Permafrost and Environmental Change (F8023A)

30 credits, Level 6

Autumn teaching

Permafrost regions are one of the most sensitive regions to environmental change. The climates of northern Alaska, Canada and Russia are warming quicker than almost all other regions on Earth. Such warming is causing major changes in earth-surface conditions:

  • permafrost is warming and disappearing
  • frozen peatlands are degrading
  • wetlands are replacing some boreal forest
  • treeline is advancing northward into the Arctic.

Studying these changes indicates the magnitude and rate of environmental change. This can measure the effects of global warming.

On this module, you’ll examine present and past permafrost regions from an interdisciplinary perspective. You’ll link permafrost science with physical geography, geology, ecology and Quaternary science. You’ll cover:

  • the general nature of permafrost regions, and their vegetation and soils
  • scientific, engineering and resource issues
  • modern permafrost in the Arctic and past permafrost in the mid-latitudes.

You’ll build knowledge of earth-surface processes and environmental change in permafrost regions. You’ll then summarise and analyse methods, hypotheses and data about such regions. You’ll also consider the problems and solutions associated with economic development, and land management on permafrost terrain.

Teaching

92%: Lecture
8%: Practical

Assessment

60%: Coursework (Problem set, Report)
40%: Examination (Computer-based examination)

Contact hours and workload

This module is approximately 300 hours of work. This breaks down into about 48 hours of contact time and about 252 hours of independent study. The 5X社区视频 may make minor variations to the contact hours for operational reasons, including timetabling requirements.

We regularly review our modules to incorporate student feedback, staff expertise, as well as the latest research and teaching methodology. We鈥檙e planning to run these modules in the academic year 2026/27. However, there may be changes to these modules in response to feedback, staff availability, student demand or updates to our curriculum.

We鈥檒l make sure to let you know of any material changes to modules at the earliest opportunity.

Courses

This module is offered on the following courses: