University of Massachusetts

 

GEO 483/692E – BIO 597G – OEB 797E

Environmental

Evolution

  Wednesday 3:30 – 5:30

Morrill IV South, Room 159  

Graduate student planning session meets every Wednesday from 5:40 to 6:00

Instructors Lynn Margulis and Bruce Scofield


Environmental Evolution is a science course for seniors and graduate students offered through the Geosciences Department.  An interdisciplinary study of the history of the environment from prebiotic times to the present, the course studies the impact of the origin and evolution of life on the surface of the Earth.  From prePhanerozoic bacteria to Pleistocene glaciation, ecology and evolutionary biology are viewed in the context of comparative planetology.  Beginning with the origins of life and the Gaia hypothesis, we chronologically review the history of life and its environment.  Plate tectonics and continental drift are discussed in the context of major evolutionary trends in the Phanerozoic eon.  The seminar-based course requires that students listen to nine core lectures from an expanding library prepared by active scientists.  Among the required tapes are: 

 

J. Lovelock, The Gaia Hypothesis

M. McElroy, Comparison of Planetary Atmospheres

H. Lowenstam, Biomineralization:  Formation of Minerals by Organisms

A. Lazcano, Origins of Life

A. Knoll, Life in the Proterozoic Eon

S. Golubic, Stromatolites of Shark Bay

L. Margulis, Symbiotic Theory: Cells as Microbial Communities

R. Siever, The Theory of Plate Tectonics

N. Todd, Mammalian Evolution:  Karyotypic Fissioning Theory 

 

First offered at Boston University in 1972, the course now provides Five College students with the unique opportunity to learn at their own pace while exploring a wide variety of related topics based on individual interests.  The course has a seminar format, the foundation of which is the Environmental Evolution Tape and DVD Library. Digital Inter-Active Lectures on DVD (DIAL) are presented by eminent scientists - chemists, geologists and biologists - most of whom currently research the early history of the Earth and the evolution of life. Contributing scientists are chosen not only for their direct involvement in their field of study but also for their ability to communicate clearly.

Students are evaluated primarily by the quality of their participation and oral presentations.  Films related to the course material are shown each Wednesday at 7:30. Students are asked to review several of these films, and also to complete several homework assignments such as a genetics worksheet, a geology worksheet, and the creation of a field trip guide to local sites or institutions of biological or geologic interest. 

Graduate and honors students of any science are welcome in the course.  Any student registered in a graduate program may, by completion of all undergraduate requirements and with additional course work (a graduate final oral presentation based on a semester long project and completion of both the genetics and geology worksheets ), obtain graduate credit.  Graduate students register for the course as Environmental Evolution GEO 692E or OEB 797E.

 

REQUIRED TEXT 

Margulis, L., C. Matthews and A. Haselton, Eds.  2000.  Environmental Evolution: Effects of the Origin and Evolution of Life on Planet Earth, 2nd Edition. Cambridge, MA:  MIT Press. 

 

Environmental Evolution Schedule

GEO 483/692E - BIO 597G - OEB 797E 

WEEK                    TOPIC – TAPE - ASSIGNMENTS

                                                                                                                                                 

1                      Introductory session – all assignments discussed 

 

2                      The Gaia Hypothesis         

                        DIAL: Lovelock

            VIDEOS BEGIN TONIGHT 

 

3                      Gaia (continued)       

                        DIAL: Lovelock

                        TIME ASSIGNMENT GIVEN 

 

4                      Gaia  (continued)         

                        DIAL: Lovelock 

5                      Planetary Background: Mars, Venus, Earth. 

            DIAL: (a) McElroy or (b) Holland and Irvine.

            TIME ASSIGNMENT DUE

            SPACE ASSIGNMENT GIVEN 

 

6          6                      Origins of Life – Early Life

           DIAL: Options a, b, c, or d.

                        (a) Cosmochemical Evolution and the Origin of Life (Ponnamperuma) and

                          Origin of Life: Polymers before Monomers? (Matthews)

                        (b) Origins of Life:  Historical Development of Recent Theories (Lazcano)

                        (c) Antiquity of Life (Barghoorn)

                        (d) Evidence for Earliest Life (Strother)

                        GENETICS or GEOLOGY ASSIGNMENT GIVEN (BOTH FOR GRADS) 

 

7                      Archean and Modern Stromatolites

                        DIAL: (a) Stromatolites of Shark Bay or (b) Algal Mats of the Persian Gulf (Golubic)

            SPACE ASSIGNMENT DUE

                        FIELD TRIP ASSIGNMENT GIVEN

            GAIA PRESENTATIONS BEGIN 

 

8                      Proterozoic Life           

                        DIAL: (a) Life in the Late Proterozoic Eon (Knoll) or 

                        (b) The Emergence of Animals (McMenamin). 

                        Optional remedial tape: Genetic Mechanisms (Margulis)

                        GAIA PRESENTATIONS (continued)

 

9          9                      Symbiotic Theory

                        DIAL:  (a) Symbiotic Theory: Cells as Microbial Communities (Margulis) or

                        (b) Spirochetes Become Undulipodia (Margulis) or (c) new Margulis DVD or video.

            GAIA PRESENTATIONS (continued)

 

10                    Hands on Activities

                       Living Sands:  Mapping Time and Space with Forams, Microcosmos poster,

                       An Introduction to the Carbon Cycle: What happens to trash and garbage?  

 

11                   Geological Processes

                       DIAL: Continental Drift and Plate Tectonics (Siever – on DVD)

                       GENETICS or GEOLOGY ASSIGNMENT DUE

                       SECOND ROUND OF PRESENTATIONS BEGIN

 

                        *** HARVARD FOREST CLASS TRIP ***

 

12                   PRESENTATIONS (continued)

          DIAL: (a) Plant Chemical Signals (Swain) or

          (b) Biomineralization Lowenstam).

          Optional: Hallucinigenic Plants of North (South) America (Schultes)

 

13                  PRESENTATIONS (continued)

                      GENETICS, GEOLOGY AND FIELD TRIP ASSIGNMENTS DUE

                      LAST VIDEO TONIGHT

                      BEGIN CHOICE TAPES

 

14                              Last class. All DIAL assignments and both presentations should  be completed by this date.

                                 PRESENTATIONS (continued)

 

17         Final oral exams.  These oral exams require attendance by all students, graduate, undergraduate and non-degree. We will resolve schedule conflicts with you other professors. Please plan to stay until the exam is finished.