Conference Wrap-Up

Technical Program
   Symposia
   Workshops

NAPC 2001

Symposia (S) and Theme Sessions (T):

A session schedule and abstracts are still available on-line.

• Evolution of High Latitude Biota during the Last 100 Million Years (Middle Cretaceous - Recent) (S1)
• When Clocks Collide: Calibrating Lineage Divergences from Fossils and Molecules. (S2)
• New Uses for the Dead: Paleobiological Contributions to Conservation Biology. (S3)
• Changing Perspectives of Tertiary Paleobotany in North America. (S4)
• Spatial and Temporal Resolution of the Fossil Record. (S5)
• Evolution in the Computer: Artificial Life and Evolution Models. (S6)
• New Interpretations of Complex Trace Fossils. (S7)
• The Beginning of the Mesozoic. (S8)
• New Perspectives in Non-Mammalian Synapsid Paleobiology. (S9)
• Drilling Predation and Demineralization Through Time. (S10)
• Species-level and Community-level Stability: Case Studies from the Dominican Republic Neogene. (S11)
• Cenozoic Paleontology and Stratigraphy of the John Day Basin, Oregon, USA. (S12)
• Future of Micropaleontology: Application to Environmental Problems? (S13)
• Bioinformatics: Databases in Paleobiology. (S14)
• The Evolution of Eutrophic and Oligotrophic Planktic Ecosystems. (T1)
• New Approaches in Terrestrial Paleoecology. (T2)
• The Precambrian-Cambrian Biotic Transition: Interplay of Biological and Environmental Changes. (T3)
• Caribbean Mesozoic Biogeography: Paleontological Constraints on the Formation and Early Evolution of the Caribbean Seaway. (T4)
• The Evolution of Grass-Dominated Ecosystems during the Late Tertiary.(T5)

S2—When Clocks Collide: Calibrating Lineage Divergences from Fossils and Molecules. 
Lineage divergence estimates from fossils and molecules sometimes clash. This symposium brings together specialists from a broad range of disciplines, paleontological and molecular, to discuss the various reasons for data set incongruence and the different methods available to simultaneously consider disparate sources of temporal information. 
Organizers: Christopher Brochu (cbrochu@fieldmuseum.org) Field Museum Chicago, IL 60605; Colin Sumrall (sumralcd@email.uc.edu), Department of Geosciences, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242; or Jessica Theodor (jesst@ucla.edu), Department of Organismic Biology, Ecology, and Evolution, 621 Young Drive, S., University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1606. 

S3—New Uses for the Dead: Paleobiological Contributions to Conservation Biology. 
Paleontological and paleoenvironmental data provide vital information on baseline conditions prior to human impact and on the long-term biotic consequences of environmental change. This session will focus on utilization of the fossil record in order to reveal the ecological and evolutionary consequences of environmental perturbations at various time scales.
Organizers: Mary Droser (Mary.Droser@ucr.edu), Univ. of Cal, Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521, ph: 909-787-3797, FAX: 909-787-4324 or Karl Flessa (kflessa@geo.Arizona.EDU), Department of Geosciences, University of Arizona, Gould-Simpson Building,1040 E. Fourth St., Tucson, Arizona 85721-0077; Ph.(520) 621-6024. 

S4—Changing Perspectives of Tertiary Paleobotany in North America.
Contributions will address the importance of radiometric methods and tephrachronology for stratigraphic and temporal placement of Tertiary floras, review the Tertiary megafossil record of major plant groups, and discuss the role of taphonomy and leaf physiognomic methods in reconstructing Tertiary paleoclimate, vegetation, and environments.
Organizers: Diane M. Erwin (dmerwin@uclink4.berkeley.edu) or Howard E. Schorn (4270how@home.com), Museum of Paleontology, 1101 Valley Life Sciences Bldg., UC Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720-4780; Ph. 510-642-3921, FAX: 510-642-1822. 

S5—Spatial and Temporal Resolution of the Fossil Record. 
The symposium will focus on the resolution and completeness of the fossil record. The topics will include paleontological and stratigraphic completeness, stratigraphic disorder, spatial completeness, time-averaging, spatial mixing, and related topics. 
Organizers: Michal Kowalewski (michalk@vt.edu), Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Blacksburg, VA 24061; Ph.: 540-231-5951, FAX: 540-231-3386 or Karl Flessa (kflessa@geo.Arizona.EDU), Department of Geosciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721-0077; Ph: (520) 621-6024. 

