BIO 208 - Paleontology

Course Units: 1.0

Nearly all species that have existed on Earth are now extinct and are only known through the fossil record. This course examines the evolution and history of life on Earth as interpreted from the fossil record. Topics include fossil preservation, taphonomy, ontogeny, diversity trajectories through geologic time, evolutionary mechanism, extinction, paleobiology, paleoecology, and paleoclimate. Special emphasis will be placed on using fossils to interpret ancient environments as well as deciphering past climates. This course focuses on the fossil record of marine invertebrates, but major groups of vertebrates (such as dinosaurs) and plants are also covered. Cross-Listed: GEO 208 Corequisite(s): BIO 208L CC: SCLB