The course consists of a weekly four-hour lecture, in which prof Huybrechts and Verstraeten alternate giving their part of the course. Verstraeten's part counts for the majority of the points and the majority of the ECTS credits, as it included a two-day field trip to Eastern Belgium. Prof. Verstraeten's part includes a large assignment, which has varied over the past years. As of 2024-2025, the task consists of a large report linking observations made on the excursion with course material, and the exam includes a personalised question based on a part of the report the professor/assistants had questions about.
Course Information
Courses and exams
Prof
Verstraeten Gert Huybrechts Philippe
Courses
Lectures
Examination
Partial or continuous assessment with (final) exam during the examination period
Why is the coverage of the differences/vegetative land cover reconstructions not continuous?
Why is the difference between REVEALS and HYDE different from the difference between REVEALS and KK10? I.e. what is the difference between KK10 and HYDE?
Human adaptations to different environmental changes. (Table with different adaptations for different types of environmental change given.) Give coping strategies that were used in the past to cope with three different environmental changes (e.g. drought, sealevel, ...)
True or false? Give a short argumentation.
The Anthropocene can't be defined as a geological epoch starting in 5000 BP as human impact was not of global scale at that point.
Legacy landforms are landforms that formed under different environmental conditions, which most often changed due to natural environmental change.
Given: figure with glacial extent of two glaciers in the Alps for the past 2000 years.
How do they construct such graphs? Which proxy measures could be useful?
What can explain the pattern in glacial extent?
What different, non-glacial related proxies are available that reflect the same variability as the glacier extents?
Personalised question on assignment about the field trip (wtf)
Huybrechts (1h = ridiculously short), closed book
Instruction: "keep the answers short, should never be longer than 10 lines"
Explain why CO2 in the atmosphere doesnt come from volcanoes to your aunt, keep it simple and short
Young faint sun paradox
Atmospheric fraction of CO2 - what is it, what does it represent, ..?
Why does temperature continue to be approximately equal to peak warming for centuries after emissions stop?
Mass extinction due to climate change - give three relevant examples of mechanisms / dangers posed to the biosphere
Water vapour is not considered a forcing but a feedback, why, explain
What are the characteristics of the West-Antarctic tipping element and what it its corresponding tipping point temperature?
Svensmark hypothesis - explain what and why we can refute it
We want to stay below 2 degrees warming,. A lot of scenarios where we do this expect net-negative emissions of CO2 by the end of the century - what is understood by net-negative emissions and how can you attain that? What types of techniques are available? Explain the most discussed techniques, including advantages and drawbacks.
The earth is in a radiative imbalance, explain this. Where is the excess heat stored and what is direct effect of it.
What is the scientific consensus on the evolution of tropical cyclones (= hurricanes) in the past decades?
(forgot)
2024
January
30/01/2024
Verstraeten (2h, open book)
Explain what evidence we have seen on the excursion that is related to the figure on the right, try to include figures from the excusion guide when appropriate (8p)Figure asked on 30/01/2024
Explain the early Anthropocene hypothesis and the link with ALSS models (6p)
how are these two graphs related to each other?
why are there different dates possible for the start of the antropocene
explain how HYDE and KK10 reach there CO2 emissions
A delta 18O curve is given for the past 3 million years. (3p)
a) How is this curve constructed (where are the data coming from - which proxy is shown)?
b) What does it represent with relation to environmental change (what is the meaning of the proxy)?
c) What controls delta 18O (why does it change)? 4. Explain the Anthropocene in 10-15 lines to a non-specialist. Use lines for evidence and propose a moment in time as the start of the Anthropocene. It should be like a short newspaper or blogpost. (3p)
26/01/2024
Verstraeten (2h, open book)
vgl van sedimentatie in de Geul met de Ambleve (8p)
vgl HYDE, KK10 en Reveals
hoe ge glacier extensie meet
Antropoceen uitleggen in 15 lijnen
23/01/2024
Verstraeten (2h, open book)
Vraag 1: Field trip question (/8):
The Dijle stores more alluvial sediment then the Amblève while the difference for colluvial sediment is not so big, what causes this?
Explain how natural and anthropogenic factors influence sediment storage
Use different stops from the excursion to assist your answers from above
Vraag 2 ( /6)Given is a graph of the reconstruciton of the anthropogenic vegetation in the Dijle catchment created by the KK10, HYDE 3.1 and Reveals models. Explain how this graph was created for every model. What is the difference between those models (what explains the variance between the graphs)? What caused the uncertainties for each model?
Vraag 3 (see figure) ( /3)
How do we construct such a graph
What causes the sea level to rise
Give a comparison between Northern Britain and Southern Britain's sea level rise.
