Stratigraphy and Paleontology

Course in Biostratigraphy and Stratigraphy at the postgraduate level requires

rigorous field training, enabling the student to apply the understanding of the fossil

record and rock sequences to extrapolate the evolutionary history of sedimentary rock formations on earth and diversity of ancient life of any region over the entire

geological time. Museum of rich fossil collection, sedimentary sequences, and

rocks are the most effective tools in learning this subject in addition to the filed

exposure. Students are introduced to the morphological characterization and identification

of mega fossils, encouraged to understand the types of marine environments

and important microfossils from Precambrian to Recent. Knowledge of

the type of fossilization, fossils, its terminologies, and stratigraphic applications

are introduced in this part. The course also deals with fossil flora and biostratigraphy

of India and has a special reference to the sedimentary formation of Kerala. Skills

for discovering and identifying fossils and fossiliferous deposits, interpreting

taphonomic and fossilization processes, and evolutionary paleobiology are developed.

Importance of awareness regarding the significance of microfossils in the past

and present climate process, exploration, modern techniques for documentation

of geological sequences in the field, fossil preservation, geological museums

curation, display, and conserve paleontological and rock collections and museum

skills and laboratory methods for paleontology. Students understand the models

of origin and early stages of evolution of life: extra-terrestrial and terrestrial and

mass extinction and its causes. An understanding on the principal groups of vertebrates

in Gondwana and Siwalik formations are introduced. Introduction to

micropalaeontology, scope, and subdivisions, types, techniques of extraction of

microfossils, paleoecology, application in petroleum exploration, morphology

and the classification of important microfossil groups is provided. Palynology, general

morphology of spores and pollens and their classification, paleobotany like

plant life through geological ages, morphology, and taxonomy of selected mega

plant fossils of the Gondwana Supergroup are also a part of the course.