Applied Climatology

Code:

GEOGR010

Acronym:

CLIAPL

Instance: 2017/2018 - 1S

Active?	Yes
Responsible unit:	Department of Geography
Course/CS Responsible:	Bachelor in Geography

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
GEOGR	6	GEOGR - Study Plan	2	-	6	4
			3

Teaching language

Portuguese

Objectives

The aim of Applied Climatology, along with the other 6th semester subjects of the Bachelor Degree in Geography, is to provide students with the necessary skills in the field of knowledge and know-how, in the various areas in which knowledge on the climate system is put to use – urban climatology, agroclimatology, bioclimatology, etc. 

Learning outcomes and competences

After recalling the vocabulary and climatology terminology already learned in other subjects, and having: i) ascertained the knowledge of specific entities, of symbols and methods; ii) improved the understanding of the fundamentals and basic theoretical principles underlying the subject; iii) improved skills in analysing statistical data, documents and literature; iv) practiced the application and use of concepts, principles and methods learned in new situations; v) exercised the ability to summarise the information learned previously, in a fragmented way, into an articulate, single and coherent body of knowledge; vi) tested the ability to assess the adequacy of an idea, a concept, a theory or a method to solve a specific problem; students will be prepared to interpret, on their own or in a group, the cause and effect relationships within the Climate System on several space and time scales of analysis.

Working method

Presencial

Pre-requirements (prior knowledge) and co-requirements (common knowledge)

not applicable

Program

The course contents are structured into 4 main themes: i) introduction and framework of the subject within the current theory-methodological reservoirs of social and natural sciences; ii) the complexity of biunivocal relationships between climate and society; iii) applied regional and local climatology; iv) the threats and opportunities for climatology in the near future I. Introduction 1.Climatology – object, methods and techniques. 2. The contribution of the General Systems Theory and of the Chaos Theory to research on Climatology. 3. The taxonomic categories for the organisation of the Climate System and the appropriate theory-methodological strategies. II. Climate and Society – a complex biunivocal relationship 1. The climate as a natural resource and natural hazard 2. Consequences of the climate context on progress and socio-economic development throughout history. 3. Impacts of human activities on the various resolution levels of the climate system. 3.1. Controversy around global warming 3.2. The relationship with the ongoing climate outbursts 4. Codes of perception and memorisation of the behaviour of climate elements 5. Climatology at the centre of a great media attention 5.1. The media and global warming 5.2. The media and the perception of climate disaster hazards III. Applied Regional and Local Climatology 1. Urban climatology 1.1. Energy balance in the urban space. 1.2. Water balance in the urban space. 1.3. Biogreography in the urban space – perceived and ignored natural resources. 1.4. Natural and artificial morphology in the urban space. 1.5. Air quality in urban spaces – case studies. 1.6. Climate patchwork in urban spaces of different sizes – case studies. 1.7. The contribution of climatology to the sustainable strategic planning of urban spaces. 2. Bioclimatology 2.1.Resistance limits and adaptability of the human being to light, temperature, humidity, etc. 2.2.Definition of thermal-hygro-anemometer comfort according to the activities required. 2.3. Comfort indexes. 2.4. Climate and health (mental and physical). 2.5. Climate and architecture. 2.6. Climate and tourism. 2.7. Climate and road safety 2.7 The contribution of bioclimatology to regional planning. 3. Agroclimatology 3.1.The influence of climatic elements in the biological vitality of plants and of pests. 3.2. Caloric balance, temperature, humidity, precipitation, wind, etc., in a tree, shrub and herbs plantation. 3.3. Phytoclimatic and agroclimatic indexes 3.4.Agroclimatic classification of Papadakis 3.5.Application of theory-methodological contents in the prevention of agricultural hazards – a case study in Entre Douro e Minho. IV. Threats and Opportunities for Climatology in the near Future

Mandatory literature

GEIGER, R. ; Manual de microclimatologia – o clima da camada de ar junto ao solo, Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian, 1990
GARCIA, F. ; Manual de Climatología Aplicada: Clima, Médio Ambiente y Planificación, Editorial Sintesis, 1996
Grimmond; C.S.B., Roth, M., Oke, T.R. et al; Climate and more sustainable cities: Climate information for improved planning and management of cities (Producers/Capabilities perspective), 'Procedia Environmental Sciences, 1: 247-274, 2010
RIZWAN, A.M., DENNIS, L.Y.C., LIU, C.; A review on the generation, determination and mitigation of Urban Heat Island, Journal of Environmental Sciences, 20 (1) p.120-128, 2008
OKE, T.R.; Boundary Layer Climates, Routledge, 1990
MONTEIRO, A.; “O Clima Urbano do Porto – Contribuição para a definição das estratégias de Planeamento e ordenamento do território”, FCG/JNICT, 1997
DOUGLAS, I.; The urban environment, Edward Arnold, 1983

Teaching methods and learning activities

Particularly in the sub-themes of the priority thematic area of Applied Regional and Local Climatology, the teaching/learning process requires a considerable number of practice hours on the concepts and specific methods, the development of small projects and an annual research assignment. Since the student is required to: i) be motivated into producing an accurate individual project; ii) acquire methodological skills (know how to manage and organise time, learn to deal with and solve a problem, etc.); iii) be familiar with instruments and methodology (is able to choose the essential bibliographical and statistical sources and the methodologies that are most suitable to solving the problem); iv) have the opportunity to develop its autonomy in individual and group work; the student should have sufficient free time to overcome each stage of the research process, under lecturer supervision.

keywords

Natural sciences > Environmental science > Ecology > Bioclimatology
Natural sciences > Environmental science > Earth science > Physical geography
Natural sciences > Environmental science
Social sciences > Geography

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation without final exam

Assessment Components

Designation	Weight (%)
Defesa pública de dissertação, de relatório de projeto ou estágio, ou de tese	20,00
Participação presencial	20,00
Teste	10,00
Trabalho escrito	30,00
Trabalho laboratorial	20,00
Total:	100,00

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

Designation	Time (hours)
Estudo autónomo	60,00
Frequência das aulas	56,00
Trabalho de investigação	46,00
Total:	162,00

Eligibility for exams

The classification criteria applicable to this subject are: i) attendance (students must be present in 75% of sessions) ii) participation in teaching sessions iii) the overall quality of written performance  iv) the overall quality of oral performance v) the written test ; vi) creativity and individual initiative, progress in individual scientific appreciation vii) the written test; viii) the research work (plan and progress report, final report, presentation and discussion)

Calculation formula of final grade

The final evaluation is:
Presentation and defense project report 20%
Attendance - 20%
Test - 10%
Written work - 30%
Laboratory work - 20%

Examinations or Special Assignments

Not applicable

Internship work/project

not apllicable

Special assessment (TE, DA, ...)

The final evaluation is:
Presentation and defense project report 20%
Attendance - 20%
Test - 10%
Written work - 30%
Laboratory work - 20%

Classification improvement

Not applicable

Observations

Not applicable