Valencian Community PAU Geology and Environmental Sciences study plan

Explain the Earth's internal layered structure (crust, mantle, outer and inner core) and justify each layer's composition and physical state using seismic-wave evidence (P/S wave behaviour, shadow zones, discontinuities).

Describe the evidence supporting plate tectonics (seafloor spreading, magnetic striping, palaeomagnetism, Wadati-Benioff zones, hotspot tracks) and distinguish the three plate-boundary types with their associated seismic and magmatic signatures.

Draw and label a cross-section of a subduction zone and a mid-ocean ridge, annotating magma generation mechanisms (decompression melting, flux melting, mantle plumes).

Classify igneous rocks by texture and silica content and relate magmatic differentiation (Bowen's reaction series, fractional crystallisation) to rock composition.

Build a relative and absolute geological time framework: order the eons, eras and periods and place the main orogenic, biological and extinction events on a timeline.

Compare regional and contact metamorphism, matching each metamorphic facies to its pressure-temperature conditions and typical tectonic setting.

Interpret a metamorphic sequence (e.g. shale to slate to schist to gneiss) and explain the role of protolith composition and foliation.

Apply stratigraphic principles (superposition, cross-cutting relationships, faunal succession, unconformities) to determine the relative age of sketched rock units.

Identify the main fossil groups used for biostratigraphy (ammonites, trilobites, graptolites, foraminifera, calcareous nannofossils) and state their stratigraphic range.

Explain radiometric dating (parent-daughter decay, half-life, isochrons) and calculate the age of a sample given isotope ratios.

Differentiate the processes of physical, chemical and biological weathering and predict which dominates under given climate and lithology conditions.

Trace a sediment from source to sink, explaining erosion agents, transport modes, sorting, roundness and the resulting sedimentary structures and facies.

Identify common rock-forming minerals using diagnostic properties (hardness, cleavage, lustre, streak, reaction with acid) and classify rocks into the three major genetic groups.

Describe fluvial, coastal, glacial, aeolian and karst landforms and link each to the dominant process that produces it.

Evaluate the economic importance of geological resources (metallic and non-metallic minerals, industrial rocks, fossil fuels) and distinguish reserves from resources.

Explain the earthquake source: elastic-rebound theory, focus and epicentre, magnitude versus intensity scales, and the factors controlling local seismic hazard (site effects, amplification, liquefaction).

Classify volcanic eruptions and their products and assess the specific hazards (pyroclastic flows, lahars, ash fall, gas emission) for each eruption style.

Analyse mass-movement types (falls, slides, flows) in terms of slope angle, water content, material and triggering factors, and propose stabilisation measures.

Interpret a flood hydrograph and explain how land use, soil permeability, vegetation cover and urbanisation alter peak discharge and lag time.

Apply the risk equation (hazard x exposure x vulnerability) to a described scenario and rank mitigation options by cost-effectiveness.

Describe the vertical structure and composition of the atmosphere and explain how solar radiation, albedo and the greenhouse effect set the planetary energy balance.

Interpret the mechanisms behind general atmospheric circulation, Coriolis deflection, prevailing winds and the formation of high- and low-pressure systems.

Distinguish natural climate variability (Milankovitch cycles, ENSO, solar and volcanic forcing) from anthropogenic forcing, citing the main greenhouse gases and their relative contributions.

Explain the water cycle quantitatively: evaporation, transpiration, precipitation, infiltration, runoff and groundwater recharge, and interpret a water balance for a given basin.

Compare surface-water and groundwater resources, describe aquifer types and porosity/permeability controls, and evaluate water-quality indicators and management strategies (abstraction limits, recharge, reuse, desalination).

Describe ecosystem structure (producers, consumers, decomposers, trophic levels) and quantify energy flow and ecological efficiency through a food web.

Explain biodiversity patterns and the main threats to it (habitat fragmentation, invasive species, overexploitation, climate change) and outline conservation instruments.

Characterise soil profiles and horizons and relate soil formation to parent material, climate, organisms, topography and time (the Jenny factors).

Trace the carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus biogeochemical cycles, identifying human perturbations and their environmental consequences.

Assess how groundwater overexploitation and salinisation interact with ecosystems (wetlands, riparian zones) and propose integrated management measures.

Classify pollutants by source, medium and persistence and explain the mechanisms of air pollution (photochemical smog, acid deposition, particulate matter) and their effects.

Evaluate water-pollution pathways (eutrophication, heavy metals, organic load, microplastics) and select appropriate treatment and mitigation technologies.

Assess soil contamination and remediation options (bioremediation, phytoremediation, soil washing, encapsulation) for a described site.

Design a waste-management hierarchy for a municipality, ranking prevention, reuse, recycling, energy recovery and landfill with justification.

Propose mitigation and adaptation measures for a geological or climatic hazard and evaluate them against environmental impact assessment criteria.

Interpret a geological map and a topographic map: read contours, scale, strike and dip symbols, and construct a simple cross-section.

Read and analyse field and laboratory data (graphs, tables, sampling results) and draw defensible conclusions from them.

Integrate content across all domains by answering full past-paper-style questions under timed conditions.

Diagnose personal weak areas from practice results and produce a targeted revision list for the final days.