Fossils
Tutor: Mike Horne FGS
for the Centre for Life Long Learning
This is a practical course introducing the major groups of fossils, paying particular attention to those that can be found in Eastern England. We will investigate what fossils can tell us about ancient environments and the story of evolution. Students will use the fossils in the University's Collection and borrow a set of fossils for home study.
Content:-
How fossils are
formed.
The classification of fossil and living organisms.
Physiology of
the major groups and how this can enable us to reconstruct past environments.
We will study bivalves, brachiopods, ammonites, belemnites, echinoids, trace
fossils and perhaps other groups if time permits.
Health and safety and the
care of specimens will also be introduced in the course. Where to find fossils
in East Yorkshire.
If time permits we may also study the evolution of some of
the groups of fossils and extinction events.
This course is for those interested
in Earth Sciences, evolution and collecting fossils. It offers techniques that
they would not normally encounter, but would be able to continue as an amateur
after the course.
No previous experience or knowledge is assumed, but those
with experience may be able to undertake more detailed laboratory work, in an
area of study that interests them, after discussion with the tutor.
We studied specimens in the University collection and borrowed a set of specimens for study at home. Students were asked to produce illustrated notes based on their practical work for assessment. A variety of books were available for loan from the book box. The full course notes were also available on CD-ROM.
course notes
key words for describing fossils
Pebbles on Holderness Beaches
pictures of fossils
suggested further reading -
Black R - Elements of palaeontology.
British Geological Survey - Discovering Fossils Series - Bivalves; Crinoids; Plants; Fish; Echinoids, Belemnites.
British Museum (Natural Hstory) - British Cainozoic Fossils
British Museum (Natural Hstory) - British Mesoozoic Fossils
British Museum (Natural Hstory) - British Palaeozoic Fossils
Donovon S K 2003. Fossils explained 41 - Taphonomy. Geology Today 18, 226-231.
Fortey R 2000. Trilobites! Eyewitness to Evolution. Harper Collins, London. 269pp.
Gould S J, 1991. Wonderful Life. Penguin Books. isbn 0140133801. 347pp.
Monks N & P Palmer 2002. Ammonites. Natural History Musem, London,159pp. isbn 0565091697.
Murray J (ed) 1985 - Atlas of invertebrate macrofossils. Longman, Harlow. 241 pp.
Nield E W - Drawing and Understanding Fossils.
Open Univeristy - Geology - Block 5 - Fossils
Owen & Smith 2002 - Fossils of the Chalk (2nd Edn)
Parker S 2009. The Illustrated Guide to Fossils of the World. Southwater Books, London. 160pp.
Schindewolf O H (transl. J Shaefer) 1993. Basic questions in palaeontology. The University of Chicago Press.467pp & 32 pl. isbn 0226738353. library - 560 dc20 or QE761.S3413
Seldon P & J Nudds, 2004. Evolution of fossil ecosystems. Manson Publishing, London. 160pp.
Shrock R R & W H Twenhofel, 1953. Principles of invertebrate paleontology. (2nd edn) McGraw Hill, London. 816pp.
British Geological Survey - "Discovering Geology" series == Ammonites, Belemnites, Bivalves, Crinoids, Echinoids, Fish, Plants.
Natural History Museum - British Mesozoic Fossils, British Palaeozoic Fossils and British Caenozoic Fossils.
copyright Mike Horne - 2019
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