NSF LogoNSF Award Abstract - #0137813 AWSFL008-DS3

ADVANCE Fellows Award: Patterns of Biomineralization and Isotopic Variations in
the Teeth and Bones of Modern Bison

NSF Org EAR
Latest Amendment Date July 30, 2002
Award Number 0137813
Award Instrument Standard Grant
Program Manager Enriqueta Barrera
EAR DIVISION OF EARTH SCIENCES
GEO DIRECTORATE FOR GEOSCIENCES
Start Date August 1, 2002
Expires July 31, 2005 (Estimated)
Expected Total Amount $249977 (Estimated)
Investigator Kathryn A. Hoppe (Principal Investigator current)
Sponsor Stanford University
651 Serra Street
Stanford, CA 94305 650/723-2300
NSF Program 1681 ADVANCE - FELLOWS
Field Application 0000099 Other Applications NEC
Program Reference Code 0000,1681,OTHR,

Abstract

As interest grows in deciphering the factors that influence the Earth's climate, researchers have developed several proxies useful for reconstructing ancient environmental conditions. One of the most promising tools for reconstructing short-term (seasonal to annual) environmental fluctuations is isotopic analysis of vertebrate fossils. Analyses of fossil bison hold particular promise for such research. However, the precision of paleoenvironmental reconstructions based on analyses of fossil bison is currently limited because: (1) the rate of enamel biomineralization within bison teeth has not been studied in detail, and (2) the precise relationship between the d18O and d13C values of modern bison and local environmental conditions has not been precisely quantified. The purpose of this project is to quantify how precisely isotopic analyses of bison can be used to reconstruct paleoenvionemtal conditions. The first part of this study will document the patterns of biomineralization and isotope variations preserved within bison tooth enamel in order to develop an optimal sampling strategy. The second part of this study will quantify how well the d18O and d13C values of modern Great Plains bison correlate with environmental changes including: average temperature, seasonal temperature range, precipitation, relative humidity, and grassland composition (i.e., C3/C4 ratio). This study will thus quantify how precisely analyses of the d18O and d13C values of bison can be used to reconstruct annual and seaonal variations in local environments. It will produce a map of the isotope gradients in modern bison, which will serve as a baseline for interpreting the isotope signals preserved in fossil bison as well as other herbivores. This study will thus greatly increase the precision and accuracy of paleoclimatic and paleovegetation reconstruction based on isotope analyses of fossil herbivores.


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