Sedimentary Rocks and Fossils

EART27201 Sedimentary Rocks and Fossils 10 Semester 1 Undergraduate Level 5 Rhodri Jerrett Unit coordinator 1 FHEQ level (Framework for Higher Education Qualifications) ' Middle part of Bachelors ' European Credit Transfer & Accumulation System Rating : 5.0 <div>Sedimentary rocks are formed from pre-existing rocks or pieces of once-living organisms; they are an essential part of the geological record and their interpretation, alongside the fossils they contain and are comprised of, is vital for reconstructing past environments and processes. This unit introduces students to the fundamental properties of sedimentary rocks and fossils; how to recognise and describe their physical and biological components, use them to subclassify different types of sedimentary rocks, and use the characteristics of these components to make inferences about the age of the rock, the source of the original sediment, the distance transported, the conditions under which it was deposited, and the conditions under which the sediment was converted to rock. We also survey the major groups of microfossils and macrofossils in terms of form and applications in sedimentological contexts.</div>  <div>Sedimentary rocks are formed from pre-existing rocks or pieces of once-living organisms; they are an essential part of the geological record and their interpretation, alongside the fossils they contain and are comprised of, is vital for reconstructing past environments and processes. This unit introduces students to the fundamental properties of sedimentary rocks and fossils; how to recognise and describe their physical and biological components, use them to subclassify different types of sedimentary rocks, and use the characteristics of these components to make inferences about the age of the rock, the source of the original sediment, the distance transported, the conditions under which it was deposited, and the conditions under which the sediment was converted to rock. We also survey the major groups of microfossils and macrofossils in terms of form and applications in sedimentological contexts.</div>  <div>The unit aims to:--Provide training for students to be able to identify, describe and measure sedimentary rocks in terms of their material properties--Familiarize students with common major groups of micro and macro fossils, and their applications to inferring the ages of rocks, palaeoenvironments and sediment provenance.--Equip students with the practical skills to use combined qualitative and quantitative observations in the field and from hand specimens to infer the transport, deposition and diagenetic histories of the sediment and subsequent rock</div>  <table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td colspan="2" style="width:496px;"> On the successful completion of the course, students will be able to: </td> <td style="width:71px;"> Developed</td> <td style="width:66px;"> Assessed</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="width:64px;height:59px;"> ILO 1</td> <td style="width:431px;height:59px;"> Describe, identify and classify clastic and carbonate sedimentary rocks in terms of the quantitative properties of grains, matrix and cement</td> <td style="width:71px;height:59px;"> X</td> <td style="width:66px;height:59px;"> X</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="width:64px;height:66px;"> ILO 2</td> <td style="width:431px;height:66px;"> Describe, identify and classify primary and secondary physical and biogenic sedimentary structures.</td> <td style="width:71px;height:66px;"> X</td> <td style="width:66px;height:66px;"> X</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="width:64px;height:76px;"> ILO 3</td> <td style="width:431px;height:76px;"> Describe, identify and classify the major classes of common micro- and macrofossil organisms in terms of their physical characteristics and taphonomy. </td> <td style="width:71px;height:76px;"> X</td> <td style="width:66px;height:76px;"> X</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="width:64px;height:66px;"> ILO 4</td> <td style="width:431px;height:66px;"> Use combined data from sedimentary rock properties and fossils to quantitatively and qualitatively reconstruct provenance, transport, deposition and diagenetic histories, and approximate ages of the rocks.