Paleobiology (ERTH2002)

Course overview

This course will explore the history of Earth's life, from the dawn of the planet some 4.5 billion years ago, to the present. In ERTH2002: we will: examine the processes that can lead to the preservation of organic remains over geological time periods; explore key evolutionary and extinction events that have shaped the world around us; and investigate many of the ways in which we can make inferences about biological processes from the limited, often biased information preserved in the fossil record. Most importantly, you will gain a thorough understanding of the application of the fossil record to contemporary problems in the Earth and Biological Sciences. Content will be delivered in the form of 'contacts' where classes will include both theoretical and practical components. There are additional costs for the field trip.

The Earth formed around 4.5 billion years ago, and remarkably, the first tantalising (though still debated) evidence for life appears just 700 million years later. Life has therefore existed for more than 85% of our planet’s history, constantly evolving and shaping the Earth in extraordinary ways. Over vast spans of time, countless subtle changes in life’s form and function have given rise to the astonishing diversity of species we see today.

Thanks to the serendipitous processes of fossilisation, traces of this ancient life are preserved in rocks that span millions, and sometimes billions, of years. These fossils offer an unparalleled window into the story of life on Earth.

In this course, you’ll gain a powerful set of tools and knowledge to help you explore this story. You’ll learn how to interpret the fossil record and ancient environments, how life and the Earth have co-evolved, and how palaeontological insights are applied in fields from evolutionary biology to climate science. Whether your background is in Earth Sciences, Biological Sciences, or Archaeology, ERTH2002 offers an exciting and interdisciplinary foundation for understanding life’s deep history.

Topic Coverage

ERTH2002 is an interdisciplinary course that brings together palaeontology and sedimentology to reconstruct ancient environments and ecosystems. Topics include:

• Fossils and styles of preservation
• Taphonomy and biases in the fossil record
• Species concepts in palaeontology
• Evolution and diversity of life through time
• Mass extinction events

We’ll place particular emphasis on real-world applications of palaeobiology, including its roles in stratigraphy, palaeoecology, palaeoclimatology, evolutionary biology, ecology, and conservation science.

Who is this course for?

ERTH2002 is designed to be accessible to all students, no matter your academic background. We teach all core concepts from first principles, so no prior expertise in geology, biology, or palaeontology is required. The course is structured specifically to support an interdisciplinary cohort; past classes have included students from Earth Sciences, Biological Sciences, and Archaeology.

Students from all these backgrounds can expect to encounter some unfamiliar concepts at first: geology students often find biological topics new, and biology students may initially find the geological content challenging. This is normal and expected. The course is designed to support your learning in both areas and to help you build a confident, well-rounded understanding of the field.

Fieldtrip

A highlight of the course is the fieldtrip, which will take you to one of the most extraordinary fossil sites near Brisbane: a deposit renowned worldwide for its rich and diverse fossil plant assemblages. The site also preserves insect remains, freshwater bivalves, conchostracans (tiny bivalved crustaceans), and, intriguingly, the oldest known dinosaur fossils in all of Australia. There is every chance we may uncover new finds during our visit!

During the fieldtrip, you will collect fossil plant specimens and complete a short field-based exercise. You’ll also take notes on the site’s geology, which will be vital for your follow-up assessment. A fieldtrip fee of approximately $20–30 (to be confirmed) will apply, with full details provided early in the semester.

Course requirements

Assumed background

ERTH2002 does not have any prerequisites, but it is strongly recommended that you complete BIOL1030 and/or ERTH1000. Although students should have a basic understanding of Earth history and/orﾠfaunal and floralﾠbiology and biodiversity; skills can be picked up during the class.

Recommended prerequisites

We recommend completing the following courses before enrolling in this one:

BIOL1030 or ERTH1000

Course contact

Course staff

Timetable

The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.

Additional timetable information

Content delivery

ERTH2002 content will be delivered through face-to-face Workshops, which combine both theoretical and practical components. These sessions are highly interactive and hands-on: you’ll work directly with real fossils, sedimentary specimens, and other materials to solve authentic problems in palaeontology and palaeoenvironmental reconstruction.

Each Workshop will be supported by structured exercise worksheets that guide your learning and help consolidate key skills. These exercises will form the basis of prac quizzes spaced throughout the semester, contributing to your overall course grade.

