Collaborative Research: Arctic Dinosaur Paleobiology - Hypothesis Testing Through Cross-Latitudinal Comparison

合作研究：北极恐龙古生物学：通过跨纬度比较原理进行假设检验调查者：帕特里克·德鲁肯米勒，阿拉斯加大学费尔班克斯分校共同负责人：格雷戈里·M·埃里克森，佛罗里达州立大学，塔拉哈西，极地恐龙经受了强烈的季节性条件，使它们非常适合测试恐龙古生物学中与生理、迁徙和分布有关的主要问题。该项目将研究已知的最多产、但研究最少的极地恐龙动物群--阿拉斯加北部的太子溪组。这项研究将需要收集、描述和评估物种组成。这些数据将与低纬度地层进行比较，首次将极地恐龙动物群与典型的低纬度恐龙组合进行比较。这项研究还将通过分析骨骼和牙齿生长环来记录阿拉斯加北极环境对恐龙生物学的影响。了解恐龙是如何占领北极的，将为整个动物在高纬度地区的占领提供新的见解。该项目将汇集不同的科学家团队，他们将分享新的想法和方法，并为研究生和本科生的教育和培训做出贡献。研究结果将被提交给科学期刊，并在互联网上公开展示。将访问阿拉斯加北部的农村K-12学校，为服务不足的阿拉斯加原住民学生和教师提供机会，了解他们所在地区的化石，并与NSF赞助的研究人员互动。

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: ARCTIC DINOSAUR PALEOBIOLOGY: HYPOTHESIS TESTING THROUGH CROSS-LATITUDINAL COMPARISON Principle Investigator: Patrick Druckenmiller, University of Alaska FairbanksCo-Principle Investigator: Gregory M. Erickson, Florida State University, TallahasseePolar dinosaurs endured intense seasonal conditions making them well suited to test major questions in dinosaur paleobiology pertaining to physiology, migration and distribution. This project will examine the most prolific, yet vastly understudied polar dinosaur fauna known -the Prince Creek Formation of northern Alaska. The research will entail collection, description, and assessment of species composition. These data will be compared to those of lower latitude formations affording the first comparison between a polar dinosaur fauna and typical lower latitude dinosaurian assemblages. The study will also document the influence of the Alaskan Arctic environment on dinosaur biology through analyses of bone and tooth growth rings. Learning how dinosaurs occupied the Arctic will provide new insights into high latitudinal occupation by animals as a whole. This project will bring together a diverse team of scientists who will share new ideas and methodologies and contribute to the education and training of graduate and undergraduate students. Results will be submitted to scientific journals and presented publicly on the Internet. Visits will be made to rural, northern Alaskan K-12 schools to provide underserved Alaska Native students and teachers with an opportunity to learn about the fossils in their area and interact with NSF-sponsored researchers.