MAYMESTER: BRINGING GEOLOGY TO GEOGRAPHY AND BIOLOGY MAJORS TWO WEEKS AT A TIME

As universities cut their Geosciences, Park University has experienced growth with an interdisciplinary approach. The Geoscience program is within the Natural and Physical Sciences Department and the lines between programs are blurring as faculty teach in multiple disciplines (e.g. GIS, Paleobiology, Sustainability) which reduces the isolation of being the sole geologist since few faculty are purists. Preserving geologic roots in an interdisciplinary environment has been achieved by teaching a traditional geology course in two weeks that focuses on a specific geologic question. Non-geology majors and a biology faculty member collaborated with the geologist to become immersed in analyzing the paleoecology of the Argentine Limestone of the Kansas City Group, Pennsylvanian. The Argentine provides a unique opportunity to collect since it comprises the walls of the underground tunnels on the campus. This allows easy access for measuring and collecting sections without concern of the weather. Detailed collecting of the shale partings within the limestone are also possible and resulted in 35 shale partings in the 4.65m section averaging 2.3 cm while the wavy-bedded limestone averaged 10.7 cm. The dominant macrofossils were bryozoans, crinoids, and brachiopods. Microfossil analysis revealed foraminifera, conodonts and shark remains. The key indicators of water depth were: 1) Cobelodus shark remains found at the base, suggesting the deepest water; 2) common Tetrataxis forams indicating an open marine environment with crinoids and bryozoans for attachment which best describes the middle portions of the Argentine Ls; 3) Idiognathus and Streptognathodus conodonts collected are indicative of normal marine conditions; and 4) Archaeocidaris echinoid spines increased in abundance towards the top, suggesting a nearshore environment. The paleoecology of the Argentine Limestone Member reveals a steady sea level fall from offshore to nearshore, making it consistent with the upper limestone of a Kansas cyclothem. Working with students with a limited geologic background has drawbacks but their excitement to experience the field and lab work along with a desire to solve a geologic question superseded those issues and provided a lasting educational experience compared to a lecture format.