EARTH 530
The Critical Zone

Summary and Final Tasks

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This has been a long unit with a lot of reading and writing. By now though you should have a strong basic understanding of atmospheric processes and the full range of climate change that can occur on Earth, on both the global and regional level. You should also understand the overwhelming scientific information indicating that climate change is being driven by anthropogenic causes, that this change is occurring very rapidly, and that the change will affect the Critical Zone and soil resources. All is not lost however—the scientific community has begun to discuss various management strategies to deal with potential degradation of the Critical Zone. Whether you realize it nor not, you can apply this newfound knowledge to modify your own behaviors and help to develop strategies that will allow society to survive and perhaps thrive under warmer Earth conditions—perhaps your students will learn from you and do the same.

In the next unit we will focus on the hydrologic cycle, and surface and ground water resources, which are all intimately tied to the atmospheric processes you have just studied and mastered.

Reminder—Complete all of the lesson tasks!

You have finished Lesson 5. Double-check the list of requirements on the Lesson 5 Overview page to make sure you have completed all of the activities listed there before beginning the next lesson.

Tell us about it!

If you have anything you'd like to comment on or add to, the lesson materials, feel free to share your thoughts with Tim. For example, what did you have the most trouble with in this lesson? Was there anything useful here that you'd like to try in your own classroom?