Vraag 4
Explain the Anthropocene in 10-15 lines to a non-specialist. Use lines for evidence and propose a moment in time as the start of the Anthropocene. It should be like a short newspaper or blogpost. ( /3)
Huybrechts (1h, closed book)
Explain greenhouse gas effect
The sources and sinks of Carbon
Covid 19 had almost no effect, why is that?
Mid pliocene warm, give the characteristics and why is this period so interesting for us right now.
Statement: Since mid 19th century temp in Belgium +2,5°C --> Why is this above the global mean surface temperature?
At what rate is the sea level rising between 2006-2018? Give the main contributors for this increase (also the amount of their contribution)
Why does climate significantly increase even if emissions CO2 go down to zero?
Greenland tipping point, at which temperature and how does it work
How would you explain to your aunt that it is not the volcanoes that are responsible for so much carbon dioxide in the atmosphere? Answer short and to the point.
Scientific background for the target set to stay below 2º --> how do we stay below 2° and if we keep emitting CO2 when do we reach 2°
Anthropogenic emissions of CO2, give the sinks and sources with the relative amounts
Explain MISI and MICI
02/01/2024
Verstraeten (2h, open book)
Many say that landscapes have shifted from a nautre-dominated landscape to a anthropogenic-dominated landscape. Can you give examples to support this statement from what we have seen during the excursion in the Amblève region? Refer to useful figures in the field guide (add figure number and page). ( /8)
Given is a graph of the reconstruciton of the anthropogenic vegetation in the Dijle catchment created by the KK10, HYDE 3.1 and Reveals models. Explain how this graph was created for every model. What is the difference between those models (what explains the variance between the graphs)? ( /6)
A delta 18O curve is given for the past 3 million years. ( /3)
a) How is this curve constructed (where are the data coming from - which proxy is shown)?
b) What does it represent with relation to environmental change (what is the meaning of the proxy)?
c) What controls delta 18O (why does it change)?
Explain the Anthropocene in 10-15 lines to a non-specialist. Use lines for evidence and propose a moment in time as the start of the Anthropocene. It should be like a short newspaper or blogpost. ( /3)
Huybrechts (1h, closed book)
Water vapour is not considered a forcing of the climate but more as a feedback system. Why is that and explain this feedback mechanism.
Explain young faint paradox.
What is airborne fraction CO2? How much is it and why?
Why does climate significantly increase even if emissions CO2 go down to zero?
How do we stay below 2°C warming? Explain the advantages and disadvantages.
Covid 19 had almost no effect, why is that?
What is the West Antarctic tripping point?
Explain Svensmark hypothesis.
The earth is in a radiative imbalance, explain this. Where is the excess heat stored and what is direct effect of it.
Explain short why CO2 concentrations are not due to volcanic release of CO2
Something about exctinctions. Give three examples of climate change major impacts on ecosystems.
Some statement. Right/wrong? (forgot, sorry)
2023
January
23/01/2023
Verstraeten
Excursion: Don’t know it anymore, but it was more or less a compersion between the colluvial and alluvial storage in the Ardennes and Dijle/ Geul catchment (8p)
KK10, HYDE, REVEALS and figure is given (slide 84 chapter anthropocene):
What are the different methods (how are they constructed)?
what are their problems
What are the differences and why?
Explain in 10 short phrases to someone what the Anthropocene is and which evidences there are (3p)
figure is given (slide 36 chapter 4):
How do we construct such a graph
What causes the sea level to rise
Give a comparison between Northern Britain and Southern Britain's sea level rise.
Huybrechts
Explain greenhouse gas effect
What is the West antarctic tripping point and what are their best made estimates
Covid 19 had almost no effect, why is that?
Mid pliocene warm, give the characteristics and why is this period so interesting for us right now.
Statement: Since mid 19th century temp in Belgium +2,5°C --> Why is this above the global mean surface temperature?
At what rate is the sea level rising between 2006-2018? Give the main contributors for this increase (also the amount of their contribution)
Why does climate significantly increase even if emissions CO2 go down to zero?
Question about the paper “Celebrating the anniversary of three key events in climate change science”. It was something like “explain what the gold standard is and give 3 key events in climate change science”
How would you explain to your aunt that it is not the volcanoes that are responsible for so much carbon dioxide in the atmosphere? Answer short and to the point.
Scientific background for the target set to stay below 2º --> how do we stay below 2° and if we keep emitting CO2 when do we reach 2°?
?
?
30/01/2023
Verstraeten
How do the Geul and the Ambleve fit into this graph (chapter 7 slide 92) ? What are the similarities and what are the differences?
KK10, HYDE, REVEALS (5p) --> map REVEALS VS KK10 and REVEALS VS HYDE given
Why are there pixels without data? why is it not continuous?
Why do the two comparisons not give the same results? What are the differences between KK10 and HYDE
Figure slide 6 chapter 4 is given.
