GEOL0099-1 : Phanerozoic biosphere evolution

Study Programmes 2015-2016

GEOL0099-1

Phanerozoic biosphere evolution

Duration :

20h Th, 2d FW

Number of credits :

Master in biology of organisms and ecology (120 ECTS)		3
Master in geology (120 ECTS)		4
Master in geology (60 ECTS)		4

Lecturer :

Valentin Fischer

Language(s) of instruction :

French language

Organisation and examination :

Teaching in the first semester, review in January

Units courses prerequisite and corequisite :

Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program

Course contents :

Evolution of the phanerozoic biosphere replaces the evolution of ancient ecosystems in their climatic, geographic and tectonic contexts. This course permits to understand the drivers of the great turnovers in phanerozoic life history, using an holistic approach.

Introduction : Biosphere-geosphere co-evolution; extrinsic factors.
Extinctions and radiations : concepts, definitions et biases; extinction recolonization processes; conjonctions of causes.
Origin and context of early animal life. Who, how?
The colonisation of land. Who, when, what and where?
Critical analysis of major crises in Phanerozoic life history : end Ordovician, end Devonian, Permian-Triassic, Triassic-Jurassic, Cretaceous-Palaeogene. General evolution of palaeogeography and palaeoclimates
'Pratical course' on palaeobiological data and their treatment. Exemple of the Triassic-Jurassic crisis, paleobiology database, elements of quantitative palaeontology
Context of the rises of 'modern' animal lineages. Recent and future extinctions.

Learning outcomes of the course :

Detailed knowledge of the evolution of the biosphere during the Phanerozoic (Palaeogeography, palaeoclimate and palaeoenvironnements, faunas et floras
Integration of data from distinct disciplines of Earth Sciences to reconstruct this evolution and the events that punctuated it
Undertanding of the phenomenas of extinction, mass extinction, adaptive radiation and turnover
Detailed understanding of the biases affecting geological and palaeontological data
Mastering of the founding principles of quantitative palaeontology

Prerequisite knowledge and skills :

Solid notions of geology and palaeozoology.

Planned learning activities and teaching methods :

Two hours-lectures where active participation is required to fix the concepts, identify the pitfalls and the complexity of geological and palaeontological data.
Two 'practical lectures' are given to form an opinion and build a critical analysis of a particular event in the evolution of the biosphere, from primary data.
Two eight hours-field trips complete the course to illustrate key concepts and some events particularly well recorded in Belgian deposits.

Mode of delivery (face-to-face ; distance-learning) :

Face-to-face.
All slides will be deposited on line on MyULg and on the website of my research lab (http://eddylab.weebly.com).

Recommended or required readings :

Keller & Kerr (eds). 2014. Volcanism, impacts and mass extinctions: causes and effects. Geological Society of America - Special Paper 505. 455pp.
Interesting book albeit a bit old: Lethiers, F., 1998. Evolution de la biosphère et événements géologiques, Gordon and Breach Science Publishers, ISBN : 90-5699-123-X.
Both are available at the Earth Sciences Library.

Assessment methods and criteria :

Oral examination on all topics covered by the course. Two open questions are asked: a transveral one and a more focussed one. Ca. 20 mins of preparation time before the examination.

Work placement(s) :

Organizational remarks :

Contacts :

Valentin Fischer
Département de Géologie. Quartier Agora, 14 Allée du 6 Août. 4000 Liège, Belgique. 04 366 52 79. v.fischer@ulg.ac.be

Teaching assistant: Julien Denayer: julien.denayer@ulg.ac.be

Items online :

10 Cainozoic
Slides

2 Extinctions
Ancient extinctions

3 Precambrian-Ordovician
Chapter 3, Precambrian to Ordovician

4 Practical Paleobiodb
Slides

5 Terrestrialization
Slides

6 Devonian
Slides

7 Permian-Triassic crisis
Slides

8 Triassic-Jurassic
Slides

9 Cretaceous
Slides

Introduction
Slides ¿ Introduction