Environmental Science

This general interest course explores the composition, structure and origin of the Earth and the tectonic, chemical and biological processes that have evolved over the last 4.5 billion years.   It explains how planet "works" as a complex system.  It provides a fundamental basis for understanding many of the environmental challenges faced by human societies especially natural hazards, water shortages, and climate change, and the importance of natural resources to our economy.

A survey of the science, history and applications of wind. Topics include storms including hurricanes, tornadoes and mid-latitude cyclones, global circulation, local circulations, measurement of winds, impact of winds on land surfaces, wind power, winds and pollution, historical and literary winds, and contemporary wind research. No prior knowledge of environmental science is required.

This course illustrates the environmental effects of urban expansion, changing methods of agriculture, industrialization, recreation, resource extraction, energy needs and the devastation of war. Drawing on information from a wide spectrum of topics - such as waste disposal, tourism, the arctic, tropical forests and fisheries - it demonstrates what we know about how pollutants are produced, the pathways they take through the global environment and how we can measure them. The course will conclude with an examination of the state of health of Canada's environments highlighting areas where environmental contamination is the subject of public discussion and concern. No prior knowledge of environmental science is required.

This is an overview of the physical and dynamic nature of meteorology, climatology and related aspects of oceanography. Major topics include: atmospheric composition, nature of atmospheric radiation, atmospheric moisture and cloud development, atmospheric motion including air masses, front formation and upper air circulation, weather forecasting, ocean circulation, climate classification, climate change theory and global warming.

A study of the processes of pedogenesis and the development of diverse soil profiles, their field relationships and their response to changing environmental conditions.
An examination of the fundamental soil properties of importance in soil management. An introduction to the techniques of soil examination in the field, soil analysis in the laboratory and the basic principles of soil classification.

Examines the origins and systems of production of the major plants and animals on which we depend for food. Interactions between those species and systems and the local ecology will be examined, looking at issues of over harvesting, genetic erosion, soil erosion, pesticide use, and impacts of genetically modified strains.

This course is an investigation of the geological background and possible solutions to major hazards in the environment.
Environmental hazards to be studied include: landslides, erosion, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, asteroid impacts, flooding, glaciation, future climate change, subsidence, and the disposal of toxic wastes. This may be of interest to a wide range of students in the life, social, and physical sciences; an opportunity for the non-specialist to understand headline-making geological events of topical interest. No prior knowledge of the Earth Sciences is required.

Sedimentary basins hold the bulk of Earth’s rock record and are fundamental in the study of past environments, tectonic evolution, climates, and biosphere. This course will explore different basin types and the nature of their infills. The course will also emphasize the economic resources within sedimentary basins and paleoenvironmental significance.

This course describes the processes and energy sources shaping the solid Earth's physical evolution and the means by which the properties of the planet’s interior can be inferred. Topics include detection of the Earth's core, Earth's magnetic field, manifestations of Earth's secular cooling (e.g., mantle convection) and Earth's gravity field.

Theoretical and practical aspect of the evolution of organismal diversity in a functional context; examination of species distributions and how these are organized for scientific study. Emphasis will be on the highly diverse invertebrate animals. Topics include biomes, dispersal, adaptation, speciation, extinction and the influence of climate history and humans.

To familiarize students with the relevant legislation, qualitative and quantitative approaches and applications for environmental impact assessments and environmental auditing. The focus will be on the assessment of impacts to the natural environment, however, socio-economic impacts will also be discussed. Environmental auditing and environmental certification systems will be discussed in detail. Examples and case studies from forestry, wildlife biology and land use will be used to illustrate the principles and techniques presented in the course. Students will acquire "hands-on" experience in impact assessment and environmental auditing through case studies.

North America is endowed with eight of the twelve largest lakes in the world. The origin and geological history, cycles of carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus, and structures of ecosystems of the North American Great Lakes will be used as examples of large lacustrine systems. Fundamental concepts of limnology will be related to features found in the Great Lakes.  Topics include: lake origins, lake classification, lake temperature structure and heat budgets, seasonal water circulations, productivity, plankton ecology, food-web dynamics, exotic species invasions, eutrophication-related phenomena and water quality/fisheries management.  Specific anthropogenic influences will be illustrated using case studies from the local environment, and students will be allowed to pursue their own interests through a series of short seminars.