What proxies/evidences are used to contruct this graph?
What explains the variability of this? Why do they fluctuate in extent?
What other environmental proxies can be used?
Explain in 10 short phrases to someone what the Anthropocene is and which evidences there are.
Huybrechts
What is airborne fraction CO2? How much is it and why?
What is meant by committed sea level rise?
Explain young faint paradox.
Explain greenhouse gas effect
Covid 19 had almost no effect, why is that?
Statement: Since mid 19th century temp in Belgium +2,5°C --> Why is this above the global mean surface temperature?
Why does climate significantly increase even if emissions CO2 go down to zero?
Scientific background for the target set to stay below 2º --> how do we stay below 2° and if we keep emitting CO2 when do we reach 2°?
The Arctic is warming at a higher pace than the rest of the world. What is the term for the phenomenon and explain it.
Net negative emissions
Statement: MWP is warmer than today so humans are not responsible for cimate global warming. right/wrong, why?
Greenland tipping point + temperature
2022
January
25/01/2022
Verstraeten
Field trip: list evidences from the field trip that support the hypothesis that we have gone from nature dominated to human dominated landscapes.
KK10, HYDE, REVEALS
What are the different methods (how are they constructed)?
What are the differences and why?
Oxygen isotope delta O18 graph
How is it constructed?
What does the data represent?
Why are there variabilities in the data?
Give examples of civilisations that collapsed due to the drought period and what coping mechanisms they used to survive.
Huybrechts
Describe greenhouse effect
Explain main source of anthropogenic emissions
Statement: Since mid 19th century temp in Belgium +2,5°C --> Why?
Explain global impact of El Nino
Explain satellite method on ice sheets of altimetry and gravimetry, explain technique and parameters for recalibration the mass ice balance
Explain last decade sea level rise, amount of meters + main factors why
Statement: MWP is warmer than today so humans are not responsible for cimate global warming --> right/wrong + why?
Mid pliocene period: what is it + link with climate today
Why does climate significantly increase even if emissions CO2 go down to zero?
What is arctic sheet tipping element?
Why does covid-19 CO2 decrease does not impact temp change?
Geo-engineering for solar radiation explain, method, (he will probably ask us about CO2)
28/01/2022
Verstraeten
Field trip question: Don't know it anymore, but it was more or less a comparison between sedimentation in Ardennes vs sedimentation in the Dijle catchment. (8p)
KK10, HYDE, REVEALS (6p)
Give examples of civilisations that collapsed due to the drought period and what coping mechanisms they used to survive. (3p)
And another question I forgot (3p)
Huybrechts
Describe greenhouse effect
Explain main of anthropogenic emissions
Explain Svenmark hypothesis
The Arctic is warming at a higher pace than the rest of the world. What is the term for the phenomenon and explain it.
Explain satellite method on ice sheets of altimetry and gravimetry, explain technique and parameters for recalibration the mass ice balance
The earth is in an imbalance, explain this. Where is the excess heat stored and what is direct effect of it.
Why is CO2 of fossil fuels bad, while CO2 of bush fires, carbonated drinks, animals, people, etc... is good?
Mid pliocene warm, give the characteristics and why is this period so interesting for us right now.
I forgot this question
Greenland tipping point, explain.
Covid 19 had almost no effect, why is that?
Explain net negative emissions and what are the techniques to achieve this.
31/01/2022
Verstraeten
Excursion: Figure of summary slide of 3 cases (Chapter7) given. How can you link Amblève and Geul river with this figure?
KK10, HYDE, REVEALS (5p) --> map REVEALS VS KK10 and REVEALS VS HYDE given
Why are there pixels without data? why is it not continuous?
Why do the two comparisons not give the same results? What are the differences between KK10 and HYDE?
Figure of glaciations over time given (ppt4 slide 6) explain and what are proxies that have an infuence
Give examples of civilisations that collapsed due to the drought period and what coping mechanisms they used to survive. (3p)
Huybrechts
Describe greenhouse effect
Explain Svensmark hypothesis
Explain satellite method on ice sheets of altimetry and gravimetry, explain technique and parameters for recalibration of the mass ice balance
Mid pliocene warm, give the characteristics and why is this period so interesting for us right now.
THC tipping point, explain.
Covid 19 had almost no effect, why is that?
Statement: Since mid 19th century temp in Belgium +2,5°C --> Why?
Scientific background for the target set to stay below 2º --> how do we stay below 2° and if we keep emitting CO2 when do we reach 2°?
What evidence proves that the increased C02 concentration, coming from fossil fuel burning, in the atmosphere is due to anthropogenic influence?
Explain to your aunt in 60 seconds that it is not volcanoes that increase the CO2 concentration in the atmosphere, but the combustion of fossil fuels is responsible.
