Paleontology: Early Vertebrate Evolution is a four-lesson course teaching a comprehensive overview of the origin of vertebrates. Students will explore the diversity of Palaeozoic lineages within a phylogenetic and evolutionary framework. This course examines the evolution of major vertebrate novelties including the origin of fins, jaws, and tetrapod limbs. Students also explore key Canadian fossil localities, including the Burgess Shale (British Columbia), Miguasha (Quebec), and Man On The Hill (Northwest Territories). Watch a preview of the course here: https://uofa.ualberta.ca/courses/paleontology-vertebrate-evolution
教学大纲 - 您将从这门课程中学到什么
周
1完成时间为 2 小时
The Phanerozoic Begins
In this lesson we take you back to the beginning of the Phanerozoic Eon to learn what it truly means to have backbone, as we encounter the key anatomical features of vertebrates and their closest chordate relatives. We’ll also introduce the language of evolution – phylogenetics – as we examine some of the contenders for the title of ‘The Earliest Vertebrate’, and give you a crash course in sedimentology, so you can begin to piece together the spectacular environments that were home to our early aquatic ancestors. Just a quick note before you get started: 'Palaios' is the Greek word for 'ancient', so palaeontology or paleontology is the study of ancient life. Both spellings are correct, with palaeontology used in Britain, and paleontology more common in the US.
4 个视频 （总计 64 分钟）, 6 个阅读材料, 1 个测验
4 个视频
1.1 Vertebrate Origins22分钟
1.2 Vertebrate Environments23分钟
1.3 Diversity of Early Vertebrate Life15分钟
6 个阅读材料
Instructional Staff10分钟
Meet Your Presenter: Scott Persons10分钟
Course Glossary10分钟
Acknowledgements10分钟
Interactive Learning Objects10分钟
Lesson 1 Course Notes10分钟
1 个练习
Module 1 Assessment (Graded)10分钟
周
2完成时间为 1 小时
Learning to Swim
The old problem of the comparative anatomist was exactly how to compare two animals that appeared, at first glance, to look nothing alike. How, do you compare cows and lobsters? Well, in this lesson you’ll not only learn how to compare crustaceans and cattle, but you’ll also quickly learn that there’s more to a vertebrate than just a backbone as we delve into basic vertebrate anatomy. We’ll cover all the need-to-know anatomical terms and directions, as well as specialist features like the lateral line system, which not only helped early fish avoid predation, but is also the main reason why you find it very difficult to catch fish with your bare hands today! We will also explore the immense diversity of the jawless vertebrates including the tenacious Cyclostomata, the elusive Conodonta, and, long before Ankylosaurus, a group of heavily armoured jawless fishes – the ostracoderms.
3 个视频 （总计 53 分钟）, 1 个阅读材料, 1 个测验
3 个视频
2.2 Early Fish Types & Anatomy - Part 121分钟
2.2 Early Fish Types & Anatomy - Part 216分钟
1 个阅读材料
Lesson 2 Course Notes10分钟
1 个练习
Module 2 Assessment (Graded)10分钟
周
3完成时间为 1 小时
Learning to Bite
The Ordovician, Silurian and Devonian Periods were times of great continental, oceanic and climactic change that brought about the Earth’s first mass extinction events. With environmental catastrophes opening up new ecological niches, a trait evolved in early vertebrates that would prove so successful that over 99% of modern vertebrates still retain it: jaws. In this lesson we will try to understand the geographical and temporal background of early vertebrate diversity, as well as the impact and origin of the evolution of jaws on vertebrate life. Introducing huge predators such as Dunkleosteus along the way, we’ll explore the incredible diversity of the Gnathostoma (the jawed fishes), mainly from fossils known from the spectacular Late Devonian site of Miguasha in Quebec. So get ready for a lesson you can really sink your teeth into!
3 个视频 （总计 49 分钟）, 1 个阅读材料, 1 个测验
1 个阅读材料
Lesson 3 Course Notes10分钟
1 个练习
Module 3 Assessment (Graded)10分钟
周
4完成时间为 1 小时
Learning to Walk
Although this lesson marks the end of the beginning of the vertebrate story, we still have some bones left to pick! In this last lesson we’ll look at the features of the Osteichthyes (the bony fishes) and examine the differences between two immensely successful vertebrate groups; one that conquered the water: the Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes), and one that eventually conquered the land: the Sarcopterygii (lobe-finned fishes). We’ll investigate how the sarcopterygians gave rise to the tetrapods, meet our very first tetrapod ancestors like Acanthostega, and introduce the features that were essential in making the leap from water to land. Along the way we’ll meet some living fossils, see some incredible evolutionary adaptations, and learn about our earliest terrestrial origins – it’s time to step up and finish the tale of ‘Early Vertebrate Evolution’!
3 个视频 （总计 48 分钟）, 1 个阅读材料, 1 个测验
1 个阅读材料
Lesson 4 Course Notes10分钟
1 个练习
Module 4 Assessment (Graded)10分钟
4.8
137 个审阅12%
完成这些课程后已开始新的职业生涯
15%
通过此课程获得实实在在的工作福利
热门审阅
WOW, I learned a lot form this and it was fairly educational but not overwhelming or difficult. This instructor really gets the points across without being to easy or hard. A very good class.
Celebrate your inner fish as you swim along with this awesome course charting our earliest ancestors. Very well constructed and delivered once again by the team at the University of Alberta.
讲师
Alison Murray, Ph.D
Associate ProfessorDepartment of Biological Sciences
关于 阿尔伯塔大学
UAlberta is considered among the world’s leading public research- and teaching-intensive universities. As one of Canada’s top universities, we’re known for excellence across the humanities, sciences, creative arts, business, engineering and health sciences.
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