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Unit 2: The Geology of Great Britain
A fundamental reality in environmental science is that all life and Earth processes are interconnected across vast distances and over long periods of time. Geological timescales are not well-aligned with electoral cycles, and the lithosphere pays little heed to political borders...but in order to address today’s most pressing political challenges, we must better understand our physical planet and its long-term interactions.
This unit of Green Britain introduces students to the geology of Great Britain, with a focus on how the island and its natural resources were formed.
Learning Objective:
Understand the Earth system processes that have led to the presence of arable land, fish stocks, and fossil fuels in Great Britain
Student Checklist:
click on each session below to review course materials
complete the quiz at the end of each session
How do key elements move around our ecosystems?
Understanding why geological histories matter to political realities requires knowledge of the Earth-life system. This session reviews biogeochemical cycles: processes through which elements and compounds like nitrogen, water, and carbon move around and influence the planet.
Where can we find energy stores around Great Britain?
Today, wind turbines and large solar panels dot the British countryside. But just as prominent, and much more longstanding, are coal mines and limestone quarries...while offshore oil and gas fields are becoming increasingly common. This session zooms in on palaeoecology in Wales to address how fossil fuels are formed.
Unit 2 Assignment Details: Earth System Quizzes
15% of students’ course grade for GEO/PSC300 comes from completing brief quizzes confirming their knowledge of key concepts related to Great Britain’s geology. Each of the five sessions in Unit 1 (linked above) end with a three-question quiz about their content. Students will earn one point per correct answer. For convenience, the quizzes are also hyperlinked below.
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