|
Department
of Marine Science | Academics
| Courses | MAR 684
MAR
684. Marine Micropaleontology
Syllabus
| 23-Aug |
Introduction |
| 25-Aug |
Biology of planktonic foraminifers |
| 30-Aug |
Distribution and taphonomy of planktonic
foraminifers |
| 01-Sep |
Lab - planktonic foraminifers |
| 06-Sep |
HOLIDAY |
| 08-Sep |
Biology of radiolarians |
| 13-Sep |
Distribution and taphonomy of radiolarians |
| 15-Sep |
Lab - radiolarians |
| 20-Sep |
Biology of diatoms |
| 22-Sep |
Distribution and taphonomy of diatoms |
| 27-Sep |
Lab - diatoms |
| 29-Sep |
Midterm Exam |
| 04-Oct |
Biology of calcareous nannofossils |
| 06-Oct |
Distribution and taphonomy of calcareous
nannofossils |
| 11-Oct |
Lab - calcareous nannofossils |
| 13-Oct |
Biology of benthonic foraminifers |
| 18-Oct |
Distribution and taphonomy of benthonic
foraminifers |
| 20-Oct |
Lab - benthonic foraminifers |
| 25-Oct |
Principles of biogeography |
| 27-Oct |
Paleoceanography |
| 01-Nov |
Midterm Exam |
| 03-Nov |
Paleoceanography |
| 08-Nov |
Paleoceanography |
| 10-Nov |
Lab - Paleoceanography |
| 15-Nov |
Evolution |
| 17-Nov |
Evolution |
| 22-Nov |
Biostratigraphy |
| 24-Nov |
Biostratigraphy |
| 29-Nov |
Lab - Biostratigraphy |
| 01-Dec |
Biogeochronology |
| 06-Dec |
Biogeochronology |
| 08-Dec |
Present paper |
| 13-Dec |
Final exam, 9 a. m. - 12 p. m. |
Midterms and final 25% each, Lab 10%, Paper 15%
Goals and rationale of the course.
Marine micropaleontology is a tool used to explore the physical
and biological history, processes, and events that distinguish
our planet's past. Applications include problems in global climate
change, ocean circulation, geologic history, paleoecology, paleobiology,
and evolution. The purpose of the course is to learn how microfossils
are applied to study of Earth history and the biology of protists.
The course must be set in a theoretical context. How do paleontologists
apply the scientific method to their questions? Paleontologists
are faced with several unique problems compared to biologists.
How are processes that happened in the past observed, tested and
proven in a scientifically valid way? We must compare and evaluate
the importance of processes that operate on vastly different timescales.
We deal with the resolution of the rock/sedimentary record relative
to processes of interest. A number of principles guide our study.
The first is the principle of uniformitarianism, the present
is the key to the past. This concept is valid when limited to
physical, chemical, biological laws. There are, however, processes
and environments for which there are no modern analogues. Another
fundamental of micropaleontologic study is that process must be
inferred from pattern. For example, changes in biogeography (patterns)
are used to infer climate change (a process). This can be done
with convergence of multiple lines of independent evidence. And,
as always, scientific questions must be limited to what is recorded
and measurable in the geologic record.
The course will be organized as follows.
- Using the principle of uniformitarianism, we will first
study the living organism to determine what physical and biological
patterns can reliably indicate processes in the fossil record.
We will examine the biology, biogeography, ecology of planktonic
and benthonic foraminifers, diatoms, radiolarians, and calcareous
nannoplankton, which together dominate the deep-water marine
fossil record. We will also examine taphonomy as it applies
to each group in order to understand how biotic and environmental
information is transferred into the sedimentary record.
- After consideration of the tools inferred from the living
organisms, we will apply them in to paleoceanography, paleobiology,
evolution, and finally, biostratigraphy.
Text books:
Bilal U. Haq and Anne Boersma, 1978. Introduction to Marine
Micropaleontology, Elsevier, NY.
Jere H. Lipps, 1993. Fossil Prokaryotes and Protists,
Blackwell Scientific Pub., MA.
Much lecture material will be taken from current scientific literature
and will be cited in fully referenced notes and bibliographies,
which will be distributed at the start of each lecture.
ADA
Compliance: If a student has a disability that qualifies
under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and requires accommodations,
he/she should contact the Office for Disability Accommodations
(ODA) for information on appropriate policies and procedures.
Disabilities covered by ADA may include learning, psychiatric,
physical impairments, or chronic health disorders. Students should
contact ODA if they are not certain whether a medical condition/disability
qualifies. Box 8568; Telephone (601) 266-5024; TTY (601) 266-6837;
Fax (601) 266-6035.
Sept. 1, 1999
Back to Marine Science Courses
Last
modified:
August 19, 2003 3:05 PM
| The University of Southern Mississippi
| Comments & Questions
Department of Marine Science | URL: http://www.usm.edu/marine/syllabus/micropal.html
AA/EOE/ADAI
|
