Studiegids

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Paleobiology

Vak
2024-2025

Admission requirements

This course is for MSc students in Biology.

Description

The biodiversity of extant organisms is a result of millions of years of evolution, documented in the fossil record. In this course an overview of paleobiology, the science studying fossils, and its importance for biology will be given. The origin of life and its evolution will be seen in context of geological processes forming sediments preserving fossils, changes of the environment and the geography on Earth. We will discuss the geological and paleontological history of the Netherlands as an example. Taphonomic processes restricting the fossil record and difficulties interpreting earliest records of life will be discussed. The evolution of organisms in deep time and characteristic fossils will be studied in examples and paleobiological techniques taught (3D visualization, phylogenies, database analysis, etc.). A major emphasis is on invertebrate and vertebrate paleontology with hands-on experience. We will discuss how the fossil record can help us to understand extant biodiversity and biodiversity changes.

Course objectives

After completion of the course, students are able to:

  • Provide an overview of the evolutionary history of the Earth and its biodiversity

  • Understand the principals of paleobiology and the importance for biology

  • Apply methods of geology, sedimentology and paleobiology research

  • Analyse and evaluate biodiversity and evolutionary patterns in deep time

  • Create a report on the macroevolution of invertebrates and vertebrates using palaeobiology data

Timetable

In MyTimetable, you can find all course and programme schedules, allowing you to create your personal timetable. Activities for which you have enrolled via MyStudyMap will automatically appear in your timetable.

Additionally, you can easily link MyTimetable to a calendar app on your phone, and schedule changes will be automatically updated in your calendar. You can also choose to receive email notifications about schedule changes. You can enable notifications in Settings after logging in.

Questions? Watch the video, read the instructions, or contact the ISSC helpdesk.

Note: Joint Degree students from Leiden/Delft need to combine information from both the Leiden and Delft MyTimetables to see a complete schedule. This video explains how to do it.

Mode of instruction

Lectures, practicals, museum visit, tour in Leiden and workgroups

Assessment method

The final grade consists of the following partical grades:

  • Written exam (1/3)

  • Group presentation (1/3)

  • Group report (1/3)

Minimum grade:
Courses require a minimum, unrounded 5.5 grade to complete.

If a course has 2 or more written partial exams, the minimum grade only applies to the weighted average of the exams.
For partial grades from components other than exams (e.g. practicals, seminars, writing assignments), the bottom grade does apply to the individual components.

Please refer to the Student Charter for an overview of regulations.

Reading list

n.a.

Registration

As a student, you are responsible for enrolling on time through MyStudyMap.

In this short video, you can see step-by-step how to enrol for courses in MyStudyMap.
Extensive information about the operation of MyStudyMap can be found here.

There are two enrolment periods per year:

  • Enrolment for the fall opens in July

  • Enrolment for the spring opens in December

See this page for more information about deadlines and enrolling for courses and exams.

Note:

  • It is mandatory to enrol for all activities of a course that you are going to follow.

  • Your enrolment is only complete when you submit your course planning in the ‘Ready for enrolment’ tab by clicking ‘Send’.

  • Not being enrolled for an exam/resit means that you are not allowed to participate in the exam/resit.

Contact

Coordinator: Dr. M. Rücklin
Email: martin.rucklin@naturalis.nl

Remarks

Your registration is not complete if you have not registered for all course components available in my study map (exam, lecture, etc.).
A maximum of 40 students can follow this course.

Software
Starting from the 2024/2025 academic year, the Faculty of Science will use the software distribution platform Academic Software. Through this platform, you can access the software needed for specific courses in your studies. For some software, your laptop must meet certain system requirements, which will be specified with the software. It is important to install the software before the start of the course. More information about the laptop requirements can be found on the student website.