Permineralized Plants from the Permian and Triassic of Antarctica: A Critical Time in Seed Plant Evolution

该项目研究了比尔德莫尔冰川地区的南极植物化石，以了解二叠纪至侏罗纪早期的种子植物演化和古气候。这些样本在细胞和组织的精细保存方面是独一无二的，并可能导致对现存和灭绝植物的起源和进化的新见解。此外，这些化石植物适应了那个时期更温暖、更富二氧化碳的世界，可能有助于预测未来植物将如何进化。这项工作的更广泛影响包括对女研究生的指导计划；通过在堪萨斯大学博物馆举办的公共古植物学讲习班向各级学生宣传；以及培训职前K12教师。

This project studies Antarctic fossil plants from the Beardmore Glacier area to understand seed plant evolution and paleoclimate in the Permian to Early Jurassic periods. These samples are unique in the exquisite preservation of cells and tissues, and may lead to new insights into the origin and evolution of both existing and extinct plants. As well, these fossil plants were adapted to a warmer, more CO2 rich world of the period, and may help predict how plants will evolve in the future. The broader impacts of this work include mentoring plans for women graduate students; outreach to students at all levels through public paleobotany workshops at the Kansas University Museum; and training of preservice K12 teachers.