Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Unit Convenor, lecturer
Simon George
Contact via simon.george@mq.edu.au; 02 9850 4424; 0418 428217
Level 3, Room 329, 12 Wally’s Walk (old E7A)
Send email to book time
Lecturer
April Abbott
Contact via april.abbott@mq.edu.au
Level 3, Room 338, 12 Wally’s Walk (old E7A)
Send email to book time
Lecturer
Martin Kennedy
Contact via martin.j.kennedy@mq.edu.au
Level 3, Room 330, 12 Wally’s Walk (old E7A)
Send email to book time
Lecturer
Stefan Löhr
Contact via stefan.loehr@mq.edu.au
Level 3, Room 334, 12 Wally’s Walk (old E7A)
Send email to book time
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Credit points |
Credit points
4
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Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
Admission to MRes
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Corequisites |
Corequisites
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Co-badged status |
Co-badged status
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Unit description |
Unit description
This unit will provide masters students with the foundations of palaeoenvironmental analysis as applied to some key geoscience problems. The unit will have a problem-based approach that focuses on understanding important processes, with examples from the Neoproterozoic, Cretaceous and the modern day. We will introduce the fundamentals of ocean circulation, nutrient supply and the carbon cycle. Students will assess the veracity of biogeochemical oceanographic signals, especially with respect to diagenetic overprinting. Box models will be introduced as a means for understanding geochemical and isotopic signals. The unit will cover co-evolution of life and its environment, the effect of bioturbation on sediments, and the geochemical record of life as expressed through biomarkers. The pros and cons of various proxies used for the reconstruction of palaeoenvironments will be evaluated. The unit will build knowledge about important techniques and methods such as stable and radiogenic isotopes, organic geochemistry and microscopic techniques for assessing sediments and sedimentary rocks. Assignments will build high level research skills in these areas.
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Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
Name | Weighting | Hurdle | Due |
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Tutorial summaries/questions | 20% | No | 4/8, 15/9, 6/10 2017 |
Assignment 1 | 30% | No | 8th September 2017 |
Assignment 2 | 30% | No | 13th October 2017 |
Oral presentation | 20% | No | 10th November 2017 |
Due: 4/8, 15/9, 6/10 2017
Weighting: 20%
Tutorial summaries/questions: in weeks 1, 7 and 8, there will be 3 x 15 minute "last 15 tests", to be completed before leaving the room. Week 1, 5%. Week 7, 2 x 5%. Week 8, 5%.
Due: 8th September 2017
Weighting: 30%
Assignment 1: The Paleocene–Eocene Thermal Maxima (PETM)
Due: 13th October 2017
Weighting: 30%
Paper review: Understanding past Earth events
Due: 10th November 2017
Weighting: 20%
Oral Presentations by everyone in the class on individually allocated topics
GEOS710 Records of palaeoenvironments: life and geochemistry (session 2, 2017)
This unit will provide masters students with the foundations of palaeoenvironmental analysis as applied to some key geoscience problems. The unit will have a problem-based approach and will focus on understanding important processes, especially with examples from the Neoproterozoic, Cretaceous and the modern day. Fundamentals of ocean circulation, nutrient supply and the carbon cycle will be introduced. The veracity of biogeochemical oceanographic signals will be assessed, especially with respect to diagenetic overprinting. Box models will be introduced as a means for understanding geochemical and isotopic signals. The unit will cover co-evolution of life and its environment, the effect of bioturbation on sediments, especially across the Precambrian-Cambrian boundary, and the geochemical record of life as expressed through biomarkers. The pros and cons of various proxies used for the reconstruction of palaeotemperatures will be assessed. The unit will build knowledge about important techniques and methods such as stable and radiogenic isotopes, organic geochemistry and microscopic techniques for assessing sediments and sedimentary rocks. Assignments will be designed to build high level research skills in this area.
This unit is co-taught with GEOS920 Palaeoenvironments and biogeochemistry (Master of Geoscience). The lectures are the same, but the assignments differ slightly due to different learning outcomes. There is only one iLearn site for both units.
Web pages and electronic resources
The main unit web page will be on iLearn: https://ilearn.mq.edu.au/login/MQ/
iLearn is Macquarie's learning management system. Assignments, hand-outs, and reading material will be available here.
Classes: There will be 13 compulsory lectures/tutorials to introduce the unit and give you a grounding in the theory behind some of the techniques. It is important that you attend these sessions every week, as they include discussion sections, and also problem solving on hard copy handouts. These sessions will not be audio recorded. and will be in 12 Wally's Walk (E7A) 324, Friday 14:00-16:00.
GEOS710 Records of Paleoenvironments: Life and Geochemistry | |||||
Week | Dates | What | Who | Classroom: 12 Wally's Walk (E7A) 324 Friday 14:00-16:00 | "Last 15" |
1 | 04-Aug-17 | Introduction | SG | Snowball Earth from the sediment record: processes & Earth systems | Daisy World |
2 | 11-Aug-17 | Organic Geochemistry & Biomarkers | SG | Introduction to biomarkers; diagenesis of OM; inference of palaeoenvironments | |
3 | 18-Aug-17 | Palaeotemperatures: alkenones and TEX86; environmental biomarkers/oil spills | |||
4 | 23-Aug-16 | Chemical record of life; microorganisms and the deep biosphere | |||
5 | 01-Sep-17 | Stable Isotopes | MK | Determining palaeotemperatures and palaeoenvironments using stable isotopes | |
6 | 08-Sep-17 | Monitoring the global carbon cycle, the isotope and sedimentary record | |||
7 | 15-Sep-17 | Global Circulation | AA | Physical processes: box models and introduction to circulation | Box modelling exercise |
Break | 22-Sep-17 | ||||
Break | 29-Sep-17 | ||||
8 | 06-Oct-17 | Global cycles; Radiogenic Isotopes; box models | AA | Physical processes: circulation of the atmosphere and oceans, salty ocean | Jolly's age of ocean |
9 | 13-Oct-17 | Chemical processes: elemental cycling and nutrients | |||
10 | 20-Oct-17 | Nd isotopes in the Cretaceous… what else do we need to know | |||
11 | 27-Oct-17 | Life & Biogeochemistry | SL | OAEs continued, changes in carbonate compensation depth | |
12 | 03-Nov-17 | Bioturbation across Neoproterozoic-Cambrian, impact of life on cycles | |||
13 | 10-Nov-17 | Wrap up | all | Student Presentations | |
SG = Prof. Simon George; MK = Prof. Martin Kennedy; AA = Dr April Abbott; SL = Dr Stefan Löhr |
Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central. Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:
Academic Honesty Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/academic_honesty/policy.html
Assessment Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/assessment/policy_2016.html
Grade Appeal Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/gradeappeal/policy.html
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Disruption to Studies Policy (in effect until Dec 4th, 2017): http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/disruption_studies/policy.html
Special Consideration Policy (in effect from Dec 4th, 2017): https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policies/special-consideration
In addition, a number of other policies can be found in the Learning and Teaching Category of Policy Central.
Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/support/student_conduct/
Results shown in iLearn, or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au.
Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/
Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to improve your marks and take control of your study.
Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.
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The unit has been rescheduled since 2016, with lectures/tutorials in a different order, and one new assessment task.