Climatology and hydrology applied to agronomy and the environment

lbir1328  2019-2020  Louvain-la-Neuve

Climatology and hydrology applied to agronomy and the environment
Note from June 29, 2020
Although we do not yet know how long the social distancing related to the Covid-19 pandemic will last, and regardless of the changes that had to be made in the evaluation of the June 2020 session in relation to what is provided for in this learning unit description, new learnig unit evaluation methods may still be adopted by the teachers; details of these methods have been - or will be - communicated to the students by the teachers, as soon as possible.
6 credits
45.0 h + 22.5 h
Q1
Teacher(s)
Bielders Charles; Goosse Hugues; Vanclooster Marnik (coordinator);
Language
English
Prerequisites

The prerequisite(s) for this Teaching Unit (Unité d’enseignement – UE) for the programmes/courses that offer this Teaching Unit are specified at the end of this sheet.
Content
Bio-climatology
  • Exchange of heat and mass in the boundary layer of the atmosphere, inside plant communities and in the top layer of the soil.
  • Mechanisms of climate formation: atmospheric structure, vertical profiles in the lower layers, lateral movement, atmospheric circulation, clouds and precipitation, greenhouse effect, effects of landscape elements, dynamic and thermal action of relief and vegetation.
  • Influence of human activities on climate and impacts of global climate change.
Hydrology
  • Water management issues at the plot and watershed scale.
  • The different components of the hydrological cycle (rain, infiltration, runoff, drainage, hypodermic flow, evapotranspiration): process, mathematical description, methods of measurement and interpretation.
  • Hydrological modelling at the plot and watershed scale.
  • Control structures for surface runoff and collection of runoff water.
Teaching methods
Theoretical course : Lectures in audience.
Exercises :
  • Exercices in computer room
  • Supervised exercise sessions
  • Field excursion
Evaluation methods
  • An examination is organized during the official examination period. The examination is a closed notebook written exam with oral defense. The duration of the exam is fixed at 2h30, of which 2 hours devoted to the written preparation of the answers, and 30 minutes to the oral defense of these answers (10 minutes before each lecturer of the course).
  • The examination schedule is set by the AGRO Faculty Secretariat.
  • The examination is organized, by default, in French. The student can do an exam in English. In the latter case, the student requests authorization to conduct the exam in English from the course coordinator by email (marnik.vanclooster@uclouvain.be) at least 48 hours before the start of the exam.
  • The mark of the course will be the weighed average of the mark of the examination (85 % of the total weight)  and the results obtained for the 'entry tickets test' of the pratical work (15 % of the total weight). Each part of the course presented by each lecturer contributes to 1/3 of the final mark of the exam, provided that the student obtains at least 6/20 for each part. If this condition is not met, the final score will be equal to the score of this part for which the student scored the lowest.
Other information
This course is taught in English, but the support of the course (syllabus, slights) is in French. Examination can be organised in French or English
Online resources
  • The slides and course comments are available on the MOODLE website of the course.
  • Practical work assignments are available on the MOODLE website of the course.
  • Example exam questions are available on the MOODLE site of the course at least 3 weeks before the start of the examination session.
Bibliography
  • Syllabus : Notes du cours LBIR1328 Climatologie et hydrologie appliquée à l'agronomie et l'environnement Partie I. Climatologie, Hugues Goosse " In, 158. Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgique: Université catholique de Louvain.
  • Ouvrage de référence : Musy, A. 2004. « Hydrologie. Une science de la nature. » Presses polytechniques et universitaires romandes. ISBN : 2-88074-546-2.
Teaching materials
  • Syllabus : Notes du cours LBIR1328 Climatologie et hydrologie appliquée à l'agronomie et l'environnement Partie I. Climatologie, Hugues Goosse " In, 158. Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgique: Université catholique de Louvain.
  • Ouvrage de référence : Musy, A. 2004. « Hydrologie. Une science de la nature. » Presses polytechniques et universitaires romandes. ISBN : 2-88074-546-2.
Faculty or entity
AGRO


Programmes / formations proposant cette unité d'enseignement (UE)

Title of the programme
Sigle
Credits
Prerequisites
Aims
Master [120] in Biology of Organisms and Ecology

Bachelor in Bioengineering

Master [120] in Agriculture and Bio-industries

Additionnal module in Geography

Minor in Scientific Culture

Minor in Geography