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Taphonomy Experiment

Taphonomy Experiment. Karen A. Koy Biology Department Missouri Western State University. Do you like fossils?. Introduction to Paleontology is an upper-level special topics course in Biology. Want to know what’s been going on for the last 3.8 billion years?. Then take Biology 396:

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Taphonomy Experiment

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  1. Taphonomy Experiment Karen A. Koy Biology Department Missouri Western State University

  2. Do you like fossils? Introduction to Paleontology is an upper-level special topics course in Biology. Want to know what’s been going on for the last 3.8 billion years? Then take Biology 396: Introduction to Paleontology with Dr. Koy this Fall! The taphonomy project is a major lab assignment for the course.

  3. Content & Concept Goals Be able to identify multiple taphonomic processes. Interpret how those processes would affect the process of fossilization & its end result.

  4. Higher-Order Thinking Goals Experimental design Formulation of multiple working hypotheses Determining how to evaluate qualitative taphonomic changes (disarticulation, ect) Synthesis of data with previous work & the literature

  5. Other Goals Writing Oral presentations Visual communication Database literature search How to read scientific papers

  6. The Taphonomy Project A semester-long, student-designed and run experiment. First week: discussion of taphonomic processes… …after which students come up with original questions to test.

  7. Experimental Plan Question: What do you want to know? Hypothesis: What do you think might be the outcome? Alternate hypotheses: What are other possible outcomes?

  8. Experimental Plan Materials: What will you use to test your hypothesis? Include species, number of specimens needed and equipment.

  9. Experimental Plan Methods: How will you test your hypothesis? Be as specific as possible. How will you evaluate the taphonomic effects of the process you are examining? What would be an adequate control?

  10. Experimental Plan Methods: Where will you put your specimens? How often will you check on them? How would scavenging affect your results, and how would you minimize its effect? What about the weather?

  11. Experimental Plan The plan will be due (posted to the wiki) Monday the second week. Each student will comment on at least two other projects (due Friday). Final plans are due posted by 9am of the 3rd week. Project set-up will occur Friday of the 3rd week.

  12. The Location The project will use the Forensic Scene Research Facility run by the Criminal Justice Department. Aka “The Pig Farm”

  13. Main Campus MWSU Forensic Scene Research Facility

  14. It’s like the Body Farm, only with pigs… Current research projects include the effect of clothing on decomposition (Criminal Justice)…

  15. …and forensic entomology (Biology Department). Scavenger cages

  16. The Public Main Campus MWSU Forensic Scene Research Facility

  17. After initial set-up, students must monitor the project on their own. They have 10 weeks to complete their project.

  18. The students are required to keep a journal, which is turned in for progress checks throughout the semester. The end result is a 20-minute presentation in the style of an oral paper at a conference.

  19. Grade Breakdown Experimental plan 20 points Journal 20 points Wiki comments 20 points Presentation 40 points 100 out of 550 points for the course

  20. Any Questions? Special thanks to Dr. David Ashley & Mickey Sigmon for use of their photos.

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