Course Description
Microbial processes influence all aspects of the Earth, ranging from atmospheric composition to elemental cycling in the deep biosphere. This course describes the interaction of biology with geologic, environmental, and climate change processes throughout Earth history and provides a broad understanding of the history of life on Earth.
Athena Title
MARS GEOBIOL
Prerequisite
MARS(MIBO) 4620/6620-4620L/6620L or permission of department
Semester Course Offered
Offered spring
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Course Objectives
This course provides graduate students with a broad overview of the history of life on Earth and details how biological processes have influenced evolution of coupled biological-solid earth-ocean-atmosphere system. Students will be introduced to the geologic time scale and will learn about the evolution and diversification of life on Earth. The course will focus on early life strategies and how the Archean and Proterozoic oceans were influenced by biological evolution. Students will demonstrate their understanding of the presented materials by their performance on homework assignments and exams, by in class presentations and discussions of scientific papers, and by writing a term paper in the format of an NSF-style research proposal.
Topical Outline
Week 1,2: Geologic Time Scale and Origins (Big Bang, Earth Formation, Ocean Formation, Plate Tectonics) Week 3: Biogeochemical Cycles Overview (Nutrients, C, Fe, S); Geologic Evidence for Antiquity of Life Week 4: Origin of Life, Chemolithotrophic and Anaerobic Microbial Metabolism Week 5: Anoxygenic Phototrophs, Oxygenic Photosynthesis Week 6: Chemistry of the Archean Ocean and Atmosphere Week 7: Archean Earth Habitats; Soda Lakes and Microbial Mats/Stromatolites Week 8: Fossils of the Archean Week 9: Evolution of the Proterozoic Ocean and Atmosphere Week 10: Altered Biogeochemical Cycles during the Proterozoic Week 11: Neoproterozoic Snowball Earth, Cambrian Explosion Week 12: Biology and Long Term Climate-1: Faint Young Sun Paradox, CO2-Climate Cycles Week 13: Biology and Long Term Climate-2: Permian Glaciations, Mesozoic Warming, Cenozoic Cooling Week 14: Mass Extinctions of Life in Earth History; Methane Hydrates as a Climate Capacitor Week 15: Biogeochemical Tracers (isotopes, lipid biomarkers, sedimentology) Week 16: Glaciations Week 17: Student Presentations
Syllabus