GEOL 324. The World of the Dinosaurs (3)

Prerequisite: Completion of the lower division writing requirement. This course is a study of dinosaurs and the world in which they lived from the time of their first appearance to their extinction. The evolutionary patterns exhibited by dinosaurs are explored via an examination of their spatial and temporal distribution through time, considering connections to the evolving Mesozoic world’s paleogeography, paleoclimate, and paleo-environment as interpreted from the rock record. Topics include dinosaur origins, anatomy, reproduction, diets, diversity, and classification, as well as a survey of other vertebrate animals that lived at the same time. Hypotheses for dinosaur extinction are compared and contrasted. (Cross-listed with BIOL 324.) (Available for General Education B5, Scientific Inquiry and Quantitative Reasoning.) (WI)