The module is interdisciplinary in nature and provides a basic framework of knowledge and understanding of the natural science of Planet Earth and its biota. There is an emphasis on the interconnectedness of the lithosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere and biosphere through flows of mass and energy, as demonstrated for example in the climate system. The processes of landscape evolution and sediment accumulation are given a broad coverage and there is an extended introduction to biogeography, global diversity and ecological processes. The utility of an understanding of present processes as a guide to interpreting the past and predicting the future is stressed.

By the end of the module the student should be able to:

• Understand the concepts of system analysis as applied at different scales to the Earth;
• Appreciate the links between internal and external Earth processes on various timescales;
• Understand the main features of the Earth's climate system and the associated links between atmosphere and hydrosphere;
• Identify the links between geographic positioning, climate, biomes and soils;
• Understand the modification of landscapes under the influence of physical forces and chemical processes and identify characteristic landforms;
• Relate the properties of sediments to processes in terrestrial and marine environments of deposition;
• Understand the controls of Earth's climate history and the nature and risk from global catastrophes;
• Evaluate the concept of biodiversity;
• Identify the main patterns in plant and animal distributions found in the natural world today;
• Understand the ecological processes that have shaped those patterns;
• Evaluate the interlinkages between elements of the global environmental system.