Geography, Environment and Society

Palaeoenvironments& Human Impact

30 credits: Autumn Term

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Large-scale climate mechanisms including thermohaline circulation and the bipolar see-sawAbrupt Holocene climate events

Topics include:

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Biogeography and glacial refugiaMegafaunal extinctions

Topics include:

Biological response. Why these things live where they do.

Refugia. How defined? ASK!

Evidence required to find these in the past.

Cryptic refugia. Tress in Europe, rattlesnakes in S America3

Topics include:The evolution of agriculture and domesticationDoes man or nature drive the climate?

Rise of agriculture where, when and why?

Transition from hunter-gathering to agriculture as we know it today (so-called Neolithic Mesolithic transition)

Several models considered, including classic models such as cultural evolution, various climate scenarios, demographic pressure, plus several others (we consider 9 in all!).

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Societal collapseseminarsSeminars

Examine the rise and fall of civilisations in human history. Are there patterns?

Familiar Inca, Mayan, Viking, Easter Islanders.. Not so familiar Anasazi, Clovis, Polynesians, Akkadians5Palaeoenvironments& Human ImpactAssessmentExamination (50%)Annotated bibliography (30%)Small group seminar presentation (20%)Questions?Contact Mick Frogley: m.r.frogley@sussex.ac.uk

Use lectures to take sensible notes. Supplement tem with notes from reading.

Workshops optional, use

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