RUI: Deciphering Origins of Vertebrate Microfossil Bonebeds: A Comparative Taphonomic and Paleoecological Approach in the Late Cretaceous of Montana

破译脊椎动物微化石骨床的起源：蒙大拿晚白垩纪的比较地面学和古生态学方法。雷蒙德·罗杰斯、马修·卡拉诺和克里斯汀娜·库里·罗杰斯华盛顿特区圣保罗史密森学会麦卡莱斯特学院地质系脊椎动物微化石骨床（VMBs）是各种骨干生物的小型、分离的骨骼残骸的集中沉积物。这些类型的化石沉积物在中生代和新生代陆相沉积岩记录中很常见，并且作为古代动物（如哺乳动物和两栖动物）最小成员的丰富数据来源。此外，VMBs还提供了脊椎动物化石群落物种多样性和相对丰度的估计。尽管这些遗址对了解脊椎动物化石的生物多样性具有重要意义，但人们对这些遗址形成的根本原因仍然知之甚少。我们的研究将集中在蒙大拿州中北部的朱迪思河地层，该地层在有充分记录的地质背景下保存了大量的vmb，从而为分析形成过程提供了一个理想的机会。比较工作将在蒙大拿州东部的Hell Creek组进行，该组也保留了大量的vmb。对这两个记录的分析将：1)促进我们对产生VMB的过程的理解，2)提供一套可用于任何VMB研究的测试和方法；3)对晚白垩纪晚期沿海平原群落的组成和结构有了新的认识；4)为全球发生重大变化并最终导致大规模物种灭绝的时代提供新的数据。该项目的研究部分与教育外展部分紧密结合：1)涉及麦卡莱斯特学院的教师和大约12名本科生与史密森学会的策展和收藏工作人员的合作；2)通过展览场地（化石实验室）和陆地生态系统进化网站，将与该项目相关的藏品整合到马卡莱斯特学院的课程中，并纳入史密森尼博物馆的公共宣传和教育活动中；3)作为与蒙大拿州土地管理局在密苏里河上游国家纪念碑合作的公共宣传渠道。

RUI: Deciphering Origins of Vertebrate Microfossil Bonebeds: A Comparative Taphonomic and Paleoecological Approach in the Late Cretaceous of Montana. Raymond Rogers1, Matthew Carrano2, and Kristina Curry Rogers11 Geology Department, Macalester College, St. Paul MN2 Smithsonian Institution, Washington DC Vertebrate microfossil bonebeds (VMBs) are concentrated deposits of small, disarticulated skeletal remains of diverse backboned organisms. These types of fossil deposits are common in the Mesozoic and Cenozoic terrestrial sedimentary rock record, and serve as a rich source of data on the tiniest members of ancient faunas (like mammals and amphibians). In addition, VMBs provide estimates for species diversity and relative abundance in fossil vertebrate communities. In spite of their significance for understanding fossil vertebrate biodiversity, the underlying causes for the formation of such sites remain poorly understood. Our study will focus on the Judith River Formation of north-central Montana, which preserves an abundance of VMBs in well-documented geological contexts, and thereby provides an ideal opportunity to analyze formative processes. Comparative work will be conducted in the Hell Creek Formation of eastern Montana, which also preserves abundant VMBs. Analysis of these two records will: 1) advance our understanding of the processes that generate VMBs, 2) provide a suite of tests and methods that may be employed in any VMB study; 3) yield novel insights into the composition and structure of coastal plain communities during the final stages of the Late Cretaceous; and 4) provide new data on a time of significant global change that culminates in amass extinction. The research component of this project is tightly integrated with an educational outreach component that: 1) involves a collaboration of Macalester faculty and approximately 12 undergraduate students with curatorial and collections staff at the Smithsonian Institution; 2) integrates collections related to this project into courses taught at Macalester College and into public outreach and education initiatives at the Smithsonian, both on the exhibit floor (FossiLab) and through the Evolution of Terrestrial Ecosystems website; and 3) serves as a conduit for collaborative public outreach with the Montana Bureau of Land Managemen in the Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument.