Course Instructors: Michael A. Kaminski (KFUPM), Jenö Nagy (UiO), Anna Waskowska (AGH)

Place: Micropress Europe offices at the AGH University of Science & Technology, Krakow, Poland.

The Short Course on Agglutinated Foraminifera (AF) is a hands-on five-day course that covers all aspects of the taxonomy, (paleo)ecology, and biostratigraphy of agglutinated foraminifera and their applications for sequence stratigraphy. The course is designed for graduate-level students and practicing micropaleontologists who wish to apply AF to practical applications, such as in the petroleum industry. Morning lectures are accompanied by afternoon practical sessions during which students can become familiar with the agglutinated foraminifera recovered from IODP and Industry boreholes drilled in the boreal Atlantic basins (North Sea, Labrador Sea, Barents Sea). We also have an extensive collections from the Polish Carpathians, Italy, and other localities in the Western Tethys and West Africa. The aim of the course is provide an overview of the AF faunas through time, and enable the student to learn the stratigraphically important index species from North Atlantic boreholes. An extensive pdf collection of reprints is provided.

• For details contact us on info@micropresseurope.eu

• Day 1. Morphology and stratigraphical overview of Agglutinated Foraminifers (AF):
• • Why Study Agglutinated Foraminifera?
  • Classification & Morphology, Wall types, Morphogroups of AF
  • General introduction to the Ecology of AF
  • Overview of the evolution of AF, Cryogenian to Quaternary.
  Practicals: Collections, AF Genera, Catalogues, Databases (Mike & Anna).
  
• Day 2. Application of Foraminiferal facies in transgressive-regressive sequences:
•  • Normal marine shelf contra restricted assemblages, modern analogues
• •  Introduction to stratigraphy of sedimentary sequences
• •  Microfossil distribution in sequence architecture
•  • New model of foraminiferal facies of transgressive-regressive sequences
•  • Recognition of key horizons defining sequence architecture

Practicals: Microscopy analyses of foraminiferal assemblages from the Triassic and Jurassic of the Boreal Realm. Application in sequence stratigraphy.

• Day 3. Ecology & Paleoecology of AF: Paleobathymetry, Morphogroups, North Atlantic AF faunas:

• • Modern AF in the North Atlantic
  • Morphogroups, case studies from the Cretaceous and Paleogene.
  Practicals: Cretaceous-Paleogene Assemblages from IODP sites, Gubbio.

• Day 4. Foraminiferal assemblages and their application in facies assessments and stratigraphy exemplified by Triassic to Paleogene sections:
•  • Agglutinant coloration index applied as diagenetic thermal indicator
•  • Stratigraphy of deltaic assemblages: prodelta, interdistributary bay, delta plain
•  • Intertidal (Marsh), estuarine and lagoonal assemblages
•  • Stratigraphy of hypoxic assemblages of black shale facies
•  • Hydrocarbon seep foraminiferal assemblages
•  • Climate change foraminiferal stratigraphy 

• Practicals: Microscopy analyses of foraminiferal assemblages of marginal marine and other restricted environments, and use in assessments of depositional conditions and stratigraphy.

• Day 5. Stratigraphically & Ecologically important species.

• • Index species, biozonations – Tethys and North Sea, K/T, P/E, E/O, O/M boundaries, Arctic Neogene
  Practicals: Flysch-type Assemblages from Trinidad, Labrador, North Sea, Angola, Romanian Miocene.  Agua Salada Fauna from the Gulf of Mexico. 

  Course registration fees: Academic/Industrial staff - € 675 euro)
  University Student's discount price - € 510 euro
  The registration fee includes:
  • Tuition fees (5-day course)
  • Lecture notes, handouts, PowerPoints, pdfs of reprints.
  Icebreaker & End-of-Course Dinner
  • Refreshments
  • Complimentary copy of the GF Spec. Publ. 1 - The origins of applied micropalaeontology: "The School of Jozef Grzybowski" Edited by M.A. Kaminski, S. Geroch & D.G. Kaminski

Course instructors: Antonino Briguglio (University of Genova, Italy), Cesare A. Papazzoni (University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, italy), Johannes Pignatti (University of Rome La Sapienza, Italy)

• For details contact Cesare A. Papazzoni

Place: DI.S.T.A.V. - Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, dell'Ambiente e della Vita, Università degli Studi di Genova Corso Europa, 26 I - 16132 Genova, Italy

This five-day hands-on course covers all aspects of the biology, taxonomy, (paleo) ecology, and biostratigraphy of Cenozoic nummulitids including their application at industrial level. Nummulitids are a major constituent of shallow-water Paleogene tropical marine deposits and are routinely used for biostratigraphy and palaeoenvironmental reconstructions.

The course is designed for graduate-level students, PhD candidates, postdocs and practicing micropaleontologists who wish to increase their knowledge on nummulitid foraminifera. Basic knowledge on foraminifera and microscopy is required. Morning lectures shall be accompanied by afternoon practical sessions during which students can become familiar with the Cenozoic nummulitids from the Mediterranean, Middle and Far East provinces. Most of the practicals will be based on the study of foraminifera in thin section. Attendants are encouraged to bring their own study material (thin sections, isolated specimens, photographs) if they wish to discuss it with the lecturers. Handouts and an extensive pdf collection of reprints shall be provided. Full details.
Daily schedule:
Morning class: 9am – 1.30pm, with coffee break
Lunch break, 1.30pm – 2.30pm
Afternoon practicals: 2.30pm – 6pm with coffee break

Course Syllabus

30th June: Registration and welcoming reception.

Icebreaker party (4pm – 7pm)

Day 1. 1st July: Introduction to nummulitids: biology, morphology (3D & thin section), bauplan and taxonomic features, Field techniques, evolutionary concept, paleoecology, and taphonomy

Day 2 2nd July: Definition of Nummulites, Ranikothalia, Assilina, Operculina and other nummulitid genera of the Cenozoic. Lineages and systematics of Paleocene and lower Eocene nummulitids.

Day 3 3rd July: Field trip (full day).

Day 4 4th July: Lineages and systematics of middle and upper Eocene nummulitids. COURSE DINNER.

Day 5, 5th July: Lineages and systematics of Oligo – Miocene nummulitids. Visit to the thin section laboratory at DISTAV, hands on experience on splitting and thin-sectioning of nummulitids.

Course registration fees:
Academic/Industrial staff - €700 euro
University Student's discount price - € 510 euro

The registration fee includes:

•      Tuition fees (4-day course and 1-day field trip)
•      Lecture notes, handouts, PowerPoints, pdfs of reprints.
•      Icebreaker & End-of-Course Dinner
•      Refreshments
•      field trip transportation and lunch.

Minimum number of participants: 5
Maximum number of participants: 15