GV3AND-Climate, Environment and Ancient Civilisations of the Andes

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: 2023/4

Module Convenor: Prof Nicholas Branch
Email: n.p.branch@reading.ac.uk

Type of module:

Summary module description:

The module aims to unravel the long-term (multi-millennial scale) history of Andean vegetation history and human-environment interactions using a range of complimentary approaches.  This inter-disciplinary perspective integrates physical and human geography, ecology, and archaeology.  The module largely focuses on mountainous ecosystems in South America, in particular the Peruvian Andes, and focuses on several key questions: 1) What have been the interrelationships between climate change, human land use, and environmental change through the Holocene, i.e. the last 11,700 years?;  2) How were these mountainous ecosystems transformed into a domesticated landscapes?;  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 landscape conservation against the backdrop of global warming?

Aims:

To learn the principles and applications of Andean palaeoecology as a tool for understanding the relationship between mountainous ecosystems, climate change, and human land use over millennial 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 Andean palaeoecology; in particular, pollen analysis, non-pollen palynomorphs and charcoal analysis.


• Gained practical expertise in Andean pollen identification and interpretation of sub-fossil pollen diagrams via a series of microscope-based practical classes.


• Developed a critical understanding of the contribution that palaeoecological data can make toward Andean plant ecology (ecosystem resilience/sensitivity to disturbance, rates of change, changing 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 Andean palaeoecology, archaeology, and historical ecology.


• A comprehensive understanding of the relative strengths, limitations, and potential of different types of palaeovegetation proxy data – pollen, non-pollen palynomorphs, geochemistry, phytoliths and charcoal.


• A full understanding of the relevance of millennial scale palaeoenvironmental and palaeoclimatic time series for understanding the underlying drivers and impacts of present and future climate and 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 Andean 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 scale) histories of terrestrial Andean ecosystems, drawing upon case studies from the Andes; the implications of these palaeovegetation reconstructions for understanding the synergistic relationships and interactions between Andean ecosystems, climate, fire, and human societies over millennial time scales; relevance of Andean palaeoecology for conservation policy in the context of the twin threats of climate change and rural development.

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

Global context:

Temporal scales range from millennial to centennial.  Spatial scales will range from local to regional and continental.  Although the geographic focus is largely Andean, case studies are also drawn from across South and Meso 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 10 lectures (each lasting 1 hour) and 12 hours of microscopy-based practical work (6 sessions, each lasting 2 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 Andean plant species (8 hours), and have 6 hours of group based presentations.

Contact hours:

	Autumn	Spring	Summer
Lectures		10
Tutorials		6
Practicals classes and workshops		12
Fieldwork		8
Guided independent study:
Wider reading (independent)		25
Wider reading (directed)		10
Preparation of practical report		129
Total hours by term	0	200	0
Total hours for module	200

Summative Assessment Methods:

Method	Percentage
Report	75
Oral assessment and presentation	25

Summative assessment- Examinations:

Summative assessment- Coursework and in-class tests:

1 x 3000 word technical report (75%) based on interpretation of dataset generated in laboratory practical classes, and group based presentations (25%).

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:

Resubmission of assignments. 

Additional Costs (specified where applicable):

Last updated: 30 March 2023