What is the influence of climate change on freshwater? Give 3 examples
?
2020
January
17/01/2020
Huybrechts
Compare current climate change with previous periods of climate change. What is the difference in the behaviour of CO2? Give three examples of warmer periods before the current warm period.
What is the influence of the solar activity on climate change? Compare the last decades with the last 1000 years.
Explain in 60 seconds: Why is CO2 of fossile fuels bad, while CO2 of bush fires, caronated drinks, animals, people, etc... is good?
Verstraeten
How did rivers in North-West Europe evolve since the LGM and how can you prove this? How did these rivers interact with Holocene humans and what did humans do to cope with the changing river dynamics? What was the effect of the river dynamics on the landscape? What changes can be explained by natural causes and what changers are related to humans?
Right or wrong:
The medieval warm period was a global event that could be proved by the retreat of glaciers. (wrong, not global and glaciers were already retreating for thousands of years)
2019
January
18/01/2019
Huybrechts:
What is a tipping element? Explain the Greenland icesheet as a tipping element.
Explain the different geo-engineering possibilities and risks.
Explain in 60 seconds: A letter was written to a newspaper about the climate congress in Paris: "Why is CO2 in your drinks, in wildfires,.. etc. good and CO2 coming from fossil fuels bad?"
Broothaerts:
(Excursion)
Late-glacial climate in Hautes Fagnes: explain the enivronment. What are the typical landforms and how to date them?
How to use Industrial pollution to measure sedimentation rates?
(Theory) Compare human influence in a valley system in European Loess Belt to a Mediterrean area.
(Papers) Neolithit transition in Europe: Why is a single-proxy approach not sufficient? Propose your own multi-proxy approach and how your different methods/proxies will complement each other.
29/01/2019
Huybrechts:
about the oceans observation for the last century and the projections for 2100 by ipcc
scientific background for the target set to stay below 2º of raise and the political and societal implications of those
you realize the satellite has produced errors in measuring the trend towards climate change. Would I change my mind on the global warming? Why, why not?
Broothaerts:
explain how peat layers can be used as proxy to reconstruct pollution, vegetation changes and climatic changes AND how to derive sedimentation rates from polluted layers, provide examples from different rivers (in between he asked what can we infer from completely polluted section of the floodplain)
different behaviour of river systems in the USA and Mediterranean, draw a sketch
Neolithization: describe the problems of a non multi proxy approach to assess the process of Neolithization and how would you implement a multi proxy approach
2018
January
Huybrechts:
What is the effect of aerosols on climate change? Explain the relationship between aerosols and radiation budget, temperature, etc.. How did the amount of aerosols change during the 20th century and the last millennia. How is it projected to change according to the IPCC? (Oral questions: When was the aerosol emission peak, why and where was it situated? Did the aerosol effect become more or less important on climate change? Do all the models predict the same change? How do you know if a model is a good or a bad model?)
What are tipping elements? Explain by using the Arctic Sea Ice as a tipping element. Why is this a tipping element? How did it change during the last century? What are the IPCC projected changes for 2100?
A climate activist tells you that is has never been as warm as today. Is this correct? Why? (oral questions about length of glacial/interglacial cycles, when was it warmer during the Holocene?, why is this warming a problem...)
Broodthaers:
Explain the differences in floodplain sediment storage for the Dijle, Geul and Amblève river. Give the differences and equalities between them. (Show one summarizing figure from the excursion bundle to explain). How did the human impact change during the Holocene for these catchments, draw graphs for the three catchments and give the influence of these human impacts on the floodplain sediment storage. Compare these three catchments with a Meditteranean catchment. What are the main differences? (Oral questions: when did the human influence in these catchments start?).
Megafaunal exctinctions are mainly caused by climate change. Discuss this statement.
Apply the figure of the coping strategies to the Norse in Greenland. What coping strategies have they used? How did researchers find that they had these coping strategies? Discuss the collapse of the Norse settlements in Greenland and compare it to the Inuït presence in Greenland. (Additional oral questions: which proxies would you have added to the research, why? Are pollen data usefull in this research? Why (not)?)
September
Huybechts
What are the evidences to proof that the increased C02 concentration, coming from fossil fuel burning, in the atmosphere is due to anthropogenic influence? What can we learn from a graph that plots the CO2 concentration in function of the O2 concentration?
Contributors and projection of SLR
Explain to your aunt in maximum 60 seconds that not vulcanos but fossil fuels are responsible for the increase in CO2 concentration.
Broothaerts
Excursion: vegetation changes during holocone at 'de hoge venen': distinguish between natural and anthropogenic impacts
Theorie: Hoe colluviale afzetting dateren? Geef voor- en nadelen van de techniek
Presentaties: geef voorbeelden van positieve impacten door milieuverandering, negatieve impact door milieuverandering en voorbeeld van dominantie menselijke impact. je moet 1 van de 3 bespreken met bewijzen uit presentatie, je mag nooit je eigen presentatie als voorbeeld gebruiken.
