Collaborative Research: New Paleogene Mammal Faunas from the Andean Main Range, Chile

9317943弗林这项建议要求提供资金，以扩大私人投资机构对智利中部安第斯山脉化石陆地哺乳动物动物群的研究。在过去8000万年的大部分时间里，南美洲作为一个岛国大陆漂流。由于这种与世隔绝而产生的高度特殊的陆地哺乳动物，两个多世纪以来一直吸引着生物学家的兴趣。PI最近在智利安第斯山脉的火山沉积物中发现了两个新的、出人意料的哺乳动物化石组合。这些组合有助于填补南美哺乳动物历史上之前知之甚少的一段时间。此外，这些化石在火山沉积物中的出现使各种“绝对”地质测年技术的应用成为可能，至少为两个组合中较年轻的一个提供了精确的校准。该项目将重点放在三个领域，以继续在这一地区进行私人投资促进机构的研究。首先，将扩大野外采集和侦察工作，发现不同时代的新地点和新集合体。第二，个人资料调查将为已知和新发现的组合建立一个综合的地质时间框架。第三，将完成这些多样化、保存完好的化石的准备、描述和分析。这将有助于阐明南美洲陆地哺乳动物历史上关键时期的生物、环境和地质事件。

9317943 Flynn This proposal requests funding to extend the PIs' study of fossil land mammal faunas of the Andes mountain chain in central Chile. During most of the last 80 million years South America drifted as an island continent. The highly peculiar land mammals that arose as a result of this isolation have captured the interest of biologists for more than two centuries. The PIs have recently discovered two new and highly unexpected fossil mammal assemblages in volcanic sediments of the Chilean Andes. These assemblages help to fill in what was previously a very poorly understood interval in the history of South American mammals. In addition, occurrence of these fossils in volcanic deposits enables the application of various "absolute" geologic dating techniques, providing a precise calibration for at least the younger of the two assemblages. The project will focus on three areas in continuation of the PIs' study in this region. First, field collecting and reconnaissance efforts will be extended to discover new localities and assemblages of different ages. Second, the PIs will establish an integrated geological time framework for known and newly identified assemblages. Third, preparation, description, and analysis of these diverse, well preserved fossils will be completed. This will help clarify biotic, environmental, and geologic events during crucial intervals of South American land mammal history.