This course provides an overview of the evolution of life on Earth, its origin, diversification and its gradual expression from sea to land. Focus is on the processes leading to fossilization and on the major events of the evolution of life. Students are introduced to taxonomy and ecology of the non-vertebrate groups most commonly represented in the fossil record, with special attention for the fossilizable parts and their significance towards understanding the evolution of the total-biosphere. Further emphasis is on how fossilized remains and traces of organisms can be used in the fields of stratigraphy, paleoecology and paleoclimatology. Credit may not be obtained for both ESCI 3271 and BIOL 3371.
Prerequisites: One pairing of either ESCI 1001 and ESCI 1006/ESCI 1026/ESCI 1035, or ESCI 1012 and ESCI 1017. |
