Life and death of Australopithicus sediba: how a potential ancestor ended up dead in a cave in a world heritage site in South Africa.

南方古猿源泉的生与死：潜在祖先如何最终死在南非世界遗产地的洞穴中。

• 批准号: DP140104282
• 负责人: Prof Paul Dirks
• 金额: $ 17.75万
• 依托单位: James Cook University
• 依托单位国家: 澳大利亚
• 项目类别: Discovery Projects
• 财政年份: 2014
• 资助国家: 澳大利亚
• 起止时间: 2014-03-12 至 2017-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://dataportal.arc.gov.au/RGS/Web/Grants/DP140104282
• 关键词: Life; death; Australopithicus; sediba; how

In August 2008 the remarkable Malapa fossil site was discovered with remains of the first and only fossils of Australopithecus sediba, a potential direct human ancestor. The fossils are in an exceptional state of preservation, and excavations will start in late 2013, creating a unique opportunity to develop a detailed understanding of the chemical, physical and biological factors that led to burial and fossilisation. This research will focus on the complex interplay between termites, sediment chemistry, landscape conditions and palaeo-climate as contributing factors to fossil preservation. The results will document the environment in which sediba lived and died, and assist future exploration for hominid fossils.

2008年8月，马拉帕化石遗址发现了第一个也是唯一一个南方古猿sediba化石，这是一个潜在的人类直接祖先。这些化石的保存状态非常好，挖掘工作将于2013年底开始，这将为详细了解导致埋葬和重新形成的化学、物理和生物因素创造一个独特的机会。这项研究将侧重于白蚁，沉积物化学，景观条件和古气候之间的复杂相互作用，作为化石保存的促成因素。这些结果将记录源泉种生存和死亡的环境，并有助于未来对原始人类化石的探索。