| Unit name | Geobiology |
|---|---|
| Unit code | EASC20024 |
| Credit points | 10 |
| Level of study | I/5 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 2C (weeks 13 - 18) |
| Unit director | Professor. Donoghue |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Pre-requisites |
Successful completion of the previous years of Geology or Environmental Geoscience programme as appropriate |
| Co-requisites |
None |
| School/department | School of Earth Sciences |
| Faculty | Faculty of Science |
Geobiology is the study of the interactions that occur between the biosphere (living organisms and their products) and the geosphere (the Earth and its atmosphere). Geobiology encompasses the fields of biogeochemistry, paleobiology, geomicrobiology, and some aspects of astrobiology. The course will examine the inter-relationships between life and geochemical processes at scales ranging from individual organic molecules to global cycles between the atmosphere, oceans and land. The course will also examine critical geobiological moments in Earth history that have had a major impact on the evolution of life. The unit will conclude with an examination of the influence of humankind on the global environment.
