COURSE OUTLINE AND TENTATIVE LECTURE SCHEDULE

Date

Lab. Exercise

Lecture Topic

W Sept.

5

Laboratory Introduction, web/e-mail exercise

Introduction & Geological Context  (Chapt. 1)

F Sept.

7

#1, Modes of Preservation and

      Laboratory Preparation Techniques

Classification & Modes of fossil preservation (Chapt. 2, Schopf, 1975)

 

M Sept.

10

 #2, Prokaryots, Algae and Fungi

Origins of life, and evolution during the Precambrian (Chapt. 4)

W Sept. 

12

 

Algae and Fungi (Chapt. 5 & 6)

F Sept. 

14

 

The conquest of Land - The origin of Embryophytic Clades (Chapt. 7, 8 & 9)

 Sunday, September 16 - Field trip to Steuvenville and Cambridge for coal balls and Pennsylvanian compressions

M Sept. 

17

#3. Simplest & Earliest Land Plants

Diversification of the Land Flora - Evolution of stem/leaf/root organography

W Sept. 

19

 

The Rhynie Chert Flora

F Sept. 

21

#4, Zosterophylls & Lycophytes

Zosterophylls to Lycophytes (Chapt. 10)

 

M Sept. 

24

 

Evolution of Lycopodiales, Selaginellales & the isoetalean clade

W Sept.

26

 

Lepidodendrales to Isoetales - developmental modifications

F Sept

28

  #5, Equisetophytes

The appearance of ferns, equisetophytes and lignophytes (Chapt. 9, 14 & 21)

 Sunday, September 30  - Field trip to Alta, WV to collect Mississ n  ippian compressions and Pennsylvanian  Stigmaria from below coal seams

M Oct.

1

 

Equisetophytes

W Oct.

3

 

Fern clades 1 & 2 (Stauropteridales, Zygopteridales)

F Oct.

5

 #6, Ferns

Fern clade 3: Marattiales & Ophioglosales

 

M Oct.

8

 

Fern clade 3:  Filicales - the first radiation

W Oct.

10

 

Fern clade 3: Filicales - the second radiation, Hydropteridales, origins of modern ferns

F Oct.

12

 

Midterm Exam (Through Equisetophytes)

 

M Oct.

15

#7, Progymnosperms

The origin of gymnospermous reproduction

W Oct.

17

 #8, Hydrasperman reproduction, Elkinsia, Lyginopterids, & Medullosans

Radiation of the lignophytes

 F Oct.

 19

 

 Seed ferns - Hydrasperman & Medullosan

 

M Oct.

22

Seed ferns. Coal ball cutting & Peel Technique

Pennsylvanian wetland vegetation (Chapt. 12)

W Oct.

24

Seed ferns. Techniques (cont.)

Laboratory Exercises

F Oct.

26

 Seed ferns. Techniques (cont.)

Laboratory Exercises

 

M Oct.

28

#9, Callistophytales, Glossopteridales, Bennettitales

Callistophyton and the "higher" seed ferns

W Oct.

31

#10, Cordaites & Conifers

Cordaites and the evolution of conifers

F Nov.

2

 

Origins of modern conifer families

 

M Nov.

5

 

Conifers (Cont.), and the Gnetales

W Nov.

7

#11, Flowering Plant structure, reproduction & Fossils

Intro. to Flowering Plants - Angiosperm Features

Phylogeny and the Rise of Angiosperm Dominance

F Nov.

9

 

Diversification of flowering plants

 

M. Nov.

12

 No Lab

Vetrans Day Holiday - No Class

.

Final Examination will be Thursday Nov. 15, 10:10 am

 

 


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