Historical geology 1300-OGHW-GEP

Lecture:
1. Theoretical aspects of paleontological, paleomagnetic, geotectonic and facies basis for interpretation of Earth history.
2. Methods used in dating of rocks and processes.
3. Early evolution of Earth; mechanism of Earth crust forming; Precambrian paleogeography; atmosphaere and hydrosphaere evolution.
4. Precambrian history of life: oldest fossils, theories of origin of life, explosion of stromatolites, evolution from Monera and Protoctista to the metazoan fauna, fauna from Ediacara
5. Phanerozoic history is presented in four blocks: Early Paleozoic, Late Paleozoic, Mesozoic and Kenozoic. Within each block are presented: basis of stratigraphic division, changes of world paleogeography, main geotectonic events, evolution of life, regional stratigraphic record, facies development in Poland, Europe and in other regions.
6. In the Early Paleozoic block details of Cambrian explosion of life are presented, with emphasis on the early Cambrian and Ordovician radiation. Detailed history and structure of European Caledonides are presented.
7. In the Late Paleozoic block the lecture is focused on the evolution of plants, eustatic changes of sea level and Permo-Carboniferous glaciation of southern hemisphaere. History of consolidation of Pangea and history of Variscan tectonic movements is presented in details. Mass extinctions in the end of Frasnian and in the end of Permian are discussed.
8. Mesozoic history is concentrated on the spreading of Gondwana into modern continents. Different stages of life development, especially evolution of dinosaurs, are presented.
9. Coenozoic history is focused on the glaciation of northern hemisphaere, evolution of life (especially of mammals) and orogenic processes connected with Alpine orogenesis and formation of Forecarpathian Basin.