Terrestrial Paleoecology

Terrestrial paleoecology is the study of vegetation and animals in ancient ecosystems. The paleoecology of eastern Africa is significant because it can shed light on the potential role that climate played in human evolution. This course aims to teach students the principles of paleoecology primarily through fieldwork, lab work, and research projects. In the first half of the course, students will be introduced to basic methods in the modern Mpala ecosystem. In the second, they will explore the rich record of human evolution in the Turkana Basin. Students will study bones, teeth, plants, or soils to reconstruct modern and ancient ecosystems.