DISSERTATION RESEARCH: Documenting Early Eocene environmental and climatic change in southwestern Wyoming from a paleobotanical perspective

论文研究：从古植物学角度记录怀俄明州西南部始新世早期的环境和气候变化

• 批准号: 1404895
• 负责人: Steven Manchester
• 金额: $ 1.95万
• 依托单位: University of Florida
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2014
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2014-06-01 至 2017-05-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1404895&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: DISSERTATION; RESEARCH; Documenting; Early; Eocene

The Bridger Formation (~49 Ma) in southwestern Wyoming is ideally situated for examining paleobotanical and climate changes in the Eocene. While this formation has played an important role in the understanding of extinct mammals and reptiles, the abundant fossil plants have been largely overlooked, despite their potential for documenting the environment. The Bridger fossil flora provides the opportunity for unusually complete reconstruction of the original flora, because it preserves all plant organs including leaves, wood, flowers, fruits, seeds, and pollen. The fossilized plants will be examined to assess the species composition, paleoclimate, and paleoecology with a combination of botanical, paleontological, and geological approaches. These results will be compared to other Eocene floras from the greater Rocky Mountains and west coast of North America. This work is important because the Bridger flora likely has many species that evolved and contributed to the modern vegetation of western North America. In addition, this work will document vegetational changes in response to climate shifts. Research results will be presented at upcoming conferences and published in appropriate journals in addition to engaging the greater public with a free lecture in Wyoming near the field site. A website will also be created for regular field and lab updates. Co-PI Allen will design a small, temporary exhibit showcasing the Bridger flora for display at the Florida Museum of Natural History and will continue to serve there as a volunteer interpretive guide. Allen will also mentor an undergraduate to provide him/her an opportunity to gain real research experience.

怀俄明州西南部的布里杰组（~49 Ma）是研究始新世古植物和气候变化的理想地点。 虽然这一形成在了解灭绝的哺乳动物和爬行动物方面发挥了重要作用，但丰富的植物化石在很大程度上被忽视了，尽管它们具有记录环境的潜力。 布里杰化石植物群为原始植物群的异常完整重建提供了机会，因为它保存了所有植物器官，包括叶子、木材、花、果实、种子和花粉。 植物化石将被检查，以评估物种组成，古气候和古生态学与植物学，古生物学和地质学方法相结合。 这些结果将与来自大落基山脉和北美西海岸的其他始新世植物群进行比较。 这项工作很重要，因为布里杰植物群可能有许多物种进化并为北美西部的现代植被做出了贡献。 此外，这项工作将记录植被变化以应对气候变化。 研究结果将在即将举行的会议上发表，并发表在适当的期刊上，此外还将在现场附近的怀俄明州举行免费讲座，吸引更多的公众。 还将创建一个网站，定期进行现场和实验室更新。 合作PI艾伦将设计一个小型的，临时展览展示布里杰植物群在佛罗里达自然历史博物馆展出，并将继续作为一个志愿者解释指南。 艾伦还将指导一名本科生，为他/她提供获得真实的研究经验的机会。