Time and Location

Spring semester: M W F 9.35 am, Williamson room TBC

Description and Goals

This course consists of three class periods per week and a lab section. During the class periods, we will cover many topics focusing on an examination of the fossil record and its uses, whilst the labs will focus mainly on particular fossil groups. The class periods will provide you with an advanced understanding of overarching concepts. Specifically, you will be introduced initially to some basic concepts such as how fossils are preserved and how species are recognized and named (systematics). We then cover a variety of uses of fossils such as for biostratigraphy, deciphering evolution, reconstructing their paleoecology, inferring past climates as well as studying functional morphology, biogeography, biodiversity and extinction events, and behaviour using trace fossils. You will also get the opportunity to be involved in a variety of activities such as field trips, create a scientific poster, learn about various collections and research in the Florida Museum of Natural History, discuss primary literature, and perform your own research.