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GEOB 204 / APBI 244 - Forest and Agricultural Climatology

 

by Andy Black and Andreas Christen - 'Forest and Agricultural Climatology' introduces you to the fundamental processes and concepts of climatology, and their relevance to vegetation and animal systems. We focus on interactions between vegetation and the atmosphere and gain an understanding of mass, momentum and energy exchange. We discuss large scale weather and climate processes relevant to applications in forestry and agriculture.

The course consists of three one-hour lectures and a two-hour laboratory per week. The accompanying laboratory exercises provide hands-on experiences explaining physical principles and introducing instrumentation.

 

 Lectures and Exams
Date Topic Instructor
07-Sep-11 1 Introduction and course overview. Black / Christen
09-Sep-11 2 Energy. Christen
12-Sep-11 3 Radiation laws. Christen
14-Sep-11 4 Incoming short-wave radiation. Christen
16-Sep-11 5 Surface geometry and albedo. Christen
19-Sep-11 6 Radiative transfer in plant canopies. Christen
21-Sep-11 7 Long-wave radiation. Christen
23-Sep-11 8 Radiation budget of Planet Earth. Christen
26-Sep-11 9 Net radiation of land surfaces. Christen
28-Sep-11 10 Heat and temperature. Christen
30-Sep-11 11 Heat conduction. Christen
03-Oct-11 12 Thermal admittance. Black
05-Oct-11 13 Atmospheric humidity. Black
07-Oct-11 14 Laminar boundary layers. Black
12-Oct-11 15 Temperature of small objects. Black
14-Oct-11 16 Animal microclimate: basic principles. Black
17-Oct-11 17 Wind chill and thermal regulation. Black
19-Oct-11 Review. Black / Christen
21-Oct-11 Mid-term exam (FAQ, Exam, Answer Key, Statistics, Grading).  
24-Oct-11 18 Lapse rates and stability. Christen
26-Oct-11 19 Local winds. Christen
28-Oct-11 20 Turbulence and convection. Christen
31-Oct-11 21 Turbulent exchange. Christen
02-Nov-11 22 Wind breaks and wind damage. Christen
04-Nov-11 23 Frost protection. Black
07-Nov-11 24 Energy balance of crops and forests. Black
09-Nov-11 25 Evapotranspiration. Black
14-Nov-11 26 Water balance. Black
16-Nov-11 27 Photosynthesis and CO2 flux. Black
18-Nov-11 28 Carbon balance of crops and forests. Black
21-Nov-11 29 Climate classification. Black
23-Nov-11 30 Clouds and precipitation. Christen
25-Nov-11 31 Winds and global circulation. Christen
28-Nov-11 32 Weather systems. Christen
30-Nov-11 33 Climate change of the past. Black
02-Dec-11 34 Future climate change. Black
20-Dec-11
12:00 pm 		Final Examination (FAQ).  
 
 
 Laboratories

For your convenience, a printed version of the complete laboratory manual is available for purchase in the first lab. Ask your TA for more information.
Date Topic Location
15-Sep-11
16-Sep-11 		L1 The UBC Climatological Station
Meet at gate of Plant Science Field Station. 		2613 West Mall
22-Sep-11
23-Sep-11 		L2 Radiative properties of surfaces. MCML 102A
29-Sep-11
30-Sep-11 		L3 Radiation budgets. MCML 102A
06-Oct-11
07-Oct-11 		L4 Specific heat of soils. MCML 102A
13-Oct-11
14-Oct-11 		L5 Atmospheric humidity. MCML 102A
20-Oct-11
21-Oct-11 		No labs (Midterm Exam)  
27-Oct-11
28-Oct-11 		L6 Effect of radiation and convection on surface temperature. MCML 102A
03-Nov-11
04-Nov-11 		L7 Boundary layer characteristics. MCML 102A
10-Nov-11
11-Nov-11 		No labs (Rememberance Day)  
17-Nov-11
18-Nov-11 		L8 Energy balance of crops and forests. MCML 102A
24-Nov-11
25-Nov-11 		L9 Soil respiration. MCML 102A


> Reading Material (Password required).
> Study questions.
> Glossary.
> Common equations (Password required).
> Additional references.
> External links.

 

Photo: UBC climatologists operate various research towers in forests across BC. At this site in the Prince George Area, eddy correlation systems (see lectures 21 and 28) measure continuously the carbon exchange between the forest ecosystem and the atmosphere in a Mountain Pine Beetle attacked stand.
 

Course outline

Term 1 2011/12

Lectures

Mon Wed Fri 12:00 to 12:50
McMillan Bldg. 160

Laboratories

Thu 10:00 to 12:00 (L01)
Thu 14:00 to 16:00 (L02)
Thu 16:00 to 18:00 (L03)
Fri 08:00 to 10:00 (L04)
Fri 10:00 to 12:00 (L05)
MacMillan 102A
 
Do not switch lab-sections. Always attend the section that you are enrolled in.

Prerequisites

There are no prerequisites. Credit will be given for only one of GEOG 200, 204, 300, GEOB 200, 204, 300, AGRO 244, APBI 244.

Course evaluation

Marks for the course will be allocated as follows:

Instructors

Andy Black
Biometeorology and Soil Physics Group
135 - 2357 Main Mall
andrew.black@ubc.ca
604-822-2730
Instructor Office hours
by appointment

Andreas Christen
Department of Geography
132 - 1984 West Mall andreas.christen@ubc.ca
604-822-6620
Instructor Office hours
Weekly Sep 7 to Dec 2, 2011:
Mon 10:00 - 10:50 am
Wed 11:00 - 11:40 am

Teaching Assistants

Carmen Emmel
Department of Geography
Rm 249 - 1984 West Mall
carmenteresad@hotmail.com
604-827-4520
Lab sections: L03, L05

Amanda Mathys
Faculty of Land and Food Systems
Rm 136D - 2357 Main Mall
asmathys@interchange.ubc.ca
604-822-5654
Lab sections: L01, L02

Tim Philpott
Faculty of Forest Sciences
Rm 2621 - 2424 Main Mall
tphilpot@interchange.ubc.ca
604-822-6492
Lab sections: L01, L04

 

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Latest changes : September 28, 2011.