We will be reading our way through this book:

This book is timely and broadly integrative, including chapters by climatologists, geologists, paleontologists, modelers, physiologists, ecologists, evolutionary biologists, and political scientists. This matches the goals of the Integrative Biosciences PhD program.

Class format – We will read and discuss about two readings (usually chapters) a week. Students will lead free-form discussions of our reading, as discussed below. The readings look to be fairly easy (mostly summaries rather than data interpretation), but the subject is broad, and will include unfamiliar areas for all of us. We will supplement the book readings with new research articles and news reports on this fast-moving field. I expect that you (and I!) will come out with a very broad and well-founded understanding of the subject of climate change and its consequences.

The designated 'presenter' for each reading has the goal of setting the stage to get a discussion started. Sometimes this may require a summary of what we read, then a couple of open-ended questions. Other times the presenter may decide to explain more clearly one portion of the chapter or bring in information from elsewhere (primary literature, animation, website, etc. However, the presenter does NOT have to know/understand everything covered in their chapter, just start a discussion. To get us going on a dull or formulaic chapter, the presenter may bring in a related news article or primary literature. During the discussion the presenter may contribute to the discussion or not, as circumstances dictate; there is no requirement that the presenter be a dominant contributor to the discussion, just to get it going. Presenters will be scored on the extent to which they have prepared for and facilitated a useful discussion of the reading.

0- not present.

1- Present but inattentive.

2- Makes a minor contribution (adds to discussion, demonstrates some understanding).

3- Makes a major contribution (adds original or important aspects to the discussion, helps funnel the discussion to more productive areas).

4- Amazing!

 Points may be detracted for comments that are impolite, purposely distract from the point at issue, or otherwise detract from the educational exploration.

Those of us not presenting are expected to participate (as described above). Furthermore, we should each bring in a list of at least two questions/comments prompted by each reading.  These may be questions, comments, criticisms, news articles, etc. Thus, if the discussion lags, any one of us could bring up one of these items and get things going again.  Please write down these questions – I may collect that day's lists at any time (e.g., I could scramble them and have us each work to answer another's questions).

SPECIALTIES: Each student will choose a “specialty” and over the course of the semester become particularly knowledgeable about it. Examples include, but are not restricted to exploring work on one species, area, or question in depth, following one news story back to its roots, exploring possible remedies, and others. This knowledge will be evaluated in two main ways. First, during our in-class discussions, you should be prepared to explain how that week’s reading relates to your specialty (i.e., I may turn to you and ask just that, especially if the discussion lags, or you are not participating!). Second, by the end of the semester, you will summarize your findings. You may choose the method that you prefer, in consultation with me. There are many wasy you may choose to do this. Aside from using a normal term paper format, consider these two approaches (or others you may think of):

A short “annotated bibliography”-style paper (including an introduction, a listing and brief summary/evaluation of at least 8 primary literature articles on your topic, and a discussion/conclusion). Should be aimed at fellow graduate students.

A poster summarizing your findings, including citations to at least 8 primary literature articles on your topic. Should be aimed at fellow graduate students (though this may be waived if requested).

Whatever form of presentation you decide on, there will be intermediate due dates that you must meet:

Tentative due dates for Specialty progress

Tentative Topic Choice: Sept 25

Firm Topic Choice: Oct 31

Initial References and decision on format:  Nov 13

Outline of plans: Nov 20

Final product: Final exam period

Links related to the class

http://www.ace.mmu.ac.uk/Resources/gcc/contents.html Dr. Park suggested this website as we try to bolster the arguments in Chapter 3.

http://www.ipcc.ch/pub/spm22-01.pdf - IPCC summary for policymakers.

http://nsidc.org/data/glacier_photo/special_collection.html. Online glacier photograph database - National snow and ice data center. Repeat photography of glaciers after as much as 104 years, showing glacier retreat.

