Palaeobiology, Palaeoenvironments and Geoconservation of the Jurassic Coast and Isle of Wight

EART38302 Palaeobiology, Palaeoenvironments and Geoconservation of the Jurassic Coast and Isle of Wight 10 Semester 2 Undergraduate Level 6 Phillip Manning Unit coordinator 1 FHEQ level (Framework for Higher Education Qualifications) ' Last part of a Bachelors ' European Credit Transfer & Accumulation System Rating : 5.0 <div>The practical application of new and existing analytical techniques/methodologies to palaeontological science is changing the way we study the fossil record both in the laboratory and in the field. The benefits from such applied approaches extend to many disciplines and are already yielding significant impact to the broader scientific community, NGO’s and industry. The interdisciplinary palaeobiology and palaeoenvironmental research being undertaken at the University of Manchester has generated a large body of research that will underpin much of the unit content delivering a research-led programme. Students will gain the relevant skills on this unit to study fossils in the field, including dinosaurs and the associated fauna and floras of the Lower Jurassic to Lower Cretaceous. This unit will be a combination of field-based observation, practical classes and lectures within the framework of a nine day (7 days in the field) field-course based on the South Coast and the Isle of Wight. The unit will integrate the study of multiple fossil remains (Invertebrate, vertebrate and plant fossils) within the context of the evolving palaeoenvironments in the dynamic succession that is exposed between Lyme Regis to the Isle of Purbeck, but also on the Southern coastline of the Isle of Wight. Students will work in the field and in museums, including the Steve Etches Museum (Kimmeridge) and also the ‘Dinosaur Isle’ museum on the Isle of Wight, to study the engagement of public audiences with geoscience. The unit will also enable students to explore the impact palaeontology has to millions of visitors who explore UK museums and understand how geoconservation is increasingly being deployed by international (UNESCO World Heritage), National (SSSI) and local (RIGS) initiatives (e.g. Jurassic Coast). The localities chosen for this unit will enable students to explore the often complex issues associated with the management of geological resources (Geoconservation) from the perspective of coastal erosion (loss of fossil sites to coastal erosion: protect or collect?), industry (quarrying and commercial fossil collecting) and sustainable geo-tourism (Jurassic Coast World Heritage and Dinosaurs on the Isle of Wight). Earth Science communication will help unite all elements of the field unit, encouraging students to explore new methods to engage and inform public audiences on geoconservation and the broader geosciences. The unit is aimed at those taking the DEES Palaeontology stream, but the unit will also deliver content that will be relevant to both biologists and environmental scientists.</div>  <div>The practical application of new and existing analytical techniques/methodologies to palaeontological science is changing the way we study the fossil record both in the laboratory and in the field. The benefits from such applied approaches extend to many disciplines and are already yielding significant impact to the broader scientific community, NGO’s and industry. The interdisciplinary palaeobiology and palaeoenvironmental research being undertaken at the University of Manchester has generated a large body of research that will underpin much of the unit content delivering a research-led programme. Students will gain the relevant skills on this unit to study fossils in the field, including dinosaurs and the associated fauna and floras of the Lower Jurassic to Lower Cretaceous. This unit will be a combination of field-based observation, practical classes and lectures within the framework of a nine day (7 days in the field) field-course based on the South Coast and the Isle of Wight. The unit will integrate the study of multiple fossil remains (Invertebrate, vertebrate and plant fossils) within the context of the evolving palaeoenvironments in the dynamic succession that is exposed between Lyme Regis to the Isle of Purbeck, but also on the Southern coastline of the Isle of Wight. Students will work in the field and in museums, including the Steve Etches Museum (Kimmeridge) and also the ‘Dinosaur Isle’ museum on the Isle of Wight, to study the engagement of public audiences with geoscience. The unit will also enable students to explore the impact palaeontology has to millions of visitors who explore UK museums and understand how geoconservation is increasingly being deployed by international (UNESCO World Heritage), National (SSSI) and local (RIGS) initiatives (e.g. Jurassic Coast). The localities chosen for this unit will enable students to explore the often complex issues associated with the management of geological resources (Geoconservation) from the perspective of coastal erosion (loss of fossil sites to coastal erosion: protect or collect?), industry (quarrying and commercial fossil collecting) and sustainable geo-tourism (Jurassic Coast World Heritage and Dinosaurs on the Isle of Wight). Earth Science communication will help unite all elements of the field unit, encouraging students to explore new methods to engage and inform public audiences on geoconservation and the broader geosciences. The unit is aimed at those taking the DEES Palaeontology stream, but the unit will also deliver content that will be relevant to both biologists and environmental scientists.