Reconstructing prehistoric ecosystems and impacts of humans and climate change through the use of Quaternary techniques, including assessing extinction causes, what the future holds for conservation, ecosystem restoration and de-extinction.
| Paper title | From Extinction to De-Extinction |
|---|---|
| Paper code | ZOOL423 |
| Subject | Zoology |
| EFTS | 0.1667 |
| Points | 20 points |
| Teaching period | Semester 1 (On campus) |
| Domestic Tuition Fees (NZD) | $1,409.28 |
| International Tuition Fees | Tuition Fees for international students are elsewhere on this website. |
- Contact
- Teaching staff
- Dr Nic Rawlence
- Professor Phil Seddon
- Marcus Richards
- Dr Catherine Collins
- Professor Richard Walter
- Dr Catherine Beltran
- Assoc Prof Cilla Wehi
- Textbooks
Textbooks are not required for this paper.
- Course outline
This paper will
- critically assess the causes of extinctions of prehistoric ecosystems
- introduce students to the tools scientists use to reconstruct these ecosystems
- critically assess what scientists have discovered using these tools
- critically assess what the future holds in terms of conservation, ecosystem restoration and de-extinction
- Graduate Attributes Emphasised
Appreciation of global and interdisciplinary perspective; information and environmental literacy; lifelong learning; communication; teamwork; research; critical thinking; and scholarship.
View more information about Otago's graduate attributes.- Learning Outcomes
Students who successfully complete the paper will:
- Formulate and answer questions about reconstructing prehistoric ecosystems, using Quaternary techniques such as radiocarbon dating, stable dietary isotopes, ancient DNA, molecular fossils, palaeontology, archaeology, palynology and plant macrofossils
- Use recently developed freely available online tools (e.g. radiocarbon date calibration, DNA sequence analysis) that will be of use in their postgraduate research
- Critically evaluate (including interpretation and applying knowledge) research in Quaternary Science
- Engage in discussion with other people about Quaternary Science research
- Find relevant material from library databases
- Produce well-organised and well-written research reports
- Give effective scientific oral presentations and debates