2016
Huybrechts
reeks A
atmospheric moisture: evolution during 19th-20th century + projections for future; relation with temperature; precipitation: how will change the spatial pattern in future?
The greenland ice sheet as tipping point
Explain to your aunt in maximum 60 seconds that not vulcanos but fossil fuels are responsible for the increase in CO2 concentration.
Reeks H
Give how the oceans have changed in the 20th century and describe the predictions of IPCC AR5 for the 21st century.
What are the most important projections for 2100 regarding the impact on ecosystem? Group these impacts by regions/most severe climatic impact.
Assume that recently one has discovered that satellites have made mistakes in the past. Would you still believe that there is climate change? Yes/No +give arguments.
Describe the rol of the sun as a driver for natural forcing. How can it influence the climate? Describe the role of the sun on the climate over the last millenium and in the recent climate change. (he really expects you to understand the whole paper that deals with this and asks a lot of questions about it, e.g. how does the sun influence cosmic rays?)...
Explain geo-engeneering. Which methods are proposed? What are their advantages and weaknesses? Why do they cost so much?
A letter was written to a newspaper about the climate congress in Paris: "why is CO2 in your drinks, in wildfires, etc. good and CO2 coming from fossil fuels bad?" (hint: it has to do with fluxes within the global carbon cycle)
AR5 statement about that is extremely likely that humans are responsible for more than 50% of the observed warming due to exhausted athropogenic greenhouse gasses. How does the IPCC prove this with which elements and methods? (IPCC proves this with models)
What is ENSO? Why can it be considered as a tipping element? What are the projections for the future?
Your friend says that climatic scientists always dramatise everything. "They say that in the future more droughts and more floods will occur but by doing this they speak in contradictions because it is not possible that both occur, it's one or the other" What do you tell to your friend?
Broothaerts
excursion: vegetation changes during holocone op de hoge venen: maak een onderscheid tussen natuurlijke en antropogene impacten
Theorie: waarom verschil in zeespiegelstijging noord-Engeland en zuid-engeland?
presentaties: geef voorbeelden van positieve impacten door milieuverandering, negatieve impact door milieuverandering en voorbeeld van dominantie menselijke impact. je moet 1 van de 3 bespreken met bewijzen uit presentatie, je mag nooit je eigen presentatie als voorbeeld gebruiken.
Excursion: illustrate how anthropogenic influence has changed the fluvial systems in the Geul catchment and the Hautes Fages/Ardennens. Use as much changes and features of fluvial systems as possible.
Theory: how can a pollen diagram be used to reconstruct climatic changes on vegetation? and human impact? can it also be used to distinguish between the two? (some smaller questions like how can you correct for the differences in pollen production per species?)
Papers: apply the figure of the copies strategies on the Akkadian empire: (1) how did they (or could have possibly) adapt to environmental change? (2) which methods are used to prove that they had to adapt themselves (so why did they collapse)? (3) illustrate the importance of a detailed and qualitative chronology.
Excursion:
Give examples: Peat (Hoge Venen) is a perfect indicator for environmental changes. Try to give examples of different kind of environmental changes.
Assumption:"The sediment delivery to the floodplain is both in the Amblève catchment and near the Geul dependent on topography".
How can we use pollen to detect human impact/climate change? What are the difficulties?
Papers: give examples of positive and negative natural climate change and dominant human impact and give for one example all methods that were used + the outcome. It's not possible to use your own presentation.
Excursion: Reconstruct the vegetation of the Hautes Fagnes for the last 15 ka. When were the changes antropoghenic or climatic?
Two true or false questions (nuance your aswers):
The extinction of mega fauna is caused by humans.
The transition from the Subboreal to the Atlantic is pure climatic.
Group reports: Give and example of a group report where the climate had an negative influence on societies, where the climate had a positive effect on societies and where the human impact on the environment was the cause for collapse. Discuss for one of these the used methods.
2015
Prof. Huybrechts
What are the evidences to proof that the increased C02 concentration, coming from fossil fuel burning, in the atmosphere is due to anthropogenic influence? What can we learn from a graph that plots the CO2 concentration in function of the 02 concentration?
What are the most important projections for 2100 regarding the impact on ecosystems. (corals, ice caps, coasts, tundra, ...
Prof. Verstraeten
Graph of sediment fluxes throughout the Holocene, discuss + give examples that we saw on excursion.
How can we use pollen data to check if changes are due to Human impacts or due to natural changes.
Compare Anasazi, Maya, Ankor people - with the adaptation table and discuss the concept of collapse.
