Overview:
Without nitrogen there would be no life - no me, no you, no blue whale, no Atlantic cod, no Antarctic krill. But like anything - too much nitrogen leads to a series of negative consequences. Since the beginning of the 20th century, human activities have doubled the amount of nitrogen cycling through the biosphere and in doing so we have introduced large amounts of nitrogen into coastal waters. This excess nitrogen has led to eutrophication, loss of submerged aquatic vegetation, harmful algal blooms, increased low oxygen conditions and dead zones, fish kills, and loss of biodiversity. But this nitrogen has also allowed human population to rise to 7 billion – in fact, about 50% of us are alive because of human fixed nitrogen through the production of fertilizer. We are currently faced with a grand challenge: how do we feed an increasing population while protecting and even restoring our environment? The goal of this course is to take on this grand challenge. We will explore the history of the nitrogen cycle and the role of social contracts, religion, and politics in shaping its current status. We will examine where our nitrogen comes from, where it goes, and what happens when it gets there. We will discuss the ethics of what we eat and how we live. Ultimately we will design a campaign that communicates to a wider audience what our nitrogen footprint (or our Bigfoot) is and how it shapes the world around us.
Without nitrogen there would be no life - no me, no you, no blue whale, no Atlantic cod, no Antarctic krill. But like anything - too much nitrogen leads to a series of negative consequences. Since the beginning of the 20th century, human activities have doubled the amount of nitrogen cycling through the biosphere and in doing so we have introduced large amounts of nitrogen into coastal waters. This excess nitrogen has led to eutrophication, loss of submerged aquatic vegetation, harmful algal blooms, increased low oxygen conditions and dead zones, fish kills, and loss of biodiversity. But this nitrogen has also allowed human population to rise to 7 billion – in fact, about 50% of us are alive because of human fixed nitrogen through the production of fertilizer. We are currently faced with a grand challenge: how do we feed an increasing population while protecting and even restoring our environment? The goal of this course is to take on this grand challenge. We will explore the history of the nitrogen cycle and the role of social contracts, religion, and politics in shaping its current status. We will examine where our nitrogen comes from, where it goes, and what happens when it gets there. We will discuss the ethics of what we eat and how we live. Ultimately we will design a campaign that communicates to a wider audience what our nitrogen footprint (or our Bigfoot) is and how it shapes the world around us.
Class recap:
1. (1/20) Introductions and goals of semester.
2. (1/22) Nitrogen Overview -
a. Lecture on N -from stardust to impacting the marine environment.
b. (Brief) Discussion on Aldo Leopold's essay "Odyssey" from a Sand County Almanac.
3. (1/27) Terrestrial N Cycle - Overview article of N cycle
No class - Blizzard
4. (1/29) N Cycle Processes
5. (2/3) Earth's Ecological Carrying Capacity and You
- Assignment
- Malthus (1798). An Essay on the Principle of Population.
- Gerland et al. (2014) World population stabilization unlikely this century.
6. (2/5) Earth's Ecological Carrying Capacity and You - Part II
- Updated Assignment
7. (2/10) No Class - Snow day.
8. (2/12) - Finishing Malthus
9. (2/17) - No class - Monday Schedule
10. (2/19) - History of Nitrogen, Alchemy of Air Socratic Seminar I
- Reading assignment and information for preparing for seminar
11. and 12. Steve Decina - Guest Lecture
13. (3/3) Socratic Seminar 2 - About the Philosopher's Stone Section in Alchemy of Air.
14. (3/5) The Story of N told through the Eyes of Haber or Bosch.
- Assignment here.
15. 3/10 and 3/12 - No Class Spring Break
16. 3/17 - History of Food
- In Class Reading, Presentation, and Discussion of Timeline and Human Population Curve
17. 3/19 - History of Nitrogen, Alchemy of Air Socratic Seminar III, Section 3 (Syn)
- Bring your own questions. One to consider: After reading this section does it change how you think/feel about Haber and Bosch? About the Haber-Bosch Process?
18. (3/24) - The Nitrogen Cascade - Focus on Excess N Impacts on Terrestrial Systems
Read the Galloway paper to the Aquatic Systems section (we'll read that section later).
Lecture and class discussion.
Look over your case study - if you have questions - we'll have time in class to go over it.
Groups:
1. Chamberlain and Setaro - Ecological Effects of N deposition in the Western US
2. Gaskins and Rizzo - Plant Species lost from chronic low level N deposition in prairie grasslands
3. Green and Root - Nitrogen Saturation in Northern Forest Ecosystems
4. Miceli and Gustainis - N deposition and butterfly biodiversity
5. Marsh and Watson - Effects of N deposition of Insect Herbivory
19. (3/26) Case Study Group Presentations - Excess N Impacts on Terrestrial Systems
- In Class Group Presentations - 15 minutes (ppt) - upload ppt to dropbox (into folder titled Excess N Impacts on Land - Case Studies) by Wednesday (3/25) at midnight.
- After Presentations we'll have an overview synthesis discussion.
20. (3/31) - Case Studies Continued.
21. (4/2) Phytoplankton and N Cycle in Class Discussion
22. (4/7) The Nitrogen Cascade - Focus on Excess N Impacts on Aquatic Systems
Finish reading the Galloway paper.
