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Overview

An exploration of environmental change, including climate change, and its impacts on biological evolution on geological time scales. An introduction to the geological tools and techniques used to decipher and interpret the geological and fossil records. The module examines how the earth works in terms of tectonics, climate, geological cycle, and sea level change, including (1) earth structure and plate tectonics and an introduction to climate and climate change; (2) the materials of the earth are studied: the formation and properties of igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks and the evidence they provide for environmental change over geological time; (3) the significance of the fossil record and its importance for understanding evolution; and (4) major events in earth history, e.g. its origin, the origin of life, evolution of bacteria and multicellular organisms, significant biological changes from the late Precambrian to the Quaternary, major climate and eustatic events in geological history. There is emphasis on Quaternary changes – climatic cycles and anthropogenic impacts – since these still resonate in the present-day environment.

Assessment Strategy

Threshold - (D minus) Basic knowledge based on directly taught programme; basic understanding of geological paradigms, concepts and principles; basic ability to use geological materials and evidence in the laboratory and field to formulate and test hypotheses on environmental change and biological evolution; basic knowledge of climate and climate change.

Good - (B grade) Good knowledge based on directly taught programme; good understanding of geological paradigms, concepts and principles and their application; good ability to use geological materials and evidence in the laboratory and field to formulate and test hypotheses on environmental change and biological evolution; good knowledge of climate and climate change.

Excellent - (A grade) Excellent knowledge based on directly taught programme; excellent understanding of geological paradigms, concepts and principles and their application; excellent ability to use geological materials and evidence in the laboratory and field to formulate and test hypotheses on environmental change and biological evolution; excellent knowledge of climate and climate change.

Learning Outcomes

• Make simple observations in the laboratory and field to identify rock types, geological processes and geological history .

• Synthesise and evaluate geological evidence to identify the main events in the physical, chemical and biological evolution of the earth.

• Understand and apply geological concepts and principles, within a plate tectonics paradigm, to interpret the geological record.

• Understand how environment and climate have changed in the geological and recent past and how this contributes to the debate on environmental issues and future climate change.

• Understand how geological, climatic and eustatic events influence biological evolution and human activity.

• Understand the essential properties of the major rock types of the earth and the processes that form them .

• Understand the principle processes which govern the earth's environment on various temporal and spatial scales.

• Use geological material and evidence in the laboratory to formulate and test hypotheses about ancient environments and geological history.