Unit information: Mesozoic stratigraphy and palaeontology fieldwork in 2016/17

Unit name	Mesozoic stratigraphy and palaeontology fieldwork
Unit code	EASC20026
Credit points	10
Level of study	I/5
Teaching block(s)	Academic Year (weeks 1 - 52)
Unit director	Dr. Vinther
Open unit status	Not open
Pre-requisites	EASC20029 Introduction to field mapping
Co-requisites	n/a
School/department	School of Earth Sciences
Faculty	Faculty of Science

Description including Unit Aims

A week long field course, near to Easter, devoted to palaeontological, sedimentological and stratigraphic field observations of terrestrial and marine settings on the Dorset Coast and Isle of Wight.

The unit aims to enable students to acquire the field skills necessary for:

• depositional and palaeoenvironmental contextualization
• taphonomic interpretations
• fossil collecting
• Palaeoenvironmental assessments
• stratigraphic correlation using depositional, cyclic and bio-stratigraphic tools

Intended Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of the field class students will be able to:

• Recognize most formations of the Mesozoic on the Jurassic Coast and Isle Of Wight
• Characterize a range facies types
• Put observations into a depositional context
• Interpret palaeoenvironments
• Identify a host of Mesozoic fossils
• Collect fossils safely in the field
• Applying appropriate numerical techniques to questions in palaecology

Teaching Information

Fieldwork

Assessment Information

Three assessed exercises (100%)

Reading and References

none