CAREER: Oligocene planktonic foraminiferal Konservat-Lagerstaette: Implications for taxonomy, paleobiology, and tropical marine temperatures

该奖项是根据2009年《美国复苏和再投资法案》(公法111-5)资助的。职业：渐新世微化石Konservat-Lagerstätte：对浮游有孔虫分类学、古生物学和海洋温度的影响布里奇特·韦德德克萨斯农工大学EAR-0847300ABSTRACT今天的地球在南极洲和格陵兰岛有主要的冰盖，但情况并不总是这样。这项研究的重点是被称为渐新世(3400万至2400万年前)的时期的气候变化。这段时间开始于气候的巨大变化，当时南极洲形成了大冰盖。南极冰盖一旦形成，在冰相对较少的时期和冰盖非常扩张的时期之间，它会多次消长。然而，南极冰量的这些巨大变化对热带海洋表面温度和海洋生物群的影响在很大程度上是未知的。先前根据微化石地球化学对渐新世海洋表面温度的估计表明，热带和亚热带温度大大低于现代温度。但在以往的研究中存在一个问题：微化石壳层地球化学可以在沉积后和偏温重建后改变。为了解决这个问题，PI将研究保存特别好的遗址(Konservat-Lagerstätte)的微化石。对保存完好的微体化石的详细研究将建立一幅关于渐新世气候变化的准确图景，并将导致对渐新世气候事件及其对热带生物的影响的更多了解。这项研究将与一些涉及基于项目的发现学习的K-12、本科生和研究生活动相结合。与德克萨斯州农工大学的综合海洋钻探项目合作，PI将扩大一个针对少数族裔高中生的成功试点项目--暑期大学预科海洋研究体验(SCORE)，该项目强调海洋科学方面的综合研究经验。将设计一个关于极地气候和南极洲历史的永久展览，PI将制作微型化石的3D播客，用于教学活动。

"This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5)." CAREER: Oligocene microfossil Konservat-Lagerstätte: Implications for planktonic foraminiferal taxonomy, paleobiology, and marine temperaturesBridget WadeTexas A&M University EAR-0847300ABSTRACTThe Earth today has major ice caps on Antarctica and Greenland, but this was not always the case. This research focuses on climate change during a time period known as the Oligocene (34 to 24 million years ago). This interval of time began with a big shift in climate, when a large ice sheet developed on Antarctica. Once the Antarctic ice cap was established, it waxed and waned many times between periods with relatively little ice and periods with very expansive ice sheets. However, the impact of these large variations in Antarctic ice volume upon tropical sea surface temperatures and marine biota are largely unknown. Previous estimates of Oligocene sea surface temperatures from microfossil geochemistry indicate tropical and subtropical temperatures that were substantially lower than modern. But there is a problem in previous studies: microfossil shell geochemistry can be altered post deposition and bias temperature reconstructions. To address this problem, PI will examine microfossils from sites with exceptional preservation (Konservat-Lagerstätte). A detailed study of well preserved microfossils will build an accurate picture of how the Oligocene climate changed and will lead to a greater understanding of Oligocene climatic events and the impact on tropical biota.This research will be integrated with a number of K-12, undergraduate, and graduate activities that involve project-based discovery learning. In partnership with the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program at Texas A&M, PI will expand a successful pilot program for minority high school students, Summer pre-College Ocean Research Experience (SCORE), which emphasizes integrated research experiences in ocean sciences. A permanent exhibit on polar climates and the history of Antarctica will be designed and PI will create 3D podcasts of microfossils "micropods" for incorporation into teaching activities.