Collaborative Research: Uncovering the adaptive origins of fossil apes through the application of a transdisciplinary approach

合作研究：通过应用跨学科方法揭示类人猿化石的适应性起源

• 批准号: 2316614
• 负责人: William Lukens
• 金额: $ 8.2万
• 依托单位: James Madison University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2024
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2024-04-01 至 2027-03-31
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2316614&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Collaborative; Research; Uncovering; adaptive; origins

The evolutionary history of humans and their closest living relatives is rooted in fossil primate forms that require further study. To breach this knowledge gap, this project aims to uncover the adaptive origins of fossil apes by surveying, excavating and analyzing a Middle Miocene understudied site. This project brings together an international, interdisciplinary team that will utilize the latest methods in collecting and analyzing paleontological, paleoecological and geological data. The project increases public engagement in science through outreach activities at schools in the U.S. and near the study site. The project also expands research participation through training and mentoring opportunities in paleoanthropology and geology. To date, large ape fossils dated to the Middle and Late Miocene are rare and more are needed to adequately infer the type of adaptations that directly preceded the ones found among early Homo species. This project expands our knowledge of the Middle Miocene primate fossil record by conducting a comprehensive paleontological field study on a site that has recently yielded ape-like fossils. The project has four main aims: 1) collecting fossil primate, and other fauna specimens via thorough surface survey, collection, and excavation; (2) establishing the phylogenetic position of fossil primate forms found at the site; 3) establishing a precise geochronology for the sequence through lithostratigraphy, magnetostratigraphy, tephrostratigraphy and radiometric dating of volcanic strata; 4) reconstructing the paleoenvironment and paleoecology of Miocene apes through stable isotope analysis, paleopedology, and paleobotany; and 5) analyzing the adaptations (e.g., diet), community structure, and biogeographic affinities of the associated mammalian fauna. Results from this study inform the adaptive origins of fossil primates and provide critical context for interpreting the environmental and ecological shifts that accompanied the origins of the African apes and humans.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.

人类及其最亲密的亲属的进化史植根于需要进一步研究的化石灵长类动物形式。为了阐明这一知识差距，该项目旨在通过调查，发掘和分析中新世中期的中期网站来揭示化石猿的适应性起源。该项目汇集了一个国际，跨学科的团队，该团队将利用最新的方法来收集和分析古生物学，古生态和地质数据。该项目通过在美国学校和研究地点附近的学校外展活动来增加公众参与科学的参与。该项目还通过古人类学和地质学的培训和指导机会扩大研究参与。迄今为止，大型猿化石可追溯到中新世中期和晚期很少见，需要更多的化石来充分推断出直接在早期homo物种中直接发现的适应性类型。该项目通过在最近产生类似猿化石的场地上进行全面的古生物学现场研究来扩展我们对中渐新灵长类化石记录的了解。该项目具有四个主要目的：1）通过彻底的表面调查，收集和发掘来收集化石灵长类动物，以及其他动物群标本； （2）建立在现场发现的化石灵长类动物形式的系统发育位置； 3）通过岩石地层学，磁层学，tephrostratratigraphy和火山层的辐射测定，建立序列的精确年代学； 4）通过稳定的同位素分析，古生物学和古生物重建中新世猿的古环境和古生物学； 5）分析相关哺乳动物动物群的适应性（例如饮食），社区结构和生物地理亲和力。这项研究的结果为化石灵长类动物的适应性起源提供了依据，并为伴随非洲猿和人类起源的环境和生态转变提供了关键背景。该奖项反映了NSF的法定任务，并被认为是值得通过基金会的知识分子优点和更广泛影响的评估来通过评估来支持的。