ESC2032

Vertebrate Life on Planet Earth ( 6 points, SCA Band 2, 0.125 EFTSL)

Leader: Professor Pat Vickers-Rich

Offered:
Clayton Second semester 2005 (Day)

Synopsis: This unit deals with major evolutionary patterns of vertebrate animals, emphasising Australia, for the past 500 million years. Special interest topics include the origin of the major groups (e.g. birds, marsupials and humans), major extinction events and their causes (e.g. extinction of the dinosaurs, extinction of the Australian megafauna), vertebrate evidence for climatic change, especially for the development of aridity on the Australian continent. Emphasis will be placed on the philosophy behind such interpretive methods as well as the biases and the limitations of the data available in Australia relative to the rest of the world.

Objectives: On completion of this unit students will be able to characterise the comparative anatomy of the major vertebrate groups, use vertebrates as geological time pieces, have an understanding about how the major animal groups evolved, and about how environments have changed through time, about major extinction events, and about diet and habitat preferences of extinct animals.

Assessment: Essay (2000 words): 20% + Examination (1 hour): 40% + Seminar, abstract and laboratory exams plus field report: 40%

Contact Hours: Two 1-hour lectures and one 4-hour practical per week

Prohibitions: ESC3232