PALEOENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS OF A MORRISON FORMATION DINOSAUR SITE, BIGHORN BASIN, WY: CONDUCTING AN INTERDISCIPLINARY FIELD STUDY THROUGH DISCIPLINARY TASKS

A project investigating a dinosaur fossil site near Shell, WY provides a model for conducting interdisciplinary undergraduate field research. The project involves 10 students who undertake stratigraphic and paleontological subprojects that contribute to understanding the paleoenvironment and paleoecology of the site. These subprojects include: 1) construction of bedrock and surficial geologic maps of the dinosaur fossil site and surrounding area; 2) development of a composite stratigraphic column that includes the fossil-bearing intervals; 3) description and analysis of the sedimentary facies of the fossil-bearing and associated intervals, especially those that contain paleosols; 4) description and interpretation of sandstone body architecture, including paleocurrent analysis; 5) construction of detailed quarry maps that record bone positions, associations, and stratigraphy; 6) analyses of bone taphonomy and diagenesis, especially the incorporation of rare earth elements; 7) taphonomic analysis of plant material in the bone-bearing and associated strata; and 8) collection, preparation, and identification of dinosaur and other vertebrate fossils found at the site, including screen washing of rip-up clast conglomerates.

Some subprojects require the temporary help of other students to complete successfully, leading to cross-disciplinary training between the project teams. Students working on the stratigraphic subprojects, which had a definitive end to field data collection, were able to join the work on dinosaur fossil excavation, which continues up to the last field day. This gives the students working on stratigraphy a taste of paleontological research, and allows mentoring opportunities for those working on paleontology.