Authors:

Kali Bissanti

Date Created:

Not specified

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About Paper:

The Sucker Creek formation (Middle Miocene) is a fossil rich stratigraphic unit consisting of finely laminated tuff, tuff shales, and lacustrine beds (Carpenter & Smith, 2012). It is infamous for its well-preserved floral fossils. In this study, we reconstructed the ecology of the Sucker Creek formation to answer the following questions: can flora analysis verify faunal data by revealing shortcomings in the dataset or show other factors that might be present in the fossilization process; what was the Sucker Creek ecosystem and habitat like (from producers to consumers); and finally, could floral be used across other sites from this project and other research ventures. The original faunal list was compiled using sources from the paleobiology database (PBDP). Then, we collected sources from the internet for proxies to determine habitat use, diet, and body mass. These factors, along with the list of floral assemblages, were analyzed in R-studio for statistical significance. Then, floral and faunal lists were cross analyzed to reveal potential failures in the dataset. In 101 UNIVERSITY OF OREGON • 2024 UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH SYMPOSIUM conclusion, there is still much to be done to discover the full ecology of the Sucker Creek area. Expansion of our knowledge of biodiversity in the American West will help us answer the question of whether tectonic activity and topographic variety increases diversity.

Source:

University of Oregon / 2024

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No topics listed

Co-authors:

Kali Bissanti