Paleobiological implications of reproductive traits in dinosauria

这项研究计划的目标是通过研究恐龙的蛋、蛋壳、窝、巢和巢环境来提高我们对恐龙古生物学的认识。与恐龙繁殖有关的假设将被测试，包括那些与蛋壳和蛋的形成、筑巢、蛋孵化的性质、婴儿的生长策略以及恐龙中类似鸟类的繁殖特征的出现有关的假设。该研究项目的化石将在阿尔伯塔省通过白垩纪岩石的实地考察收集。对恐龙蛋和巢化石的详细分析，以及对现存鸟类和鳄鱼（因为这些动物是已灭绝恐龙的近亲）这些特征的比较分析，将在实验室中使用显微镜、ct扫描仪和计算机进行。拟议中的研究计划的独特之处在于，将研究巢址和相关化石，以阐明恐龙的生殖生物学，这是仅通过研究骨骼遗骸无法揭示的生物学的一个方面。重要的是，这项研究将大大提高我们对灭绝恐龙的繁殖和发育的认识，并将在长期内解决这些特征在始祖龙（恐龙、鸟类和鳄鱼）中的进化模式，进一步阐明灭绝恐龙与现存动物之间的关系。这个研究项目对加拿大很重要，因为从阿尔伯塔省收集的化石将为后代保存加拿大自然历史的重要组成部分。预计这项研究的结果和发现将通过博物馆展览、电视、报纸、书籍和杂志向公众传播。

The goals of this research program are to advance our knowledge of the paleobiology of dinosaurs through the study of their eggs, eggshells, clutches, nests, and nest environments. Hypotheses related to reproduction in dinosaurs will be tested, including those concerned with shell and egg formation, nesting, nature of egg incubation, growth strategy of babies, and appearance of bird-like reproductive traits among dinosaurs. Fossils for this research program will be collected in Alberta through fieldwork in Cretaceous-aged rocks. Detailed analyses of fossilized eggs and nests of dinosaurs, with comparative analysis of these features in living birds and crocodiles (because these animals are the closest living relatives of extinct dinosaurs), will be conducted in laboratories using microscopes, CT-scanners, and computers. The proposed research program is unique in that nest sites and associated fossils will be studied in order to shed light on the reproductive biology of dinosaurs, an aspect of their biology that cannot be revealed through the study of skeletal remains alone. Significantly, this research will greatly enhance our understanding of reproduction and development in extinct dinosaurs, and will resolve the patterns of evolution of such traits among archosaurs (dinosaurs, birds, and crocodiles) in the long-term, further illuminating the relationships between extinct dinosaurs and living animals. This research program is important to Canada because the collection of fossils from Alberta will preserve a significant part of Canada's natural history for future generations. It is anticipated that the results and discoveries of this research will be relayed to the public through museum exhibits, television, newspapers, books, and magazines.