EOSC 425 · Palaeontology
Paleobiogeography in the context of plate tectonics. Mass extinction events. Fossilization and biases in the fossil record. Species concepts in paleontology. Biostratigraphy. Paleontological evidence for early life; the colonization of oceanic and terrestrial environments and; the evolution of the primates. [2-3-0] Prerequisite: EOSC 222.
Syllabus
Complete Provisional Syllabus: HERE
Course Content
*Note course content may vary from year to year
Module 1 (Introduction)
In this Introduction, you will learn about your Instructor as well as the course schedule, grading scheme and what to expect throughout the term.
Module 2 (Species, Speciation and Paleobiogeography)
In this Module, you will learn about fossil species, taxonomy, cladistics and how changes in the distribution of ancient life through time can help us unravel the history of Earth’s ancient geography.
Module 3 (Earth System Science and Mass Extinctions)
This Module focuses on the interconnectedness of Earth’s Systems and how disruptions to these systems have led to mass extinction events, including a spotlight on the end-Permian and end-Cretaceous mass extinction events.
Module 4 (Early Life and Skeletonization)
In this Module, you will study the early Earth and earliest life including the oldest fossils, Snowball Earth, origin of animals, the Avalon and Cambrian Explosions and trace fossils.
Module 5 (Vertebrates – The Path To Us)
This Module focuses on vertebrate evolution including vertebrate origins and the path to mammals, Hominini, the Genus Homo and the Anthropocene.