Dissertation Research: Pliocene Mammalian Fauna of the Ndolanya Beds, Laetoli, Northern Tanzania

上新世是东非发生巨大进化和气候变化的时期，但人们对它知之甚少。该项目将通过分析坦桑尼亚北部Laetoli的Ndolanya床上的丰富材料，加强我们对这一时期哺乳动物进化的了解。这是为数不多的可以追溯到这一重要时期的遗址之一；它的地理位置和在Laetolil床和Olduvai床之间的时间位置使它特别重要。具体地说，这名学生将与著名的地质学家、人类学家和生物学家合作，试图完善恩多拉尼亚动物群的年代，并确定以前没有充分记录的脊椎动物类群。这将使学生能够重建该地区的古环境。这项研究有可能对古人类学和我们对上新世人科生活环境的认识产生重要影响。它将提供适当的地质和时间控制，以便人科动物的发现(南方古猿和能人)可以放在他们的环境背景下。

The Pliocene was a time of dramatic evolutionary and climatic change in East Africa, yet it is poorly understood. This project will enhance our knowledge of mammalian evolution during this period by analyzing the abundant materials from the Ndolanya Beds at Laetoli, northern Tanzania. This is one of the few sites that dates to this important period; its geographical location and temporal placement between the Laetolil Bed and Olduvai Bed I make it especially important. Specifically, the student, working with noted geologists, anthropologists, and biologists, will attempt to refine the dating of the Ndolanya fauna and identify previously inadequately documented vertebrate taxa. This will enable the student to reconstruct the paleoenvironment of the area. The research has the potential to have an important impact on paleoanthropology and our knowledge of the environment in which Pliocene hominidae lived. It will provide proper geological and temporal controls so that hominidae finds (Australopithecus boisei and Homo habilis) can be placed in their environmental context.