S6—Evolution in the Computer: Artificial Life and Evolution Models.
Artificial life (A-life) research creates digital entities that possess properties and operate under rules that are designed to simulate those of biological entities and systems. "Evolution models," such as self-organized criticality, have attempted to simulate large-scale diversity and extinction dynamics. This session will bring together A-life researchers, evolution modelers, and paleontologists to discuss common interests, such as the origin of complex systems and behaviors. 
Organizer: Roy Plotnick (plotnick@uic.edu), Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, 845 W. Taylor St., Chicago, IL 60607; Ph.:312-996-2111, FAX: 312-413-2279. 

S7—New Interpretations of Complex Trace Fossils. 
This symposium will review the latest interpretations and models of the ethology and ecology of morphologically intricate biogenic structures. Traditionally regarded as records of a single or dominant behavior, many workers now interpret them as something else: records of prolonged occupation/use and of complex/variable behavior. Some may even be viewed as 'extended phenotypes' (sensu Dawkins) of the trace producers.
Organizer: William Miller III (wm1@humboldt.edu), Geology Department, Humboldt State University, Arcata, California 95521, U.S.A. 

S8—The Beginning of the Mesozoic. 
The beginning of the Mesozoic is a unique time in Earth history enduring two major mass extinctions within a time span of 40 million years. And, yet the outcome of these mass extinctions was to initiate the great Mesozoic-Cenozoic marine radiation, which continues unabated today. Contributions will address phylogenetic, paleoecological, functional morphological, taphonomic and paleoenvironmental aspects of this crucial interval in life's history. 
Organizers: David J. Bottjer (dbottjer@usc.edu) or Richard J. Twitchett (twitchet@usc.edu), Department of Earth Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089-0740; Ph.:(213) 740 - 6100, FAX:(213) 740 - 8801. 

S9—New Perspectives in Non-Mammalian Synapsid Paleobiology. 
This symposium will showcase current research on non-mammalian synapsids. The scope of papers is very broad, and can include, but is not limited to, recent advances in synapsid taxonomy, phylogenetics, stratigraphy, functional morphology, and paleobiology. Papers that use non-mammalian synapsids in comparative, evolutionary, or methodological studies are especially encouraged. 
Organizers: K. D. Angielczyk and C. A. Sidor. For more information please contact Kenneth D. Angielczyk (etranger@socrates.berkeley.edu), Department of Integrative Biology, University of California at Berkeley, 94720; Ph.:(510) 643-2109. 

S10—Drilling Predation and Demineralization Through Time. 
The fossil record of drillholes has focused on Cretaceous through Holocene evidence, yet there is a growing recognition and acceptance that drilling has been a part of the marine ecosystem since the Cambrian. This symposium will provide a forum for those interested in boreholes to present new material on the paleontology, evolution, ecology, biology, and taphonomy of both prey and suspected predators. 
Organizers: Audrey Aronowsky (aaronows@socrates.berkeley.edu) 3060 Valley Life Sciences Building, University of California Berkeley, CA 94720; Ph:(510)642-9865, FAX:(510) 642-1822. 

S11—Species-level and Community-level Stability: Case Studies from the Dominican Republic Neogene. 
Despite the recent interest in coordinated stasis and the examination of paleoecological factors involved in evolutionary processes, few rigorous species-level studies have been integrated with quantitative paleobiological investigations of community change. This session will examine species-level and community-level stability in the richly fossiliferous Neogene sections of the Dominican Republic. 
Organizers: Ross H. Nehm (rossn@socrates.berkeley.edu), Naturhistorisches Museum Basel, Switzerland or Ann F. Budd (ann-budd@uiowa.edu), University of Iowa; Ph. 319-335-1817; Fax 319-335-1821. 

S12—Cenozoic Paleontology and Stratigraphy of the John Day Basin, Oregon, USA. 
This symposium will address the stratigraphy, taxonomy of the floral and faunal assemblages, taxonomy, and paleoenvironments and paleoecology within the middle Eocene through late Miocene volcaniclastics of the John Day Basin. Anticipated papers include: redefinition of the Physical Stratigraphy of the John Day Group, Clarno, Mascall, and Rattlesnake strata; paleomagnetic polarity of the Turtle Cove area, new paleosol work, and descriptions of new local faunas. 
Organizer: Ted Fremd (Ted_Fremd@nps.gov), Department of Geological Sciences, University of Oregon, HC 82 Box 126, Kimberly, OR 97848; Ph. (Museum Office) 541-987-2333 ext.19; Fax (Museum) 541-987-2336; Collections: 541-575-0721; Cell: 541-620-0527. 

