Vertebrate Paleontology at Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania

化石是人类进化的基本证据。 坦桑尼亚的奥杜威峡谷是东非古脊椎动物和人类进化最丰富、最重要的遗址之一。 过去和现在在这个遗址进行的大部分研究都集中在挖掘中发现的石器和骨骼的修改上。 这个项目与此不同，它通过专注于古生物学而使科学受益，从而有助于了解过去200万年来生活在该地区的人类祖先的骨骼生物学。此外，该项目的重点是收集和识别在人类积累的挖掘中没有找到的动物，并因此增加了有关与它们共享景观的动物群落的信息。 在NSF的资助下，研究人员正在进行三个野外季节，重点是恢复化石。 实地方法遵循高度系统的调查和收集协议，包括用高分辨率卫星图像绘制化石和景观特征。 该项目的第二个研究组成部分是汇编一个数据库，其中包括迄今为止从奥杜瓦伊峡谷收集的所有化石。 该遗址于1911年首次被科学家发现，化石随后被分散到世界各地的各种收藏品中，没有中央数据库。 该数据库大大提高了其他科学家访问这些收藏品的能力，并使坦桑尼亚政府能够关心这一世界遗产收藏品。 该项目还包括在坦桑尼亚阿鲁沙为K-12教师举办讲习班。 这些活动与加州大学古生物学博物馆成功举办的K-12讲习班相协调，为加州和坦桑尼亚的教师提供了跨文化的机会。 该研究还提供国际合作和研究生培训。

Fossils provide the fundamental evidence of human evolution. Olduvai Gorge in Tanzania is one of the most fossiliferous and important sites for vertebrate paleontology and human evolution in East Africa. Much of the past and current research conducted at this site focuses on the stone tools and modification of bones found in excavations. This project differs from that and benefits science by focusing on the paleontology thereby contributing to knowledge of both the skeletal biology of human ancestors that lived in this region across the last two million years. In addition, the project focuses on collecting and identifying animals that are not recovered in human accumulated excavations, and as such adds information about the communities of animals that shared the landscape with them. With NSF funding the researchers are conducting three field seasons focused on recovering fossils. The field approach follows a highly systematic survey and collection protocol, and includes mapping of fossils and landscape features with high resolution satellite imagery. The second research component of the project is the compilation of a database of all of the fossils collected to date from Olduvai Gorge. This site was first discovered by scientists in 1911 and fossils have subsequently been dispersed to various collections around the world with no central database. The database significantly improves the ability of other scientists to access these collections, and enables the Tanzanian government to care for this world heritage collection. This project also includes workshops for K-12 teachers in Arusha, Tanzania. These are coordinated with the successful K-12 workshops run by the University of California's Museum of Paleontology, opening up cross-cultural opportunities for teachers in California as well as in Tanzania. The research also provides international collaboration and training of graduate students.