Continued Paleoanthropological Research in the Laetoli area, Tanzania

在坦桑尼亚莱托利地区继续进行古人类学研究

• 批准号: 0309513
• 负责人: Terry Harrison
• 金额: $ 25.38万
• 依托单位: New York University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2003
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2003-07-15 至 2007-06-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0309513&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Continued; Paleoanthropological; Research; Laetoli; area

Paleontological research over the past fifty years has demonstrated the significance of sites in East Africa for documenting the earliest stages of human evolution. Laetoli in Tanzania is renowned as one of the most important of these sites. Previous research at Laetoli has led to fossil finds that have contributed significantly to an improved understanding of the evolutionary history of humans. The site is critically important for several reasons: (1) it has yielded one of the largest collections of the early hominid Australopithecus afarensis, and is important for understanding its anatomy, paleobiology and phylogenetic status. (2) The remarkable discovery of fossilized footprints provides crucial evidence for documenting the origins of bipedalism. (3) The hominid-bearing Upper Laetolil Beds, dated at 3.5-3.8 Ma (million years ago), sample a time period that is generally poorly represented in East Africa, and are therefore critical in discussions of variation, temporal trends and evolutionary change in early hominid lineages. (4) Fossils have also been recovered from the Lower Laetolil Beds (3.8 Ma to older than 4.3 Ma) and the Upper Ndolanya Beds (2.6-2.7 Ma), which suggests that Laetoli has the potential to contribute to a broader understanding of hominid evolution between 2.5-5.0 Ma. (5) Laetoli has a diverse fauna that serves as a well-dated reference for comparisons with other sites in Africa. (6) The paleoecological context of the hominids at Laetoli provides important information on hominid habitat preferences and on ecological changes during the Plio-Pleistocene.The aim of the project is to continue with long-term geological and paleontological investigations at Laetoli. The main objectives are to recover additional fossil hominids and to obtain further information on the paleontology, geology, and paleoecology. The specific goals are: (1) to conduct systematic surface collections; (2) to prospect for productive new paleontological occurrences; (3) to conduct further geological investigations, in order to gain a better understanding of the stratigraphy and geological history; (4) to obtain further radiometric dates to more narrowly constrain the ages of the fossil-bearing horizons; (5) to more accurately reconstruct the paleoecology; (6) to better document the taxonomy, evolutionary relationships, and paleobiology of the fauna and flora; and (7) to recover additional fossil hominids to improve our understanding of their anatomy, paleobiology and phylogeny.Scientific merits: Results from these investigations will be used to address several key issues in paleoanthropology: (1) a better appreciation of the anatomy, paleobiology and phylogenetic relationships of Australopithecus afarensis and Paranthropus aethiopicus; (2) a more detailed and critical assessment of the paleoecological associations of the Laetoli hominids; and (3) a more comprehensive knowledge of the geology, geochronology, and paleontology. Broader impacts: Continued research and exploration at Laetoli offers the potential to yield critical new data that will contribute significantly to a better understanding of the fossil evidence for human evolution. In addition, the project provides an important opportunity for graduate student training in field methods, geology and vertebrate paleontology. The international scope of the program also provides collaborative educational and research links with Tanzanian and other foreign scientists and institutions.

过去五十年的古生物学研究已经证明了东非遗址对于记录人类进化最早阶段的重要性。 在坦桑尼亚的Laetoli被认为是其中最重要的网站之一。 Laetoli以前的研究已经发现了化石，这些化石为改善对人类进化历史的理解做出了重大贡献。该遗址的重要性有以下几个原因：（1）它是早期人科南方古猿阿法种（Australopithecus afarensis）最大的收藏地之一，对于了解其解剖学、古生物学和系统发育状态非常重要。(2)这一引人注目的脚印发现为记录两足动物的起源提供了重要证据。(3)含有原始人类的上莱托利尔层的年代为3.5-3.8 Ma（百万年前），采样的时间段在东非通常代表性很差，因此在讨论早期原始人类谱系的变化，时间趋势和进化变化方面至关重要。(4)在莱托利尔下层（3.8 Ma至4.3 Ma以上）和恩多拉亚上层（2.6-2.7 Ma）也发现了化石，这表明莱托利尔有可能为更广泛地了解2.5-5.0 Ma之间的原始人类进化做出贡献。(5)拉多里有着多样的动物群，可以作为与非洲其他遗址进行比较的一个很好的参考。 (6)Laetoli原始人类的古生态环境提供了关于原始人类栖息地偏好和上新世-更新世期间生态变化的重要信息，该项目的目的是继续在Laetoli进行长期的地质和古生物学调查。 主要目标是恢复更多的原始人类化石，并获得有关古生物学，地质学和古生态学的进一步信息。 具体目标是：（1）进行系统的地表采集;（2）前景：寻找新的古生物产状;（3）进行进一步的地质调查，以便更好地了解地层和地质历史;（4）获得进一步的放射性年代，以便更严格地限制化石层位的年龄;（5）更准确地重建古生态;（6）更好地记录动物群和植物群的分类学、进化关系和古生物学;（7）恢复更多的原始人类化石，以提高我们对它们的解剖学、古生物学和生殖学的理解。科学价值：这些调查的结果将用于解决古人类学的几个关键问题：（1）对南方古猿阿法种（Australopithecus afarensis）和埃塞俄比亚傍人（Paranthropus aethiopicus）的解剖学、古生物学和系统发育关系有了更好的认识;（3）对地质学、年代学和古生物学有较全面的了解。 更广泛的影响：Laetoli的持续研究和探索提供了产生关键新数据的潜力，这些数据将大大有助于更好地了解人类进化的化石证据。 此外，该项目还为研究生提供了野外方法、地质学和古脊椎动物学培训的重要机会。 该计划的国际范围还提供与坦桑尼亚和其他外国科学家和机构的合作教育和研究联系。