Undergraduate Course: Co-evolution of Life and Earth (EASC10129)
Course Outline
| School | School of Geosciences |
College | College of Science and Engineering |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 10 (Year 3 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | This course integrates information from fossils, rocks, and biogeochemical cycles to illuminate how life has evolved over time in concert with a changing Earth. |
| Course description |
This course utilizes the fossil record (palaeontology) and biogeochemistry to explore how life and Earth have interacted and evolved over time. Students will be introduced to major fossil groups and key biogeochemical cycles, through lectures, practicals, and field trips to four fossil-rich sites in the vicinity of Edinburgh spanning the Silurian to the Carboniferous. Major themes covered include the origin of life, the origin and evolution of keystone groups like plants and birds, mass extinctions, and astrobiology (life on planetary bodies other than Earth, and how to identify it). Students will analyse a variety of data relating to fossil anatomy and diversity, redox geochemistry, and spectroscopy, with leading professional-standard software.
Day Trips
Four day-trips will take place over Semester 1. Further information will be shared on the Learn page and in class.
2025 dates:
Dob's Linn (Borders): 22nd September
Kinghorn (Fife): 29th September
Carlops (Pentlands): 6th October
Barns Ness (East Lothian): 13th October
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | Previous coursework in both palaeontology and geochemistry. |
| High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2025/26, Available to all students (SV1)
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Quota: 50 |
| Course Start |
Semester 1 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Lecture Hours 20,
Supervised Practical/Workshop/Studio Hours 20,
Fieldwork Hours 20,
Summative Assessment Hours 20,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
116 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
50 %,
Coursework
50 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
Assessment will be 50% exam and 50% coursework. The exam will include 2-3 essay-style questions, where students will analyse aspects of the fossil record and synthesize its relevance for interpreting patterns of evolution, diversification, and extinction.
The coursework will consist of a fieldtrip report (40%), where students will demonstrate their ability to identify fossils in the field, describe the primary anatomy of fossils, and interpret their ecology and environment, and a group presentation on a fieldtrip site (10%), where students will demonstrate the same learning outcomes as in the fieldtrip report along with transferable skills in group work and oral presentation.
AI Usage:
This course adheres to the University of Edinburgh¿s ¿NO AI¿ category. Academic integrity is an underlying principle of research and academic practice. All submitted work is expected to be your own. AI tools (e.g., ELM) should not be used for any assessments in Co-Evolution of Life and Earth. Using AI without authorisation might constitute academic misconduct. |
| Feedback |
Feedback will be both formative and summative. Summative feedback includes written and oral feedback on field trip reports, group presentations, and the exam. Formative feedback includes discussion during fieldtrips and practicals; an exam preparation session; an opportunity for mock exam questions |
| Exam Information |
| Exam Diet |
Paper Name |
Minutes |
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| Main Exam Diet S1 (December) | Co-evolution of Life and Earth | 180 | |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Critically appraise the occurrence and geological relevance of key fossil groups.
- Identify fossils in the field, interpret their anatomy and lifestyle and ecological relevance, and use them to describe the geological development of the Palaeozoic of the Edinburgh area.
- Apply the fossil record to evaluate and analyse patterns of evolution, diversification, and extinction over time, using quantitative methods and professional-standard software.
- Describe the role of biogeochemical cycles in the history of life.
- Explain how fossils form and why exceptionally well preserved fossil assemblages are important for reconstructing ancient life.
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Reading List
A sample of scientific papers rather than books.
Introduction to Paleobiology and the Fossil Record (Benton & Harper, Wiley-Blackwell Publishers) as the recommended supplementary textbook. |
Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Skills developed as part of this course include fieldwork and rock/fossil identification, scientific writing, oral presentations, group work and collaboration, and critical reading of literature. |
| Keywords | palaeontology,geobiology,fossils,evolution,earth history,fieldwork |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Stephen Brusatte
Tel: (0131 6)50 6039
Email: Stephen.Brusatte@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Mr Johan De Klerk
Tel: (0131 6)50 7010
Email: johan.deklerk@ed.ac.uk |
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