</td> <td style="width:71px;height:66px;"> X</td> <td style="width:66px;height:66px;"> X</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="width:64px;height:66px;"> ILO 5</td> <td style="width:431px;height:66px;"> Sketch thin sections and hand specimens, and construct sedimentary logs in order to document intra- and inter-bed variation</td> <td style="width:71px;height:66px;"> X</td> <td style="width:66px;height:66px;"> X</td> </tr> </tbody></table>  The syllabus is:W1: Lecture: What is a sedimentary rock? Classification and different derivations; Grains, matrix, cement, and porosity. Practical: Porosity and permeability experiment.W2: Lecture: Clastic sedimentary rocks. Composition, roundness, sphericity, size range to infer provenance, transport, current velocities. Practical: Depositional history of clastic sedimentary rocks from hand specimen and thin sections.W3: Lecture: Carbonate sedimentary rocks. Allochem types and preservation modes. Practical: Depositional history of carbonate sedimentary rocks from hand specimen and thin sections.W4: Lecture: Macrofossils I. Trilobites and Brachiopods Common major groups and their characteristics. Their use as environmental indicators and their use in biostratigraphy. Practical: Examination and identification of different macrofossil groups using hand specimens.W5: Lecture: Macrofossils II. The Molluscs (Bivalves, Gastropods and Cephalopods). Common major groups and their characteristics. Their use as environmental indicators and their use in biostratigraphy. Practical: Examination and identification of further macrofossil groups using hand specimensW6: Reading Week.W7: Lecture: Macrofossils III. Corals and Bryozoans. Common major groups and their characteristics. Their use as environmental indicators and their use in biostratigraphy. Practical: Examination and identification of further macrofossil groups using hand specimens.W8: Lecture: Macrofossils IV. Echinoids and Graptolites. Common major groups and their characteristics. Their use as environmental indicators and their use in biostratigraphy. Practical: Examination and identification of further macrofossil groups using hand specimens.W9: Lecture: Microfossils. Different types, their extraction and examination, and their use in biostratigraphy. Practical: Examination and identification of different microfossil groups using binocular and petrological microscopy.W10: Lecture: Physical sedimentary structures. The bedform phase diagram. Toolmarks, load and dewatering features, desiccation cracks, etc. Practical: Flume tank experimentW11: Lecture: Post-depositional processes (incl. biogenic sedimentary structures). Trace fossils, roots, reduction oxidation conditions, bioturbation index. Compaction (mechanical, chemical), dissolution, cementation, secondary porosity and permeability. Practical: paragenetic histories from thin sections.W12: Lecture: Introduction to Facies Analysis. Practical: Part 1 of core logging exercise.  This course will be delivered through a 1 hour lecture each week followed by a two hour practical, that develops the concepts raised in the lectures. The practical classes provide the opportunity to the students to physically examine rocks and fossils, describe them, and then reconstruct the processes that led to their physical appearance, based on theory developed largely in lectures. It is crucial that students attend all classes and practical classes, as themes build rapidly on one another through the course. Lectures and signposts to relevant reading will be posted on blackboard. Students will be required to learn, primarily, posted lecture notes. No specialist software will be used.  0 Other 25% 1 Written exam 50% 3 Report 25% <table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="width:101px;height:68px;">Assessment type</td> <td style="width:85px;height:68px;">% Weighting within unit</td> <td style="width:66px;height:68px;">Hand out and hand in dates</td> <td style="width:151px;height:68px;">Length </td> <td style="width:179px;height:68px;">How, when and what feedback is provided</td> <td style="width:56px;height:68px;">ILO tested</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="width:101px;height:46px;">Exam</td> <td style="width:85px;height:46px;">50</td> <td style="width:66px;height:46px;"> </td> <td style="width:151px;height:46px;">1.5 hours</td> <td style="width:179px;height:46px;">Exam feedback session</td> <td style="width:56px;height:46px;">1-4</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="width:101px;height:46px;">Individualreport 1(practicalassessment)</td> <td style="width:85px;height:46px;">25</td> <td style="width:66px;height:46px;">c. End Oct.</td> <td style="width:151px;height:46px;">5 pages including sketches.</td> <td style="width:179px;height:46px;">Within 2 weeks of hand-in.</td> <td style="width:56px;height:46px;">1-3, 5</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="width:101px;height:46px;">Individualreport 2(practicalassessment)</td> <td style="width:85px;height:46px;">25</td> <td style="width:66px;height:46px;">c. End Dec.</td> <td style="width:151px;height:46px;">5 pages including sketches.</td> <td style="width:179px;height:46px;">Within 2 weeks of hand-in.