Please note: this is a strongly practical course, and in-person attendance at Workshops is essential. While some sessions may be recorded for review purposes, they are not intended to substitute for attendance. Many of the activities rely on direct observation and handling of fossil and sedimentary specimens, experiences that cannot be replicated online. Students who choose not to attend in person are unlikely to be able to fully complete the required learning activities and assessments.

Participation in Workshops is essential for developing the core skills and applied knowledge you’ll showcase later in the semester through practical assessments, as well as in the In-semester and End of Semester exams. The Workshops are carefully designed to help you build confidence in both the theoretical and practical aspects of the field, regardless of your starting point.

Fieldtrip and In-semester Exam

The fieldtrip will take place in Week 9. This is a half-day, in-person fieldtrip to an exceptional fossil site on the outskirts of Brisbane and will extend beyond the usual Wednesday session. The fieldtrip is a key part of the course, giving you the opportunity to apply your developing skills in the field.

The In-semester exam will be held during one of the regular Workshop sessions in Week 7. It will cover all course content taught up to that point in the semester.

See the Learning Activities section for the Lab and Prac schedule.

Aims and outcomes

• Gain an understanding of the history of life on Earth
• Be able to apply knowledge of fossils to a wide range of biological and geological problems
• Understand the fundamental role that Palaeobiology plays in our understanding of the temporal relationships among rock formations
• Understand the relationship between Palaeobiology and other biological and geological sciences

Learning outcomes

After successfully completing this course you should be able to:

Assessment

Assessment summary

A hurdle is an assessment requirement that must be satisfied in order to receive a specific grade for the course. Check the assessment details for more information about hurdle requirements.

Assessment details

Applied practical exercises

• In-person
• Online

Mode

Written

Category

Paper/ Report/ Annotation, Practical/ Demonstration, Quiz

Weight

30%

Due date

1) Prac Quiz 1 - Week 4

2) Prac Quiz 2 - Week 6

3) Dinmore fossil site reconstruction Week 9 - Week 10

4) Megafauna site reconstruction - Week 13

Other conditions

Time limited.

See the conditions definitions

Learning outcomes

L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06

Task description

Submission guidelines

Submission information will be communicated via Blackboard.

Deferral or extension

You may be able to apply for an extension.

The maximum extension allowed is 28 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.

Late submission

A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.

You are required to submit assessable items on time. If you fail to meet the submission deadline for any assessment item, then 10% of the maximum possible mark for the assessment item (the assessment ‘marked from’ value) will be deducted as a late penalty for every day (or part day) late after the due date.

For example, if you submit your assignment 1 hour late, you will be penalised 10%; if your assignment is 24.5 hours late, you will be penalised 20% (because it is late by one 24-hour period plus part of another 24-hour period). 

In-semester examination

• Identity Verified
• In-person

Mode

Written

Category

Examination

Weight

20%

Due date

9/09/2025 9:00 am

In class, run at the same time as the Tuesday Contact session.

Learning outcomes

L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06

Task description

Exam details

Submission guidelines

Deferral or extension

You may be able to defer this exam.

Late submission

You will receive a mark of 0 if this assessment is submitted late.

End of Semester Exam

• Hurdle
• Identity Verified
• In-person

Mode

Written

Category

Examination

Weight

50%

Due date

End of Semester Exam Period

8/11/2025 - 22/11/2025

Learning outcomes

L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06

Task description

Hurdle requirements

Exam details

Submission guidelines

Deferral or extension

You may be able to defer this exam.

Course grading

Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.

Additional course grading information

In order to pass this course, you must meet the following requirements (if you do not meet these requirements, the maximum grade you will receive will be a 3):

• You must obtain 45% or more on End of Semester Exam

Supplementary assessment

Supplementary assessment is available for this course.

Should you fail a course with a grade of 3, you may be eligible for supplementary assessment. Refer to the UQ website for information on supplementary assessment and how to apply.

Supplementary assessment provides an additional opportunity to demonstrate you have achieved all the required learning outcomes for a course.

If you apply and are granted supplementary assessment, the type of supplementary assessment set will consider which learning outcome(s) have not been met.

Supplementary assessment can take any form (such as a written report, oral presentation, examination or other appropriate assessment) and may test specific learning outcomes tailored to the individual student, or all learning outcomes.

To receive a passing grade of 3S4, you must obtain a mark of 50% or more on the supplementary assessment.

