GEOL 5 - Earth History (with Lab) Exam # 4 Study Guide - Spring 2018 exam date: June 7, 2018, at 3:30 PM sharp! Professor: Dr. Alessandro Grippo, Ph.D.   General Information Last Updated  •  May 26, 2018     PLEASE NOTE: Cellular phones, iPads, Androids, iPods, Blackberries, Bluetooth devices, headphones, computers or, in general, ANY KIND of electronic device CAN NOT be used during the test. All electronic devices MUST BE TURNED OFF: if a cell phone rings or a device is turned on in the classroom during test time, you will not be allowed to finish your test and your result will be invalidated. You can not use any dictionary, translator, pocket calculator, flash card, or any external source of information. There will be no need for a ruler during this test. No hoods, hats, or anything that hides your ears will be allowed. You will ONLY need to bring: one Scantron, Form 882-E a number 2 pencil an eraser This study guide must be interpreted (literally) as a guide to the study of the subject and not as a listing of possible questions. It is YOUR personal responsibility to cover the materials listed in this online study guide in the lecture textbook in the lab textbook in "Fossil Ecosystems of North America" on the web pages in your notes. I would strongly recommend that you peruse your notes for completeness of information: some information that has been detailed in class is only mentioned briefly on the textbooks, and you are responsible for covering that; know what the key terms and concepts are (see the list at the end of each chapter on both your textbook and your lab manual); exercise with the questions for review also found at the end of each chapter. Review the materials from your quizzes. Read the summary at the end of each chapter, try to answer review questions, try to work with others if you find it useful. Never hesitate to ask me questions in class or during a lab. The Rocky Mountains' glacial landscape along the U.S. / Canada border: Lake Bowman, Glacier National Park, Montana   Study Guide: part 1 - readings from "Fossil Ecosystems of North America" Last Updated  •  May 26, 2018     There will be a few questions out of Fossil Ecosystems of North America. Refer to the familiar assignments list for a review. Only materials from the following chapters will be in this test: The Morrison Formation The Hell Creek Formation The Green River Formation Florissant Dominican Amber Rancho La Brea You will not be tested on previous chapters.   Study Guide: part 2 - LECTURE Last Updated  •  May 26, 2018     Chapter 4 has been discussed in class only partially, while Chapter 5 has only been mentioned during other discussions. Study these chapters but the bulk of your test will be from Chapters 6, 7, 8,and 9 Chapter 4 - Environments and Life Know the basic facts about ecology Know about the atmosphere: its composition, patterns of air circulation on both a non-rotating and a rotating earth with no land masses; know what the Coriolis effect is, how it works, and why; know the main wind patterns (trade winds, westerlies, polar easterlies) and their direction Know the web materials on oceanography, and in particular know about: surface currents deep currents the pycnocline, the halocline, the thermocline the oxygen curve and the nutrient curve the photic zone Know the main Terrestrial Environments; be aware of climate change with altitude and not only with latitude Know about the Marine Realm: again, the differences between the surface, wind-driven currents and the deep, density-driven currents; know the patterns of surface ocean currents; know about the California current and the Gulf Stream; know about Equatorial currents and the West Wind Drift; know the basics about tides and the intertidal, subtidal (p.97) and supratidal zones Know the physiography of ocean bottoms, along passive and active continental margin (know the difference between a continental margin and a plate boundary!): shelf, slope, rise, abyssal plain, etc.; again, know what the photic zone is and its approximate depth in meters Know about marine life, and what plankton, nekton and benthos are; know about the influence of salinity and temperature of ocean waters on life; know about food webs Know the Freshwater Environments Chapter 5 - Sedimentary Environments You need to know the main characteristics of all sedimentary environments, and be able to reason in terms of what sediments (and, as a consequence, what sedimentary rocks) characterize each one of these environments. Do not simply think of the lithology but, when possible, reason also with such parameters as color, sedimentary structures, compositional maturity, roundness, sorting, sequences, etc. Take into account the concepts expressed by Walther's Law. This means, as you know, that if you have a sequence of pelagic limestones and shales, you can not suddenly find a continental