OPUS: Extinction of the ammonites and differential survival of the nautilids at the Cretaceous/Paleogene boundary

6600万年前的白垩纪-古近纪界线标志着地球历史上最后一次大灭绝事件。其中最引人注目的受害者是菊石，与鱿鱼和章鱼有关的有壳头足类动物。在这个团队工作了30多年后，兰德曼博士将在白垩纪末期，就在它们灭绝之前，合成有关头足类多样性和丰度的数据。他将把这些数据与鹦鹉螺的类似数据进行比较，鹦鹉螺是一种密切相关的外部贝壳头足类动物，在物种灭绝事件中幸存下来，生活在今天的S海洋中。这项研究将描绘菊石和鹦鹉螺在地球历史上的关键时刻的“健康”的全球图景，并调查菊石灭绝而鹦鹉螺未灭绝的假说。进化的过程，包括灭绝，导致了我们今天看到的多样化的生物圈。调查一些物种灭绝而另一些物种存活的原因，将有助于我们为应对现代生物多样性的威胁做好准备。灭绝是一个引起公众兴趣的概念。美国自然历史博物馆每年接待500多万游客，其中包括50万名实地考察的儿童，它处于教育公众的有利地位。首席研究员将与教育专业人士合作，通过博物馆屡获殊荣的科学公告计划，展示这一综合的结果。他将向高中教师介绍白垩纪-古近纪灭绝事件和相关的灭绝事件，教师将反过来在他们的地球历史课程中包括这个主题。

The Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary, 66 million years ago, marks the last great extinction event in Earth's history. Among the most notable casualties were the ammonites, shelled cephalopods related to squids and octopus. Having worked on this group for more than 30 years, Dr. Landman will synthesize data on cephalopod diversity and abundance at the end of the Cretaceous just prior to their extinction. He will compare these data to similar data on nautilids, a closely related group of externally shelled cephalopods that survived the extinction event and live in today?s oceans. This research will develop a global picture of the "health" of the ammonites and nautilids at a critical time in Earth history and investigate hypotheses on why the ammonites went extinct while the nautilids did not. The processes of evolution, including extinction, have led to the diverse biosphere we see today. Investigating why some lineages go extinct while others survive will help us prepare for the threats to modern-day biodiversity. Extinction is a concept that captures the interest of the public. The American Museum of Natural History, which receives over five million visitors a year, including 500,000 children on field trips, is well positioned to educate the public. The principal investigator will collaborate with educational professionals to feature the results of this synthesis through the Museum's award-winning Science Bulletin program. He will introduce high school teachers to the Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction event and the associated extinctions, and the teachers will, in turn, include this topic in their Earth History classes.