The evolution of sauropodomorph locomotion and its adaptation to giant body size: Insights from CAD and kinematical computer modeling

巨大体型的发展需要骨骼的重大适应，这对运动有很大的影响。在本项目中，前一个项目中研究板龙运动的方法将应用于其他原蜥脚类动物和蜥脚类动物。这些包括详细的计算机辅助确定身体质量和质量分布（重心位置），姿势和步态的运动学计算机建模，以及通过蜥脚类的系统发育树对这些进行比较。必要时，将借助单个骨骼的3D计算机模型进行关节活动的详细分析。蜥脚类动物运动的进化及其对巨大体型的适应比以前预期的要复杂得多，对蜥脚类动物主要类群及其茎系的移动和负重适应的深入分析将使人们对这些重要的食草动物的生态作用有新的认识。此外，运动的运动学建模方法将扩展到分析蜥脚类动物的轨迹，既可以通过预测模型的轨迹模式，也可以通过“强迫”模型“行走”化石轨迹。这一方面可以作为对建模的准确性和可靠性的检查。另一方面，关于蜥脚类动物的技术记录的完整性及其解释将有可能得出新的结论。

The development of giant body sizes requires major adaptations in the skeleton, influencing locomotion significantly. In this project, the methods developed to investigate the locomotion of Plateosaurus in the previous project will be applied to other prosauropods and to sauropods. These include detailed computer aided determination of body masses and mass distribution (position of center of gravity), kinematical computer modeling of posture and gaits as well as comparison of these through the phylogenetic tree of the Sauropodomorpha. Where necessary, detailed analyses of joint mobility will be undertaken with the aid of 3D computer models of individual bones. The evolution of sauropodomorph locomotion and its adaptation to giant size are more complex than previously expected, and a thorough analysis of cursorial and weight bearing adaptations of the main groups of sauropods and their stem line will allow new insights into the ecological roles of these important herbivores. Also, the kinematical modeling approach for locomotion will be extended to analyze sauropodomorph trackways, both by predicting track patterns from models and by 'forcing' models to 'walk' fossil tracks. This serves on one hand as a check on the accuracy and reliability of the modeling. On the other hand, new conclusions will be possible about the completeness of the ichnological record of sauropodomorphs and its interpretation.