The course will cover fundamental aspects of chemical processes occurring at the Earth's surface. Terrestrial and aquatic geochemical processes such as: mineral formation and dissolution, redox, aqueous-solid phase interactions, stable isotopes, and organic geochemistry in the environment will be covered.

A course describing how seismology is used to probe both shallow layers near the surface as well as Earth's deep interior. Topics covered will include refraction and reflection methods, surface waves, tomography, magnitude and the Richter scale. Concepts including travel times and anisotropy will be discussed.

The last 2.5 million years has seen the repeated formation of large continental ice sheets over North America and Europe. The course will review the geologic and geomorphologic record of past glacial and interglacial climates, the formation and flow of ice sheets , and modern day cold-climate processes in Canada's north.  The course includes a one-day field trip to examine the glacial record of the GTA.

This course is intended for students who would like to apply theoretical principles of environmental sustainability learned in other courses to real world problems. Students will identify a problem of interest related either to campus sustainability, a local NGO, or municipal, provincial, or federal government.  Class meetings will consist of group discussions investigating key issues, potential solutions, and logistical matters to be considered for implementation of proposed solutions.  Students who choose campus issues will also have the potential to actually implement their solutions.  Grades will be based on participation in class discussions, as well as a final report and presentation.
Same as ESTC34H3

The course introduces mechanics of rock deformation. It examines identification, interpretation, and mechanics of faults, folds, and structural features of sedimentary, igneous and metamorphic rocks as well as global, regional and local scale structural geology and tectonics. Lectures are supplemented by lab exercises and demonstrations as well as local field trips.

Climate change over the last 150 years is reviewed by examining the climate record using both direct measurements and proxy data. Projection of future climate is reviewed using the results of sophisticated climate modeling. The climate change impact assessment formalism is introduced and applied to several examples. Students will acquire practical experience in climate change impact assessment through case studies.

The design, implementation, and reporting of a substantial research project involving laboratory and/or fieldwork. Existing faculty research allows a broad range of possible topics. The course should be undertaken after the end of the 3rd Year, subject to faculty availability. Faculty permission and supervision is required; open only to those students who have either completed or are undertaking specialist courses in the area of intended study. Students having a B+ or higher standing may be eligible for summer financial support from research projects.

The motion of water at the hill slope and drainage basin scales. The relationship between surface and subsurface hydrological processes. Soil hydrologic processes emphasizing infiltration. Stream flow generation mechanisms, hydrometric and isotopic research methods. Problems of physically based and empirical modelling of hydrological processes. Snowmelt energetics and modelling.

This course consists of a study of the ways in which hazardous organic and inorganic materials can be removed or attenuated in natural systems. The theory behind various technologies, with an emphasis on bioremediation techniques and their success in practice. An introduction to the unique challenges associated with the remediation of surface and ground water environments, soils, marine systems, and contaminated sediments.

This course is designed to provide a strong interdisciplinary focus on specific environmental problems including the socioeconomic context in which environmental issues are resolved.  The cohort capstone course is in 2 consecutive semesters, providing final year students the opportunity to work in a team, as environmental researchers and consultants, combining knowledge and skill-sets acquired in earlier courses.  Group research to local environmental problems and exposure to critical environmental policy issues will be the focal point of the course.  Students will attend preliminary meetings schedules in the Fall semester.
Same as ESTD17Y3

This course consists of 12 lectures given by senior industry professionals to prepare students for a post-graduate career in environmental consulting. Lectures will convey the full range of consulting activities, including visits to environmental investigation sites in the Toronto area. Technical writing and oral communication skills will be stressed in assignments.

This course offers an advanced introduction to geophysical data analysis. It is intended for upper-level undergraduate students and graduate students interested in data analysis and statistics in the geophysical sciences and is mainly laboratory (computer) based. The goal is to provide an understanding of the theory underlying the statistical analysis of geophysical data, in space, time and spectral domains and to provide the tools to undertake this statistical analysis. Important statistical techniques such as regression, correlation and spectral analysis of time series will be explored with a focus on hypothesis formulation and interpretation of the analysis. Multivariate approaches will also be introduced. Although some previous knowledge of probability and statistics will be helpful, a review will be provided at the beginning of the course. Concepts and notation will be introduced, as needed.

Jointly offered with EES1132H.