ERB203 Sedimentary Geology and Stratigraphy

Unit Outline: Semester 2 2024, Gardens Point, Internal

Overview

This unit provides you with an introduction to sedimentology and stratigraphy, incorporating sediments and sedimentary rocks and how they relate to depositional environments. The unit focuses on the link between features preserved in sedimentary rocks and what those features tell us about how the rock was emplaced, the environment it was emplaced into and the subsequent burial history of the rocks. Sedimentology and stratigraphy is a fundamental part of the education of any earth scientist, and especially of those who wish to be involved in fossil fuel (i.e., coal, petroleum and gas) exploration, water resource exporation and management, and environmental geology, such as geosequestration of carbon dioxide, landscape remediation and soil science, investigation of extreme events (e.g., landslides, tsunami and storm surge) and climate change.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:

1. Extract and analyse relevant data from sedimentary rocks and stratigraphic sequences.
2. Identify and apply the fundamental principles of stratigraphic correlation.
3. Recognise, identify and interpret ancient depositional environments as preserved in stratigraphic sequences.
4. Explore the relationship between three-dimensional geological data and two dimensional maps and cross sections using real world examples.
5. Integrate geological data and ideas into reports for communication with professional geologists.

Content

Learning Approaches

The unit combines online lectures, library research, practical exercises and a field site visits to provide you with a firm theoretical knowledge base and practical experience with sedimentary rocks and depositional environments, while guiding you to individually formulate and present geological ideas and concepts.

Lectures: 2 hours per week for 12 weeks. Presented online in a mixed synchronous and recorded format.

Practical: On campus 2 hours per week for 12 weeks.

Field trips: Day field trips to the SE Queensland area, which may involve students own transport to and from the site (public transport or private car) or bus charter if appropriate.  If travel is restricted at the time of scheduled field trips then an alternative assessment/activity will be offered. All trips will be run with strict social distancing and hygiene protocols.

A longer field trip  (location to be announced) will run at the beginning of the exam period. This is run in conjunction with the unit ERB204. This  excursion requires a small financial student contribution, the amount of which depends on student numbers and some other factors changing from year to year. The student contribution is usually between $300 and $400 AUD. The exact costs will be announced in week 1.

Feedback on Learning and Assessment

Verbal and written feedback will be provided on all assessments throughout the semester.

Assessment

Overview

Assessment includes an applied fieldwork project, progressive lab and practical activities and a report.

Unit Grading Scheme

7- point scale

Assessment Tasks

Assessment: Laboratory/Practical

Progressive practical tasks will provide you with experience in:
(a) extracting and analysing relevant information from sedimentary rocks and stratigraphic sequences in the field;
(b) recreating real world natural simulations in the laboratory;
(c) analysing and interpreting ancient depositional environments as they relate to stratigraphy;

Assessment: Project (applied)

The field project will provide you with experience in applying your skills at, identifying and correlating sedimentary strata in the field in a real world setting.

This is an assignment for the purposes of an extension.

Assessment: Report

Geological history reconstruction from field observations.

This is an assignment for the purposes of an extension.

Academic Integrity

Students are expected to engage in learning and assessment at QUT with honesty, transparency and fairness. Maintaining academic integrity means upholding these principles and demonstrating valuable professional capabilities based on ethical foundations.

Failure to maintain academic integrity can take many forms. It includes cheating in examinations, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, and submitting an assessment item completed by another person (e.g. contract cheating). It can also include providing your assessment to another entity, such as to a person or website.

You are encouraged to make use of QUT’s learning support services, resources and tools to assure the academic integrity of your assessment. This includes the use of text matching software that may be available to assist with self-assessing your academic integrity as part of the assessment submission process.

Further details of QUT’s approach to academic integrity are outlined in the Academic integrity policy and the Student Code of Conduct. Breaching QUT’s Academic integrity policy is regarded as student misconduct and can lead to the imposition of penalties ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.

Resources

Risk Assessment Statement

There are no extraordinary risks associated with the unit, but the field excursion will require your particular attention to university safety guidelines. Complete safety information will be provided prior to your participation.