Prof. Huybrechts
Discuss the aerosol influence on earth's temperature and its radiation balance, and it different kind of effects. Explain for the last millenium and for the 20th century. Important: numbers and units of radiation balance, how much increased/decreased radiative forcing, extra questions about cloud impact (higher, whiter,...)
What are tipping elements? Explain the Arctic sea ice as a tipping element. Relate this to 20th century change and IPCC projections for the 21st century. Important: different scenarios, detailed numbers, drivers, critical points,... as in Lenton et al. paper, why not always considered as tipping point?
Prof. Verstraeten
Excursion: Discuss how abrupt climatic changes during the last 15000 years could have influenced vegetation, soils and geomorphology at the 2 different excursions So: Opgrimbie layer, lithalsa's, Dijle paleomeanders,...
Explaining a graph (chapter 4, last graph with Smax/Smin for different basin areas). How can such a graph be constructed?
Give one example of (1) climate change having a negative influence on human settlements, (2) climate change enhancing human living conditions, (3) a situation in which human alteration is considered the most important. Explain for one of these 3 examples used methods and techniques (not your own paper).
Prof. Huybrechts
Carbon cycle - how much CO2 emitted last decade? Sources and sinks ( /!\ the atm is considered a sink as well). How do we influence the cycle (=fossil fuel burning, acidification, deforestation)? Explain the graph with O2 - CO2: what can we learn from this?
Compare GIS and Arctic IC. How is the SMB assessed? what processes lead to a changing SMB.? what are the projections for 2100? Know the mm the SL will rise in 2100 and is rising now. Talk about WAIS (East vs West vs Peninsule)
Methane concentration: tell about its evolution after industrialization and after 1980. What are the sources and sinks? What is the amount of imbalance in direct and indirect radiative forcing? Very important in these questions is the long lifetime of co2 and the short lifetime of methane! also huybrechts asks after atmospheric chemistry so what happens whit methane after 10 years? ch4+oh-->co2+h2o at much lower concentrations.
Explain the commited climate change and talk about co2 concentration and climate change after thousand years. Why is the climate still the same over thousend years even if co2 is stopped emitting?
Prof. Verstraeten
(Note: everyone gets a personalized exam. If you missed an excursion, you don't get a question about it. The paper-question contains always your own paper or the papers you reviewed)
Compare the vegetation change and Human impact in Dijle Catchment and in the Hautes Fagnes. Is there a difference in HI?
Is human impact on Geomorphology scale dependent (temporal and spatial)?
Compare Anasazi, Maya, Sahel people - with the adaptation table and discuss the concept of collapse. OR Compare Anasazi, Maya, Norse people - with the adaptation table and discuss the concept of collapse.
2014
Prof. Notebaert
Give all the late glacial landforms we saw in the excursion. Explain their genesis. How were they studied. What is their age and how do we know that?
true or false:
The Holocene climate has a great regional difference, and this can be seen looking at the difference in flooding history of Northern versus Southern Brittain.
The Holocene climate optimum is a worldwide phenomenon (something like that...)
give an adaptive cycle for the Norse settlers on Greenland.
Prof. Huybrechts
How did humidity and precipitation change in the last century? Also give regional differences and give information on the type of humidity/precipitation. How does IPCC AR5 project this to change by 2100?
What are tipping elements in the climate system? Explain the Greenland Ice sheet as a tipping element.
Prof. Notebaert
Which aeolian land forms did we see on both excursion days? Explain their formation related to environmental change. How where they dated (explain in detail).
Question 2
explain equifinality and give an example related to EC.
How do you explain increased river incision in the Italian Alps since the last 100yrs? (answ: dams --> clear-water effect)
Vikings and Inuit on Greenland: apply the table of coping strategies (hb p141, but table was given)
Prof Huybrechts
how do we know the increase in atmospheric CO2 is to be attributed to fossil fuel burning? What can we learn when comparing the graph of CO2 and O2 concentrations? Extra questions: what explains the little extra amount of O2 observed than the amount expected by photosynthesis (answ: temperature rise --> outgassing of oceans). Give numbers about land and ocean sink (answ: around 25% of emitted CO2 each).
What is a tipping element? --> apply to arctic sea ice (tipping point?). What are observations since second half of 20th century? What are the projections of the AR5? Extra question: what is the most important feature of the Arctic sea ice (answ: the extent of the sea ice in the summer (september)).
Prof. Notebaert
Compare the glacial-interglacial cycle of Iversen to the pollen diagrams of the Hautes Fagnes (3 diagrams), find some stages. Mention things that are different from stages.
Explain the figure (isostatic rebound on the British Isles), additional question: Where should archeologists look for ancient coastal communities? How much absolute sea level rise has taken place?
