Course Details in 2024/25 Session

Module Title	LI Palaeoecology
School	School of Geog Earth & Env Sci
Department	Earth and Environ Sciences
Module Code	03 36203
Module Lead	Kirsty Edgar
Level	Intermediate Level
Credits	20
Semester	Semester 1
Pre-requisites
Co-requisites
Restrictions	None
Contact Hours	Lecture-22 hours Practical Classes and workshops-33 hours Guided independent study-145 hours Total: 200 hours
Exclusions
Description	This module introduces students to the theory and practice of palaeoecology – the study of the relationships between organisms and their environments in the past. The goal of which is to understand how ancient environments and ecosystems looked, operated and changed through time, and the controls on these. The primary focus of this module is the marine ecosystem, the largest ecosystem on Earth, where life began and which, today provides vital social, economic and biological services to humans including regulation of global climate. Complimentary insights are also provided into selected terrestrial ecosystems. This module will provide an overview of [i] (palaeo)ecological concepts and measures, [ii] key events and controls on the evolution of ecosystems (from micro- to macro- scopic life), [iii] the different means by which we can reconstruct past life, ecosystems and environments, and [iv] assess the lessons from the palaeontological record for understanding current anthropogenic changes, e.g., ocean acidification and global warming. This topic is highly interdisciplinary bringing together elements of palaeontology, sedimentology, oceanography, climatology, ecology, biology, and geochemistry.
Learning Outcomes	By the end of the module students should be able to: Understand and apply key (palaeo)ecological concepts and techniques Understand taphonomy and evaluate preservational bias in the geological record Describe and use different methods for reconstructing organisms’ ecology Demonstrate familiarity with biotic and geochemical methods of reconstructing past environments Identify and describe key events in the evolution of marine ecosystems and the dominant controls Assess the relevance and insights from the fossil record for understanding current anthropogenic changes
Assessment	36203-01 : Independent Data Analysis Project : Coursework (50%) 36203-02 : Exam : Exam (Centrally Timetabled) - Written Unseen (50%)
Assessment Methods & Exceptions	Assessment: 50% 2 hr examination 50% 2000 word data analysis and interpretation report Reassessment: Reassessment of failed components
Other
Reading List