| Detailed survey of the history
of life on Earth and the major geological events (e.g., mountain building,
change in sea level, continental fragmentation) that affect the evolution
and distribution of life. Focus on the last 540 million years, the
age of the "more complex" forms of life. Appearances, evolution,
and extinctions of the major groups of organisms of this time. Includes
major reef-building communities, major plant groups, and important
animal groups on land and in the oceans. Environmental change through
time and extinctions, both past and current. |