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Instructor's Integrator
Saline Lakes and Global Climate Change
by Sandra Zicus |
Jump Point:
Prior Learning Expectations
This case study assumes a basic understanding of geography, geology, climatology,
hydrology, limnology, ecology, environmental health sciences, and GIA (Geographical
Information Analysis). It is recommended that the student have the ability
to:
a) Discuss and explain basic climatological, geological, geomorphological
and hydrological processes that govern the establishment of lakes and inland seas
and particularly those factors that regulate their tendency to salinity or freshness.
b) Explain and discuss basic principles of environmental science as it relates
to water pollution and contamination (surface and sub-surface) particularly in wetlands,
lakes and inland seas both onshore and offshore, e.g. eutrophication, salinization
and so on.
b) Manipulate and interpret basic geological, climatological, hydrological
and topographic images and maps to asses natural and human-induced hazards
around lakes and wetlands and long-term environmental change.
c) Gather and analyze socio-economic and natural science data from traditional
print as well as newer electronic sources on such issues as water resources management,
limnology, wetlands management, climate change, recreational resource use and natural
resource extraction, e.g. shrimp fishing, oil/mineral extraction, fisheries and so
on.
d) Know how to find government data and documents on environmental regulations,
laws, hazards, waste storage and processing, transport and disposal and management
of lake resources.
e) Perform simple computations and calculations used in the earth, social and
health sciences.
Some Recommended
Prior Textbook Reading
Background reading on selected earth science and environmental topics in basic Wiley
textbooks will enhance understanding of the case study material. Following
are specific chapters in selected textbooks that are recommended for student reading.
Geology Today: Understanding our Planet. Murck and Skinner. John Wiley
& Sons, Inc. 1999. Ch. 12 "Water On and Under the Ground"; Ch.
17 "The Role of Geoscientists in the 21st Century" - Understanding Earth
Resources and Geologic Hazards" - page 512-521; Ch. 14 "Deserts,
Glaciers and Climatic Change".
Physical Geography: Science and Systems of the Human Environment. Alan
Strahler and Arthur Strahler. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 1997. Ch. 7 "The Global
Scope of Climate"; Ch. Epilogue: Physical Geography, Environment and Global
Change" - page 572-578.
Blue Planet: an Introduction to Earth System Science. Skinner and Porter
. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 1999. Ch. 9 "Water on the Land"; Ch. 13 "Winds,
Weather and Deserts"; Ch. 14 "The World's Changing Climates";
Ch 20 "Global Change: A Planet under Stress".
Environmental Geology. Murck, Skinner and Porter . John Wiley &
Sons, Inc. 1996. Ch. 15 "Water Resources"; Ch 18 "Atmospheric Change".
Environmental Science: Earth As a Living Planet. Daniel B. Botkin
and Edward A. Keller. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 1998. Part VI - Water Environment:
Ch 19 "Water Supply, Use, and Management"; Ch. 16 "Fossil Fuels and
the Environment"; Ch. 20 "Water Pollution and Treatment"; Part VII
"Air Environment: Ch. 21 The Atmosphere, Climate, and Global Warming".
Earth
Systems Science Skills/Tools Emphasized
Both the web-based and printed materials in this case study can be used to increase
student skills and knowledge in the following areas:
- Access, acquisition, display, and interpretion of basic maps and images that
depict patterns of geomorphology, geology, seismology, limnology, ecology and hydrology
of saline lake environments as well as economic, social, industrial, land use/land
cover and settlement/demographic changes produced by human influence.
- Acquisition of place-name literacy regarding the global distribution of saline
lakes and the physical, cultural and biogeophysical environments in which they are
located.
Evaluate the policy implications of legal and regulatory crises, issues and trends
that pertain to the prevention, mitigation and enforcement of environmental treaties,
accords, and laws both internationally and domestically that deal with management
of lakes and inland seas.
Correlation
with the National Science Education Standards (NSES)
A good place to start is with the online or print version of:
Correlation
with the National Geography Standards
Answers to Activities
Notes on Active Pedagogy in the
Geosciences
There are many resources on the Internet that now deal with "active
learning" and other inquiry-based approaches to teaching science. Here
are a few specific resources that you can start with--particularly those which emphasize
GEC (Global Environmental Change) and HDGC (Human Dimensions of Global Change).
I've also listed an excellent online resource dealing with Web-based Teaching,
e.g. issues of evaluating web resources and plagiarism on the web. I recommend
highly Bruce Leland's homepage
(Professor of English Western Illinois University) and its resources for librarians.
See specifically:
- Evaluating Web Resources
- Evaluation Guide
- Plagiarism on the Web
Feedback and User Participation
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