POTENTIAL FOSSIL YIELD CLASSIFICATION (PFYC): A PREDICTIVE MODEL OF PALEONTOLOGICAL RESOURCES ON PUBLIC LANDS

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is responsible for the administration of over one million square kilometers (247 million acres) of public lands, mostly concentrated in 12 of the western United States. One of the many duties of the BLM is protecting and managing paleontological resources using scientific principles and expertise, while striking a balance between conservation and responsible development. The role of the Potential Fossil Yield Classification (PFYC) is to provide land managers with a tool to make better informed decisions on projects that may impact paleontological resources. This tool, in the form of a map and corresponding attribute table for each of the 12 states, is created by gathering digitized geologic maps from the United States Geological Survey, the National Park Service, state geological surveys, and others. These maps are combined to show the highest resolution data available and ranking of each geologic unit with an estimated potential to contain scientifically interesting paleontological resources. Geologic formations are typically consistent in their fossil abundance and taxa throughout their spatial extent, making a fossil potential classification obtainable after researching past discoveries and stratigraphic descriptions. An accompanying document is provided for each state that condenses the research into simplified descriptions of the lithology, depositional environment, relevant taxa, a PFYC ranking, the justification for the PFYC ranking, and an extensive bibliography. The Potential Fossil Yield Classification does not replace on-the-ground verification, nor does it intend to; the goal of the PFYC is to provide baseline guidance early in an analysis to assist in determining the need for further assessment or mitigation actions. In accomplishing this goal, the Potential Fossil Yield Classification will further our understanding of paleontological resources, highlight areas for future research efforts, and, most importantly, protect fossils on public lands.