Unit details
SLE395 - Palaeobiology
| Offered at: | (B) |
|---|---|
| Credit point(s): | 1 |
| Offerings: | Trimester 1 |
| EFTSL value: | 0.125 |
| Previously coded as: | SBB395 |
| Unit chair: | M Warne |
| Prerequisite: | One of SQA102, SLE102, SQE136 or SLE136 plus two level 2 units |
| Contact hours: | 1 x 2 hour lectures per week, 6 x 3 hour practicals per trimester, 1 x half day field trip (weather dependant) |
| Note: Online teaching methods require internet access. Please refer to the most current computer specifications. | |
Content
Lecture topics to be addressed in this unit include (1) Fossils of the terrestrial realm and their environments of preservation; (2) Fossils of the marine realm and their environments of preservation; (3) relative and absolute dating of fossils; (4) biological evolution and the fossil record, including discussions on radiation, convergence, rates of extinction and evolutionary trends; (5) Precambrian life and environments; (6) Palaeozoic life and environments; (7) Mesozoic life and environments; (8) Cainozoic life and environments; (9) Quaternary physical evolution of the earth and associated global biological and environmental change, (10) The coming mass extinction. Practical work will involve 2 projects. The first project will involve the description and palaeoecological evaluation of field occurrences of invertebrate macrofossils from a local limestone or sandstone / mudstone exposures around Melbourne. This project will involve a half day field excursion (or use of digital “virtual reality” field tour computer software). The second project will involve the analysis and use of plant and animal microfossils as proxies of environmental change within a human occupation historical timescale. This project will involve the examination of microfossils from sediment cores gathered within a modern aquatic setting.
Assessment
Practical report 1 40%, practical report 2 40%, class test 20%
Unit Fee Information
| Student Contribution Rate* | Student Contribution Rate** | Fee rate - Domestic Students | Fee rate - International students |
| $1045 | $1045 | $3623 | $3384 |
* Rate for all CSP students, except for those who commenced Education and Nursing units pre 2010
** Rate for CSP students who commenced Education and Nursing units pre 2010
Please note: Unit fees listed do not apply to Deakin Prime students.