Last chapter: adaptive cycle. Make one for the Anasazi
Prof. Huybrechts
AR5 statement about that is extremely likely that humans are responsible for more than 50% of the observed warming due exhausted greenhouse gasses. How does the IPCC prove this with which elements and methods?
Committed climate change: What do they mean with that, what will happen on a timescale of 1000 years? Most important changes?
Prof. Notebaert
Link these 2 graphs to as many points of the excursion as possible (Smin/Smax graph and Antropocene graph at the end of CHAPTER 7)
Anasazi and Maya cultures - compare their adaptive strategies and the reasons for their collapse
True false statements
Does evidence for flooding and discharge point indicate precipitation levels
Something to do with Mediterranean (especially Italy) and high sedimentation in delta - is it because of higher erosion rates?
Prof. Huybrechts
Reeks 1
The sun's impact on climate - different ways in which it can have an impact, differentiate between the last 1000 year and the 20th century
Projected precipitation changes, impact on freshwater uses and availability, differentiate between regions and severity
Reeks 2
What is the evidence of that the climatic forcing is of an antropogenic nature given by the IPCC?
Explain 'commited climate change'? What is meant by irreversible climate change? Give examples on a milenium scale.
Prof. Huybrechts:
Carbon sinks
Geo-engineering
Prof. Notebaert:
Excursion: describe and compare the vegetation since the Young Dryas (I think it was around 13ka) until now on the Dijle and Hautes Fagnes.
Theory
can a pollen record describe all the plants present in a place. (or sth like that)
can the estuaries that exist in Italy be human influence. (again, or sth like that)
Reports: how can we relate this figure with the Anazasi (Adaptive cycle figure)
Prof. Huybrechts
reeks 7
Methaan is een broeikasgas. Sources en sinks + hoeveelheden. Wat is de concentratie en evolutie sinds 1750 en vooral na 1980.
Tipping element THC: hoe werkt het en wat maakt dat het een tipping element is. Tipping point geven dat gezegd is door IPCC AR5. Geef het direct en indirect effect op de radiative forcing.
Mr. Notebaert:
Evolutie van de Dijle in detail uitleggen adhv schema Vandenberghe (1995, 1997). Is het schema altijd geldig? Welke dateringsmethoden zijn gebruikt om de veranderingen in het riviersysteem te dateren?
Geef de ruimtelijke spreiding van natuurlijke en antropogene erosie in de USA.
De Genyornis stierf uit en de Dromaius niet. Waarom?
Welke waren de 'coping strategies' van de Maya en de Anasazi om te overleven en bij milieuveranderingen?
2013
Prof. Huybrechts
Evolutie van GIS, WAIS, en EAIS uitleggen en verklaren wat er gaat gebeuren in de toekomst.
ENSO uitleggen + verklaren wat de toekomst geeft.
Zeer belangrijk voor beiden: tipping points
beschrijf sources en sinks van CO2 (hij vraagt ook achter de getallen van de verschillende sources en sinks!)
Hoe zullen de ecosystemen veranderen door de temperatuursveranderingen in de 21e eeuw (ofzoiets)
Evolutie Antarctica en Groenland uitleggen. Wat zijn de voorspellingen voor 2100?
ENSO als tipping point: leg uit.
Op eerste zicht makkelijke vragen, maar hij vraagt heel veel ambetante bij vragen zoals hoe veel CO2 wordt er uitgestoten bij El Nino, El Nina en de gewone situatie. Wat zijn de processen hier achter? En wat moet je doen om dit tegen te gaan. kan dit een extra impuls zijn voor lokale zeespiegel stijging. Hoe veel vissen gaan er dood bij el Nino en hoe komt dit?
Prof. Notebaert
Evolutie van alle rivieren die we gezien hebben tijdens de excursie en verklaren aan de hand van 2 figuren.
2 waar of fout vragen.
Heeft een groot event (bv aardbeving) veel invloed op samenlevingen.
Kan een pollen diagram worden gebruikt voor de reconstructie van paleo vegetatie
En een grote vraag over het verschil in de Maya's en Anasazi en hun collapse
excursie: alles van laat-glaciale periode dat we gezien hebben opsommen en uitleggen, hij vraag ook achter de dateringstechnieken.
Lessen: juist of fout?
"het middeleeuws optimum is een globale periode en zorgde voor droogte en warmer klimaat"
"De overgang van atlanticum naar subboreaal is door het klimaat"
papers:
andere paper: Moche en Mayas vergelijken (collapse, aanpassingen die ze deden bij environmental change)
eigen paper: stellingen Ruddiman uitleggen
Excursie: geef de rivierdynamieken die we gezien hebben op excursie die te maken hebben met menselijke invloeden.
