NIGK21004U Palaeontology and History of Life
MSc Programme in Geology-Geoscience
The course focuses on two fundamental aspects: (1) History of life, (2) Applied Palaeontology.
Major events in the History of Life Earth are examined based on recent literature. This part is based on contributions from the students, either individually or as group work. Various aspects of applied palaeontology are treated such as quantitative biostratigraphy, chronostratigraphy, diversity in the past, paleobiogeography, evolution of marine ecosystems, palaeoecological theory and methodology, functional morphology and construction of phylogenies using cladistics. Procedures and formalities in taxonomic description are introduced.
Knowledge:
- Evolution of Earth’s organisms: the big picture
- Adaptation of fossil organisms to ancient environments and climate
- Methods in analysis of palaeoecology
- Interplay between the changing Earth and life
- Drivers of biological diversity
- Procedures and formalities in taxonomic description
Skills:
- Systematics in Palaeontology
- Palaeoecology
- Cladistics
- Quantitative biostratigraphy
- Palaeoecology: methodology
Competences:
- Can synthesize scientific literature orally and in a written essay
- Can provide peer-review feedback
- Univariate and Multivariate statistics
- GIS-based Palaeobiogeography
- Digital editing in GIMP and graph design in Inkscape
See Absalon for a list of course literature.
- Category
- Hours
- Preparation
- 171
- Exercises
- 35
- Total
- 206
As
an exchange, guest and credit student - click here!
Continuing Education - click here!
- Credit
- 7,5 ECTS
- Type of assessment
- Oral examination, 20 minutes
- Type of assessment details
- At the oral exam, the student will draw two exam questions. The exam is without preperation.
- Aid
- Without aids
- Marking scale
- 7-point grading scale
- Censorship form
- No external censorship
Several internal examiners.
- Re-exam
The same as the ordinary exam.
Criteria for exam assesment
See Learning Outcome
Course information
- Language
- English
- Course code
- NIGK21004U
- Credit
- 7,5 ECTS
- Level
- Full Degree Master
- Duration
- 1 block
- Placement
- Block 2
- Schedule
- B
- Course capacity
- 25
The number of seats may be reduced in the late registration period
Study board
- Study Board of Geosciences and Management
Contracting department
- Department of Geoscience and Natural Resource Management
Contracting faculty
- Faculty of Science
Course Coordinators
- Arne Thorshøj Nielsen (5-6374706776426b6970306d7730666d)