 |
|
|
|
|
Edith L. Taylor |
|
Position: |
Senior Curator |
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
| Research |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
My research program in paleobotany is broadly concerned with the study of permineralized fossil plants and their
paleoenvironments from the late Paleozoic and early Mesozoic of Antarctica. Within this general framework are several current avenues of
research, including:
- Utilization of plant fossils as past climatic and environmental indicators, especially the use of fossil tree rings as proxy climate records;
- Evolution of high latitude terrestrial floras in Antarctica;
- Evolution of Permian and Triassic plants from Antarctica, based on their anatomy and morphology.
In addition, I have a long-standing interest in the structure and evolution of conducting systems in the fossil record, including both xylem and
phloem. This work is concerned not only with Permo-Triassic plants from Antarctica, but with representatives from other permineralized floras as well.
High latitude fossil floras are an important resource in understanding past climates and plant growth. Since these plants
are often living at the limits of their tolerance, they exhibit a sensitive response to climatic variables. The Antarctic fossil plants are preserved
as silica permineralizations in fossil peat deposits, so it is possible to study the cell and tissue systems of the plants for comparison with other
fossil and living plants. These peat deposits have provided a wealth of new anatomical and morphological information about several Paleozoic and
Mesozoic seed plant groups, especially the Glossopteridales (Permian) and the Corystospermales (Triassic).
Research interests
- Fossil tree ring growth and paleoclimate interpretation
- Biological input for paleoclimate models
- Adaptations of high latitude fossil floras
- Permian and Triassic permineralized plants from Antarctica
- Distribution and diversity of Permian and Triassic floras from Antarctica
- Fossil phloem--structure, function and phylogenetic trends
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Thomas N. Taylor |
|
Position: |
Curator |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Research |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Taylor’s research is focused in several areas, including Antarctic paleobiology; fossil fungi; structure and function
in fossil plants; origin and evolution of land plants and the colonization of the land. In addition he is interested in the fungal plant interactions
and the origin and evolution of symbiotic systems.
Antarctic paleobiology
The Paleobotanical Division in the Natural History Museum and Biodiversity Research Center at the University of Kansas has the
largest collection of Antarctic plants in the world, and includes extensive collections of permineralized peat of Permian and Triassic age. This collection
has been accumulated over nine field seasons, the most recent being the 2003-2004, and includes blocks, acetate peels and slides. In addition there are
extensive collections of impressions and compressions from numerous sites in Southern Victoria Land and the Transantarctic Mountains. Research has
focused on characterizing the diversity of both the Permian and Triassic plants, and fungi and integrating this information with various climatic
parameters that existed during the Late Paleozoic and Early Mesozoic in Antarctica. Because the plants are preserved as permineralizations we are
interested in anatomical information about the plants, how they reproduced, and how the ecosystem was constructed.
Fossil Fungi
Fossil fungi from the Lower Devonain (400 million-year-old) Rhynie chert is another area of current research. This site has provided
exceptional fungi representing all of the major fungal groups except the basidiomycetes. Numerous saprophytic and parasitic chytrids are associated with
several types of macroplants that in turn demonstrate host reactions that parallel those seen in modern plants. The underground parts of several plants are
associated with mutualistic mycorrhizal fungi. Ascomycetes, with asci and ascospores, are found on the stems of still other plants in the Rhynie chert
ecosystem. Some fungi are parasitic on other fungi. The Rhynie chert ecosystem also contains the oldest symbiotic association in which a cyanobacterium
and fungus interact in a lichen association. There are numerous examples of cyanobacteria, other fungi and bacteria present in the chert matrix and
associated with the other plants and animals in the Rhynie chert. This ecosystem provides an opportunity to demonstrate the diversity, levels of
interaction and host response, and calibration points necessary in characterizing the evolution of major fungal structures and lineages.
Ultrastructure of living and fossil plants
The ultrastructure of fossil pollen and spores, and plant cuticle provide important proxy records of structure and function
relationships with modern analogues. Because both cuticle and sporopollenin are preserved in the fossil record they can be examined for ultrastructural
details. This information is useful in making comparisons with modern analogues in a systematic framework, characterizing potential interrelationships
with other organisms (e.g., herbivores), understanding how particular structures may have functioned, and examining larger questions relating to the
reproductive biology of certain groups of fossil plants.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anne-Laure Decombeix |
|
Position: |
Post Doctoral |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Research |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I am a post-doctoral research fellow working with Thomas and Edith Taylor on fossil plants
from the Permian and Triassic of Antarctica. My research focuses principally on the evolution of gymnosperms using the
anatomical information preserved in permineralized specimens. Current projects that I am working on include the
investigation of the development and branching of Permian glossopteridalean roots, the description of a new type of ovule
from the Triassic Freemouw Formation, and the description of a Triassic trunk with preserved cortex.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Patricia Ryberg |
|
Position: |
Graduate |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Research |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I am a graduate student working with Edith Taylor on Permian
and Triassic tree rings. My focus is on tree rings as climatic indicators particularly in
Antarctica during these periods. I am also looking into the potential of permineralized
trees as sources of Carbon isotopes for climatic studies.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Andrew Schwendemann |
|
Position: |
Graduate |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Research |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I am a graduate student working with Thomas Taylor on fossil plants from the Permian, Triassic, and Jurassic of Antarctica.
My research involves determining the physiology of fossil plants from their anatomy and morphology along with the use of mathematical modeling.
The physiology of these plants can then be used to infer details of paleoclimates.
I am currently working on an undescribed fern from the Triassic of Antarctica, an undescribed fern sporangium from the Jurassic of Antarctica, a sphenophyte cone from the Triassic of Antarctica, the zoosporangium of Paleoblastocladia from the Devonian Rhynie Chert,
the pollen of Delemaya spinulosa from Fremouw Peak, the flora of two Jurassic localities in Antarctica (Carapace Nunatak, Storm Peak), and using anatomy to determine carbon pathway in fossil leaves.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rudolph Serbet |
|
Position: |
Collections Manager |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Research |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I am the collections manager for the Paleobotanical collection.
My main responsibility is the care of the collections. This involves the task of taking measures to
insure that the specimens in the collection are protected from damage and further deterioration. It
also involves the management of information associated with each specimen, making the material available
to qualified researchers and educators, and training future researchers and educators in the proper care
and use of specimens. I am also involved in the acquisition, preparation and cataloging of new material.
Additionally, I am actively working on an Upper Cretaceous flora from southern Alberta, Canada.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Vents Ivanov |
|
Position: |
Webmaster |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| About |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I am the Webmaster for the Division of Paleobotany.
I am in charge of designing and maintaining the division website, maintaining
the division databases, securing the Web-server and the local LAN, and troubleshooting
general software/hardware malfunctions.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
