GSA Annual Meeting in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA - 2018

Session No. 223
Wednesday, 7 November 2018: 8:00 AM-12:00 PM
Sagamore Ballroom 5 (Indiana Convention Center)

P4. Human Evolution and Environmental History in Africa: 25 Years of Transformative Research

GSA Limnogeology Division; GSA Geoarchaeology Division; GSA Quaternary Geology and Geomorphology Division; GSA Sedimentary Geology Division; GSA Continental Scientific Drilling Division; EarthRates

 

Andrew S. Cohen and Gail M. Ashley, Conveners
Paper #
Start Time
 
8:00 AM
Introductory Remarks
8:05 AM
PULSES, COURT JESTERS AND RED QUEENS: THE EFFECT OF CLIMATE CHANGE, SPECIES ECOLOGY AND DIVERSITY ON EVOLUTIONARY DYNAMICS
FOLEY, Robert A., Leverhulme Centre for Human Evolutionary Studies, University of Cambridge, 13A Fitzwilliam Street, Cambridge, CB2 1ST, United Kingdom
8:25 AM
RIFT-BASIN COMPARTMENTALIZATION, FLUVIAL CONNECTIVITY AND CHANGING ENVIRONMENTS: TECTONIC AND CLIMATIC FORCING OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS DURING HOMININ EVOLUTION IN THE EAST AFRICAN RIFT SYSTEM (EARS)
DOMMAIN, R.1, GARCIN, Y.1, POTTS, R.2, RIEDL, S.1 and STRECKER, M.R.1, (1)Institute of Earth and Environmental Science, Universitaet Potsdam, Karl-Liebknecht-Str. 24-25, Potsdam, 14476, Germany, (2)Department of Paleobiology, Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History, NHB MRC 121, P.O. Box 37012, Washington, DC 20013-7012
8:45 AM
PALEOENVIRONMENTAL CONTEXTS OF HOMININ EVOLUTION: RECONCILING AFRICAN WET-DRY CYCLES AND SECULAR VEGETATION TRENDS OVER THE NEOGENE
DEMENOCAL, Peter1, POLISSAR, Pratigya J.2, TIERNEY, Jessica3, UNO, Kevin T.1, PHELPS, Samuel R.4 and ROSE, Cassaundra A.5, (1)Biology and Paleoenvironment, Lamont Doherty Earth Observatory, 61 Route 9W, PO Box 1000, Palisades, NY 10964-8000, (2)Biology and Paleo Environment, Lamont Doherty Earth Observatory, Palisades, NY 10964-8000, (3)Geosciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, (4)Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, (5)American Geosciences Institute, 4220 King Street, Alexandria, VA 22302
9:05 AM
HOTTER, DRIER, AND MORE OPEN? GEOCHEMICAL PERSPECTIVES ON 10 MYR OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE AND HUMAN EVOLUTION IN AFRICA
LEVIN, Naomi E.1, BEDASO, Zelalem K.2, BEVERLY, Emily J.1, CERLING, Thure E.3, LEHMANN, Sophie B.4, MOERMAN, Jessica W.5, PASSEY, Benjamin H.1 and QUADE, Jay6, (1)Department of Earth & Environmental Sciences, University of Michigan, 1100 North University Avenue, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, (2)Department of Geology, University of Dayton, 300 College Park, Dayton, OH 45469, (3)Geology and Geophysics, University of Utah, 135 S 1460 E, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, (4)Department of Geology and Environmental Sciences, The University of Pittsburgh, 4107 O'Hara Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, (5)Smithsonian Institution National Museum of Natural History, 10th St. and Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20560, (6)Department of Geosciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721
9:25 AM
HOMININ SURVIVAL DURING PRECESSIONALLY-PACED WET/DRY CYCLES AND CHANGING HABITATS: THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE FOR FRESH WATER
ASHLEY, Gail M., Earth and Planetary Sciences, Rutgers University, 610 Taylor Road, Piscataway, NJ 08554
 
9:40 AM
Break
9:55 AM
WHAT CONTINENTAL SCIENTIFIC DRILLING IS TELLING US ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL HISTORY IN E AFRICA AND IMPLICATIONS FOR HUMAN EVOLUTION
COHEN, Andrew S., Department of Geosciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721 and TEAM, HSPDP, Department of Geosciences, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA 30303; University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany; Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912; Department of Geology, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya; Geology, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Department of Geosciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721; Berkeley Geochronology Center, 2455 Ridge Road, Berkeley, AZ 94709; Institute of Earth and Environmental Science, Universitaet Potsdam, Karl-Liebknecht-Str. 24-25, Potsdam, 14476, Germany; Department of Earth and Environmental Systems, Indiana State University, Terre Haute, IN 47809; School of Earth and Space Exploration, Arizona State University, 781 E Terrace Mall, Tempe, AZ 85287-6004; Institute of Human Origins, School of Human Evolution and Social Change, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287; Department of Geography and Earth Sciences, Aberystwyth University, Llandinam Building, Penglais Campus, Aberystwyth, AZ SY23 3DB; Department of Anthropology, University of Michigan, 101 West Hall, 1085 S. University Ave, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1107; Geological Sciences and Anthropology, Rutgers Univ, 131 George St, New Brunswick, AZ 08901-1414
10:10 AM
RECONSTRUCTING VEGETATION AND CLIMATE FROM FOSSIL MAMMALS: LATE CENOZOIC ECOSYSTEM CHANGES ACROSS 7 MYR OF HOMININ EVOLUTION IN EASTERN AFRICA
REED, Kaye E.1, ROWAN, John1, SMAIL, Irene E.1 and FEARY, David A.2, (1)Institute of Human Origins, School of Human Evolution and Social Change, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, (2)School of Earth and Space Exploration, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287
10:30 AM
ADVANCES IN MOLECULAR BIOMARKER ANALYSES OF TERRESTRIAL AND MARINE SEDIMENTS FOR RECONSTRUCTING NEOGENE HOMINID ENVIRONMENTS
UNO, Kevin T., Biology and Paleo Environment, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Palisades, NY 10964-8000, DEMENOCAL, Peter, Earth and Environmental Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY 10025 and POLISSAR, Pratigya J., Biology and Paleo Environment, Lamont Doherty Earth Observatory, Palisades, NY 10964-8000
10:50 AM
BEYOND CLIMATE: FIVE FACETS OF THE EVOLUTION-ENVIRONMENT CONNECTION IN EASTERN AFRICA
POTTS, R., Human Origins Program, Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History, NHB 112, Washington, DC 20013-7012
 
11:10 AM
Discussion
 
11:40 AM
Introduction of Arthur L. Day Medalist, by Jason A. Rech
11:45 AM
ARTHUR L. DAY MEDAL: GEOLOGY AND PALEOENVIRONMENTS OF THE PLIOCENE-PLEISTOCENE GALILI FORMATION, ETHIOPIA
QUADE, Jay, Department of Geosciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721