Additional assessment information

Applications for Extensions to Assessment Due Dates

Read the information contained in the following links carefully before submitting an application for extension to assessment due date.

For guidance on applying for an extension, information is available here: https://my.uq.edu.au/information-and-services/manage-my-program/exams-and-assessment/applying-assessment-extension

For the policy relating to extensions, information is available here (Part D): https://policies.uq.edu.au/document/view-current.php?id=184

Please note the University's requirements for medical certificates here: https://my.uq.edu.au/information-and-services/manage-my-program/uq-policies-and-rules/requirements-medical-certificates

Learning resources

You'll need the following resources to successfully complete the course. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.

Library resources

Find the required and recommended resources for this course on the UQ Library website.

Additional learning resources information

Learning resources: In addition to readings from the course textbook, references will be recommended by individual lecturers.

Course cost: In addtion to usual course costs, there is also a one half-day fieldtrip.ﾠThe trip is assessable. The cost of the tripﾠis approximately $20-30 (to be confirmed nearer to the time).

Additional costs

Learning activities

The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.

Additional learning activity information

Lecture and prac schedule for the semester - (subject to minor modifications):

Teaching Week 1

Themes: Introduction to the fossil record; Types of fossils; depositional environments preserving fossils (led by A/Prof Gilbert Price).

Teaching Week 2

Themes: Styles and processes of preservation in the fossil record; Taphonomy and bias in the fossil record; process of systematic classification of life; Species, definition and application to the fossil record (led by A/Prof Gilbert Price).

Teaching Week 3

Themes: Earliest fossils and evidence of life; introduction to geomicrobiology and microbialites; oxygenation of Earth (led by Prof Gregory Webb).

Note: No Wednesday class due to Royal Queensland Show public holiday.

Teaching Week 4

Themes: Prokaryotes to eukaryotes transition: timing and evidence; multicellularity; Trace fossils and the Ediacaran fauna (led by Prof Gregory Webb).

Assessment: Prac Quiz 1

Teaching Week 5

Themes: Cambrian Explosion and the rise of modern phyla; the Burgess Shale fauna; Phanerozoic marine invertebrates such as Porifera, Cnidaria, and the Lophotrochozoans (led by Prof Gregory Webb).

Teaching Week 6

Themes: More Phanerozoic marine invertebrates including the Ecdysozoans; Invasion of the land; Integrated palaeoecology; Community trends and extinction events (led by Prof Gregory Webb).

Assessment: Prac Quiz 2

Teaching Week 7

The In-semester exam will be held on Monday during our regular Contact session.

Other learning activities for the week include the following themes: The 'Palaeozoic fauna'; The 'modern fauna' (led by Prof Gregory Webb).

Teaching Week 8

Themes: Coral Reef communities; reef rocks; reefs through time (led by Prof Gregory Webb)

Teaching Week 9

Themes: The origins of plants; Plant adaptation to terrestrial life; Earliest plants; Diversification of plants in response to climate change (led by A/Prof Gilbert Price).

Assessment: Our fieldtrip will run on the Wednesday in the morning. Notes taken on the day, plus follow-up exercises in the next Contact, form part of the assessment.

IN-SEMESTER BREAK

Teaching Week 10

Themes: Evolution of modern plants; response to increased herbivory and climate change; Plants and palaeoclimate and palaeoenvironmental reconstruction; Earliest fossil evidence for backboned animals (led by A/Prof Gilbert Price)

Assessment: Dinmore fossil site reconstruction (this includes submission of fieldtrip notes and in-class exercise to be completed this week)

Teaching Week 11

Themes: Diversity and evolutionary trends of vertebrates; Mesozoic fossil vertebrates; dinosaurs evolution and diversity, early mammals (led by A/Prof Gilbert Price).

Teaching Week 12

Themes: Rise of mammals; Quaternary ecosystems and megafaunal extinctions (led by A/Prof Gilbert Price).

Teaching Week 13

Themes: Focus on application of palaeobiology to contemporary problems in Earth and Biological Sciences (led by A/Prof Gilbert Price).

Assessment: Megafauna practical

Policies and procedures

University policies and procedures apply to all aspects of student life. As a UQ student, you must comply with University-wide and program-specific requirements, including the:

• Student Code of Conduct Policy
• Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy and Procedure
• Assessment Procedure
• Examinations Procedure
• Reasonable Adjustments for Students Policy and Procedure

Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.