Natural Disturbances and Human Disasters

Geol 101/College 3

Description

Natural disturbances play a fundamental role in sculpturing landscapes and structuring natural and human-based ecosystems. This course will explore the natural and social science of natural disturbances by analyzing their causes, their ecological and social consequences, and the role of human behavior in causing and mitigating natural disasters. The spatial distribution and frequency, geologic, ecosystem, and social consequences of volcanoes, earthquakes, floods, droughts, fires, and extraterrestrial impacts will be analyzed with case studies and primary readings. Assignments will include quantitative homework problems, 3 midterms, and a final report.

Professor

F.N. Scatena, Professor of Earth and Environmental Science and 2 graduate student TA’s

Format

Three, 1 hour lectures per week.

Office Hours

F.N. Scatena; Hayden Hall 156; Monday 3-4PM

Barbara Grandstaff; Hayden 471; Wednesday 3-4PM

Dorenna Patrick: Hayden 471; Friday 2-3

Assignments

Grades will be based on a combination of problem sets/homework assignments, midterms, and a final report (Table 1). Five 5 problem sets will be given during the semester, two of which are based on interactive web-based modules developed by the American Geological Institute. Each problem will require a quantitative analysis of a specific data set or situation. Midterms will be given in class and will be based on a combination of readings and lecture material. The final report will require an analysis of the disturbance regimes of a provided location.

Table 1. Breakdown of course grade by assignments.

Assignments / % Grade
Problem sets / 35
Midterm 1; Lithospheric disturbances / 15
Midterm 2: Atmospheric and hydrologic disturbances / 15
Midterm 3: Biotic disturbances and metrics / 20
Final report / 15
Total / 100

Natural Disturbances and Human Disasters

Spring 2004

Class / Date / Lecture Topic / Readings
1 / 1/12/04 / Introduction and overview of course objectives and requirements. Why study Disturbances and Disasters? / Cutter 1994
2 / 1/14/04 / Movie: The Heat Within
3 / 1/16/04 / Review of movie and general earth science
1/19/04 / No Class
1/21/04 / Overview of the ecology of natural disturbances / Sousa 1984
1/23/04 / Overview of ecology of human disasters Introduction to Problem 1
1/26/04 / Introduction to Probability and Risk, Response and Mitigation / Covello and Mumpower 1985
1/28/04 / Response and Mitigation II
Problem 1 Due (9%): Overview of problem and readings
1/30/04 / Introduction to lithospheric disturbances
2/2/04 / Earthquake I: occurrence and impacts / Shoaf et al. 1998
2/4/04 / Earthquakes II response and mitigation. Introduction to Problem 2
2/6/04 / Volcanoes I: occurrence and impacts / Chester et al. 2001
2/9/04 / Volcanoes II: response and mitigation
Problem 2 Due (5%): Volcano monitoring and mitigation / Sadler and Grattan 1999
2/11/04 / Landslides
2/13/04 / Extra-terrestrial impacts I /

Gerrard 2000

2/16/04 / Extra-terrestrial impacts 2 /

2/18/04

Review of Lithospheric disturbances and Problem 2

2/20/04

First Mid-term (15%)

2/23/04 / Introduction to atmospheric & hydrologic disturbances. /

Mitchell et al. 1989

2/25/04 / Hurricanes I: occurrence and impacts /
2/27/04 / Hurricanes II: response and mitigation
Review of mid-term / Everham and Brokaw 1996
3/1/04 / Tornadoes I
3/3/04 / Tornadoes II and Dust Storms
3/5/04 / Floods I Introduction to Problem 3 / Pielke and Downton 2000

SPRING BREAK

/ (McCullough 1968)
3/15/04 / Floods II
3/17/04 / Tsunamis and storm surges
Problem 3 Due (5%): Frequency analysis
3/19/04 / Johnstown Flood, / McCullough 1968
3/22/04 / Droughts I: definition, occurrence

3/24/04

/ Problem 4 Due (7%): Analysis of Johnstown flood
Droughts II: impacts and mitigation /

Comenetz and Caviedes 2004

3/26/04

The Dust Bowl

3/29/04

Review of atmospheric and hydrospheric disturbances

3/31/04

Second Mid-term (15%)

/
4/2/04 / Introduction to biotic disturbances, Introduction to Problem 5 /
4/5/04 / Wildfire I /

Kent 2003

4/5/04 / Review of midterm, Wildfire II /
4/7/04 / Problem 5 Due (9%); Magnitude frequency analysis
4/8/04 / Wildfires III /
4/12/04 / Species invasions /

TBD

4/14/04

Review of Biotic disturbances and mid-term material

/
4/16/04 /

Midterm 3 (20%)

/
4/19/04 /

Course Summary I

/
4/21/04 / Review of Mid-term /
4/23/04 / Overview and Summary II /
4/30/04 /

Final report due (15%)

Readings

Chester, D. K., et al. (2001). The increasing exposure of cities to the effects of volcanic eruptions: a global survey. Environmental Hazards 2: 89-103.

Comenetz, J. and C. Caviedes (2004). Climate variability, political crises, and historical population displacements in Ethiopia. Environmental Hazards In press.

Covello, V. T. and J. Mumpower (1985). Risk Analysis and Risk Management: An Historical Perspective. Risk Analysis 5(2): 103-20.

Cutter, S. L., Ed. (1994). Environmental risk and Hazards, Prentice-Hall.

Everham, E. M. I. and N. V. L. Brokaw (1996). Forest damage and recovery from catastrophic wind. The Botanical Review 62: 113-185.

Gerrard, M. B. (2000). Risks of Hazardous Waste Sites versus Asteroid and Comet Impacts: Accounting for the Discrepancies in U.S. Resource Allociation. Risk Analysis 20(6): 895-904.

Kent, B. G. K., et al (2003). Social and Economic Issues of the Hayman Fire, USDA Forest Service: 315-395.

McCullough, D. (1968). The Johnstown Flood, Simon & Schuster.

Mitchell, J. K., et al. (1989). A contextual model of natural hazards. Geographical Review 79(4): 391-409.

Pielke, R. A. and M. W. Downton (2000). Precipitation and Damaging Floods: Trends in the United States, 1932–97. pages 3625–3637. Journal of Climate 13(20): 3625-3637.

Sadler, J. P. and J. P. Grattan (1999). Volcanoes as agents of past environmental change. Global and Planetary Change 21: 181-196.

Shoaf, K. I., et al. (1998). Injuries as a Result of California Earthquakes in the Past Decade. Disasters 22(3): 218-235.

Sousa, W. P. (1984). The Role of Disturbance in Natural Communities. Annual Review of Ecology and Systematics 15: 353-391.