A snapshot into the terrestrial ecosystem of an exceptionally well-preserved dinosaur (Hadrosauridae) from the Upper Cretaceous of North Dakota, USA
(2013) In Cretaceous Research 46. p.114-122- Abstract
- A palynological investigation of sedimentary rocks enclosing an exceptionally well-preserved fossil
dinosaur (Hadrosauridae) discovered in the upper part of the Hell Creek Formation in south western
North Dakota was conducted in order to document the immediate paleoenvironment of this dinosaur.
The specimen, an Edmontosaurus annectens is remarkable in having exceptional three-dimensional
preservation of soft tissue around the skeleton, indicating rapid burial. A well-preserved palynological
assemblage dominated by fern and bryophyte spores, with lesser gymnosperm and angiosperm pollen
was recovered. Sparse fresh-water algae and marine dinoflagellate cysts were also recorded. The... (More) - A palynological investigation of sedimentary rocks enclosing an exceptionally well-preserved fossil
dinosaur (Hadrosauridae) discovered in the upper part of the Hell Creek Formation in south western
North Dakota was conducted in order to document the immediate paleoenvironment of this dinosaur.
The specimen, an Edmontosaurus annectens is remarkable in having exceptional three-dimensional
preservation of soft tissue around the skeleton, indicating rapid burial. A well-preserved palynological
assemblage dominated by fern and bryophyte spores, with lesser gymnosperm and angiosperm pollen
was recovered. Sparse fresh-water algae and marine dinoflagellate cysts were also recorded. The palynofacies
is dominated by wood fragments, including charcoal, with little amorphous organic matter. The
presence of some typical pollen taxa of the Wodehouseia spinata Assemblage Zone including Striatellipollis
striatellus, Tricolpites microreticulatus, Leptopecopites pocockii as well as a diverse suite of Aquilapollenites,is fully consistent with a Late Cretaceous (late Maastrichtian) age. The palynoflora indicates a local vegetation composed of a canopy of conifers dominated by Pinaceae and a minor sub-canopy of Taxodium and cycads, as well as an understory of hydrophilous ferns, mosses and herbaceous angiosperms,indicative of a warm and humid climate e an environment where this specific hadrosaur roamed over 66 million years ago. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/4281165
- author
- Vajda, Vivi LU ; Lyson, Tylor ; Bercovici, Antoine LU ; Doman, Jessamy and Pearson, Dean
- organization
- publishing date
- 2013
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- Hell Creek, Maastrichtian, paleoclimate, palynology, Hadrosaur, dinosaur, swamp
- in
- Cretaceous Research
- volume
- 46
- pages
- 114 - 122
- publisher
- Elsevier
- external identifiers
-
- wos:000329553900011
- scopus:84886775423
- ISSN
- 0195-6671
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.cretres.2013.08.010
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 31c8da75-21e3-4e37-8c73-08b6a4193217 (old id 4281165)
- date added to LUP
- 2016-04-01 14:22:01
- date last changed
- 2022-01-28 00:13:13
@article{31c8da75-21e3-4e37-8c73-08b6a4193217,
abstract = {{A palynological investigation of sedimentary rocks enclosing an exceptionally well-preserved fossil<br/><br>
dinosaur (Hadrosauridae) discovered in the upper part of the Hell Creek Formation in south western<br/><br>
North Dakota was conducted in order to document the immediate paleoenvironment of this dinosaur.<br/><br>
The specimen, an Edmontosaurus annectens is remarkable in having exceptional three-dimensional<br/><br>
preservation of soft tissue around the skeleton, indicating rapid burial. A well-preserved palynological<br/><br>
assemblage dominated by fern and bryophyte spores, with lesser gymnosperm and angiosperm pollen<br/><br>
was recovered. Sparse fresh-water algae and marine dinoflagellate cysts were also recorded. The palynofacies<br/><br>
is dominated by wood fragments, including charcoal, with little amorphous organic matter. The<br/><br>
presence of some typical pollen taxa of the Wodehouseia spinata Assemblage Zone including Striatellipollis<br/><br>
striatellus, Tricolpites microreticulatus, Leptopecopites pocockii as well as a diverse suite of Aquilapollenites,is fully consistent with a Late Cretaceous (late Maastrichtian) age. The palynoflora indicates a local vegetation composed of a canopy of conifers dominated by Pinaceae and a minor sub-canopy of Taxodium and cycads, as well as an understory of hydrophilous ferns, mosses and herbaceous angiosperms,indicative of a warm and humid climate e an environment where this specific hadrosaur roamed over 66 million years ago.}},
author = {{Vajda, Vivi and Lyson, Tylor and Bercovici, Antoine and Doman, Jessamy and Pearson, Dean}},
issn = {{0195-6671}},
keywords = {{Hell Creek; Maastrichtian; paleoclimate; palynology; Hadrosaur; dinosaur; swamp}},
language = {{eng}},
pages = {{114--122}},
publisher = {{Elsevier}},
series = {{Cretaceous Research}},
title = {{A snapshot into the terrestrial ecosystem of an exceptionally well-preserved dinosaur (Hadrosauridae) from the Upper Cretaceous of North Dakota, USA}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cretres.2013.08.010}},
doi = {{10.1016/j.cretres.2013.08.010}},
volume = {{46}},
year = {{2013}},
}