EES 2022 – Paleontology and Stratigraphy

This course for undergraduate Geology majors provides a working introduction to invertebrate paleontology and the principles of bio-, litho-, and allostratigraphy. Emphasis is placed on combining data from the geological and biological records to understand the sedimentary record through time. Students gain skill in identifying major invertebrate fossil groups and describing their anatomy, paleoecology, and temporal significance; explore how sedimentological factors influence our understanding of evolution as recorded by the fossil record, and vice versa; and construct measured sections and stratigraphic columns and correlate using multiple stratigraphic techniques. Through two multi-day field trips, students develop and employ field and map skills while investigating elements of earth history and changes in the tectonic setting of eastern North America through geologic time.