The course aims to give the students thorough knowledges on the geology, stratigraphy, palaeoclimatology, and paleontology of the last 2.5 million years of the Earth history, illustrating multidisciplinary approaches, and compare the natural climatic events occurred during the recent past with the climatic changes that are affecting the Earth during the last centuries, driven by the anthropization.
teacher profile teaching materials
Quaternary stratigraphic methods (isotopic stratigraphy. Magnetostratigraphy, dating methods. Geomorphological and palaeobiological sea-level indicators. The eustatic curves (9h).
Plio-Quaternary marine biostratigraphy: planktonic and benthonic foraminifers, calcareous nannofossils, marine molluscs and ostracods (concept of “northern” and “senegalese” guests) (6h).
History of the continental Plio-Quaternary stratigraphy (1h).
Plio-Quaternary biochronology based on large and small mammals, freshwater molluscs and non-marine ostracods. Pollen stratigraphy and climatic stratigraphy (“mutual temperature methods”) (6h).
Integrated stratigraphic-paleoclimate case studies: Campagna Romana and Tiberino Basin) (5h)
Soils and Paleosols in Quaternary Geology. Use of soils in the characterization of Quaternary geological units. (3 h)
Astronomical theory of climatic variations. Cycles of precession, obliquity and glacial-interglacial cycles of greater amplitude and of 40,000, 100,000 years. Glacial and interglacial, staging and interstage periods, ∂18O in speleothem, ocean/lacustrine sediment and ice cores. Changes in CO2 and CH4 concentration (9 h).
Heinrich events, Dansgaard – Oeschger events, Last Glacial Maximum, Holocene, Anthropocene (3h).
Main glacial deposits of the Alpine and Apennine areas (3 h).
Programme
Historical definition of Quaternary: paleontological and climatic criteria. Historic excursus on the Plio-Quaternary chronostratigraphy. The Plio-Quaternary boundary. Ages and Stages of the marine Quaternary (3h) GSSP and the most relevant Quaternary marine Italian successions. (8h).Quaternary stratigraphic methods (isotopic stratigraphy. Magnetostratigraphy, dating methods. Geomorphological and palaeobiological sea-level indicators. The eustatic curves (9h).
Plio-Quaternary marine biostratigraphy: planktonic and benthonic foraminifers, calcareous nannofossils, marine molluscs and ostracods (concept of “northern” and “senegalese” guests) (6h).
History of the continental Plio-Quaternary stratigraphy (1h).
Plio-Quaternary biochronology based on large and small mammals, freshwater molluscs and non-marine ostracods. Pollen stratigraphy and climatic stratigraphy (“mutual temperature methods”) (6h).
Integrated stratigraphic-paleoclimate case studies: Campagna Romana and Tiberino Basin) (5h)
Soils and Paleosols in Quaternary Geology. Use of soils in the characterization of Quaternary geological units. (3 h)
Astronomical theory of climatic variations. Cycles of precession, obliquity and glacial-interglacial cycles of greater amplitude and of 40,000, 100,000 years. Glacial and interglacial, staging and interstage periods, ∂18O in speleothem, ocean/lacustrine sediment and ice cores. Changes in CO2 and CH4 concentration (9 h).
Heinrich events, Dansgaard – Oeschger events, Last Glacial Maximum, Holocene, Anthropocene (3h).
Main glacial deposits of the Alpine and Apennine areas (3 h).
Core Documentation
Pdf and copies of recent specialistic scientific publications given by the teacherReference Bibliography
Anderson, D.E., Goudie, A.S. & Parker, A.G., 2007. Global environments through the Quaternary. Oxford University Press, pp. 392. Williams, M., Dunkerly, D., De Deckker, P., Kershaw, P. & Chappell, J., 1998. Quaternary environments. Arnold eds. Andersen B. G. & Borns, H. W. jr, 1994. The Ice Age world. Scandinavian University Press. Malatesta A., 1985. Paleobiologia dell’era glaciale. NIS, Roma. Ruddiman, 2008. Earth's climate: past and future. New York: Freeman.Type of delivery of the course
Lectures are carried on using ppt slides. Practical lessons are based on the description and identification of the main macro- and microfossils typical of the Quaternary period. During lessons, students are encouraged to ask questions and make comments.Type of evaluation
The examination consists in an evaluation interview in order to assess the student acquired knowledge of the topics discussed during the lessons. teacher profile teaching materials
Astronomical theory of climatic variations. Cycles of precession, obliquity and glacial-interglacial cycles of greater amplitude and of 40,000, 100,000 years. Glacial and interglacial, staging and interstage periods, ∂18O in speleothem, ocean/lacustrine sediment and ice cores. Changes in CO2 and CH4 concentration.
Heinrich events, Dansgaard – Oeschger events, Last Glacial Maximum, Holocene, Anthropocene.
Main glacial deposits of the Alpine and Apennine areas.
Programme
Soils and Paleosols in Quaternary Geology. Use of soils in the characterization of Quaternary geological units.Astronomical theory of climatic variations. Cycles of precession, obliquity and glacial-interglacial cycles of greater amplitude and of 40,000, 100,000 years. Glacial and interglacial, staging and interstage periods, ∂18O in speleothem, ocean/lacustrine sediment and ice cores. Changes in CO2 and CH4 concentration.
Heinrich events, Dansgaard – Oeschger events, Last Glacial Maximum, Holocene, Anthropocene.
Main glacial deposits of the Alpine and Apennine areas.
Core Documentation
Pdf and copies of recent specialistic scientific publications given by the teacherReference Bibliography
Anderson, D.E., Goudie, A.S. & Parker, A.G., 2007. Global environments through the Quaternary. Oxford University Press, pp. 392. Williams, M., Dunkerly, D., De Deckker, P., Kershaw, P. & Chappell, J., 1998. Quaternary environments. Arnold eds. Andersen B. G. & Borns, H. W. jr, 1994The Ice Age world. Scandinavian University Press. Malatesta A., 1985. Paleobiologia dell’era glaciale. NIS, Roma. Ruddiman, 2008. Earth's climate: past and future. New York: Freeman.Type of delivery of the course
Lectures are carried on using ppt slides. Practical lessons are based on the description and identification of the main macro- and microfossils typical of the Quaternary period. During lessons, students are encouraged to ask questions and make comments.Type of evaluation
The examination consists in an evaluation interview in order to assess the student acquired knowledge of the topics discussed during the lessons.