RAPID: The Snowmastodon Project

RAPID：雪乳齿象项目

• 批准号: 1125579
• 负责人: Kirk Johnson
• 金额: $ 1万
• 依托单位: Denver Museum of Nature and Science
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2011
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2011-07-01 至 2012-06-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1125579&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: RAPID; Snowmastodon; Project

The recent discovery on Oct. 14, 2010, of exceptionally preserved plant and large mammal fossils atZeigler Reservoir near Snowmass Village, Colorado provides a brief opportunity to study an amazinglywell-preserved, sequence of high-elevation Ice Age ecosystems. In 18 days (Oct. 29 to Nov. 17, 2010),the Denver Museum of Nature & Science (DMNS) excavated more than 600 bones comprising parts of 8-10 American mastodons, 4 Columbian mammoths, 4 Ice Age bison, 2 deer, 1 Jefferson?s ground sloth(the first record in Colorado and the highest altitude record in North America), multiple Tigersalamanders, and exceptionally preserved plant, insect and aquatic invertebrate fossils. As a whole, thesite represents the first relatively complete sequence of lacustrine Pleistocene ecosystems at highelevation in the Rocky Mountains. A number of key research questions and opportunities have emerged:1) What does this site tell us about high elevation Pleistocene climate and biota in the Ice Age Rockies?2) What is the geochronology of the site? 3) What is the detailed history of lake in-filling? 4) What werethe life histories of the site?s mammoths and mastodons? 5) Given the large number of specimens, can weundertake metapopulation analyses of the bison, mammoth, and mastodon? And 6) what is the relevanceof this Rocky Mountain climate and biotic record to present-day issues of climate change?To answer these over-arching questions and other more specific questions, we have assembled a team of32 scientists from 15 institutions organized into six groups to undertake a comprehensive multidisciplinarystudy of the Ziegler Reservoir fossil lake. These groups are: 1) regional and local geology; 2)stratigraphy; 3) geochronology; 4) fossil vertebrates; 5) fossil plants; and 6) fossil invertebrates. Usingthis approach, we are designing a plan to: 1) excavate the remaining fossil resources from the dam site inMay-June, 2011, before the site is buried by planned dam construction in July-September; 2) implement acomprehensive scientific research plan to study and understand this site; 3) preserve and conserve thefossils from the site; and 4) to use the results of this discovery provide world-class educationalopportunities to local, regional, national, and international audiences. DMNS is planning ancomprehensive media and documentary plan for the 2011 excavation and DMNS educators will return tothe Roaring Fork Valley in Spring 2011 to provide free education programs for K-12 students in all of theRoaring Fork Valley schools, including in-school assembly programs, distance learning programs, teacherprofessional development programs, and early childhood education resources available onwww.dmns.org. This grant will partially fund the fieldwork portion of 2011 activities.

2010年10月14日，最近发现了格外保存的植物和大型哺乳动物化石Atzeigler水库附近的科罗拉多州雪摩斯村附近的水库提供了一个简短的机会来研究一个令人惊叹的高海拔冰河时代生态系统的惊人井层。 In 18 days (Oct. 29 to Nov. 17, 2010),the Denver Museum of Nature & Science (DMNS) excavated more than 600 bones comprising parts of 8-10 American mastodons, 4 Columbian mammoths, 4 Ice Age bison, 2 deer, 1 Jefferson?s ground sloth(the first record in Colorado and the highest altitude record in North America), multiple Tigersalamanders, and exceptionally preserved plant,昆虫和水生无脊椎动物化石。总体而言，thesite代表了洛矶山脉高度覆盖的湖间更新世生态系统的第一个相对完整的序列。出现了许多关键的研究问题和机会：1）该网站在冰河时代落基山脉的高海拔更新世气候和生物群中告诉我们什么？2）该网站的年代学是什么？ 3）填充湖的详细历史是什么？ 4）该地点的猛mm象和桅杆的生活历史是什么？ 5）鉴于大量的标本，野牛，猛mm和乳子的静脉化种群可以分析吗？ 6）这种落基山的气候和生物记录与当今气候变化的问题有什么意义？要回答这些超大的问题和其他更具体的问题，我们组建了一个由15个组织分为六组的机构的32个科学家组成的团队，以进行Ziegler Reserver Reserver Reservoir Fossil fossil Fossil lake的全面多学科研究。这些群体是：1）区域和地方地质； 2）地层； 3）年代学； 4）化石脊椎动物； 5）化石植物；和6）化石无脊椎动物。使用这种方法，我们正在设计一个计划：1）在2011年7月至9月被计划的大坝建设埋葬之前，从2011年大坝网站Inmay-June挖掘剩余的化石资源； 2）实施研究和理解该站点的专有科学研究计划； 3）从现场保存和保存化石； 4）使用这一发现的结果为地方，区域，国家和国际观众提供了世界一流的教育体育馆。 DMNS is planning ancomprehensive media and documentary plan for the 2011 excavation and DMNS educators will return tothe Roaring Fork Valley in Spring 2011 to provide free education programs for K-12 students in all of theRoaring Fork Valley schools, including in-school assembly programs, distance learning programs, teacherprofessional development programs, and early childhood education resources available onwww.dmns.org.该赠款将部分资助2011年活动的现场工作部分。