THE HISTORY OF LIFE

GLY-1101, Fall 2010
M, W, F, 1:00 - 1:50
Instructor: Professor Jose F. Longoria

LECTURE NOTES

Week 1:

Introduction, course setup, syllabus, organization, expectations.

Lecture Materials + ch 1: Introduction to Earth System History

Week 2:

The rock record: Lecture Materials + ch 2: Earth Materials and Features, ch 6: Interpreting Sedimentary Environments and Global Change

Rocks and minerals

Sedimentary rocks and processes: Lithification

Types of sedimentary rocks

Modern and Ancient Sedimentary Environments: Environments of Life

Sedimentary structures

Facies: Walther's Law of Facies

Week 3: 9/6 University Closed, Labor day, No Classes;

Paleontology principles: Origin of life, fossilization: Lecture Materials + ch 4: Life on Earth and Its Fossil Record; ch 3: Geologic Time

Classification of life on earth

Species concept: Biological species concept; Paleontological species concept

Binominal classification

The organization of life

The Cell: cellular organization

Types of fossils

Geologic time: concept of time

Stratigraphy and correlation

Lithostratigraphy

Biostratigraphy

Tic-Tack-Toe of fossils

Stratigraphic sequences

The geologic time scale: Chronostratigraphy vs. geochronology

Geochronology

Week 4:

Biological Principles: Lecture Materials + ch 5: Biological Evolution

Evidence of biological evolution: Darwinian Synthesis

Natural selection

Homologous and analogous structures

Vestigial structures

Selective breeding

Adaptation

The work of Mendel: Alleles

Variation and inheritance of traits

Modern genetics: Genes, chromosome, and DNA

Meiosis and Mitosis

Mutations

Speciation types

Speciation processes: Cladogenesis and Anagenesis

Cladograms

Dollo's Law

Evolutionary patterns: Convergent evolution; adaptive radiation

Speciation rates: Phyletic gradualism, punctuated equilibrium

Extinction: Mass Extinctions

Week 5: Prof to attend Scientific Meeting- No Classes

Week 6:

Geological Principles: Lecture Materials + ch 7: Plate Tectonics in Earth History

Origins of plate tectonics: Continental drift, seafloor spreading; Alfred Wegener and Pangea

Plate boundaries

Lithosphere and Asthenosphere

Orogenesis: mountain building

Click here to view the Study Guide for Exam 1

Week 7:

Precambrian: Archean,

Lecture Materials + ch 8: Archean World

Proterozoic: Ediacara Fauna,

Lecture Materials + ch 9:Proterozoic World

Week 8:

Lower Paleozoic: The Cambrian Revolution early Paleozoic life,

Lecture Materials + ch10: Paleozoic World

Week 9:

Middle Paleozoic

Lecture Materials + ch10: Paleozoic World

Week 10:

Upper Paleozoic

Lecture Materials + ch10: Paleozoic World

Review for Exam 2, 10/25 Click here to view the Study Guide

EXAM 2: Wed, 10/27

Week 11:

Lower Mesozoic: major events of life

Lecture Materials + ch 11: Mesozoic World

Week 12:
Upper Mesozoic lifeLecture Materials + ch 11: Mesozoic World

Week 13:

The Cenozoic - Paleogene:Recapitulatiion