| 项目编号: | 1349607
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| 项目名称: | How Development and Behavior Interact to Change Skull Form: Exploring and Sharing Evolutionary Insights from the Fossil Record of Cetaceans (Whales, Dolphins, and Porpoises) |
| 作者: | Jonathan Geisler
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| 承担单位: | New York Institute of Technology
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| 批准年: | 2013
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| 开始日期: | 2014-04-01
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| 结束日期: | 2018-03-31
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| 资助金额: | USD220180
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| 资助来源: | US-NSF
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| 项目类别: | Continuing grant
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| 国家: | US
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| 语种: | 英语
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| 特色学科分类: | Geosciences - Earth Sciences
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| 英文关键词: | skull
; project
; fossil record
; fossil skull
; behavior interact
; skull shape
; fossil species
; year old fossil whale
; evolutionary insights
; new fossil species
; large-scale evolutionary change
; cetacean skull
; change skull form
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| 英文摘要: | How Development and Behavior Interact to Change Skull Form: Exploring and Sharing Evolutionary Insights from the Fossil Record of Cetaceans (Whales, Dolphins, and Porpoises)
By
Jonathan H. Geisler
New York Institute of Technology
NSF EAR-1349607
Extant cetaceans (whales, dolphins, and porpoises) display an extraordinary diversity of skull shapes, yet there is wide anatomical gap between the skulls of cetaceans and those of other mammals. Fortunately the fossil record of cetaceans bridges much of this anatomical gap, making it one of the best documented, but least appreciated, examples of large-scale evolutionary change. In this project we will explore how the cetacean skull evolved and test whether its shape was influenced by changes in brain size, feeding behavior, or the advent of echolocation. To accomplish these aims we will apply a wide array of technology to more than 400 skulls of recent and fossil species, including a laser scanner to generate 3D digital computer models of skulls, X-ray computed tomography (CT scans) to probe inside fossil skulls, and sophisticated computer applications that can analyze the data we collect in the context of evolutionary relationships. We will also formally name four new species of 30 million year old fossil whales that document key stages in the cetacean evolution.
Our project will use several strategies to share and disseminate our discoveries. The new fossil species we name will be displayed at the College of Charleston Natural History Museum, and 3D printed models of their inner ears and brains (developed from CT scans) will be displayed at that museum as well as at the Georgia Southern Museum. In both places these objects and specimens will be integrated into exhibits that describe the remarkable history of whale and dolphin evolution. A wider audience will learn of our discoveries through an updated website on cetacean evolution. In all stages of our project, we will involve students in the act of scientific investigation, thus training future scientists. Specifically we will engage undergraduates at the College of Charleston and New York Institute of Technology as well as medical students at the latter institution. A Postdoctoral Scholar is part of the project team, and through this project, he/she will develop a diverse skill set that should serve as a catalyst for a successful career in science. |
| 资源类型: | 项目
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| 标识符: | http://119.78.100.158/handle/2HF3EXSE/97178
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| Appears in Collections: | 影响、适应和脆弱性
气候减缓与适应
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| Recommended Citation: | |
Jonathan Geisler. How Development and Behavior Interact to Change Skull Form: Exploring and Sharing Evolutionary Insights from the Fossil Record of Cetaceans (Whales, Dolphins, and Porpoises). 2013-01-01.
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