GEOLOGY 320

Course requirements: LAB [30%] ($10 lab fee)

2 mid-term exams [18% each] 1 comprehensive lab exam [7%]

comprehensive final exam [20%] weekly lab quizzes [7%]

1 research project/paper [10%] weekly lab assignments [16%]

class participation/presentations [4%] 1 of 2 field trips required

The field of Paleontology has changed over the past two decades. It is no longer simply a study of fossil specimens, but an historical science with applications to evolutionary theory, the origin of life, systematics, and paleoecology. In this course we will cover invertebrate biology/paleontology in lab and concentrate on evolutionary theory and paleoecology in lecture. Readings are from your textbook and on reserve. Reserve readings will be available in the science library, in the geology seminar room, and on ERes. Please consider checking out the paper reserves rather than printing your own copies from ERes if you prefer not to read the item on screen.

DATE TOPIC READINGS

Tues Feb. 4 Intro and Taphonomy Prothero vii-15

LAB Taphonomy: modes of preservation Behrensmeyer (r)

Thurs Feb 6 Variation in organisms Prothero 2:17-33

Gould "A Dog's Life" (r)

Gould, "Size & Shape" (r)

Tues Feb 11 Variation in populations; Systematics Prothero ch. 3 & 4

LAB Systematics and cladistics

Thurs Feb 13 What is a species?; Evolution Gould "What, if anything..."

Tues Feb 18 Evolutionary theory cont. Gould & Eldredge (r)

punctuated equilibrium Sheldon (r)

LAB Protoctista Prothero 11:188-211

Thurs Feb 20 Macroevolution and microevolution Gould "The interrelationship" (r)

Discussion: Is there a different mechanism for macroevolution?

Tues Feb 25 The role of extinction in evolution Prothero 6:79-93

Raup (r)

Kring (r)

LAB Sponges & Archaeocyatha (Clarkson ch. 4) Prothero 12

Thurs Feb 27 Precambrian Life Margulis (r)

Clarkson 55-71 (r)

Tues Mar 4 Cnidaria Prothero 12:213-225

Discussion: Cambrian Explosion. Morris, ch.1 & 8

Replaying the tape of life. Gould ch. 1

LAB Cnidaria (Clarkson ch. 5)

Thurs Mar 6 Cnidaria; Lophophorates: Bryozoa Prothero 13

EXAM 1 Due at start of class, March 11

Tues Mar 11 Lophophorates: Brachiopoda Prothero 13

LAB Lophophorata (Clarkson ch. 6 & 7)

Thurs Mar 13 Functional Morphology Prothero 7:95 -115

Lauder (r)

Chamberlain (r)

Tues Mar 18 Paleoecology I: Ecology; Arthropods Prothero 8:117-127

LAB Arthropoda Prothero 14:247-271

(Clarkson 11:348 -400)

Thurs Mar 20 Paleoecology II: Factors of the physical environment

MID-SEMESTER BREAK

Tues Apr 1 The Mollusca Prothero 15:273-286

LAB Mollusca - Gastropoda (Clarkson Ch. 8)

Thurs Apr 3 Mollusca cont. ; Paleoec. III: Evolutionary faunas

Tues Apr 8 Evol. Faunas: Discussion: biomass change Bambach (r)

LAB Mollusca - Bivalvia and Cephalopoda Prothero 15:286-307

(Clarkson Ch. 8)

Thurs Apr 10 Paleoecology IV: Behavior Prothero 8:127-145

FIELD TRIP- New York State Depart Saturday morning at 7am, return Sunday evening

Tues Apr 15 Trace Fossils Prothero 18:403-415

LAB Graptolites and Conodonts (Clarkson ch. 10)

Prothero17:331-337

Thurs Apr 17 Biostratigraphy Prothero 10:168-183

Biostratigrapahy, cont. in-class exercise

TAKE-HOME EXAM DUE in class 4/22

Tues Apr 22 Echinoderms Prothero 16: 309-329

LAB Echinodermata (Clarkson ch. 9)

Thurs Apr 24 Biogeography Prothero 9:147-165

Tues Apr 29 Biogeography; Reefs in time Devonian Reef survey handout

LAB Field Trip: Marblehead

Thurs May 1 Example: Great biotic interchange; Start presentations

Tues May 6 Papers due; Class presentations

LAB **Comprehensive Laboratory Practical Exam**

Thurs May 8 Class presentations

***papers due Tues May 6, in class***

Thursday May 15 FINAL EXAM 2 pm

Reference List

Bambach, Richard K., 1993. Seafood through time: changes in biomass, energetics, and productivity in the marine ecosystem, Paleobiology, v. 19, p. 372-397.

http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0094-8373%28199322%2919%3A3%3C372%3ASTTCIB%3E2.0.CO%3B2-1

Behrensmeyer, Anna K.,1984. Taphonomy and the Fossil Record, American Scientist, v. 72(6),

Chamberlain, T.C. 1965. The method of multiple working hypotheses, Science, v. 148, p. 754-759.

http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0036-8075%2819650507%293%3A148%3A3671%3C754%3ATMOMWH%3E2.0.CO%3B2-J

Clarkson, E.N.K., 1998. Invertebrate Palaeontology and Evolution, 4^th edition, Blackwell Science.

Conway-Morris, Simon, 1998. The Crucible of Creation: The Burgess Shale and the Rise of Animals, Oxford University Press.

Gould, Stephen Jay, 1977. Size and Shape, in Ever Since Darwin, New York, Norton & Co., p. 171-178.

Gould, Stephen Jay, 1983. What, If Anything, Is a Zebra? In HenÕs Teeth and HorseÕs Toes, New York, Norton & Co., p. 355-365.

Gould, Stephen Jay, 1993. A DogÕs Life in GaltonÕs Polyhedron, in Eight Little Piggies, New York, Norton & Co., p. 382-395.

Gould, Stephen Jay, 2001. The interrelationship of Speciation and Punctuated Equilibrium, in Evolutionary Patterns: Growth, Form, and Tempo in the Fossil Record, Jackson, Lidgard, and McKinney, eds., Chicago, Univ. of Chicago Press, p. 196-217.

Gould, Stephen Jay, 1989. Wonderful Life: The Burgess Shale and the Nature of History, W.W. Norton & Co., New York.

Gould, Stephen Jay, and Eldredge Niles, 1993. Punctuated equilibrium comes of age, Nature, vol. 366, p. 223-227.

Kring, David A., 2000, Impact Events and their effect on the origin, evolution, and distribution of life, GSA Today, vol. 10(8), p. 1-7.

Lauder, George V., 1995. On the inference of function from structure, in Functional Morphology in Vertebrate Paleontology, J.J. Thomason editor, Cambridge University Press, p. 1-18.

Margulis, Lynn, 1998. Symbiotic Planet: A new view of Evolution, Basic Books, a division of Perseus Books Group, NY.

Maynard Smith, John, and Ešrs Szathmary, 1995. The Major Transitions in Evolution, W.H. Freeman and Co., NY.

Morris (see Conway-Morris above)

Raup, David M., 1995. The Role of Extinction in Evolution, in. Tempo and Mode in Evolution, W.M. Fitch and F.J. Ayala, eds. p. 109-124.

Sheldon, P.R., 1990. Microevolution and the Fossil Record, in Palaeobiology: a Synthesis, Briggs and Crowther, eds. Blackwell Scientific, p. 106-110.

Vermeij, Geerat, 1991. When Biotas Meet, The Anatomy of a biotic interchange, Science, v.253 (5024), 1991.