Finish Case Study Presentations on N impacts on Land then Lecture and class discussion on N and Aquatic Systems.
Look over your case study - if you have questions - we'll have time in class to go over it.
Groups:
1. Chamberlain and Watson - Sea Turtles, Macroalgae, and Tumors
2. Gaskins and Miceli - Estuaries and Nitrogen
3. Rizzo and Root - Haber Bosch and HABs
4. Green and Gustainis - Excess N Impacts on Salt Marshes
5. Marsh and Setaro - Atmospheric Deposition and the Open Ocean
23. (4/9) Case Study Group Presentations - N Impacts on Aquatic Systems Continued.
In Class Discussion and Epic N Explanation Battle!
Details and Groups found here!
24. (4/14) Food, Farms, and Footprints.
Lecture and In Class Discussion.
25. (4/16) Epic N Battle In Class Presentations and In Class Discussion.
Assignment due April 23rd!
26. (4/21) Sewage and You!
27. (4/23) Solutions - Big and Small.
In Class Discussion about Food and Food, inc. (see above for details).
Final Project Description
28. (4/28) In Class Discussion, Final Questions, Prep for Last Class.
29. (4/30) Final Class Presentations and Wrap Up!
1. (1/20) Introductions and goals of semester.
2. (1/22) Nitrogen Overview -
a. Lecture on N -from stardust to impacting the marine environment.
b. (Brief) Discussion on Aldo Leopold's essay "Odyssey" from a Sand County Almanac.
3. (1/27) Terrestrial N Cycle - Overview article of N cycle
No class - Blizzard
4. (1/29) N Cycle Processes
5. (2/3) Earth's Ecological Carrying Capacity and You
- Assignment
- Malthus (1798). An Essay on the Principle of Population.
- Gerland et al. (2014) World population stabilization unlikely this century.
6. (2/5) Earth's Ecological Carrying Capacity and You - Part II
- Updated Assignment
7. (2/10) No Class - Snow day.
8. (2/12) - Finishing Malthus
9. (2/17) - No class - Monday Schedule
10. (2/19) - History of Nitrogen, Alchemy of Air Socratic Seminar I
- Reading assignment and information for preparing for seminar
11. and 12. Steve Decina - Guest Lecture
13. (3/3) Socratic Seminar 2 - About the Philosopher's Stone Section in Alchemy of Air.
14. (3/5) The Story of N told through the Eyes of Haber or Bosch.
- Assignment here.
15. 3/10 and 3/12 - No Class Spring Break
16. 3/17 - History of Food
- In Class Reading, Presentation, and Discussion of Timeline and Human Population Curve
17. 3/19 - History of Nitrogen, Alchemy of Air Socratic Seminar III, Section 3 (Syn)
- Bring your own questions. One to consider: After reading this section does it change how you think/feel about Haber and Bosch? About the Haber-Bosch Process?
18. (3/24) - The Nitrogen Cascade - Focus on Excess N Impacts on Terrestrial Systems
Read the Galloway paper to the Aquatic Systems section (we'll read that section later).
Lecture and class discussion.
Look over your case study - if you have questions - we'll have time in class to go over it.
Groups:
1. Chamberlain and Setaro - Ecological Effects of N deposition in the Western US
2. Gaskins and Rizzo - Plant Species lost from chronic low level N deposition in prairie grasslands
3. Green and Root - Nitrogen Saturation in Northern Forest Ecosystems
4. Miceli and Gustainis - N deposition and butterfly biodiversity
5. Marsh and Watson - Effects of N deposition of Insect Herbivory
19. (3/26) Case Study Group Presentations - Excess N Impacts on Terrestrial Systems
- In Class Group Presentations - 15 minutes (ppt) - upload ppt to dropbox (into folder titled Excess N Impacts on Land - Case Studies) by Wednesday (3/25) at midnight.
- After Presentations we'll have an overview synthesis discussion.
20. (3/31) - Case Studies Continued.
21. (4/2) Phytoplankton and N Cycle in Class Discussion
22. (4/7) The Nitrogen Cascade - Focus on Excess N Impacts on Aquatic Systems
Finish reading the Galloway paper.
Finish Case Study Presentations on N impacts on Land then Lecture and class discussion on N and Aquatic Systems.
Look over your case study - if you have questions - we'll have time in class to go over it.
Groups:
1. Chamberlain and Watson - Sea Turtles, Macroalgae, and Tumors
2. Gaskins and Miceli - Estuaries and Nitrogen
3. Rizzo and Root - Haber Bosch and HABs
4. Green and Gustainis - Excess N Impacts on Salt Marshes
5. Marsh and Setaro - Atmospheric Deposition and the Open Ocean
23. (4/9) Case Study Group Presentations - N Impacts on Aquatic Systems Continued.
In Class Discussion and Epic N Explanation Battle!
Details and Groups found here!
24. (4/14) Food, Farms, and Footprints.
Lecture and In Class Discussion.
25. (4/16) Epic N Battle In Class Presentations and In Class Discussion.
Assignment due April 23rd!
26. (4/21) Sewage and You!
27. (4/23) Solutions - Big and Small.
In Class Discussion about Food and Food, inc. (see above for details).
Final Project Description
28. (4/28) In Class Discussion, Final Questions, Prep for Last Class.
29. (4/30) Final Class Presentations and Wrap Up!