THREE-DIMENSIONAL MODELING

Course objectives

Educational goals: The course aims to provide students with the basic knowledge for the recognition, classification and analysis of fossils and for their use in biostratigraphy and paleoenvironmental analysis. Learning outcomes: Acquired knowledge: After successfully completing this course, students will acquire basic elements of general paleontology, zoological nomenclature and systematics (in particular, phylogenetic systematics), species concepts, extinction and evolution. They also will acquire basic knowledge on the identification of various systematic groups of protists and invertebrates, their paleoecology, evolution and stratigraphic distribution, with particular reference to the Mesozoic and Cenozoic. They will also possess basic knowledge of taphonomy (biostratinomy, fossilization, fossil diagenesis) and biostratigraphy. Acquired skills: After successfully completing this course, students will be able to: use invertebrates fossils and microfossils for geological, paleontological and biostratigraphic purposes; use the Linnaean nomenclature and apply classification systems; transmit the acquired biostratigraphic, paleoenvironmental and evolutionary knowledge, including the historical development of the discipline.

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JOHANNES PIGNATTI Lecturers' profile

Program - Frequency - Exams

Prerequisites
Previous knowledge required (from previous courses or from the educational career): None
Frequency
Optional (course attendance is not mandatory, but encouraged)
Exam mode
Mid-term assessment: at the end of Module 1 (usually, in the month of November), written assessment (multiple-choice questions; time limit: ca. 30 minutes). This is a non-mandatory exemption test, serving also as intermediate performance monitoring and self-assessment tool. After successful completion of this test, the student is exempted from the subject matter of Module 1 in the final oral examination; the mark obtained concurs equally in the final examination grading. Unsuccessful completion of this test or failure to attend does not affect the final oral examination grading, but in this case the final oral assessment is on both Module 1 and Module 2. Final examination: at the end of the course, oral assessment on Module 2, including identification of fossils (average time: ca. 30 minutes), or both modules (see above). The final score reflects the specific knowledge of the topics treated in the course, and analytical, verbal, and interpretative skills of the candidate in general and systematic paleontology.
Bibliography
Scientific literature recommended in class, from year to year, useful for the continuation of the study in an autonomous way by the student interested in deepening the discipline. This bibliography integrates the knowledge developed in the course but is not mandatory for passing the exam.
  • Academic year2025/2026
  • CourseGeological Sciences
  • CurriculumSingle curriculum
  • Year2nd year
  • Semester1st semester
  • SSDGEO/01
  • CFU6