INTRODUCTION TO PALEONTOLOGY
2005 UND Fall Semester
Geology 415 - Lecture Schedule
Lectures -- Monday, Wednesday, Friday; 9:00-10:00 a.m., 211 Leonard Hall
Labs -- Monday, 3:00-5:00 p.m., 209 Leonard Hall (and arranged)
TEXT -- Prothero, D.R., 2004, Bringing Fossils to Life: Boston, 2nd ed.,WCB McGraw-Hill, 503 p.
| Date | Lc# | Topic/Reading |
| 8-24 |
1-
Wed |
Introduction to Paleontology: A course overview
Class goal and structure, knowledge survey Term Project and Field Trip Announcement The Writing of Notes -- How Much Art, How Much Skill? Reading: Ch. 1 |
| 8-25 |
2-
Fri |
A Historical Perspective and Geologic Time
Geological Reasoning (The Fossil Record) Reading: Ch. 1 |
| 8-29 |
3-
Mon |
Taphonomy: Fossilization and Data Retrieval (The Fossil Record)
Reading: Chs. 1, 18 |
| 8-31 |
3-
Wed |
Taphonomy: Fossilization and Data Retrieval (The Fossil Record)
Reading: Chs. 1, 18 |
| 9-2 |
4-
Fri |
Taphonomy: Fossil Lagerstätten (The Best of the Best)
Reading: Chs. 1, 18 Discuss Term Project Topics |
| 9-5 |
5-
Mon |
No class
Labor Day Observance |
| 9-7 |
6-
Wed |
Evolution: Variation in Fossils
Reading: Ch. 2 |
| 9-9 |
7-
Fri |
Evolution: Basic Concepts, Historical Perspective from the Greeks to Lamarck
Reading: Ch. 5 Student Decision on Term Project Topic |
| 9-12 |
8-
Mon |
Evolution: Basic Concepts, Historical Perspective featuring Lamarck and Cuvier
Reading: Ch. 5 |
| 9-14 |
9-
Wed |
Test 1 (in class).
Reading: Handout about field trip. |
| 9-16 |
10-
Fri |
Test 1 review
Paleontology of the Williston Basin After class: Field Trip to Western North Dakota |
| 9-19 |
11-
Mon |
Evolution: Species Concepts, Problems Reading: Chs. 3, 5 |
| 9-21 |
12-
Wed |
Evolution and Darwin
Reading: Chs.3, 5 |
| 9-23 |
13-
Fri |
Evolution: Species Concepts, Mendel, Mutations to the Modern Synthesis
Reading: Chs. 3, 5 |
| 9-26 |
14-
Mon |
Evolution: Paleontology and Speciation (Patterns of Evolution)
Reading: Chs. 3, 5 |
| 9-28 |
15-
Wed |
Macroevolution and Extinction Reading: Ch. 6 |
| 9-30 |
16-
Fri |
Systematics: Ordering Diversity Reading: Ch. 4 |
| 10-3 |
17-
Mon |
Systematics: Taxonomy and Classification
Reading: Ch. 4 |
| 10-5 |
18-
Wed |
Systematics: Taxonomic Nomenclature
Reading: Ch. 4 Test 2 (take home) Will be turned out today |
| 10-7 |
19-
Fri |
Phylogenetic/Evolutionary Systematics
Reading: Ch. 4 Term project discussions Test 2 due (Accepted only at beginning of class) |
| 10-10 |
20-
Mon |
Phylogenetic/Evolutionary Systematics
Reading: Ch. 4 Analysis of Term Project Papers |
| 10-12 |
21-
Wed |
Evolution: Functional Morphlogy
Reading: Ch. 7 |
| 10-14 |
22-
Fri |
Paleoecology: Principles, Approaches
Reading: Ch. 9 |
| 10-17 |
23-
Mon |
No class: Prepare First Term Paper Project Presentation for 10/21.
Geological Society of America annual convention |
| 10-19 |
24-
Wed |
No class: Prepare First Term Paper Project Presentation for 10/21.
Geological Society of America annual convention |
| 10-21 |
25-
Fri |
Preliminary Term Project Presentations (2 minutes each)
Class critique and evaluation of student presentations Paleoecology: Niche-Ways of Making a Living |
| 10-24 |
26-
Mon |
Paleoecology: Physical Controls on Organism Distribution Reading: Ch. 9 |
| 10-26 |
27-
Wed |
Paleobiogeography: Subdividing the Planet Reading: Ch. 9 |
| 10-28 |
28-
Fri |
Disperalist Paleobiogeography Reading: Ch. 9 |
| 10-31 |
29-
Mon |
Stratigraphy: General; Lithostratigraphy: Principles
Reading: Ch. 10 |
| 11-1 |
30-
Wed |
Biostratigraphy: Principles Reading: Ch. 10 Final writing style quide for term paper provided. |
| 11-4 |
31-
Fri |
Chronostratigraphy: Principles Reading: Ch. 10 |
| 11-7 |
32-
Mon |
Biostratigraphy: Historic development of biostratigraphy/chronostratigraphy Reading: Ch. 10 Test 3 (Take-home class) |
| 11-9 |
33-
Wed |
Ecosystem Evolution: Archean and Proterozoic Life, Micropaleontology
Reading: Ch. 11 and assigned reading Test 3 Due |
| 11-11 |
34-
Fri |
Veterans Day observance |
| 11-14 |
35-
Mon |
Term Project Papers Due at Beginning of Class
Ecosystem Evolution: Cambrian Divergence Reading: Chs. 12-16 (selected) and assigned reading |
| 11-16 |
36-
Wed |
Ecosystem Evolution: Marine fauna of the Paleozoic I Reading: Chs. 12-16 (selected) and assigned reading |
| 11-17 |
37-
Fri |
Presentation of Term Project Papers
Student evaluation of presentations |
| 11-21 |
38-
Mon |
Presentation of Term Project Papers
Student evaluation of presentations |
| 11-23 |
39-
Wed |
Presentation of Term Project Papers
Student evaluation of presentations |
| 11-25 |
-
Fri |
No class
Thanksgiving Holiday related observerance |
| 11-28 |
40-
Mon |
Ecosystem Evolution: Marine fauna of the Phanerozoic II Reading: Chs. 12-16 (selected) and assigned reading |
| 11-30 |
41-
Wed |
Ecosystem Evolution: Marine fauna of the Mesozoic and Cenozoic III
Reading: Chs. 12-16 (selected) and assigned reading |
| 12-2 |
42-
Fri |
Ecosystem Evolution: Invasion of the Land (Paleozoic), Earth's Green Mantle: Paleobotany I
Reading: Ch: 19 |
| 12-5 |
43-
Mon |
Vertebrates and Their Relatives II
Reading: Ch. 17 (selected) and assigned reading |
|
12-7
|
44-
Wed |
Vertebrates and Their Relatives III
Reading: Ch. 17 (selected) and assigned reading |
|
12-9
|
-
Fri |
Reading and review day |
|
12-12
|
-
Mon |
Test 4 at 8:00 a.m., Leonard 211 |