Collaborative Research: A Chronology and Ecological Context of Primate and Mammalian Evolution

在过去的几百年里发现的灵长类化石极大地提高了人们对灵长类进化的理解。然而，关于当地地质和许多化石物种的准确鉴定之间的关系，主要问题仍然存在。最近，在中中新世沉积物中发现了新的灵长类化石，包括一个新的类人猿物种，这表明有可能发现更多重大的化石。在这个项目中，研究人员将重新分析当地的地质，寻找更多的化石，并重新评估之前发现的哺乳动物物种，以开发更准确的地质年龄估计，并增进关于灵长类和哺乳动物的进化和环境的知识。该项目涉及从高中到研究生的代表性不足群体的学生，为他们提供进化生物学、地质学、古生物学和成像领域的STEM研究机会。此外，它还将促进研究合作和培训机会。将通过各种媒体形式进行宣传，并将向研究人员和教育工作者提供数字化化石，以促进作为虚拟实验室一部分的科学研究。该项目将古生物学和地质实地工作与以实验室为基础的恢复工作和侧重于中中新世沉积的同位素分析相结合。调查人员将：(1)从新发现的化石地点恢复更多的化石；(2)对这些地点建立更准确的生物年代学和地层学评估；(3)重建这些化石地点的古环境，以评估该地区的动物和古生态与其他研究充分的地点之间的关系。化石将通过表面调查和在实验室环境中对微型哺乳动物的沉积物进行湿筛来收集。与当地动物群专家联合开展的动物群鉴定工作将使修订后的标准化分类法成为可能，并首次直接与区域动物群建立更新的生物年代学关联。地质调查工作将集中于重新解释主要的砂岩地层，努力利用地理信息系统中的新方法将化石所在地置于更坚固的相对地层框架中。通过对哺乳动物化石牙釉质的相对动物群丰度和稳定同位素分析，将进行古环境重建。最后，区域化石收集将使用3D表面扫描和Micro-CT成像进行数字化，然后在网上提供，以便于研究人员识别动物群，并用于未来的科学研究。该项目由生物人类学和沉积地质学与古生物学项目共同支持。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Primate fossils discovered over the past few hundred years have vastly improved the understanding of primate evolution. However, major questions remain regarding the relationship between local geology and the precise identification of many fossil species. Recently, new fossil primates, including a new ape species, were discovered in Middle Miocene deposits, demonstrating the potential for significant additional finds. In this project, the investigators will reanalyze local geology, search for additional fossils, and reassess previously identified mammal species to develop more precise geological age estimates and advance knowledge about primate and mammalian evolution and environments. The project involves students from underrepresented groups from high school through graduate school, providing them with STEM research opportunities in evolutionary biology, geology, paleontology, and imaging. Furthermore, it will foster research collaborations and training opportunities. Outreach will be provided through various media formats and digitized fossils will be made available to researchers and educators to promote scientific inquiry as part of a virtual laboratory.This project combines paleontological and geological fieldwork with lab-based recovery efforts and isotopic analyses focused on Middle Miocene deposits. The investigators will: (1) recover additional fossils from newly discovered fossil localities; (2) establish a more accurate biochronological and stratigraphic assessment of these localities; and (3) reconstruct the paleoenvironment at these fossil localities to assess how the fauna and paleoecology of the region relate to other well-studied localities. Fossils will be collected through surface surveys and wet sieving of sediments for micromammals in a laboratory setting. A joint faunal identification effort with local faunal experts will allow for a revised, standardized taxonomy and an updated biochronological correlation directly with regional fauna for the first time. Geological survey efforts will concentrate on reinterpretation of the major sandstone stratigraphy with an effort to place the fossil-bearing localities in a firmer relative stratigraphic framework using novel methods in GIS. Paleoenvironmental reconstructions will be conducted via relative faunal abundances and stable isotope analyses on fossil mammal enamel. Finally, regional fossil collections will be digitized using 3D surface scanning and micro-CT imaging, and then made available online to facilitate faunal identifications across researchers and for future scientific study. This project is jointly supported by the Biological Anthropology and Sedimentary Geology & Paleobiology programs.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.