Agro Climatology And Biogeography
- Agricultural Sciences
- 300 level
- 2 credit units
- 167 pages
- 29 units
This course explores the interrelationship between climate and agriculture. It covers the principles of climatology and biogeography, examining how climatic conditions influence the Earth's atmosphere. Students will learn about radiation laws, atmospheric moisture, pressure and wind systems, condensation, and precipitation processes. The course also addresses seasonal variations, meteorological station equipment, tropical climates, and the impact of climate change on agriculture, including mitigation and adaptation strategies.
About this course
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Study hours
- 120 hours
- Maths
- Basic
- Content
- Theoretical, practical, case study
- Practical work
- Yes
- Assignments
- Tutor marked assessments
- Final examination
What you'll read
The real module and unit structure of AGR309, taken from the course material NOUN publishes.
One paragraph, so you can see how it reads
AGR309 · UNIT 1 PRINCIPLES, AIMS AND SCOPE OF CLIMATOLOGY
This approach seeks to describe the variation in climate focusing on the physical processes influencing climate and the processes producing the various kinds of physical climates such as marine, desert and mountains. It also emphasizes the global energy and water balance regimes of the earth and the atmosphere Physical climatology deals with explanations of climate rather than with presentations.
What you should be able to do
- Explain the principles of climatology and biogeography.
- Determine climatic conditions and relate them to Earth's atmospheric dynamics.
- Explain the principles and laws of radiation.
- Define atmospheric moisture and the hydrological cycle.
- Explain the dynamics of pressure and wind systems.
- Describe condensation and precipitation processes.
- Explain seasonal variations in temperature, radiation, and rainfall.
- Discuss climate change issues in agriculture and methods of amelioration.
What it prepares you for
- Agricultural Climatologist
- Environmental Consultant
- Agrometeorologist
- Climate Change Analyst
- Sustainable Agriculture Specialist
- Agriculture
- Environmental Management
- Climate Research
- Government Agencies
- Consulting
Where it gets hard
The units students slow down on, and what makes each one heavy.
- Module 3: Radiation and Heating of the Atmospheric Systems
Unit 1: Meaning, Principles and Laws of Radiation
Understanding the laws of radiation requires grasping complex physics concepts.
- Module 5: The Dynamics of Pressure and Wind Systems
Unit 2: Causes of Atmospheric Circulations
Requires understanding of complex atmospheric dynamics and their interactions.
A suggested way through it
13 weeks, about 48 hours in total. Yours will differ.
- Week 1Module 1: Principles, Aims and Scope Of Climatology And Biogeography
Unit 1: Principles, Aims and Scope of Climatology · 3 hours
Define climatology and its principles.. Explain the relationship between climate and the environment.. Discuss the approaches to climatology..
Unit 2: Principles, Aims and Scope of Biogeography · 3 hours
Explain the principles of biogeography.. Discuss the aims of biogeography.. State the scope of biogeography..
- Week 2Module 2: The Elements And Control of Climate and Weather and the Dynamics of the Earth's Atmosphere
Unit 1: Meaning and elements of climate and weather · 3 hours
Define climate and weather.. Differentiate between climate and weather.. List and describe the elements of climate and weather..
- Week 3Module 2: The Elements And Control of Climate and Weather and the Dynamics of the Earth's Atmosphere
Unit 2: Factors controlling climate and weather · 3 hours
List the factors that control climate and weather.. Discuss the role of each factor in controlling climate and weather..
- Week 4Module 2: The Elements And Control of Climate and Weather and the Dynamics of the Earth's Atmosphere
Unit 3: Importance of Climate and Weather · 3 hours
Explain the importance of climate and weather on agriculture.. Explain the importance of climate and weather on transportation and communication.. Explain the importance of climate and weather on mode of dressing and houses built..
- Week 5Module 2: The Elements And Control of Climate and Weather and the Dynamics of the Earth's Atmosphere
Unit 4: The Dynamics of the Earth's Atmosphere · 3 hours
Explain applications of the thermodynamics of the earth atmosphere.. Define the planetary boundary layer of the atmosphere.. Describe the forces in the atmosphere planetary waves..
