Paleobiological Patterns in Species Extinction, Survivorshipand Evolution across the K/T Boundary

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This project addresses three major objectives in current biostratigraphical and paleobiological research. 1. THE NATURE OF SPECIES EXTINCTIONS ACROSS THE K/T BOUNDARY: To what extent was the end-Cretaceous mass extinction event gradual or sudden in geological terms? To what degree was extinction selective towards certain groups of species? 2. SPECIES SURVIVORSHIP: To what extent did planktic foraminifera survive the end-Cretaceous mass extinction event? Were certain morphologies favored? Which species were more favored, generalists or specialists? How long did they survive? Did surviving species give rise to new Tertiary species? 3. POST-EXTINCTION-EVENT RADIATION: How does species diversity rebound after a mass extinction event? What are the rates of diversification, are they high immediately after the extinction event, or are there substantial lags? What taxonomic groups, generalists or specialists, contribute to diversification in both numbers of species and relative abundance of individuals? Does the diversification correlate with environmental factors such as climate or productivity? %%% This project will examine the evidence for a mass extinction and subsequent radiation of foraminifera across the Cretaceous/Tertiary boundary at 65 million years in both land and marine sections. The rate of extinction and radiation will be measured and the role of species morphology and ecology on those rates will be examined. The post-extinction radiation will be examined to see which species survived and how their subsequent diversification occurred. The role of climate and productivity in the survivorship of different species will be examined. The results of this study will provide a detailed picture of the events surrounding the most well known extinction in the geologic record.