ESCI 652 - Paleontology (2016)
Will Clyde
328 James Hall
Phone: 862-3148
Email: will.clyde@unh.edu
Office Hours: Tues 10:00-12:00 (or by appointment)
Lecture: M, W, F; 9:10-10:00 AM; James 252
Lab: Mon 3:40-6:00; James 252
Grading: Test 1 (17%), Test 2 (17%),
Final Exam (18%), Paper (20%),
Labs (20%), Participation (8%)
Textbook
Prothero, D. R. Bringing Fossils to Life: an Introduction to Paleobiology (3nd edition, 2013) – “P”
Other Reading (*On reserve in Earth Science office)
*Boggs, S. Principles of Sedimentology and Stratigraphy (4th Edition, 2006) – “Boggs”
*Boardman, R. S., Cheetham, A. H., and Rowell, A. J.(eds.), Fossil Invertebrates (1987) – “BC&R”
*Benton, M. J. and Harper, D. A. T., Introduction to Paleobiology and the Fossil Record (2009)
Foote, M and Miller A. I. Principles of Paleontology (3rd Edition, 2007)
Carroll, R., Vertebrate Paleontology and Evolution (1988) – “C”
Lab and Homework Policy – Everything you hand in as part of this class (homework, lab exercises, tests etc)
*must* be your own work unless I make a specific exception in the assignment. You are encouraged to work in
groups, discuss your observations, and debate your interpretations but the work that you produce must remain
your own. All labs must be printed out in full and handed in by the due date *and* any Excel files associated the
lab must be posted in a shared Box folder as well so that I can try to determine where errors occurred. Labs will
be marked down if they are handed in late.
Fossil of the Day – Twice during the semester, each student will provide a 5 minute presentation entitled “fossil
of the day”. This will be a summary of a fossil that you recently learned about and think is interesting or a fossil
that was recently discovered and was in the news. Really, it can be any fossil that you find exciting for some
reason! In the presentation, you should describe the fossil, its taxonomy, the context of its discovery and why it is
significant. This should also be written up in a single, concise paragraph and handed in. These presentations and
paragraphs will make up part of your participation grade.
Bold reading assignments are required, others are suggested/optional
Jan 27 Wed
29 Fri
Feb 1 Mon
3 Wed
5 Fri
8 Mon
10 Wed
12 Fri
15 Mon
17 Wed
19 Fri
22 Mon
24 Wed
26 Fri
29 Mon
Mar
2 Wed
4 Fri
Introduction - What is paleontology and why is it important? (P p.IX-XIII, BC&R Ch. 1)
Fossil preservation I – Death to discovery (P Ch. 1, BC&R Ch. 5)
Fossil preservation II – Modes of preservation (P Ch. 1, BC&R Ch. 5)
Lab 1 - Fossil preservation, protists, and sponges (P. Ch. 12&13; BC&R Ch. 8,9,10)
Fossil preservation III - Preservational environments (break out groups; Boggs Ch. 8-11)
Principles of stratigraphy and the stratigraphic code (Boggs Ch. 13-15, Appendix C)
Biostratigraphy (P Ch.10, B Ch. 14, BC&R Ch.7)
Lab 2 - Corals and biostratigraphy (P Ch. 13; BC&R 8,9,10)
Ontogeny and allometry (P Ch. 2)
Species concepts (P Ch. 3)
Systematics, classification, and phylogenetic reconstruction (P Ch.4, BC&R Ch. 6)
Lab 3 - Classification (P Ch.4, BC&R Ch. 6)
Phylogenetic reconstruction (cont.) (P Ch.4, BC&R Ch. 6)
Phylogenetic reconstruction (cont.) (P Ch.4, BC&R Ch. 6)
Historical foundations of paleontology short presentations
Lab 4 - Arthropods & phylogenetic analysis (P Ch. 15; BC&R Ch. 13, 17, 18)
Test 1
Functional morphology (P Ch. 7)
Functional morphology (P Ch. 7)
Lab 5 - Molluscs; phylogenetic and functional analysis (P Ch 16, BC&R Ch. 14, 16)
Biogeography (P Ch. 9)
Biogeography (P Ch. 9)
_____
7 Mon
9 Wed
11 Fri
Paleoecology: autecology (P Ch. 8)
Lab 6 - Brachiopods & biomechanics (P Ch.14, BC&R Ch. 14, 16)
Paleoecology: synecology (P Ch. 8)
Case Study: mammalian paleoecology across the Paleocene/Eocene boundary
SPRING BREAK
21 Mon
23 Wed
25 Fri
28 Mon
Apr
30 Wed
1 Fri
4 Mon
6 Wed
8 Fri
11 Mon
13 Wed
15 Fri
18 Mon
20 Wed
22 Fri
25 Mon
27 Wed
29 Fri
______
Microevolution: Darwin and the modern synthesis (P Ch. 5)
Lab 7 - Biogeography and the Paleobiology Database (PBDB)
Microevolution: speciation, punctuated equilibrium vs. gradualism (P Ch. 5)
Heterochrony (P Ch. 2:36-37)
Macroevolution: species selection, coordinated stasis, mass extinctions (P Ch. 5)
Lab 8 - Echinoderms and bryozoans; synecology (P Ch. 14,17; BC&R Ch. 13, 17, 18)
Test 2
The origin and early evolution of life (P Ch. 11)
The earliest metazoans (P Ch. 11)
Lab 9 - Early vertebrates & rates of evolution (P Ch. 18; C Ch.2-15)
The Cambrian explosion and the Burgess Shale (P Ch. 11)
Metazoan diversification (P Ch. 13-17)
The evolution and diversification of land plants (P Ch. 20)
Lab 10 - Mammals & evolutionary rates (P Ch. 18; C Ch.16-21)
The evolution of vertebrates (P Ch. 18)
The evolution of tetrapods (P Ch. 18)
Early reptiles and dinosaurs (P Ch 18)
Lab 11 – Lab Test
Current Issue: Ancient DNA (Handouts)
Dinosaurs and the evolution of birds (P Ch 18)
Case Study: Titanoboa and plaeoclimate reconstruction (read paper posted on Bb)
Lab 12 - Field Trip to Harvard Museum
The origin of mammals & field trip introduction (P Ch. 18)
Leave for Field Trip
Field Trip (Depart Friday April 29 (AM) and Return Sunday, May 1 (PM)
May 2 Mon
4 Wed
6 Fri
9 Mon
Mammalian diversification (P Ch. 18)
Lab 13 – No Lab/Work on Term Papers
Case Study: The evolution of whales
Primate evolution (P Ch. 18)
Human evolution - HAND IN TERM PAPERS
Lab 14 - Presentations
Final Exam: Monday, May 16, 1:00-3:00, James 252
Academic integrity: You must conduct yourselves in an honest and ethical manner and respect the intellectual
work of others. Please refer to the UNH Student Code of Conduct (http://www.unh.edu/student/rights/) for
more details.
Disability Accommodations: The University is committed to providing students with documented disabilities
equal access to all university programs and facilities. If you think you have a disability requiring
accommodations, you must register with Disability Services for Students (DSS). Contact DSS at (603) 862-2607
or visit them in 201 Smith Hall. If you have received Accommodation Letters for this course from DSS, please
provide me with that information privately so that we can review those accommodations.