Collaborative Research: Calibrating mid-Miocene greenhouse climate and ecology in a key high southern latitude locale

合作研究：校准关键南部高纬度地区的中中新世温室气候和生态由博伊西州立大学的马修·J·科恩著，杜克大学的理查德·凯，EAR-1349741，华盛顿大学的卡罗琳·斯特罗姆伯格，EAR-1349530中中新世气候最佳时期(MMCO；1,450万-1,700万年前，Ma)标志着地球？S历史上一个异常温暖的时期，也是大气二氧化碳含量最后一次可信地达到下个世纪预期的高水平。因此，MMCO是我们预测未来温室条件的最佳类比。这项拟议的研究将通过描述地球的气候和生态？S最南端的遗址？来填补MMCO陆地地点分布的一个主要空白。巴塔哥尼亚海岸的圣克鲁斯组(51°S)。以往的工作和模型在年平均温度(MAT)、年平均降水量(MAP)和降水的季节性方面存在分歧。我们将在两个特定的时间评估关于MAT、MAP和植被的古生态和古气候假说：17.45 Ma(峰值MMCO)和16.85 Ma(峰值MMCO)。稳定的同位素组成将被用来推断干旱和季节性。植硅体(植物二氧化硅颗粒)将区分植物群落。牙齿磨损和动物群将限制栖息地和气候。我们的研究还将比较各种推断陆地环境中的古生态和古气候的方法，这将对世界各地的陆地气候相互比较产生广泛的影响。研究成果的传播和共享将遵守NSF13-1中表达的指导方针。伯克博物馆将建造一个新的展览(每年参观约20,000名K-12学生，总计约75,000人)，主题是生物对气候变化的反应，以及相应的网页(“探索你的世界”、“伯克博客”条目)和社交媒体(如Facebook)。将支持几名研究生，并将启动美国和阿根廷研究人员之间的新的古气候-古生态-古生物学网络。

Collaborative Research: Calibrating mid-Miocene greenhouse climate and e4cology in a key high southern latitude localeBy Matthew J. Kohn, Boise State University, EAR-1349749Richard Kay, Duke University, EAR-1349741Caroline Stromberg, University of Washington, EAR-1349530The mid-Miocene Climatic Optimum (MMCO; 14.5-17.0 million years ago, Ma) marks an unusually warm period in Earth?s history and is the last time that atmospheric CO2 content (pCO2) plausibly reached levels as high as anticipated in the next century. Thus the MMCO serves as our best analogue for predicting future greenhouse conditions. The proposed research will fill a major gap in the distribution of MMCO terrestrial localities by characterizing climates and ecologies of Earth?s southernmost site ? the Santa Cruz Formation of coastal Patagonia (51 °S). Previous work and models disagree in terms of mean annual temperature (MAT), mean annual precipitation (MAP) and the seasonality of precipitation. We will evaluate paleoecological and paleoclimate hypotheses regarding MAT, MAP and vegetation at two specific times: 17.45 (pre-peak MMCO) and 16.85 Ma (peak MMCO). Stable isotope compositions will be used to infer aridity and seasonality. Phytoliths (plant silica particles) will distinguish plant communities. Tooth wear and faunas will constrain habitat and climate. Our research will also intercompare diverse methods of inferring paleoecology and paleoclimate in terrestrial settings with broad implications for terrestrial climate intercomparisons worldwide. Dissemination and sharing of research results will comply with guidelines expressed in NSF13-1. A new exhibit will be constructed at the Burke Museum (annual visitation of c. 20,000 K-12 students, c. 75,000 total) on biotic responses to climate change, as well as accompanying web pages ("Explore Your World," "Burke Blog" entries) and social media (e.g., Facebook). Several graduate students will be supported, and new paleoclimate-paleoecology-paleontology networks among US and Argentine researchers will be initiated.