deposit (the sequence changes step by step, from one environment to the next); if you find a sudden change in the sequence, it very likely implies the presence of an unconformity. An unconformity means a time gap: something is missing, whether it was never deposited (paraconformity) or it was deposited and subsequently eroded (the other three unconformities). Know the introduction Know Nonmarine Environments Know Marginal Marine and Open Shelf Environments Know Deep-Sea Environments Chapter 6 - Correlation and Dating of the Rock Record This paragraph is fully integrated by the web pages and powerpoints on stratigraphy. In particular, Parts 5 (magnetostratigraphy), 6 (event stratigraphy, seismic stratigraphy, geophysical logs and coring operations), and 7 (sea-level change, sedimentary basins, sequence stratigraphy, cyclostratigraphy) are integral part of the study materials for this test. Also, do not forget to check the illustrated stratigraphy page on the web. From the book: Review the Geologic Time Scale Review Stratigraphic Units Know Earth's Absolute Age Know Event Stratigraphy Some concepts may have been discussed in class only. Refer to your notes. This is one of the most important chapters of the book. Expect detailed questions out of this chapter, and be able to apply the concepts expressed in this section to chapters. Chapter 7 - Evolution and the Fossil Record This chapter provides you with the foundations for the understanding of Evolution. You should study the whole chapter and the integrating materials that you can find on the class web page. Here is a detailed summary of the materials you need to know: Know the Introduction Know Adaptations Know Charles Darwin's Contribution (there will be questions on Charles Darwin) Read, in order to better understand the ideas behind the chapter, the section "Genes, DNA and Chromosomes" (there will be no direct questions on this short paragraph) Read, in order to better understand this chapter, the section "Populations, Species and Speciations". Know what a speciation is. Read, in order to better understand this chapter, the section "Rates of Origination". Know what evolutionary radiations and adaptive breakthroughs are. Know The Molecular Clock and Times of Origination Know Evolutionary Convergence Know Extinction Know Evolutionary Trends Know the online notes on evolution Chapter 8 - The Theory of Plate Tectonics Know the whole chapter; expect many questions to come out of this chapter (whose materials have already been discussed at least three times between lecture and lab) Know the History of Alfred Wegener's continental drift theory Know about the rise of Plate Tectonics Know about paleomagnetism Know about deformation, strike and dip (see also the online notes for this section, parts I, II, and III) Review the Structural Geology and Tectonics powerpoint Know faults and folds (folds are mentioned in Chapter 9 on the textbook but you should have in-depth notes on both faults and folds, including materials on their classification, on strike and dip, on the hanging wall and the foot wall, etc.). Know about faulting and volcanism (seismic and volcanic activity) along Plate Boundaries Know about Plate Movements, including measuring the movement, hot spots, thermal plumes, etc. Chapter 9 - Continental Tectonics and Mountain Chains Know the whole chapter; expect many questions to come out of this chapter too (it has also been discussed, as the previous one, at least three times between lecture and lab) Know about the Rifting of Continents Know about Mountain Building, including examples Know about Suturing of Small Landmasses to Continents (exotic terranes) Know about the Tectonics of Continental Interiors Chapters 1 through 6: review the main concepts. I will NOT ask direct questions from these chapters (I askd them in the previous test), but you need to know about Plate Tectonics, Rocks (Sedimentary Rocks in particular), Sedimentary Environments, Paleontology, basic Chemistry, etc. in order to understand the rest of the materials.   Study Guide: part 3 - LAB Last Updated  •  May 26, 2018     You have keys for all o fthese labs available online. Make sure to take advantage of them. Chapter 4 - Ancient Sedimentary Environments This chapter reviews chapter 5 on your textbook, with the addition of Sedimentary Structures and Color, that we have seen in previous chapters. Be sure to review the illustrations on the sedimentary structures and color page on the web. Know Environments of Deposition Know Bedding and Related Features Know Color Chapter 5 - Tectonic Setting This is the most complex lab among the ones that will be on the test. Know Tectonic Settings Know the Tectonic Setting - Sedimentary Rock Connection Know Facies and Association of Beds Know Summary of Association and Settings Be prepared to answer questions on the style of those of the lab