Paleobiological and Geological Framework of the Denver Basin: Floral Evaluation and Ecology of an Evolving Synorogenic Lanscape

丹佛自然历史博物馆（DMNH）提议利用古生物学（植物巨化石和岩态）、磁地层学和岩石地层学等多学科方法，为丹佛盆地的上白垩纪和下第三纪岩石建立一个综合的古生物学和地质学框架。该研究将基于大量的地表观测和化石遗址，并与该项目与当地、州和政府机构合作钻取的新岩心井相关联。该井将位于丹佛盆地的中心，位于基奥瓦的Elbert County Fairgrounds。该方案支持的610m井的磁地层学、岩石地层学和孢粉地层学将用于建立丹佛盆地的参考地质年代学和生物地层学。这个主剖面将用于将整个盆地的地表化石遗址与观测相关联。由此产生的数据框架将用于检验三个主要假设。—第一个假设是丹佛盆地包含两个不同的同造地层不整合层序。-第二个假设是，墨西哥Chicxulub的白垩纪-第三纪（K-T）边界撞击事件对撞击点近端造成的生物损害大于远端。—第三种假说认为Laramide Denver盆地的演化和填充是由沉积物供应和沉降驱动的，而不是由气候变化驱动的。在层序地层学、盆地构造学、古植物学、磁地层学、古气候学、生物地层学和灭绝研究等领域都将看到本研究的内在效益。该项目还将产生直接和立竿见影的外部效益，并将提供极好的教育机会。要研究的620米序列包含了丹佛盆地中部快速增长的人口提供水的大部分含水层。参考地点将提供关于水质和含水层特征的非常需要的数据。当地、州和政府机构将分担钻井费用，不仅可以从该提案资助的科学研究中受益，还可以对井芯进行自己的水文研究。美国地质勘探局水资源部将协调这方面的研究。这口井本身有潜力被开发为基奥瓦镇和埃尔伯特县的水资源。DMNH作为该项目的总组织，将协调基础研究和由此产生的教育努力。这个项目的教育机会是巨大的，因为它将把恐龙灭绝和热带雨林化石等科普与该国发展最快的城市地区之一的当地资源利用问题联系起来。以古生物学、地质学、水文学和资源利用为主题的教育产品可以包括教师培训讲习班、成人教育专题讨论会、临时展览和外展展览等多种形式。

9805474JohnsonThe Denver Museum of Natural History (DMNH) proposes to develop an integrated paleobiological and geological framework for the Upper Cretaceous and lower Tertiary rocks in the Denver Basin using a multi-disciplinary approach of paleontology (plant megafossils and palynomorphs), magnetostratigraphy, and lithostratigraphy. The study will be based on a multitude of surface observations and fossil sites tied to a new cored well to be drilled by this project in cooperation with local, state, and government agencies. The well will be located in the center of the Denver Basin at the Elbert County Fairgrounds in Kiowa. Magnetostratigraphy, lithostratigraphy, and palynostratigraphy of the 610m well supported by this proposal will be used to erect a reference geochronology and biostratigraphy for the Denver Basin. This master section will be used to correlate basin-wide surface fossil sites and observations.The resulting data framework will be used to test three major hypotheses.- The first hypothesis is the Denver Basin contains two distinct unconformity-bounded sequences of synorogenic strata.- The second hypothesis is that the Cretaceous-Tertiary (K-T) boundary impact event at Chicxulub in Mexico caused greater biotic damage proximal to the impact site than distal to it.- The third hypothesis is that the evolution and infilling of the Laramide Denver Basin was driven by sediment supply and subsidence rather than by climate change.The intrinsic benefits of this research will be seen in the fields of sequence stratigraphy, basin tectonics, paleobotany, magnetostratigraphy, paleoclimatology, biostratigraphy, and extinction studies. The project will also have direct and immediate extrinsic benefits and will provide superb educational opportunities. The 620m sequence to be studied contains the majority of the aquifers that provide water for the rapidly growing populations in the central Denver Basin. The location of the reference will is such that it will provide much needed data on water quality and aquifer characteristics. The local, state, and government agencies that will cost share to help fund the drilling of the reference will benefit not only from the science funded by this proposal but will also undertake their own hydrological research on the well core. The USGS Division of Water Resources will coordinate this aspect of the research. The well itself has the potential to be developed as a water resource for the town of Kiowa and for Elbert County.As the umbrella organization for the project, DMNH will coordinate the basic research and educational endeavors resulting from this research. Educational opportunities of this project are immense since they will link popular science, such as dinosaur extinction and fossil rainforests, with local resource utilization issues in one of the fastest growing urban areas in the country. Educational products focusing on the topics of paleontology, geology, hydrology, and resource utilization could include such diverse products as teacher training workshops, adult education symposia, temporary exhibits, and outreach exhibits.