Earth 101 - Invertebrate Paleobiology

This course surveys invertebrate paleobiology through taphonomy, fossil diversity, functional morphology, classification, biogeography, biostratigraphy, and evolutionary patterns. It also examines environmental preferences, extinction and origination, and biases in the fossil record.

Syllabus

Taphonomy (time averaging).
Species composition and diversity.
Substrate Adaptations.
Functional morphology: reef-building.
Species concepts and classification.
Phenetics and cladistics.
Ontogeny and heterochrony.
Landmark morphometrics.
Biostratigraphy.
Biogeography.
Biogeography: vicariance and dispersal.
Evolutionary pattern and process.
Evolutionary trends vs. random walks.
Extinction and origination.
Diversity trends and biases.
Diversity: spatial and environmental patterns.
Guilds and evolutionary faunas.
Environmental preferences of marine organisms.
Functional Morphology: Suspension-Feeding.