Chapter 6 - Sea-Floor Spreading and Plate Tectonics This chapter was only partially covered during our lab meetings; still, all of the topics have been discussed during lecture and in some of the other labs. While I will not ask direct questions out of it, I would strongly recommend that you review its pages, particularly for what concerns the sections about plate tectonics and paleomagnetism, and how different stratigraphic methods can be integrated in the analysis of a problem. Know the whole chapter Know names and location of the main plates Know what paleomagnetism is Be able to solve any problem in this chapter Chapter 7 - Age Relations and Unconformities This lab reviews the basic concepts of relative dating and of unconformities. Be sure to review the illustrated unconformities page on the web. Know Criteria for Age Relations Skip The Method of Multiple Working Hypotheses Know Unconformity Skip Episodes of Precambrian History Chapter 8 - Rock Units and Time-Rock Units This lab reviews the basic concepts of correlation. Know the Introduction Know how to operate with the different units (rock units, time-rock units, time units, biostratigraphic units, etc.) Know what rock units, or Formations, are Know what fossils are Know how to correlate (in this case, but also in general, as from textbook chapter 6) Know the Standard Geologic Column Skip Absolute Age Determination (this part will be on the next test) Know Formations of the Colorado Plateau Chapter 9 - Ancient Shorelines Know what paleogegraphy is, and how it is possible to reconstruct it with the aid of isopach maps; what isopach lines are; how an isopach map is different from a facies map Know what a facies is Be sure to understand what a map such as that of fig. 9.1 page 89 means and how it works; know the answer to, among others, question 2 on the same page Know what transgression and regression are Know what Walther's Law says Know what formations and groups are (rock units, or lithostratigraphic units; see also lab manual chapter 8 and your textbook) Chapter 10 - Fossils and Their Living Relatives (Fossils and Living Protoctista, Sponges, Corals, Bryozoans and Brachiopods) Review the Introduction, with special attention to the paragraphs on What is a Fossil? Preservation of Fossils but also be able to discuss the main points of "Classification and Nomenclature" Study these paragraphs together with materials on the Textbook and on the web Fossils and Living Protoctista: main characteristics and range of Coccoliths, Diatoms, Foraminifera, and Radiolaria Sponges: main characteristics (structure, environments) and range Corals and related Cnidarians: main characteristics (structure, environments) and range know, among other things, about the structure of cnidarians; know the conditions for coral existence, and what symbiosis is (page 116) Bryozoa: main characteristics (structure, environments) and range Brachiopoda: main characteristics (structure, environments) and range Chapter 11 - Fossils and Their Living Relatives (Mollusks, Arthropods, Echinoderms, Graptolites, and Plants) Mollusca: main characteristics (structure, environments), and range (pages 125 and 133), with special attention to Cephalopods Arthropoda: main characteristics (structure, environments), and trilobites range (page 139) Echinodermata: main characteristics (structure, environments) Graptolites: main characteristics (structure, environments) Know: Fossil Plants: main types (non-vascular vs. vascular plants, including seedles plants, gymnosperms, and angiosperms), characteristics (structure, environments) and range (page 151) Chapter 12 - Fossils Indicators of Age, Environment, and Correlation This chapter lets you apply the principles of biostratigraphy. We have already studied all the materials in this chapter during the semester, except the section on The Habitat of Marine Life and part of the Trace Fossils section. Be sure to include those in your study materials. Know Fossils and Age Determinations Know Biozones and Biostratigraphy skip A Graphic Method of Correlation review the concepts for Interpretation of an Outcrop in Southern Illinois review the concepts for Interpretation of an Outcrop in Central Illinois Know Fossil and Paleoenvironments Know The Habitat of Marine Life (very important! this section names marine environments) Know Invertebrate Trace Fossils Chapter 14 - Geologic Maps and Geologic Structures All of the materials from this chapter have been covered in Chapters 8 and 9 from the Textbook. Stop at page 194 Know the Introduction Know Attitude, Strike and Dip Know Folds Know Faults There will be no questions from the other paragraphs (stop at page 200, no questions out of pages 195-217) Back to the Top | Go to the Images and Notes Page | Go to the Home Page | Go back to the Spring 2018 Page © Alessandro Grippo, since 1994 Los Angeles, California