The Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM) is a prominent well-studied event that occurred ~56 Mya during the early part of the Cenozoic Era and represents a point in earth history where major organismal shifts were seen among terrestrial and marine (plant and animal) lifeforms observed in the fossil record, in addition to eccentric pulses of warming and cooling perceived from abrupt excursions of oxygen and carbon isotope ratios, in congruence with the notable orogenic activity of the Era.
The goal of the research will be to highlight the major events of the Paleogene such as the rapid adaptive radiation of organisms in conjunction with pulses of extinction as well as the sudden climatic shifts expressed in the isotopic data (δ18O, δ13C) and how the arrangement of continental plates and other geologic features influenced global climate and lifeform patterns. The main focus, of course, will be on how rapid and precipitous the widespread changes were during the PETM and the profound biotic and abiotic variations that resulted.
The remarkable concomitant changes experienced between the biotic, abiotic, and tectonic features of the Paleocene-Eocene’s transitional Epoch underscores the interactive counterbalancing nature of the earth systems which is deserving of the geoscientific attention it has garnered and continues to receive. The PETM is one of many high-fidelity examples which earmarks the invariant principles associated with earth science and the PETM research project proposed will hopefully satisfy that notion.
Research Instructions:
The paper must include:
• Basic geologic setting: What was the Earth like at this time? What was the climate state? What was the continental configuration? What kinds of organisms were dominant?
• Overview of the Earth systems event: What aspects of the Earth system were involved with this event? What changes occurred? Be sure to explain clearly the primary data (isotopes, sedimentology, fossils, etc.) that supports the interpretation of the Earth system changes.
• Overview of the consequences of the Earth systems event: What was the aftermath of this Earth systems event? Were the impacts temporary or lasting?