Lecture 1 Intro PDF: GEOL 109.3/122.3 The Earth and Life Through Time

GEOL 109.3/122.3 The Earth and Life through Time/Earth History Introduction GEOL 109.3/122.3 – The Earth and Life through Time/Earth History Instructor: Dr Anthony Shillito Office Location: Geology Building, room 342 Email: [email protected] Office Hours: Email in advance to arrange a meetin...

GEOL 109.3/122.3 The Earth and Life through Time/Earth History Introduction GEOL 109.3/122.3 – The Earth and Life through Time/Earth History Instructor: Dr Anthony Shillito Office Location: Geology Building, room 342 Email: [email protected] Office Hours: Email in advance to arrange a meeting Timetable: Monday, Wednesday, Friday 10.30-11.20 Location: Arts Building, Room 241 Textbook: Stanley, Steven M. & Luczaj, John A. Earth System History, Fourth Edition Labs: GEOL 122.3 ONLY – Make sure you are enrolled in a lab! Start next week, either M/Tu/W/Th 14:30-17:20, Geology, room 255 Any problems contact lab coordinator Michael Cuggy directly ([email protected]) A bit about me… Undergraduate/PhD in Cambridge Previously JRF at Magdalen, Oxford (2019-2022) Now Banting Fellow (2022-2024) Work on ichnology Fieldwork Yamaat Gol, Mongolia Ausable Chasm, USA Dingle, Ireland Pembrokeshire, Wales Stonehaven, Scotland Clanwilliam, South Africa Hastings, England Gaspé, Canada Kalbarri, Australia Grampians, Australia Oslo fjord, Norway Cornwallis Island, Canada Aims & Objectives Apply the major techniques used by geologists to evaluate paleoenvironments and explain the sequence of events preserved in the rock record. Characterize and classify sedimentary rocks and structures. Identify the major periods of Earth evolution and document the connections to major biological evolutions throughout Earth’s history. Correctly integrate bio-stratigraphic and stratigraphic information with geological maps to interpret geological cross-sections. Lecture Topics to be covered Note – general tentative outline that may change 1. Course introduction and history of historical geology 2. Review of physical geology and geologic time 3. Diversity of life 4. Evolution and living environments over geological time 5. Sedimentary environments 6. Stratigraphy and correlation 7. Geochemical cycles 8. Origin of Earth and life in the Precambrian 9. Cambrian Explosion and Ordovician Biodiversification and a brief glaciation in the early Palaeozoic 10. Recovery from extinction, epicontinental reefs, Age of Fishes, and greening of the continents in the middle Palaeozoic 11. Glaciations, coal, and the time all life almost went extinct in the late Palaeozoic 12. Recovery of ecosystems and rise of the reptiles (including dinosaurs) in the early Mesozoic 13. Evolution of birds and flowers and another extinction in the late Mesozoic 14. Rise of mammals in forests in the early Cenozoic 15. Spread of grasslands and onset of ice ages during the cool and dry late Cenozoic 16. Ice ages and the Anthropocene in the latest Cenozoic (Quaternary) Assessed Components Lab or Project Work Quizzes: 4-5 short quizzes will be issued throughout this course. These will be given more or less every 2-3 weeks throughout the term. Mid-term exams: Two mid-term exams will be given, during the scheduled classes on Friday February 9th, and Friday March 22nd. These will be done online through canvas. Final exam: There will be a formal, in person exam at the end of the course. This will last 3 hours, and will cover material from the whole course. Date TBA (during exam window 6th-26th April). Grading Geol 109.3 (Quizzes 5%, 2x midterms 15% each, assignments 25%, final exam 40%) Geol 122.3 (Quizzes 5%, 2x midterms 15% each, laboratory 25%, final exam 40%) Lectures Attendance at lectures isn’t mandatory, but is expected: students who attend regularly typically perform better. Please arrive on time There will be a short break in the middle to help concentration I’ll make sure to keep to time Ask questions at the end/send an email – with almost 300 students we’ve got to keep on track! What is Geology? Geology (from the Greek geo and logos) is defined as the science that studies the Earth. Geology is a complex science emerging from the interaction of Physics, Chemistry and Biology Like other sciences, Geology was born from human curiosity and interest in understanding the world around us Although the origin of Geology can be tracked to Antiquity, Modern Geology was born in the late 18th century-beginning of the 19th century. What is Geology? Geology can be divided in two broad fields of study: – Physical Geology (GEOL 121- 108) – Historical Geology (GEOL 122- 109) Physical Geology studies… – Earth materials (e.g. minerals and rocks) – Internal structure of the Earth: core, mantle, crust. – Earthquakes, – Volcanism and the processes operating within the Earth, like mantle convection (internal dynamics) – Sedimentary environments, or processes operating on Earth’s surface (external dynamics) What about Historical Geology? In Historical Geology we study… – The origin of Earth – changes in the lithosphere (paleogeographic configurations), hydrosphere and evolution of the atmosphere and life on Earth through time – Major evolutionary radiations and Mass extinctions – We attempt to get a better understanding and appreciation of today’s global ecosystems Palaeogeography Earth System History Geological Time Geological time, involves millions or even billion years. Geologic time is a conceptual framework There are two components of geologic time, a linear and a cyclic component. In Stephen Jay Gould’s words: “time’s arrow” and “time’s cycle” - Linear time (“time’s arrow”) - Cyclic time (“time’s cycle”) Geological Time Cyclic time (“time’s cycle”) Cyclic time is evident in the physical processes, endogenous and exogenous that model and remodeled the Earth Linear time (“time’s arrow”) Linear time is evident in the History of the Earth as a succession of unique events Other Stuff... “Major Possibilities” will be in class on 8th January to advertise the event There will be a 10% mark deduction per day for any assignment or project work that is handed in late. There will be no lectures on Friday February 9th or March 22nd 2024 (Midterm exams), during the week beginning Monday February 19th 2024 (Study Break), or on Friday March 29th 2024 (Good Friday). Classes are scheduled to end on Friday April 5th 2024 – there will be a class this day. Due to the final exam, do not book travel from the university before April 26th 2024 Lectures are not intended to match lab topics. Plagiarism and cheating in any form will absolutely not be tolerated and could lead to a grade of zero on the assignment/exam in question and may result in failure of the course or expulsion from the university Next lecture… Introduction to Rocks and Minerals Earth System History