Fall 2008

Paleontology

Listed in: Geology, as GEOL-27

Faculty

James W. Hagadorn (Section 01)

Description

What do fossils tell us about life on Earth over the last four billion years and the potential for life on other planets? In this course, students will gain an appreciation of the richness of ancient life on Earth and will learn to recognize, identify, and interpret fossils in the field and in the laboratory. Using fossils as tools, students will learn to use fossils to solve problems, test hypotheses, and investigate Earth history. Laboratories will focus on learning the commonly fossilized groups that are involved in key aspects of Earth history, including invertebrate, micro-, trace, plant, and vertebrate fossils. Three hours of lectures and three hours of laboratory. Requisite: Geology 11 or Biology 18 or 19. Fall semester. Professor Hagadorn.

Syllabus:

Click here to download the syllabus

Readings:

Buick (2001); Knoll & Xiao (2001); Wright (1997); Erwin et al. (1997); Lessem (1993); Eldredge & Gould (1972): Gould & Eldredge (1977); Gould & Eldredge (1993); Sepkoski (2001); Erwin (2001); Hallam & Wignall (1997); Martin (1999a); Martin (1999b); McKerrow & Cocks (1976); Ausich & Bottjer (1991), Fastovsky & Sheehan (2005), Ballarini & Heuer (2007), Fortey (2004), Fountain (2004), Hoffmann & Schrag (2000), Fountain (2004), Schmidt & Dilcher (2007), Horton (2007), Shipman (2006)

Recent Fieldtrips:

Darling Marine Lab - Fall 2007