New Approaches and Rapid Assessment of Key Avian Fossils from the Cretaceous of Antarctica

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This Small Grant for Exploratory Research studies bird evolution from the perspective of Antarctic fossils. Little studied, these fossils were recently recognized as definitive evidence that birds coexisted with dinosaurs and survived the Cretaceous/Tertiary extinction. They also offer key insights into bird diversification and radiation by contributing new calibration points for the dating of molecular divergences--changes in DNA--that are the currently the subject of intense study by the broader paleobiology community. This award brings paleontologists from the US and Argentina together with all of their specimens collected over the last twenty years of Antarctic fieldwork. New methodologies will be brought to bear, including computed tomography (CT) X-ray scans and rare earth element analyses. The outcomes will address questions such as: 1) How diverse is this avifauna? 2) What avian lineages are represented? and 3) Was Gondwana a center for avian origination and radiation?In terms of broader impacts, this project will improve access to this unique fossil record by producing casts and a digital archive of all materials held in the Argentine and US repositories. The award also fosters international collaboration between the US and Argentina, and involves new institutional connections in the US, and supports training opportunities for a US student. This award is jointly supported by the Office of Polar Programs and the Office of International Science and Engineering.