Juist of fout
Kan je met een pollendiagram met pollenpreservatie een gedetailleerde lokale reconstructie doen
Was het in de middeleeuwen globaal warm en kan je dit afleiden met behulp van een alpen gletsjer? Was het ook droog?
eigen paper uitleggen. En dan een figuur linken aan maya en anasazi
excursiestops van verschillende rivieren linken aan grafiek ivm grootte drainagebekken en bodemerosie en grafiek met fluxen op (laatste slides van hfdst7)
juist/fout:
De impact van vulkaanuitbarstingen, tsunami's,...hebben niet zo'n grote impact op de mens.
Via pollenanalyse kan de vroegere vegatatie van dat gebied nagegaan worden door rekening te houden met de preservatie van de pollen.
over eigen paper ivm Noormannen in Groenland: linken aan figuur 5.1 uit boek met coping strategies en verschillen uitleggen tussen Inuit en Noormannen.
2008
Prof. Huybrechts:
What are the arguments to conclude that the recent rice in atmosferic CO2 must be due to antropogenic inputs, especially from combustion of fossil fuels?
What are the mail characteristics of the projected precipitation changes for the 21st century?
What are the expected impacts of climatic change on freshwater resources ant fresh water availability? Differentiate in your answer by region and by severity of the climatic change.
Welke zijn de belangrijkste processen die hebben bijgedragen tot veranderingen in het zee-niveau tijdens de 20e eeuw? op welke manier en door welke fysische processen? Wat voorspelt het IPCC voor de 21e eeuw? Wat zal er gebeuren met het zeeniveau na de 21e eeuw, zelfs als het opwarmen stabiliseert in 2100 en waarom?
Wat is een tipping point in het klimaatsysteem en welk gedrag kan opgemerkt worden wanneer dit punt overschreden wordt? Welke zijn de specifieke kenmerken van het volgende tipping element: Groenland Ice Sheet?
Wat is een tipping point in het klimaatsysteem en welk gedrag kan opgemerkt worden wanneer dit punt overschreden wordt? Welke zijn de specifieke kenmerken van het volgende tipping element: THC
Bespreek de invloed van de zon in de huidige klimaatsopwarming. Vergelijk de laatste 100 jaar met de laatste 1000 jaar of zoiets. (hier moest ge dus blijkbaar dieje paper van Fröchlich voor gelezen hebben)
Prof. Verstraeten:
Bespreek de respectieve rol die mens en klimaat hebben gespeeld in de vorming van het fluviatiel landschap van de Dijle. (excursievraag)
Bespreek onderstaande figuur. Illustreer adhv minstens 5 voorbeelden uit verschillende regio's. Is er sprake van enig schaalafhankelijkheid? Geef van minstens 1 voorbeeld ook meer details met betrekking tot de wijze waarop de informati[quote] bekomen en geinterpreteerd werd. (laatste slide hoofdstuk 7 (of 4de laatste ook))
Onderstaand schema toont de verschillende strategiën die een gemeenschap kan ontwikkelen als respons op een externe milieuverandering. Illustreer verschillende van deze opties zoals ze werden gevolgd door verschillende beschavingen in de VS, Egypte en het MO tijdens laatste 15 ka. (boek p 141)
Bespreek de evolutie van het fluviatiele systeem in NW-europa. Wat is de impact van het klimaat geweest? Welke technieken zijn gebruikt voor het opmeten van de veranderingen. Welke veranderingen zijn veroorzaakt door het klimaat en welke door mensen? Wat is de impact van fluviatiele systemen geweest op het menselijk handelen?
Vroeger werden enkel pollendateringen en zuurstofisotopen gebruikt voor het dateren. Tegenwoordig wordt ook gebruik gemaakt van multi-proxy aanpak. Waarom is deze multi-proxy beter? Geef 3 voorbeelden van sedimentbudgetten waar een multi-proxy aanpak werd gebruikt en bespreek.
excursie: gegeven: 2 figuren uit Hoofstuk 7: de allerlaatste en dan deze met Smax/Smin: koppel dit aan zoveel mogelijk excursiestops
iets in de trend van: klimaat kan positieve impact hebben op een menselijke beschaving, maar ook een negatieve en soms kan de mens zelfs het klimaat overtreffen. Geef van elke een voorbeeld en geef bij 1 voorbeeld het nodige bewijsmateriaal.
dan 4 calibratiescruves gegeven, 1 profiel van Dijlebekken en 1 tabelleke gevraagd:
A bereken sedimentatieratio's, zijn er periodes met hogere en lagere ratio's te onderscheiden? B voordelen en beperkingen radiocarbondatering bespreken aan de hand van de gegevens C welk beter dateringsalternatief zou je voorstellen? D veenlaag op figuur: geef de pollenkenmerken, welke AP en niet AP zal e hier wel/ niet terugvinden en waarom?
Bespreek de invloed van klimaat en mens bij de vorming van het landschap in en in de nabije omgeving van de Hoge Venen
