2025
Paleobotany and Palynology
Name: Paleobotany and Palynology
Code: GEO10329M
6 ECTS
Duration: 15 weeks/162 hours
Scientific Area:
Geosciences
Teaching languages: Portuguese
Languages of tutoring support: Portuguese
Sustainable Development Goals
Learning Goals
Provide basic training for the characterization of the general aspects of the plants evolution and dinoflagellates (group of planktonics organisms studied by Palynology) throughout Earth's history and its importance for the stratigraphy, paleoenvironments and paleoclimatology.
Contents
Theoretical
1 - General aspects of Paleobotany and Palynology. History. Systematics, taxonomy and nomenclature. Methods and techniques of study.
2 - Overview of leaves, stems, spores and pollen morphology. Dinoflagellates.
3 - Fossilization.
4 - Methods of collection, preparation and study. Pollen diagrams. Palynofacies.
5 - Overview of paleoecology. Dinoflagellates and plant fossils as environmental and climate indicators.
6 - Classification of dinoflagellate cysts and plants.
7 - Evolution of dinoflagellates and plants in time. Origin of terrestrial vegetation. Plants of the Paleozoic and the Mesozoic.
Origin of angiosperms. The Cenozoic vegetation. Progressive Quaternary degradation of vegetation in Europe.
Practices
Treatment of samples for obtaining palynological analysis. Slides for pollen analysis. Observation under an optical microscope;
palynofacies.
Note macroremains plant collections representing the evolution of vegetation over time.
1 - General aspects of Paleobotany and Palynology. History. Systematics, taxonomy and nomenclature. Methods and techniques of study.
2 - Overview of leaves, stems, spores and pollen morphology. Dinoflagellates.
3 - Fossilization.
4 - Methods of collection, preparation and study. Pollen diagrams. Palynofacies.
5 - Overview of paleoecology. Dinoflagellates and plant fossils as environmental and climate indicators.
6 - Classification of dinoflagellate cysts and plants.
7 - Evolution of dinoflagellates and plants in time. Origin of terrestrial vegetation. Plants of the Paleozoic and the Mesozoic.
Origin of angiosperms. The Cenozoic vegetation. Progressive Quaternary degradation of vegetation in Europe.
Practices
Treatment of samples for obtaining palynological analysis. Slides for pollen analysis. Observation under an optical microscope;
palynofacies.
Note macroremains plant collections representing the evolution of vegetation over time.
Teaching Methods
The teaching, supported in the use of multimedia projections and e-learning methods (use of the Moodle program) will include theoretical and practical lessons. In practical classes students will make palynological preparations in the lab and make microscope observation and interpretation of their slides.
The evaluation will have a continuous component, by performing minitests weekly launched in e-learning, whose responses will be evaluated individually and discussed and a final exam.
The evaluation will have a continuous component, by performing minitests weekly launched in e-learning, whose responses will be evaluated individually and discussed and a final exam.
Certificações
