Z8338 Quaternary environments

Faculty of Science
Autumn 2019
Extent and Intensity
2/1/0. 5 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
doc. Mgr. Daniel Nývlt, Ph.D. (lecturer)
RNDr. Jan Divíšek, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
doc. Mgr. Daniel Nývlt, Ph.D.
Department of Geography – Earth Sciences Section – Faculty of Science
Contact Person: doc. Mgr. Daniel Nývlt, Ph.D.
Supplier department: Department of Geography – Earth Sciences Section – Faculty of Science
Timetable
Wed 11:00–12:50 Z6,02006
  • Timetable of Seminar Groups:
Z8338/01: Wed 13:00–13:50 Z6,02006, J. Divíšek, D. Nývlt
Prerequisites
Basic knowledge of physical geography and/or geology
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.

The capacity limit for the course is 25 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 0/25, only registered: 0/25
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
Nature of the last 2,5 Ma had many similar as well as different features from the nature of the present times. The appearance of the present day European landscapes is prevailingly the heritage of the Quaternary development, that is why the knowledge of the Quaternary is the key for understanding the present day landscape as well as the alternatives of the future development. Lecture discusses in a complex way the changes and evolution of landscapes within the Quaternary period in different parts of the world. The issues of Quaternary stratigraphy, methods of reconstruction of Quaternary environments, changes and fluctuations of climate, changes in dynamics of erosion and sedimentation, evolution of landforms, soil cover, plant and animal communities, changes of environment in tropical and sub-tropical latitudes and evolution and migrations of modern humans and their culture. Presentation of the present day interdisciplinaty approach to the Quaternary studies is accentuated.
Main objectives can be summarized as follows:
to delineate the main stratigraphic units of Quaternary
to understand the development of landforms and soils during Quaternary
to understand the development of biota during Quaternary
to learn the milestones of the Middle European landscapes development
to learn the evolution of modern humans and the way they shaped their environment
Learning outcomes
Student will be able to:
- understand the development of the natural environment and its individual components during the Quaternary period; - Explain the causes and consequences of climate changes at different time scales;
- Apply acquired knowledge for own research project.
Syllabus
  • 1. Delimitation of Quaternary, specialities of Quaternary, pronciples od Quaternary stratigraphy, who are Quaternary scientists and what they do?
  • 2. Methods of the reconstruction of the Quaternary environment, geomorphological, lithological and biological evidence of landscape change, dating methods.
  • 3. Climatic variability in Quaternary, Quaternary climatic cycles, causes of the Quaternary climate change.
  • 4. Glaciation of continents and oceans during Quaternary, changes in the extent of glaciation.
  • 5. Landform evolution in Quaternary, characteristic landforms of Quaternary age, dominant geomorphological processes of middle latitudes.
  • 6. Evolution and changes of soils in Quaternary, palaeopedology.
  • 7. Vegetation changes in the landscapes in Pleistocene and Holocene.
  • 8. Quaternary fauna, species extinction in Quaternary and continuity of animal assemblages.
  • 9. Changes of middle European landscapes with special attention to the territory of the Czech Rep.
  • 10. Evolution of humans, migration and spread of modern humans, geoarchaeology, main archaeological cultures of Middle Europe, landscape archaeology.
  • 11. Changes of the environment in tropical and sub-tropical latitudes.
Literature
    required literature
  • EHLERS, Jürgen, Philip D. HUGHES and Philip L. GIBBARD. The ice age. First published. West Sussex, UK: Wilex Blackwell, 2016, xiii, 548. ISBN 9781118507803. info
  • LOWE, J. J. and M. J. C. WALKER. Reconstructing quaternary environments. Third edition. New York: Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group, 2015, xxviii, 53. ISBN 9780131274686. info
    recommended literature
  • LOŽEK, Vojen. Zrcadlo minulosti : česká a slovenská krajina v kvartéru. 1. vyd. Praha: Dokořán, 2007, 198 s. ISBN 9788073630959. info
  • BEZVODOVÁ, Bohumila, Jaromír DEMEK and Antonín ZEMAN. Metody kvarterně geologického a geomorfologického výzkumu. Vyd. 1. Praha: Státní pedagogické nakladatelství, 1985, 207 s. info
  • ZEMAN, Antonín and Jaromír DEMEK. Kvartér : geologie a geomorfologie. Vyd. 1. Praha: Státní pedagogické nakladatelství, 1984, 192 s. info
  • LOŽEK, Vojen. Příroda ve čtvrtohorách. Vyd. 1. Praha: Academia, 1973, 372 s. info
Teaching methods
Teaching consists of lectures and class discussions in which students will present short presentation on a selected topic. Further study literature is recommended for each lecture block.
Assessment methods
Lecture in extent 2 hours per week. Regular seminars will be used for short student presentation of selected topics, which will be evaluated.
Language of instruction
Czech
Further Comments
Study Materials
The course is taught annually.
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2010 - only for the accreditation, Autumn 2007, Autumn 2008, Autumn 2010, Autumn 2011 - acreditation, Autumn 2012, Autumn 2013, Autumn 2014, Autumn 2015, Autumn 2016, autumn 2017, Autumn 2018, Autumn 2020, autumn 2021, Autumn 2022, Autumn 2023, Autumn 2024.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Autumn 2019, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/sci/autumn2019/Z8338