Learning objectives
The course deals with marine paleoecology and its objective is to show how fossils can be used for paleoenviromental reconstruction at level of individual, population and community.
Prerequisites
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Course unit content
-Basic concepts and subdivision of paleoecology; relationships between ecology and paleoecology;
-Basic concepts of ecology and the marine ecosystem (physical environments, life modes and trophic strategies of marine organisms);
-Environmental control on organism distribution in the marine environments;
-Taxonomic uniformism and functional morphology;
-Fossils as environmental indicators;
-Paleoenviromental reconstruction at population and community levels;
-Quantitative analysis of fossils assemblages
-Applications: examples of paleoenviromental/paleoceanographic and paleoclimatic reconstructions based on foraminifera.
Full programme
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Bibliography
1)Brenchley P.J. & Harper D.A.T., 1998. Palaeoecology: ecosystem, environments and evolution. Chapman & Hall.
2)Goldring R., 1991. Fossils in the field. Information potential and analysis. Longman Scientific &Technical.
3)Raffi S. & Serpagli E., 1993. Introduzione alla Paleontologia. Utet.
4)Murray J.W., 1993. Ecology and paleoecology of benthic foraminifera. Longman Scientific &Technical.
5)Murray J., 2006. Ecology and Applications of benthic foraminifera. Cambridge University Press.
6)Pinet P.R., 1998. Invitation to Oceanography. Jones & Bartlett.
7)Odum E.P., 1988. Basi di Ecologia. Piccin Editore.
Teaching methods
oral and practical lesson
Assessment methods and criteria
Oral exam
Other information
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2030 agenda goals for sustainable development
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