ECTS
4 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
List of Courses
Choose 1 of 4
Fossils and Evolution
4 credits30hSpatial Data
4 creditsSoil Ecology and Biogeochemical Cycles
4 creditsEvolution of form: phylogenetic constraints, development & function
4 credits27h
Fossils and Evolution
ECTS
4 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Number of hours
30h
In this course unit, we will explore the main theoretical concepts of evolutionary processes as reflected in the fossil record. We will focus on reconciling microevolutionary and macroevolutionary mechanisms. The concepts covered will include: species and intraspecific variability, speciation and the rates of evolution, adaptive radiations (ecological speciation) in the fossil record, targeted extinctions (competition between migrants and native species) or mass extinctions (major biological crises), evolutionary modes (anagenesis and saltationism) observed in the fossil record, and a comprehensive review of microevolutionary mechanisms.
Spatial Data
ECTS
4 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Time of year
Fall
The goal of this resolutely transdisciplinary course is to provide the skills necessary for the effective management and meaningful use of data from various sources and of various types, particularly data with a spatial component. The course consists of three complementary, sequential modules. The first addresses the challenges inherent in data compilation and the solutions provided by database management systems (DBMS): from database design to queries. The second focuses on geographic information systems (GIS): from cartographic representation to geoprocessing. Finally, the third area presents the diversity of spatial analysis tools that enable the quantitative exploitation of spatial data, whether through metrics or statistical tests.
Soil Ecology and Biogeochemical Cycles
ECTS
4 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
The educational objective of this course unit is to provide an overview of the major soil types on a global scale, explain their formation, and identify the mineral phases or primary abiotic factors that may regulate biological activity in soils. Based on this analysis, the various soil organisms (microorganisms, micro-, meso-, and macrofauna) will be presented, along with their interactions, in order to contextualize the cycles of organic matter and mineral elements in the soil across different temporal and spatial scales. The concepts of recycling, the closure of biogeochemical cycles, and the principles governing community assembly will also be addressed. This course unit is organized around lectures and presentations, as well as tutorial sessions and fieldwork.
Evolution of form: phylogenetic constraints, development & function
ECTS
4 credits
Training Structure
College of Sciences
Number of hours
27h
"The objective is to analyze the phylogenetic, developmental, and functional constraints that may have governed the morphological changes observable in the fossil record. The phylogenetic approach will be addressed using reconstruction methods applicable to fossils (parsimony; cladistic analysis). The developmental and functional approaches (primarily odontology) will be illustrated using various methodologies developed on the Montpellier campus (notably X-ray microtomography). A critical review of key articles in the field will be presented orally, followed by a question-and-answer session."