Quaternary environments
A P Kershaw and J A Peterson
12 points * 5 hours per week * First semester * Clayton * Prerequisites: As for GES3510
This subject is concerned with the identification and analysis of evidence for environmental change during this most recent and significant period of geological time. Emphasis is placed on the study of glacial, fluvial and arid landforms, pollen and micro-faunal analysis of lake, swamp and ocean sediments, megafaunal extinction, the impact of people, and methods of dating and correlation, particularly in the Australian region. The subject concludes with an assessment of the importance of Quaternary knowledge to climatic prediction, conservation and land management. The field and practical work will incorporate an original project designed to enhance the Victorian Quaternary environmental database.
Assessment
Written (3000 words): 30% * Examinations (3 hours): 40% * Practical work/laboratory work/fieldwork: 30%
Recommended texts
Williams M A J Quaternary environments Edward Arnold, 1992