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

怀俄明西南部的布里奇组（~49 Ma）是研究始新世古植物学和气候变化的理想地点。虽然这种构造在了解已灭绝的哺乳动物和爬行动物方面发挥了重要作用，但大量的植物化石在很大程度上被忽视了，尽管它们有记录环境的潜力。布里杰化石植物群为重建原始植物群提供了难得的机会，因为它保存了所有的植物器官，包括叶、木、花、果实、种子和花粉。将结合植物学、古生物学和地质学的方法，对这些植物化石进行检查，以评估物种组成、古气候和古生态。这些结果将与来自大落基山脉和北美西海岸的始新世植物区系进行比较。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对气候变化的响应。研究结果将在即将召开的会议上发表，并在适当的期刊上发表，此外还将在怀俄明州现场附近举办免费讲座，吸引更多的公众。还将建立一个网站，用于定期的实地和实验室更新。艾伦将为佛罗里达自然历史博物馆设计一个小型的临时展览，展示布里杰植物群，并将继续作为志愿者讲解向导在那里服务。艾伦还将指导本科生，为他/她提供获得真正研究经验的机会。

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.