Biology of the Sauropod Dinosaurs: The Evolution of Gigantism

现附上以网络为基础的533研究单位第三个资助期的封面申请。第三个资助期不是研究单位的规定，但如果一个单位在新的和令人兴奋的研究问题或机会上取得了特别成功，则可以获得资助期。在我们的例子中，这是第一个解释蜥脚类恐龙独特的巨人症的连贯假说的发展，即FOR 533巨人症假说。第三个资助期的主要目的是通过在个别项目中测试其组成假设来检验这一假设。通过这些测试将把假设提升为理论。从第三个资助期开始，并为未来的DFG或EU协调项目做准备，我们打算进一步将我们的假设发展成一个关于巨型动物和陆生脊椎动物体型上限的理论。这是一个特别及时的努力，因为进化生态学可能向生态学代谢理论（MTE）的范式转变。因此，我们的研究将使古生物学更接近德国和其他地方进化生物学的主流。该应用程序由中心项目和总共11个项目组成。由于第二期资助培养高素质博士生，第三期资助期限为两年，我们主要申请博士后职位和差旅经费。

We present here the cover application for the 3rd funding period of the net-based Research Unit 533. Third funding periods are not the rule in research units but can be granted if a unit has been especially successful in that new and exciting research questions or opportunities have opened up. In our case, it is the development of the first coherent hypothesis explaining the unique gigantism in sauropod dinosaurs, the FOR 533 gigantism hypothesis. The primary aim of the 3rd funding period is to test this hypothesis by testing its component hypotheses in the individual projects. Passing these tests will elevate the hypothesis to a theory. Beginning in the third funding period and in preparation for a future coordinated DFG or EU project, we intend to further develop our hypothesis into a theory on gigantism and the upper limits of body size in terrestrial vertebrates in general. This is an especially timely endevor because of the possible paradigm shift in evolutionary ecology towards the metabolic theory of ecology (MTE). Our research thus will bring paleontology closer to the mainstream of evolutionary biology in Germany and elsewhere.The application consists of the central project and a total of 11 projects. Due to the training of highly qualified doctoral students in the 2nd funding period and the time limit of two years for the 3rd funding period, we mainly apply for postdoctoral positions and travel funds.