The course is designed to 1) advance the knowledge on the identification of the major microfossil groups, 2) provide an overview of the potential applications of Micropaleontology to Earth Sciences, 3) offer a background for the stratigraphical interpretation of sedimentary sequence and events’ dating, 4) apply the main microfossil groups to the paleoenvironmental reconstructions, and 5) offer useful insights for addressing environmental issues and for the development of georesources. 

Systematic Micropaleontology: foraminifera, calcareous nannoplankton, ostracodes, pteropods, calpionellids, calcareous algae, bryozoa, radiolaria, diatoms, and silicoflagellates, ebridians, conodonts, dinoflagellates, acritarchs, tasmanitids, chitinozoa, spores and pollen. Microfossils’ guide. Assemblages. Biostratigraphic units. Biostratigraphic scales and correlations. Paleoecological, paleogeographic, paleoclimatic and paleoceanographic interpretations. Environmental and georesources applications of Micropaleontology. Field and lab methodological procedures in Micropaleontology. Identification of the main microfossil groups.

Knowledge and understanding. At the end of the course, the student must have gained the basic knowledge in the field of Micropaleontology, Stratigraphy, Paleoecology and Paleoceanography. The student will also master the ability to recognize the main groups of microfossils and to identify the most appropriate methods of micropaleontological analyses for the different stratigraphic intervals and geological contexts. These skills will be verified through a written test.

Applying knowledge and understanding. The student must correctly use paleontological and micropaleontological terminology. In particular, it must be able to identify the main groups of microfossils and perform a palaeoenvironmental reconstruction and a biostratigraphic analysis. These skills will be assessed through a written test.

Making judgements. The student must critically evaluate and select the most appropriate microfossil for paleoenvironmental reconstruction, paleoceanography and paleoclimatic and biostratigraphic analyses. These skills will be verified with the written test and a microscopic session.

Communication skills. The student will be able to describe and synthesize a scientific article with a micro-paleontological character.

Learning skills. The student must be able to build the own path of scientific growth in the paleontological and micro-paleontological field in a critical and autonomous way by use the acquired knowledge. These abilities, as far as possible, will be stimulated by the lecturer.

The teaching material prepared by the lecturer in addition to recommended textbooks (such as for instance slides, lecture notes, exercises, bibliography) and communications from the lecturer specific to the course can be found inside the Moodle platform › blended.uniurb.it

The teaching material and specific communications from the lecturer can be found, together with other supporting activities, inside the Moodle platform › blended.uniurb.it

Field and laboratory exercises.

Teaching

The course will take place through a continuous interaction between lectures, field and laboratory exercises and microscopic sessions.

Attendance

No obligations.

Course books

Hag, B.U. and Boersma, A., 1978. Introduction to Marine Micropaleontology, Elsevier.

Lipps, J.H., 1993. Fossil Prokaryotes and Protists. Blackwell Scientific Publications.

Martin, R., 2000. Environmental Micropaleontology: The Application of Microfossils to Environmental Geology. Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers.

Armstrong, H.A. and Brasier, M.D., 2006. Microfossils, Blackwell Publishing.

Saraswati, P.K. and Srinivasan, M.S., 2016. Micropaleontology: Principles and Applications.

Assessment

The assessment of learning consists of a written exam with ten topics related to the educational program. This method of examination is chosen as it allows to adequately verify the preparation of the student. The purpose of the written test is to verify the knowledge of microfossils and their applications. The duration of the exam is 3 hours. The exam involves an evaluation that is expressed as a grade of out of 30.

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.

Teaching

Non-attending students are inviated to contact the lecturer for information about the program.

Attendance

No obligations.

Course books

Hag, B.U. and Boersma, A., 1978. Introduction to Marine Micropaleontology, Elsevier.

Lipps, J.H., 1993. Fossil Prokaryotes and Protists. Blackwell Scientific Publications.

Martin, R., 2000. Environmental Micropaleontology: The Application of Microfossils to Environmental Geology. Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers.

Armstrong, H.A. and Brasier, M.D., 2006. Microfossils, Blackwell Publishing.

Saraswati, P.K. and Srinivasan, M.S., 2016. Micropaleontology: Principles and Applications.

Assessment

The assessment of learning consists of a written exam with ten topics related to the educational program. This method of examination is chosen as it allows to adequately verify the preparation of the student. The purpose of the written test is to verify the knowledge of microfossils and their applications. The duration of the exam is 3 hours. The exam involves an evaluation that is expressed as a grade of out of 30.

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.