</td> <td style="width:56px;height:46px;">1-5</td> </tr> </tbody></table>  1st year Earth & Planetary Science or Environmental Science BSc (Hons) Earth and Plan Scie BSc (Hons) Earth (Geology) Second Year Mandatory BSc (Hons) Earth and Plan Scie BSc (Hons) Earth (Planet Sci) Second Year Optional BSc (Hons) Earth and Plan Scie BSc (Hons) Earth (Geochemistr) Second Year Mandatory BSc (Hons) Earth and Plan Scie BSc (Hons) Earth (Resources) Second Year Mandatory BSc (Hons) Earth and Plan Scie BSc(Hons)Earth&Plan Sci-Palaeo Second Year Mandatory BSc (Hons) Earth and Plan Scie BSc (Hons) Eart and Plan (GPG) Second Year Mandatory MEarthSci (Hons) Ea and Pl Sci MEarthSci (Hons) Earth (Geolo) Second Year Mandatory MEarthSci (Hons) Ea and Pl Sci MEarthSci (Hons) Earth (Plane) Second Year Optional MEarthSci (Hons) Ea and Pl Sci MEarthSci (Hons) Earth (Geoch) Second Year Mandatory MEarthSci (Hons) Ea and Pl Sci MEarthSci (Hons) Earth (Resou) Second Year Mandatory MEarthSci (Hons) Ea and Pl Sci MEarthSci (Hons) Earth (Palae) Second Year Mandatory MEarthSci (Hons) Ea and Pl Sci MEarthSci(Hons)Ea&Pl Sci(G&PG) Second Year Mandatory MEarthSci (Hons) Earth Industr MEarthSci EPS w IE (GeoChem) Second Year Mandatory MEarthSci (Hons) Earth Industr MEarthSci EPS Yr Industry (ER) Second Year Mandatory MEarthSci (Hons) Earth Industr MEarth Sci (Hons) EPS IE (GPG) Second Year Mandatory MEarthSci (Hons) Earth Abroad MEarthSci EPS Abroad (PS) Second Year Optional MEarthSci (Hons) Earth Abroad MEarthSci EPS w YA (Geochem) Second Year Mandatory MEarthSci (Hons) Earth Abroad MEarthSci EPS Abroad (ER) Second Year Mandatory MEarthSci (Hons) Earth Abroad MEarthSci EPS Yr Abroad (Pala) Second Year Mandatory MEarthSci (Hons) Earth Abroad MEaSci (Hons) EPSwYA (GPG) Second Year Mandatory BSc (Hons) Environmental Sci BSc (Hons) Env Science (EECB) Second Year Optional MEnvSci Environmental Science MEnvSci Environ Science (EECB) Second Year Optional MEnvSci Env Sci with Ind Exp MEnvSci Env Sci with IE (EECB) Second Year Optional MEnvSci Env Sci with Int Study MEnvSci Env Sci with IS (EECB) Second Year Optional MEarthSci (Hons) EPS with Res MEarthSci (H) EPS (ER) with Re Second Year Mandatory MEarthSci (Hons) EPS with Res MEaSc (H) EPS w R (GeoChem) Second Year Mandatory MEarthSci (Hons) EPS with Res MEaSc (H) EPS w Res (GPG) Second Year Mandatory MEarthSci (Hons) EPS with Res MEaSc (H) EPS (Plan Sci) w Res Second Year Optional MEarthSci (Hons) EPS with Res MEaSc (H) EPS (Paleo) with Res Second Year Mandatory MEnvSci (Hons) Env Sci w Resea MEnSc (H) En Sc (EECB) with RP Second Year Optional Nichols, G. Sedimentology and Stratigraphy, Wiley.Reading, H.R. (Ed). Sedimentary Environments: Process, Facies and Stratigraphy, Wiley-Blackwell Lectures 11 Practical classes & workshops 21 0 68 <figure class="table"><table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="0"><tbody><tr><td style="height:68px;width:139px;"> </td><td style="height:68px;width:85px;">Type</td><td style="height:9.75pt;padding:0cm;width:169.5pt;" width="226">Example student activity</td><td style="height:68px;width:75px;">Total Hours</td><td style="height:68px;width:160px;">New material</td><td style="height:68px;width:104px;">Consolidation and Practice</td></tr><tr><td style="height:39px;width:139px;">Contact time (students are in front of staff)</td><td style="height:39px;width:85px;">Lecture (new material)</td><td style="height:39px;width:75px;">Mostly listening & taking notes (mostly new material)</td><td style="height:39px;width:75px;">10</td><td style="height:39px;width:160px;">10</td><td style="height:39px;width:104px;"> </td></tr><tr><td> </td><td>Lecture (revision/examples)</td><td>Mostly listening & taking notes (no new material- revision of course)</td><td>1</td><td> </td><td>1</td></tr><tr><td style="height:101px;width:139px;"> </td><td style="height:101px;width:85px;">Practical (new material and practice. Typically 25-50% of practical time is spent on new material)</td><td style="height:101px;width:75px;">Interactive individual or group work (problem solving, experiments, watching demonstrations, describing and interpreting samples, paper-based exercises, computer-based exercises)</td><td style="height:101px;width:75px;">20</td><td style="height:101px;width:160px;">5</td><td style="height:101px;width:104px;">15</td></tr><tr><td style="height:101px;width:139px;"> </td><td style="height:101px;width:85px;">Tutorial</td><td style="height:101px;width:75px;">Interactive small group work</td><td style="height:101px;width:75px;"> </td><td style="height:101px;width:160px;"> </td><td style="height:101px;width:104px;"> </td></tr><tr><td> </td><td>Seminar/examples class</td><td>Working on and discussing questions (here: field seminar)</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td>Independent study time</td><td style="height:9.75pt;padding:0cm;width:131.5pt;" width="175">Pre/post lecture work</td><td>Reading own notes, re-solving examples, prep work, revisit podcast</td><td>10</td><td> </td><td>10</td></tr><tr><td> </td><td>Pre/post practical work/write up</td><td>Complete practical work, prep work, reading feedback</td><td>20</td><td> </td><td>20</td></tr><tr><td> </td><td>Studio/workshop time</td><td>Individual or group work (student led)</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr></tbody></table></figure>