Advanced Palaeoenvironmental Analysis - CED00022M

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  • Department: Centre for Lifelong Learning
  • Module co-ordinator: Dr. Annette McGrath
  • Credit value: 20 credits
  • Credit level: M
  • Academic year of delivery: 2018-19

Module will run

Occurrence Teaching cycle
A Autumn Term 2018-19

Module aims

Also including a compulsory 5-day residential week, this module will introduce students to the techniques used in analysing sediments and sedimentary rocks to extract palaeoenvironmental and palaeoecological information for research purposes.

The module aims to:

  • Provide the students with the skills to further interrogate the rocks, sediments and landscapes of Yorkshire and northern England
  • Develop the students' skills in analysing and interpreting palaeoenvironments
  • Develop the students' skills in reconstructing ancient ecosystems and depositional environments.
  • Discuss how sedimentary structures, macroscopic and microscopic palaeontological samples, sequence stratigraphy, geochemical, isotopic and petrophysical log and core data can be applied to different case studies
  • Use Yorkshire and northern England case studies to explain recent environmental and climate change.

Module learning outcomes

By the end of this module, students should be able to:

  • Understand how palaeoenvironmental analysis is carried out
  • Assess sediments and sedimentary rocks for palaeoenvironmental and palaeoecological information
  • Make judgments based on which techniques are appropriate for which sample types
  • Integrate techniques and analyses in order to interpret samples and systems as completely as possible
  • Gather, manage and present data in order to produce reports summarising the palaeoenvironment and palaeoenvironmental evolution of a locality or region.

Assessment

Task Length % of module mark
Essay/coursework
Coursework		 N/A 100

Special assessment rules

None

Reassessment

Task Length % of module mark
Essay/coursework
Coursework		 N/A 100

Module feedback

The tutor will give regular individual feedback throughout the module on work submitted.

The assessment feedback is as per the university’s guidelines with regard to timings.

Indicative reading

  • Microfossils (2005). Armstrong and Brasier. Wiley-Blackwell.
  • Palaeoecology: ecosystems, environments, and evolution (1998). Brenchley and Harper. 
  • The sedimentary record of sea-level change (2003). Angela L. Coe.
  • Sedimentology and stratigraphy (2009). Gary Nichols. 
  • Isotopes in paleoenvironmental research (2006). Melanie J. Leng.
  • Invertebrate palaeontology and evolution (2009). E.N.K. Clarkson. Wiley-Blackwell.


The information on this page is indicative of the module that is currently on offer. The University is constantly exploring ways to enhance and improve its degree programmes and therefore reserves the right to make variations to the content and method of delivery of modules, and to discontinue modules, if such action is reasonably considered to be necessary by the University. Where appropriate, the University will notify and consult with affected students in advance about any changes that are required in line with the University's policy on the Approval of Modifications to Existing Taught Programmes of Study.