http://ipcc-ddc.cru.uea.ac.uk/ddc_visualisation.html- you can generate plate 2, 3, and 4 from the book here

http://journals.ohiolink.edu/local-cgi/send-pdf/06073008262858185.pdf- source paper for plate 5 and 6

http://portals.conservation.org/library/codebase/handlers/objectview_handler.cfm?objectid=6512BC43-B618-41A7-BA2B-8C9952A4A4DC&classid=4 – the 'companion publication' mentioned (source for Chapter 18)

http://www.realclimate.org/- good source on climate issues

http://www.cei.org/pages/co2.cfm- the 'cooler heads' people and their "don't worry" videos

http://www.fs.fed.us/ne/delaware/atlas/ Climate envelope modeling for North American Trees

http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/geology/tectonics.html Plate tectonics animations ('Paleomap' includes climate history).

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/6096084.stm - BBC news report on UK economist's report to Tony Blair about economic impacts of climate change. Includes links to pdfs of the primary report.

REVIEWS of our book. For use in our last class meeting

Ananthakrishnan, G.  2006. Fallout of climate change. The Hindu http://www.thehindu.com/br/2006/07/25/stories/2006072500061600.htm

Colinvaux, Paul . 2005. Coping with interesting times. Nature 437:479. http://www.scidev.net/pdffiles/nature/437479a.pdf

Hossell, J. 20006. Environmental Science & Policy 9(6):593. http://www.biodiversity.be/News/climate-change-and-biodiversity

Jenkins, Stephen H. 2006. The Quarterly Review of Biology 81:84 http://www.journals.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/resolve?id=doi:10.1086/504000

Myers, Norman. 2005. When hotspots get too hot. American Scientist 93(6) http://www.americanscientist.org/template/BookReviewTypeDetail/assetid/47327;jsessionid=aaa5LVF0

Naeem, Shahid. 2005. Biodiversity and the Climate Change Coup de Grâce. Bioscience 55:702-703.  http://www.bioone.org/perlserv/?request=get-document&issn=0006-3568&volume=055&issue=08&page=0702

Peterson, David L. 2006. Biological change in the global greenhouse. Conservation Biology 20:255. http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1523-1739.2006.00357_2.x

Potter, J. F. 2006. Book Review. The Environmentalist 26:77 http://www.springerlink.com/content/b756053724230276/fulltext.pdf

some blurbs and short quotes are at amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Climate-Change-Biodiversity-Thomas-Lovejoy/dp/0300104251

and other booksellers http://www.nhbs.com/climate_change_and_biodiversity_tefno_136994.html

and at yale press http://yalepress.yale.edu/yupbooks/reviews.asp?isbn=0300104251

and here https://www.thattechnicalbookstore.com/b0300104251.htm

Schedule so far

Climate Change Reading Signup list for presenters

There are 7 students in the class, and 1 to 2 professors attending. We will meet a total of 29 times over the semester.

There are 24 chapters and 11 case studies (that means we will sometimes cover more than one chapter per meeting period; more likely a chapter + a case study).

Each student will lead at least 3 chapter discussions

Each student will lead at least 1 case study

First come-first served. We will probably read each chapter in order, front to back.

NOTE added Oct 6. Our detailed exploration of some issues has been useful, but to finish the book we will   have to either cover more chapters each session, or skip some.

    At this point I am not sure which to skip. I invite your suggestions! In particular, if you notice a chapter that might not give a valuable discussion, suggest to us that we only read it and not discuss it except during discussion of another chapter.

    To facilitate our progress in covering more each session, I now have two dates listed in the schedule listed below - Date PLANNED, and Date ACHIEVED. I have arbitrarily and without much detailed consideration, suggested which chapters to try and double into a single session. This is highlighted, sensibly enough, with highlighting. I've tried to double up mostly with case studies, which are shorter and usually cover related material. The planned date is just to help us keep our bearings - I'd rather do a good job with what we cover than rush to cover the whole book.