Geology 137 - Dinosaurs

The first dinosaur fossils to be recognized in North America, footprints of the creatures, were found in South Hadley. The very first dinosaur species described by a woman researcher, and one of the most ancient dinosaur species in the United States (Podokesaurus holyokensis), was discovered close to the Mount Holyoke campus. In this course we will learn the main types of non-avian dinosaurs, compare them to other ancient and modern vertebrates, assess their relationship to birds, debate their physiology (cold-blooded or warm blooded?), examine the ecology of the world they inhabited, and by means of field work, rock drilling and excavation, resume the search for a new specimen of Podokesaurus. To complete the final project, students will select a dinosaur species and study its geological age, geographic distribution, environmental preferences, ecological roles, feeding and reproductive strategies, and body form as they review the history of attempts to reconstruct their adopted dinosaur.