- Week 6Module 3: Radiation and Heating of the Atmospheric Systems
Unit 1: Meaning, Principles and Laws of Radiation · 3 hours
Define radiation and explain its principles.. State and explain the laws of radiation..
- Week 7Module 3: Radiation and Heating of the Atmospheric Systems
Unit 2: Energy in the Atmosphere · 3 hours
Explain the concept of atmosphere.. Discuss the regions of atmosphere.. Provide explanation on the energy system..
- Week 8Module 3: Radiation and Heating of the Atmospheric Systems
Unit 3: Heating of the Atmosphere · 3 hours
Explain the term Short-wave energy.. Define Long-wave energy.. Explain heat balance..
- Week 9Module 4: Atmospheric Moisture
Unit 1: Forms of Water and Heat Transfers · 3 hours
Discuss the various forms of water.. Explain the different processes of heat transfer.. Identify the energy required to transfer water from one state to another..
- Week 10Module 4: Atmospheric Moisture
Unit 2: Causes of Atmospheric Circulation · 3 hours
Describe the concept of latitude as it affects atmospheric circulation.. Explain the phenomenon of earth rotation as a cause of atmospheric circulation..
- Week 11Module 4: Atmospheric Moisture
Unit 3: The Planetary Scale · 3 hours
Explain the tricellular model of atmospheric circulation.. Explain the concept of synoptic systems as a macro scale of atmospheric circulation.. Differentiate between land and sea breeze systems..
- Week 12Final Revision
Final Revision and Assignments · 6 hours
Review all modules and units.. Work on assignments and TMAs..
- Week 13Final Revision
Final Revision and Exam Preparation · 6 hours
Complete all assignments and TMAs.. Prepare for final examinations..
Preparing for the exam
- Create detailed summaries of each module, focusing on key definitions and principles.
- Develop diagrams illustrating atmospheric processes like radiation, condensation, and wind systems.
- Practice applying radiation laws to different scenarios, such as varying altitudes or cloud cover.
- Review past assignments and TMAs, identifying areas where you struggled and need further study.
- Create flashcards for key terms and concepts, such as 'adiabatic cooling' or 'intertropical convergence zone'.
- Allocate specific study time for each module, prioritizing those with higher difficulty ratings.
- Form a study group to discuss complex topics and quiz each other on key concepts.
- Use online resources and videos to supplement your understanding of challenging topics.
- Focus on understanding the relationships between climate change and agricultural practices.
- Practice interpreting weather maps and data to predict local climate conditions.
- Review the instruments used in a meteorological station and their functions.
- Create concept maps linking Units 3-5 database concepts
- Practice SQL queries from Units 7-9 weekly
Questions students ask about this course
What is AGR309 about?
This course explores the interrelationship between climate and agriculture. It covers the principles of climatology and biogeography, examining how climatic conditions influence the Earth's atmosphere. Students will learn about radiation laws, atmospheric moisture, pressure and wind systems, condensation, and precipitation processes. The course also addresses seasonal variations, meteorological station equipment, tropical climates, and the impact of climate change on agriculture, including mitigation and adaptation strategies.
How many units does AGR309 have?
AGR309, Agro Climatology And Biogeography, has 29 units across 11 modules, over 167 pages of course material. You can read it one unit at a time.
How many credit units is AGR309?
AGR309 carries 2 credit units, at 300 level in Agricultural Sciences.
Is AGR309 hard?
AGR309 is rated intermediate level, with basic mathematical content. It is mostly theoretical, practical and case study work, and it has a practical component.
How long does AGR309 take to study?
About 120 hours of study, spread across its 29 units.
How is AGR309 assessed?
AGR309 is assessed by assignments, tutor marked assessments and final examination.
What can I do with AGR309?
Agricultural Climatologist, Environmental Consultant, Agrometeorologist, Climate Change Analyst and Sustainable Agriculture Specialist.