GV3TRC-Tropical Rainforests, Climate & Lost Civilisations

Module Provider: Geography and Environmental Science
Number of credits: 20 [10 ECTS credits]
Level:6
Terms in which taught: Spring term module
Pre-requisites:
Non-modular pre-requisites:
Co-requisites:
Modules excluded:
Current from: 2022/3

Module Convenor: Prof Frank Mayle
Email: f.mayle@reading.ac.uk

Type of module:

Summary module description:

This module is delivered at the University of Reading.  It aims to unravel the long-term (multi-millennial scale) history of tropical forests and human-environment interactions using a range of complimentary approaches.  This inter-disciplinary perspective integrates physical and human geography, ecology, and archaeology.  The module focuses largely on tropical South America (in particular, Amazonia) and focuses on several key questions: 1) What have been the interrelationships between climate change, human land use, and tropical forest ecosystems through the Holocene, i.e. the last ca. 12,000 years?  2) How was Amazonia transformed from a pristine wilderness into a domesticated landscape?  3) How did ancient human societies achieve long-term environmental and socio-economic sustainability, and why did they eventually collapse?  4) What are the implications of this historical perspective for today’s global challenges of sustainable living and tropical forest conservation against the backdrop of global warming?

Aims:

To learn the principles and applications of tropical palaeoecology as a tool for understanding the relationship between tropical ecosystems, climate change, and human land use over millennial to Quaternary time scales, and the relevance of this long-term perspective for current debates concerning sustainability, resilience, conservation, and climate change.

Assessable learning outcomes:

By the end of this module, it is expected that students will have:

• gained an in-depth understanding of the underlying principles, methods, and applications of different techniques commonly employed in tropical palaeoecology; in particular, pollen analysis


• gained practical expertise in tropical pollen identification and interpretation of fossil pollen diagrams – via a series of microscope-based practical classes


• developed a critical understanding of the contribution that palaeoecological data can make toward tropical plant ecology (ecosystem resilience/sensitivity to disturbance, rates of change, origin of biodiversity, plant succession), patterns and drivers of past climate change, past human-environment interactions, and conservation policy


• an in-depth and up-to-date knowledge of key published literature in tropical palaeoecology, archaeology, and historical ecology


• a comprehensive understanding of the relative strengths, limitations, and potential of different types of palaeovegetation proxy data – pollen, isotopes, phytoliths, charcoal etc.


• a full understanding of the relevance of millennial-Quaternary-scale palaeoenvironmental time series for understanding the underlying drivers and impacts of present and future environmental change

Additional outcomes:

Students will become proficient in microscopy; learn the value (and challenge) of integrating different approaches, techniques and philosophies across a range of disciplines (i.e. geography, archaeology, ecology); critical thinking, constructing/testing hypotheses, and developing scientific arguments; and effective written communication of ideas and findings.  Students will gain first-hand experience of tropical plant species via a 1-day guided trip to Kew Gardens.

Outline content:

Lecture content includes: the principles and applications of key palaeoecological techniques used for reconstructing the long-term (millennial-Holocene scale) histories of terrestrial tropical ecosystems (tropical forests and savannas), drawing upon case studies from the tropical Americas; the implications of these palaeovegetation reconstructions for understanding the synergistic relationships and interactions between tropical ecosystems, climate, fire, and human societies over millennial-Holocene time scales; relevance of tropical palaeoecology for conservation policy in the context of the twin threats of global warming and deforestation.

The coursework essay will focus on the interpretation of a fossil pollen dataset from Amazonia – to reconstruct the millennial-scale history of tropical forest ecosystems and the underlying reasons for these ecosystem changes in terms of climate change.

Global context:

Temporal scales range from millennial to Holocene and late Quaternary.  Spatial scales will range from local to regional and continental.  Although the geographic focus is largely tropical South America, case studies are also drawn from Central America, and the issues and topics addressed throughout the module are of global relevance – in terms of sustainability, resilience, biodiversity, and human-environment relationships. 

Brief description of teaching and learning methods:

The module comprises 12 lectures (each lasting 1 hour) and 9 hours of microscopy-based practical work (3 sessions, each lasting 3 hours).  In addition to the classroom and laboratory based teaching, the students will attend a guided one-day field trip to Kew Gardens to familiarise themselves with tropical plant species (8 hours).

Contact hours:

	Autumn	Spring	Summer
Lectures		12
Practicals classes and workshops		9
External visits		8
Guided independent study:		171
Total hours by term		200
Total hours for module	200

Summative Assessment Methods:

Method	Percentage
Written exam	50
Report	50

Summative assessment- Examinations:

One exam; 2 hours.  Two questions from choice of 5.

Summative assessment- Coursework and in-class tests:

1 x 3,000 word report, based on interpretation of dataset generated in class practicals.  Hand-in date: week 33.

Formative assessment methods:

Penalties for late submission:

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of five working days;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than five working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/cqsd-old-site-documents/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf
You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Assessment requirements for a pass:
40%

Reassessment arrangements:

Re-submission of coursework or exam re-sit in August/September

Additional Costs (specified where applicable):

1) Required text books: 

2) Specialist equipment or materials: 

3) Specialist clothing, footwear or headgear: 

4) Printing and binding: 

5) Computers and devices with a particular specification: 

6) Travel, accommodation and subsistence: 

Last updated: 22 September 2022