</div>  <div><div>Through this unit, students will gain experience and insight in how to map environmental and climate change through the geological record. We will be using the palaeobiology and palaeoenvironments of keys sites of the Jurassic Coast of the Isle of Wight and Southern England as a case study. This enables participants to not only develop skills in identifying, recording, and mapping fossils remains in field, but also applying those data to interpretations of evolution and environmental change. The unit will provide insight to the latest techniques being deployed by field palaeontologists working for NGO’s and governmental bodies, but also on how they are being utilised for geoconservation (such as the ‘Jurassic Coast’ World Heritage sites). The ultimate aim is for students to be able to evaluate palaeontological resources and plan for the study of fossil remains in the field within a broader environmental/geoconservation framework, but also the key role of engaging new audiences in geoscience public engagement.</div> </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:72px;">Developed</td> <td style="width:66px;">Assessed</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="width:64px;height:59px;">ILO 1</td> <td style="width:432px;height:59px;">Describe, identify and interpret fossil remains in the field and laboratory </td> <td style="width:72px;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:432px;height:66px;">Evaluate the use, description and classification of both invertebrate and vertebrate fossils within a stratigraphic and palaeoenvironmental framework </td> <td style="width:72px;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:432px;height:76px;">Describe, record, analyse & interpret the geology & palaeontology of a field site to be part of a public exhibit (for field-based site interpretation panel and/or a museum).</td> <td style="width:72px;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:432px;height:66px;">Examine and discuss potential geoconservation conflict and management of geological/palaeontological resources of a World Heritage site. </td> <td style="width:72px;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:432px;height:66px;">Review and discuss the critical role that science communication plays in the public understanding of the geosciences</td> <td style="width:72px;height:66px;"> </td> <td style="width:66px;height:66px;"> </td> </tr> </tbody></table>  Pre-lecture 1: Introduction to the fieldtripPre-lecture 2: Introduction to the Geology of the Jurassic Coast and the Isle of WightPre-lecture 3: Palaeontology on the Jurassic Coast and Isle of Wight Itinerary (tentative, subject to change due to tidal sections):Travel Day 1 to Lyme Regis.Field Day 2- The Jurassic Coast World Heritage, Lyme Regis and Charmouth: Commercial fossil collecting and coastal erosion.Field Day 3- Kimmeridge Bay and the Steve Etches Museum: From field to exhibition, the interpretation of a paleontological resource.Field Day 4- Isle of Purbeck: Quarrying Industry on Purbeck and the World Heritage partnership/conflicts?Field Day 5- Lymington/Yarmouth Ferry: Geo-tourism and geology on the Isle of WightField Day 6- Dinosaur Isle Museum (Sandown): the public engagement of geoscience and palaeontology in museums.Field Day 7- Southwest Coast of Isle of Wight, Wessex Formation: field description and classification of both invertebrate and vertebrate fossils within a stratigraphic and palaeoenvironmental framework.Field Day 8- Field Project at National Trust site on South West Coast of IoW: Student project to describe, record, analyse & interpret the geology & palaeontology for a public exhibit (for field-based site interpretation panel and/or a museum)Travel Day 9 to Manchester.The length of the unit permits travel of the Saturday of weekend 1 and return on the Sunday of the following weekend, minimising impact on other taught EART units after Easter.  <div>The field trip is for 9 days in March/April. Eight days are spent in the field (with a final assessment of field notebooks and site interpretation/display project on day 8) and travel to and from the South Coast and the Isle of Wight will takes place in the remaining 2 days. There will be three pre-fieldtrip meetings/lectures in DEES. The lectures will be posted as PowerPoint presentations on Blackboard. Additional supporting research papers as well as a field guide will be posted on blackboard in advance of the fieldtrip. Students are expected to study this material ahead of the fieldtrip. Teaching in the field will use a range of methods including staff-led field observations, independent collecting of data, one-on-one interactions with staff and presentations. Students are strongly encouraged to discuss progress and data collection/interpretations by showing their work to staff during the course of the unit. The staff will be accommodated on the same site to facilitate this. With the exception of the pre-fieldtrip assignment all assessments are submitted at the end of the field course and post fieldtrip feedback will be provided during a post-fieldwork session. </div>  2 Written assignment (inc essay) 50% 3 Report 50% <table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="width:102px;height:68px;">Assessment type</td> <td style="width:85px;height:68px;">% Weighting within unit</td> <td style="width:85px;height:68px;">Hand out and hand in dates</td> <td style="width:75px;height:68px;">Length </td> <td style="width:170px;height:68px;">How, when and what feedback is provided</td> <td style="width:123px;height:68px;">ILO tested</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="width:102px;height:101px;">Pre-field course assignment </td> <td style="width:85px;height:101px;">25%</td> <td style="width:85px;height:101px;">Handed out 5-6 weeks prior to field trip </td> <td style="width:75px;height:101px;">2000-3000 words</td> <td style="width:170px;height:101px;">Handed in and feedback provided 1-2 weeks prior to field course taking place. Feedback will be 1-2-1 and group. </td> <td style="width:123px;height:101px;">2-3-4</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="width:102px;height:101px;">  Field Notebook</td> <td style="width:85px;height:101px;">  50%</td> <td style="width:85px;height:101px;">  Day 1 onward of Fieldwork</td> <td style="width:75px;height:101px;">   N/A</td> <td style="width:170px;height:101px;"> Collected on the last day of fiedwork for same day assessment and feedback</td> <td style="width:123px;height:101px;">  1, 2, 3, 4</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="width:102px;height:101px;">Field-based site interpretation project (in the field) of a National Trust coastal reserve. </td> <td style="width:85px;height:101px;">    25%</td> <td style="width:85px;height:101px;">    Day 6</td> <td style="width:75px;height:101px;">    N/A</td> <td style="width:170px;height:101px;">   Handed in with field notebook on the last day of fieldwork.</td> <td style="width:123px;height:101px;">    1-4</td> </tr> </tbody></table>  EART22101 Evolution and Palaeobiology Pre-Requisite Compulsory <table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="width:204px;"> Pre-requisite units</td> <td style="width:437px;"> None</td> </tr> </tbody></table>  Cope, J.C.W. 2010. Geology of the Dorset Coast, Geologists Association Guide No. 22., 232p.Insole, A., Daley, B. and Gale, A. 1998. Geology of the Isle of Wight, Geologists Association Guide Number 60, 132p.Published papers relevant to the course will be placed on Blackboard for students to access. 0 0 100 STUDY HOURS<table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="width:230px;"> Type</td> <td style="width:204px;"> Example activity</td> <td style="width:203px;"> Hours or Days (hr/per day)</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="width:230px;"> Lecture (new material)</td> <td style="width:204px;"> Mostly listening & taking notes (mostly new material)</td> <td style="width:203px;"> 3 hours</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="width:230px;"> Pre/post lecture work</td> <td style="width:204px;"> Reading own notes, re-solving examples, prep work, revisit podcast</td> <td style="width:203px;"> 3 hours</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="width:230px;"> Pre-fieldtrip coursework</td> <td style="width:204px;">  </td> <td style="width:203px;"> 7 hours</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="width:230px;"> Reading</td> <td style="width:204px;"> Guided reading of research articles and fieldguide</td> <td style="width:203px;"> 25 hours</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="width:230px;"> Guided fieldwork (contact time with new material and consolidation/practice)</td> <td style="width:204px;"> Fieldwork led by members of staff (excludes daily travel)</td> <td style="width:203px;"> 5 days (≈7.5 hr per day)</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="width:230px;"> Evening work (consolidation/practice/ assessed coursework)</td> <td style="width:204px;"> Evening work consolidating the day’s collection and preparing the assessed material</td> <td style="width:203px;"> 5 days (≈2 hr per day)</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="width:230px;"> Final Assessment work/maps/logs</td> <td style="width:204px;"> Test on last day of the trip + preparation for the test</td> <td style="width:203px;"> 6 hours</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="width:230px;"> Travel</td> <td style="width:204px;"> Travel to and from the field area at the start and end of the field course</td> <td style="width:203px;"> 2 days</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="width:230px;height:6px;"> Total excluding travel</td> <td style="width:204px;height:6px;">  </td> <td style="width:203px;height:6px;"> 94 Hours</td> </tr> </tbody></table>