocean
as Food Source
Where are my Orange Roughy
Julie loved orange roughy. She liked it even better than catfish. Her
mother liked it because it was cheap compared with most other fish
at the market. But now it was seldom for sale. Her mother asked the
manager at the fish counter and he said he couldn't get it any more.
Can we help Julie?
Can we find out what happened to the orange roughy? To prepare for this
section, look up orange roughy at http://www.fishbase.org/search.cfm so
we know what fish we are learning about. Then write down possible explanations
of why the fish is no longer sold. For example, few were sold so the
market stopped carrying it. etc.
Orange Roughy (Slimehead): Hoplostethus
atlanticus. Ckick on the image for a larger image.
Zealand Seafood Industry.
23 March 2009 - Fisheries
Issues and the Tragedy
of the Commons
Problem 20: What is the
tragedy of the commons? The term was used by Garrett
Hardin in his now famous article in Science in
1968. Hardin, Garret. "The Tragedy of the Commons." Science,
1968. 162:1243-8. He wrote a follow-up to the article in 1998, "Extensions
of The Tragedy of the Common"."
25 March 2009 - Fish
Problem 21. What
has been your personal involvement with fish? If you fish, what has
been your experience as a fisher? If you eat fish, what kind and
how often? If you never catch or eat fish, just write that down.
27 March 2009 - Marine
Fisheries Food Webs
Problem 22. Give
another example of a marine food web. Remember, a food web is not
a food chain. For example, use information from the PEER
curriculum at Texas A&M University to describe the marine
web in a Texas lagoon.
30 March 2009 - Distribution
of Phytoplankton and Upwelling Regions
Problem 23. Where
geographically are phytoplankton most common in the ocean? List typical
types of geographic regions. Do these regions coincide with the regions
with the most fish that we discussed in Fish and Fisheries?
1 April 2009 - Invertebrates:
The Other Marine Food Source
Problem 24. Shrimp
farming appears to be an ideal way to avoid the problems of over
fishing of wild shrimp. But is it all beneficial? What are the environmental
disadvantages of shrimp farming? Please cite evidence for your conclusions.
3 April 2009 - Fisheries
Problem 25. What
is Texas government doing to reduce over fishing of shrimp and environmental
problems of shrimping?
Recreational regulations for shrimp are in the shrimp
regulations from the Texas
Parks and Wildlife. Commercial regulations are in the Commercial
Fishing Guide. More information is in the Texas
Shrimp Industry Report (5.9 MB) of Sept 2002, and 2005
Annual Report (1.5 MB).
6 April 2009 - Test
This is an open book test covering coastal erosion and
Every year, millions of people worldwide begin living near
the shore, joining the billion or so people already living in the coastal
zone. What is the impact of all these people?
8 April 2009- The Coastal
How does the limit of submerged lands under the control of Texas differ
from that of all other states except Florida, and why?
10 April 2009 - Reading
Day, No Class Today
13 April 2009 - Introduction
to Coastal Pollution
Problem 27. What are the
most important pollution problems in Texas coastal waters?
15 April 2009 - Sources
of Coastal Pollution
Problem 28. List common
activities that you do that increase pollution of Texas' coastal waters.
Report Outline Due. Please
provide me with a detailed, one-page outline and summary of what your
team will include in your end-of-semester report. Your end-of-semester
report is due the day of your presentation.
17 April 2009 - Alien
Problem 29. Find
information about one alien species that has caused great damage
along a coast of any country. What is the species, when was it introduced,
and what damage has it caused?
20 April 2009 - Harmful
Problem 30. What are some
effects on human health caused by harmful algal blooms?
Spills and Aftermath
Problem 31. What was the
long-term result of the largest oil spill in US waters, the Valdez
spill in Prince Williams Sound Alaska?
24 April 2009 - No Class Today
Please work with your team on your presentation.
27 April 2009 - Coastal
Pollution Policy Issues
Problem 32. Explain why
what happens in Brazos County must be considered when devising a plan
for managing Galveston Bay
29 April 2009 - During Class Time:
Meet with Your Team to Prepare Presentation or Take Make-Up Exam
Presentation of Reports
To be fair to all groups, you will have exactly 10 minutes
for your presentation. I will time your presentation and ask you to stop
after 10 minutes. You will not be interrupted during your presentation.
I will use 1-2 minutes for questions after the presentation. Please give
me a written copy of your report at the time of your presentation. All team
members must sign the report. If you will use the computer for the presentation, please
put your talk on the computer before class. There will not be time
during class. I suggest you bring the presentation on a URL thumb drive.
I suggest you practice your presentation to
stay on time.
1 May 2009 - Presentation of Reports
- 10:20 AM: Team 1: Andrew Flanagan,
Kasey Johnson, Chris Kerr, and Sidney King: Energy and Our Ocean.
- 10:32 AM: Team 2: Chad Barber, Steven
Carrell, Travis Condit, Evan Greene: The Iron Hypothesis.
- 10:44 AM: Team 3: Matt Brumley, Chris
Williams, and Celeste Wyble: Pollution Caused by Hurricane Ike.
- 10:56 AM: Team 4: Sarah Brock,
Alvin Johnson, Maria Mendoza, and Michael Messina: Overfishing of Alaskan
4 May 2009 - Presentation of Reports
- 10:20 AM: Team 5: Chris
Harrison, Jonathan Leon, Nicole Minicone, and Cynthia Vittone: Beach
Erosion and Replenishment in Galveston.
- 10:32 AM: Team 6: Samuel
Barnes, Ryan Keel, Jeff Mladenka, and Michael McCormack: Decline of Flounder
in the Gulf of Mexico.
- 10:44 AM: Team 7: Dane Byrd,
Joshua Frantz, and Justin Hermiston, and Cedric Ling: Beach Nourishment.
A Final Thought
Now that the course is ending, what will you do next?
"Choose your reality
with careful thought and emotion, and then take the next necessary
step–that of responsible action,
achieving balance by combining wisdom and compassion... By our individual
thoughts and dreams we create the world around us in a very real
Eve Bruce in Shaman, M.D. (2002), page 170.
You have gained some wisdom about the ocean, and compassion
for the creatures who live in it. What future ocean will you help create?
12 May 2009 - FINAL EXAMINATION
8:00 AM - 10:00 AM
4 May, 2009