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ESS261H Earth System Evolution Course Journal Volume 1, April 2021

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ESS261H Earth System Evolution Course Journal Volume 1, April 2021 ESS261 Journal, volume 1 (2021) i ESS261H Earth System Evolution Course Journal Volume 1, April 2021 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Co-Editors: Carl-Georg Bank Megan Swing Joe Moysiuk Heriberto Rochin Banaga Department of Earth Sciences University of Toronto 22 Ursula Franklin Street Toronto, Ontario M5S 3B1 ii This is a collection of student papers written as an assessment in the course ESS261H Earth System Evolution in the winter 2021 term. For questions or comments please contact the course instructor Carl-Georg Bank [email protected] ESS261 Journal, volume 1 (2021) i Introduction from Asia is outlined by Yuan, where fossils from Chengjiang rival those found from the The Earth system -- the lithosphere, atmosphere, Burgess Shale. All of the aforementioned hydrosphere, and biosphere -- has evolved over contributions have described discoveries that billions of years and is the home for all known have played significant roles in the life, including humans. It is a delicate home, it understanding of life and evolution on Earth and is a fascinating home, and it challenges us to will continue to do so for centuries to come. better understand its balances. This course took us on a journey through the 4.567 billion years 2. Our understanding about past life is still of Earth's history, and the papers in this journal growing. This section includes various papers mark the culmination of student work. The relating such new discoveries and discussing journal is split into four parts: their significance for understanding life’s many changes over the eons. 1. Lagerstätten have been crucial in not just Relationships between form, function, producing significant fossils, but have also and phylogeny are a common theme underlying advanced our knowledge of the Earth system as these papers, nicely capturing the classic trifecta snapshots in time. These sites contain of causal phenomena in evolution. This is exceptional numbers of fossils and may also exemplified by contributions by Cheng, Gupta exhibit exceptional quality preservation which and Han, and Mooney and Osterling Arias, warrant their protection for years to come. These highlighting bizarre morphologies in different discoveries often become UNESCO World groups of dinosaurs and the efforts that have Heritage sites due to their importance to science been made to understand their origins and and their contributions to our body of diversity. Similarly, Patterson and Panasiuk knowledge. provide a deep dive into the evolution of Several famous Lagerstӓtten from North dinosaur feathers and hypotheses for their America are described in great detail including evolution. the unique and bizarre organisms from the The papers also span the full range of Burgess Shale located in the Canadian Rockies taxonomic diversity encountered in the fossil highlighted by Bormann and Merrick. The “Age record. Chan and Sengupta focus in on a group of Fishes” from the Devonian are brought to of amber fossils whose horn-like mouthparts light by Boyd and Rowe, where well- have inspired the nickname "hell ants", proving documented discoveries from the Miguasha that Cretaceous insects deserve attention equal lagerstӓtte in Quebec are discussed. On the East to that afforded to dinosaurs. Carrothers and coast of Canada, Singh Bhullar and Thiele Fargey provide a focussed discussion on the provide a recount of the importance of the coal newly discovered Kylinxia zhangi, a Cambrian forests of Joggins Cliffs, Nova Scotia while arthropod from China which fills an important Bautista and Mindanao share in-depth gap in our understanding of the early evolution descriptions of Ediacaran fossils from Mistaken of arthropods. Choi and Fortune discuss a new Point, Newfoundland. Canadian discovery: the earliest fossil Some of the most important Lagerstӓtten occurrence of a neglected group of organisms – found in Europe are from Germany, illustrated the fungi. by Al Raisi and Eaton-Tessier who focused on Finally, many articles emphasize the the Devonian fossils found in Bundenbach, and utility of new methods for interrogating the through significant discoveries such as the first fossil record. In particular, Chen examines bird Archaeopteryx at Solnhofen by Guillerez. several case studies involving hydrodynamics in Many discoveries have been made in South the fossil record. She shows that some fish body America, but a unique site containing differerent shapes have evolved repeatedly while others types of fossilized animals including pterosaurs were unique. Similarly, Walker and Moya walk discovered in the Santana formation from Brazil us through the study of colour in the fossil is reviewed in a descriptive contribution by record, as revealed by preserved pigment- Murphy. One of the most significant lagerstӓtte containing organelles called melanosomes. ii Altogether the papers in this section are causes are given by Islam and Butt in their paper testament to our ever-changing knowledge of the “The Greatest Mass Extinction in Earth’s history of life. We’ve come a long way from a History: The Permian-Triassic Extinction Event” few drawers of dusty bones. and Dong in his paper “The Late Triassic Extinction Events”. 