Aims

•       To develop an understanding of global environmental change during the Quaternary.
•       To develop an awareness of geological time and the evolution of the Earth's natural systems.
•       To understand how natural system change is deciphered using the tools of modern science for palaeoenvironmental investigation.
•       To provide broad grounding in knowledge and skills necessary for Stage 3 modules palaeoenvironmental modules and dissertations.

Outline Of Syllabus

The module will be delivered by means of lectures and practical sessions. Lectures will deliver the knowledge base while practicals with give hands-on experience of a range of proxies useful in palaeoenvironmental reconstruction, and in the analysis of geochronological and palaeoenvironmental datasets.

Themes explored in the module include:
•       Introduction to the Pleistocene: Establishing a broad global framework using isotopic records from the oceans.
•       Ice-core proxies and millennial-scale change.
•       Establishing land-ocean correlation: An introduction to geochronology.
•       Continental Records: Interpreting the sedimentary record of the “Cold Stages”.
•       Continental Records: Interpreting the palaeoecological records of the “Warm Stages”.
•       Reconstructing Environmental Change during the Pleistocene-Holocene transition
•       Introduction to the Holocene: climate, environment, human development and impacts.
•       Proxy records of Holocene environmental change.
•       Early Holocene climate and environmental change: LG-Holocene transition, vegetation change and sea- levels, human adaptation during the Mesolithic.

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

Any attempt at successful reconstruction of Quaternary environments requires proficient practical skills surrounding the range of methods employed, underpinned by a significant academic knowledge base which addresses the theory behind the methods and awareness of the wider conceptual and theoretical issues. Here we consider it essential to assess all these elements and to place equal weighting on the practical and more academic skills. The practical / coursework portfolios will assess technical skills including data production and analysis together with the more theoretical and conceptual aspects of palaeoenvironmental reconstruction.

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

We consider it essential to assess all elements of the module and to place equal weighting on the practical and academic skills. The Practical portfolio will assess technical skills including data production and analysis while the essay will assess the more academic theoretical and conceptual aspects of environmental change during the Quaternary.

The format of resits are determined by the Board of Examiners.