Volcanoes: environmental and societal impacts

Overview

Throughout the Earth’s history, volcanoes have helped shape the landscape, have altered the climate, and have devastated local environments and societies within their reach. They have also yielded rich soils and important mineral deposits, and are of considerable economic value in terms of geothermal energy and their lure for geotourism and adventure tourism. Not surprisingly, these immensely powerful forces of nature have for millennia been the dual source of fascination, myths and legends on the one hand, and destruction and terror on the other, and still humans chose to live in their shadows. This module will investigate the relationship between volcanoes, the environment and humans. Drawing on palaeoenvironmental, archaeological and historical data, we will examine the local and wider impacts of volcanic eruptions on the environment and climate, and the repercussions for human populations, cultures and societies, in the past and today. We will consider the role of palaeovolcanism in identifying volcanic hazards, informing risk assessments and developing mitigation strategies. Finally, we will contemplate modern perceptions of volcanoes and the threats they pose, including the growing popularity of volcano geotourism in the face of personal danger.

Learning Objectives

On successful completion of this module, students should be able to:
• Consider hypotheses of volcanically-driven environmental change in a global context
• Evaluate the positive and negative impacts of volcanic activity on human cultures and societies
• Describe the hazards associated with different forms of volcanic activity and illustrate their mitigation with appropriate case studies
• Conduct independent and group research using library and digital resources
• Evaluate, analyse and plot numerical data in a digital format

Skills

• Numerical analytical skills
• Presentation skills
• Written and oral self-expression
• Independent research
• Team-work
• Time management, organisation and planning

Assessment

Lectures
Practicals
Seminars