| Unit name | Micropalaeontology |
|---|---|
| Unit code | EASCM0040 |
| Credit points | 10 |
| Level of study | M/7 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 1A (weeks 1 - 6) |
| Unit director | Professor. Schmidt |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
N/A |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
N/A |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
N/A |
| School/department | School of Earth Sciences |
| Faculty | Faculty of Science |
Why is this unit important?
The geological record contains the only empirical dataset as to how the Earth System has responded to environmental change in the past. Because of their excellent fossil record and their sensitivity to environmental factors such as temperature, salinity, and nutrient input, microfossil taxa can act as important proxies for reconstructing and understanding past environments. They also provide important evidence that helps us to understand mass extinction events and other intervals of extreme change in the geological record. Examining these proxy data and understanding their uncertainties can provide clues as to the magnitude and effects of current and future climate change. Practically, microfossils are also incredibly useful for correlating and dating marine sediments and rock units, making their identification and distribution important for both academic research and industrial applications.
How does this unit fit into your programme of study?
Microfossils are important for understanding the diversity and evolution of life, with many calcifying groups boasting an exceptional fossil record that is unparalleled in other clades. They provide important information about evolutionary processes, extinction events, and the structure of ecosystems in the oceans. They are also powerful proxies for various aspects of palaeoenvironmental change such as sea level, nutrient input, oxygenation, and temperature. Understanding the uncertainties associated with and critically evaluating these proxies is an important tool for palaeobiologists interested in the Earth System.
An overview of content
This unit will cover the biology and ecology of the main fossilised microfossils groups in the Cenozoic and Mesozoic. It will introduce major biological approaches used to quantify and understand the Earth System. These include the use of microfossils in reconstructing palaeo-temperatures, water depth, productivity and oxygen levels in the ocean. These methods will be applied to major transitions in Earth history (e.g. Pliocene warmth, Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum, the Cretaceous-Paleogene mass extinction), and understanding main drivers of climate change (temperature, oxygen, acidification).
How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit?
The aim is to introduce students to the use of microfossil groups as proxies for reconstructing past climates, and the uncertainties and limitations of these methods.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion you will be able to:
The unit will be taught through a combination of
Tasks which help you learn and prepare you for summative tasks (formative)
Students receive 1:1 help and feedback from staff and demonstrators during weekly laboratory practical sessions which are tied directly to content and topics discussed in the lectures. Each session provides hands-on experience in applying microfossil proxies to reconstructing past environmental conditions (sea level, temperature, productivity), or in using the fossil record to accurately date marine sediments using the science of biostratigraphy.
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative):
Assessment for this unit is entirely based on a single piece of written coursework (100%).
The coursework will be a literature review report in the style of a journal review paper (2,500 word maximum), on a topic that will be given to students at the beginning of the unit. Topics will be broad and incorporate the content of the course.
When assessment does not go to plan:
The University’s Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes outline the requirements for progression on and completion of degree programmes. Students who miss an exam and self-certify their absence may complete a supplementary assessment for an uncapped mark as if taken for the first time. Resit and supplementary exams are habitually taken during the reassessment period later in the summer. As far as is practicable and appropriate, resit and supplementary assessments will be in the same form as the original assessment but will always test the same intended learning outcomes as the initial missed or failed assessment. In the case of group work, failure by a whole group would result in an appropriate group task being set and reassessed for all group members. If a single student fails a group assessment or is unable to participate for an evidenced reason, an individual reassessment will be set.
There are rigorous and fair procedures in place to support students who are ill or whose studies and assessments are affected by exceptional circumstances.
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. EASCM0040).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the Faculty workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. If you have self-certificated your absence from an
assessment, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (this is usually in the next assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any extenuating circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
