3-7: Desertification
Importance of this Unit to the Course
Climate changes and climate variability as discussed
in Block 2 leads to natural changes in the primary productivity of landscapes. Human use of
land as discussed in the previous unit influences the landscape's ability
to recover from
natural loss of productivity.
Objectives
- To understand the role of human and
natural factors in the desertification process.
- To review the global occurrences of
desertification and future implications.
Preparation for
Discussion (You must complete this section before class.)
- Read the
summary information.
(Print text for offline
review.)
- Take the
Quiz over the summary information. (see your portfolio)
- Review additional reading material (this material is not covered in the
quiz, but offers more ideas for online discussion)
Discussion (online /
face-to-face) (See your portfolio for due dates and times)
A major component of the course is participation in the online dialog.
The following types of comments are required:
- Social Comments
- Knowledge-building Comments
- Ethical Comments
The following may be used as discussion starters for the online dialog:
- Unit Problem to Ponder:
Why and how is desertification a positive feedback
mechanism to the climate system?
- Unit exam questions
from previous years
- Unit discussions from previous years, available from
the current online
discussion page
Additional Reading
