3 ECTS credits
75 u studietijd
Aanbieding 1 met studiegidsnummer 4012989ENR voor alle studenten in het 2e semester met een verdiepend master niveau.
This course covers the environmental conditions that existed on the early Earth when life originated more than 3 billion years ago. The paleontological and geochemical evidences supporting the first traces of life are critically examined and evaluated. It is also important to understand events such as the emergence of photosynthesis around 2.5 billion years ago, and the rise of O2 in the atmosphere. The course will also cover in details the late Proterozoic environments and the succession of events that led to the Cambrian explosion of life. The latter is characterized by the first but already highly diversified 'hard body' organisms, which produce a good fossil record. Major mass extinctions and climatic changes that have affected the evolution of life during the Phanerozoic, and in particular, to the Cretaceous-Tertiary event that marked the demise of the dinosaurs, deserve special attention. Consequently, their causes (meteorite impact, volcanism, cooling), mechanisms and consequences (radiation, selectivity of organisms etc) will be examined and discussed in class. Other topics will include: plate tectonic and biogeography; how and why CO2 or O2 concentration changes through time and their implication for organisms (biomass, C cycle); the conditions leading to the onset of glaciations; the evolution of specific environmental condition (ex. reef) throughout geological time, paleoclimate, punctuated equilibrium, etc.
In this course, the students will also be familiarized with the field and analytical techniques used in paleobiology and paleoceanography to reconstruct paleoenvironments, document the evolution of life and extract information from the fossil record (such as stable isotopes, trace elements, biomarkers, radiometric dating etc).
Guest speakers will eventually be invited to cover specific topics in more details, such as mass extinctions, dinosaurs diversity etc.
The goal of this course is to maximize student participation, through reading of articles and group discussion in class. Consequently, controversial topics and critical thinking will be emphasized.
See the learning platform for a list of reference books provided such as:
From Suns to Life: A Chronological Approach to the History of Life, M. Gargaud, Ph. Claeys, P. Lopez-Garcia, H. Martin, T. Montmerle, R. Pascal & J. Reisse, Springer 2006, 370 p. ISBN 0-387-45082-7
Lectures in Astrobiology I (2005) & II (2006) both published by Springer.
History of life, R. Cowen, 2004, Blackwell Science
T-rex and the crater of Doom, W. Alvarez, 1997, Princeton Press
Wonderful life, S. J. Gould, 1989, W.W. Norton & Co. 347 p. ISBN 0-393-02705-8
etc.
A long list of article in pdf format will be made available online, this list is updated every year with recent articles.
Creationism and intelligent design are gaining support ! It is thus of paramount importance that the coming generation of scientists do understand the basic concepts of the origin of life and its evolution through geological time, between the formation of planet Earth 4.567 billion years ago and today.
De beoordeling bestaat uit volgende opdrachtcategorieën:
HOC Groepswerk bepaalt 15% van het eindcijfer
HOC Presentatie bepaalt 85% van het eindcijfer
Binnen de categorie HOC Groepswerk dient men volgende opdrachten af te werken:
Binnen de categorie HOC Presentatie dient men volgende opdrachten af te werken:
Sort debate/presentation on a topic of choice or selected from the list of controversial questions provided on Pointcarre - 20% of final grade
End of semester student presentation in English on a topic selected among the provided list, eventually students themselves can propose topics that fit in the course - 80% of final grade.
Eventually, at student request, an oral exam on can replace the debate & student presentation evaluations.
Deze aanbieding maakt deel uit van de volgende studieplannen:
Master in de biologie: ecologie en biodiversiteit
Master in de biologie: onderwijs
Master of Biology: Molecular and Cellular Life sciences (enkel aangeboden in het Engels)
Master of Biology: Human Ecology (enkel aangeboden in het Engels)
Master of Biology: Ecology and Biodiversity (enkel aangeboden in het Engels)
Educatieve master in de wetenschappen en technologie: biologie (120 ECTS, Etterbeek)