3. The Earth system harbours many surprises. This section presents synthesis-articles that are 4. The final section looks at the nature and focused on the evolution and general properties extent of interactions between humans and Earth of the Earth, physical and chemical processes processes, including human activities altering present in our planet, and their effects on the Earth's landscapes, oceans, and the atmosphere. Geosphere and Biosphere. The general-internal The Anthropocene (causes and future status) is properties of the Earth are presented by Caratsch well presented by Li in her paper “Scientific and and Pham in their paper “The Emergence of Philosophical Arguments in Favour of the tectonic plates” in which they show the history "Anthropocene". Herrmann in her paper “How and basis of the plate tectonic theory while the plastic use has impacted the environment” internal forces of Earth are explained by Han in addresses the problems of plastic waste and her article titled: “Uncovering the Geodynamo”. presents some attempts to control the pollution The role that microorganisms play in of plastics in the environment. Hu and Dalueg biochemical and chemical changes can produce provide a review of the “Anthropocene” movie, high impacts in the environment. This is well and the volume ends on a positive note with an explained by Tablada in his paper “The Great interview by Ross and Qu of the author of Oxidation Event (GOE); its causes and its effect "Timefulness". on the evolution of Eukaryotic traits”. Microorganism also play an important role in We hope you enjoy reading the 27 papers in this soil formation. Mul explains in his paper “The first volume of the ESS261 Journal. Formation of Soils and Its Function” the different process of soil formation and its importance for human life. Geological and Toronto, 30 April 2021 biochemical processes have been recorded Megan Swing through Earth history and they have been the Heriberto Rochin Banaga main causes of mass extinction events. Joe Moysiuk Examples of mass extinction events and their Carl-Georg Bank ESS261 Journal, volume 1 (2021) iii Table of Contents PART ONE: Lagerstätten 1 The Burgess Shale and its Fossils Katherine Borman and Chelsey Merrick 9 Miguasha Lagerstatten: An Occurrence of Exemplary Preservation of the Evolution of Devonian Fishes Brian Boyd and Dylan Rowe 15 Joggins Fossil Cliffs: A Paleo-depiction of the Carboniferous Taylor Thiele and Christopher Singh Bhullar 23 Ediacaran Assemblages at Mistaken Point Edriz Mae Bautista and Emmanuel Mindanao 29 The Hunsrueck slate – Bundenbach lagerstatten Hannah Eaton-Tessier and Nouf Al Raisi 35 The Solnhofen Lagerstaette Alexandre Guillerez 41 The Romualdo Formation: Geolgoy and Paleobiology Alexander Murphy 47 Chengjiang Lagerstaette – A Hidden Pathway to Cambrian Lai Yuan PART TWO: Current Research 55 Parasaurolophus Habitat, Social Behaviour, and Crest Function Kathryn Cheng 61 Sailing to the Top: A Theropod Journey Aritra Gupta and Xiaoyu Han 67 Bat-winged Dinosaurs Shed Light on Evolution of Flight in Early Birds – Review Ethan Mooney and Adrian Osterling Arias 77 Were Dinosaurs our Feathered Friends? The Evolution of Feathers in Dinosaurs Jessica Patterson and Sofia Panasiuk 83 Hell ant (Haidomyrmecinae) species trapped in amber – What makes them special? Clayton Chan and Mrinmayee Sengupta 89 Kylinxia Zhangi – the ‘Missing Link’ in Arthropod Evolution Eve Carrothers and Hunter Fargey 93 The significance and characterization of the earliest fungi species Ourasphaira giraldae Namee Choi and Chloe Fortune 99 What was the Best Hydrodynamic body plan of ancient fish? Carissa Chen 103 Analysis of melanin found in fossilised samples and its importance Zack Walker and Rebeca Moya iv PART THREE: Changes in the Earth System 109 The emergence of tectonic plates Andrea Caratsch and Quang Pham 115 Uncovering the geodynamo Jessica Han 121 The Great Oxidation Event, its causes, and its effect on the evolution of eukaryotic traits Ben Tablada 127 The formation of soils and its function Daniel Mul 135 The greatest mass extinction in Earth’s history: the Permian-Triassic extinction event Nishad Islam and Noor Faisal Butt 139 The late Triassic extinction events Oliver Dong PART FOUR: Humans in the Earth System 145 Scientific
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