OVERVIEW

Palaeontology deals with the study of fossils, which are defined as rests of ancient life on earth. Fossils allow evolutionary studies as well as paleoenvironmental reconstructions, from primordial traces of life up to the most modern communities. Fossils are routinely used to date sediments as well.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Basic knowledge acquisition to identify fossils and their preservation pathways. Recognition of the morphological characters to identify most invertebrates, plants and microorganisms. Correlation between evolutionary trends and paleoclimatic variations during geological time.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

Common aims for students of both Geological Sciences and Natural Sciences:

Students will be able to observed and describe the morhology of a large variety of fossils including micro- macro- and ichnofossils. Aquiring proper terminology is a key factor and mandatory in this module. After the morhological description, the students will learn how to classify each single specimen into the taxonomical clusters discussed during both classes and practicals.

Students will be required to correlate fossils with age and environment and be confortable in discussing various aspects of the chronostratigraphic chart.

For students from Geological sciences needs to be added also:

the ability to reconstruct and discuss the phanerozoic paleogeography using studied taxa to reconstruct palaeobiogeographical maps.

during the module, the student will have the chance to grown some specific soft skills such as team working and critical thinking.

TEACHING METHODS

frontal teaching classes, practicals, tutorials and field activity.

Students who have valid certification of physical or learning disabilities on file with the University and who wish to discuss possible accommodations or other circumstances regarding lectures, coursework and exams, should speak both with the instructor and with Professor Sara Ferrando (sara.ferrando@unige.it), the Department’s disability liaison.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

For students of both Geological Sciences and Natural Sciences

the module is divided into two major blocks, the first one more general on the basic concepts of paleontology and its main applications, the second one is mostly on systematics.

the first block comprehends the following topics

Fossilization and taphonomy: we will encompass the definition of fossils and we will amply discuss systematics and classification techniques. we will have a focused knowledge on fossilization processes and biostratinomy. there will be large spece for practicals and tutorials where students can have hands-on experience with a large variety of fossils specimens.

 PALAEOECOLOGY and biostratigraphy: we will learn how to correlate fossils with age and environment to be able to reconstruvt the palaeoecology of a community in space and time

the second block will comprehend the following topics:

morphology, stratigraphy and evolution of:

archae and bacteria (stromatolithes);

algae (red and green);

protists (dinoflagellates, silicoflagellates, diatoms, radiolarians, foraminifera, coccolitophorids, ciliates);

invertebrtes (porifera, corals, lophophorates, molluscs, hemichordates, echonoderms, arthropods);

paleoichnology (ethological classification and ichnofacies)

one day of field work

for students from Geological sciences the followings are to be added

Evolution and biostratigraphic relevance of all studied groups. palaeogeographic maps from the precambrian to the holocene.

one day of field activities: recognizion of fossils and traces along sedimentary deposits in the surrounding region of Genoa.

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

Allasinaz A. – Paleontologia generale e sistematica degli invertebrati – ECIG
- Benton & Harper: Paleobiology and the fossil record

- Raffi S. & Serpagli E. – Introduzione alla paleontologia – UTET

- Manuale di paleontologia - IdelsonGnocchi editore.

pdfs will be available from AulaWeb.

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

ANTONINO BRIGUGLIO (President)

MICHELE PIAZZA

ANDREA BAUCON (President Substitute)

LESSONS

LESSONS START

Classes will start on the 21 Settembre 2020. pleae check https://easyacademy.unige.it/portalestudenti/

Class schedule

PALEONTOLOGY

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

Oral examination. Each student will identify fossil group, age and depositional environment on a rock thin section using a microscope.

After this, each student will get more samples among those studied during practicals and will discuss their morphology, taxonomy and stratigraphy. More question on the introductory parts can be expected.

For geological science students, the palaeogeographic knowledge is required.

ASSESSMENT METHODS

During the examination the student will recognize and discuss several samples of fossils including plants, ichnofossils and metazoans. The students will describe their morphology their palaeoecology and will try to give an age estimation. The exam will evaluate the capacity and capability of describing fossils, identifying them and discussing their palaeoecological significance.

Exam schedule

FURTHER INFORMATION

although attending the module is not mandatory, it is very important to join both classes and practical activity as they are a keystone to sucsefully pass the examination.

proper attire is mandatory to join practical activities.

Students with a certification of physical or learning disability filed with the University can find information on support services at the web page https://unige.it/disabilita-dsa/studenti-disturbi-specifici-apprendimento-dsa, provided by the "Services for the Inclusion of Students with Disabilities and with Learning Disorders." They can also contact Professor Sara Ferrando (sara.ferrando@unige.it), the Distav contact for disabilities.