S13—Future of Micropaleontology: Application to Environmental Problems? 
We will discuss the value of micro- and meioorganisms for a variety of applications, many of which are not generally associated with traditional micropaleontology (e.g., pollution monitoring). It may be presumptuous to call such applications the direction of micropaleontology, but they can help focus current discussions regarding the future direction of micropaleontology. 
Organizer: Valentina Yanko-Hombach (valyan@ilos.net), Avalon Institute of Applied Science, P.O.Box 60013, 110-2025 Corydon, Winnipeg, MB R3P 2G9, Canada; Ph.: +1 (204) 489 4569, FAX: +1 (204) 489 5782. 

S14—Bioinformatics: Databases in Paleobiology. 
The advent of powerful desktop computers, web technology, and off-the-shelf software has resulted in a recent proliferation of paleobiological research databases. This symposium will present results of some of these efforts, plus provide a forum for highlighting possibilities of integrating information across paleobiology and other biodiversity databases.
Organizers: Tony Barnosky (barnosky@socrates.berkeley.edu) or Marc A. Carrasco (carrasco@socrates.berkeley.edu), Department of Integrative Biology, 3060 Valley Life Sciences Bldg., University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720. 

T1—The Evolution of Eutrophic and Oligotrophic Planktic Ecosystems. 
The session will focus on ecosystems that developed in oceanic upwelling conditions, with comparisons and contrasts between these ecosystems from the Precambrian to the Recent. Talks will include those on graptolites, radiolarians, evidence for upwelling from tree ring study, and the seasonal switching from eutrophic to oligotrophic conditions in a modern upwelling ecosystem. 
Organizers: William Berry (bberry@uclink4.berkeley.edu), Department of Geology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720 or Jere Lipps (jlipps@uclink4.berkeley.edu) Department of Integrative Biology, 3060 Valley Life Sciences Building, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720. 

T2—New Approaches in Terrestrial Paleoecology. 
Our ability to reconstruct the ecology of ancient terrestrial ecosystems has been enhanced by utilizing new approaches with stable isotopes, large databases of fossil occurrences, phylogenetics, geographic database management, and integrated multi-disciplinary projects. This session will highlight these innovative approaches and discuss the future directions of terrestrial paleoecology. 
Organizer: Nan Crystal Arens (nanarens@socrates.berkeley.edu), Department of Integrative Biology, 3060 Valley Life Sciences Building, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720. 

T3—The Precambrian-Cambrian Biotic Transition: Interplay of Biological and Environmental Changes. 
This session of volunteered contributions will emphasize innovative approaches to understanding the processes of evolution and fossilization from the Late Neoproterozoic through the Cambrian. 
Organizer: Loren E. Babcock (babcock.5@osu.edu), Dept. of Geological Sciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH; Ph. 614-292-0358. 

T4—Caribbean Mesozoic Biogeography: Paleontological Constraints on the Formation and Early Evolution of the Caribbean Seaway. 
This session will explore the Early Jurassic to Cretaceous Caribbean biota for understanding the history of the opening of the Caribbean seaway and communications between the Pacific and Tethys. This biota includes invertebrates (ammonites, rudists, gastropods, calpionelids, etc.), plants, and marine vertebrates (pterosurs, plesiosaurs, turtle, crocodyles, pliosaurs, etc.) but is not well understood.
Organizer: Manuel A. Iturralde-Vinent (iturralde@mnhnc.inf.cu), Museo Nacional de Historia Natural, Obispo no. 61, Plaza de Armas, La Habana 10100, Cuba. Fax (537)-620353. Manuel is leader of the IGCP Project 433: Caribbean Plate Tectonics (www.ig.utexas.edu/CaribPlate/CaribPlate). 

T5—The Evolution of Grass-Dominated Ecosystems during the Late Tertiary. 
The timing and nature of profound late Tertiary ecological changes from forest to grasslands and from C3- to C4-dominated plant communities are still debated. This session will integrate data from sedimentology, stratigraphy, paleopedology, stable isotopes, paleobotany, and vertebrate paleontology, to provide a synthetic picture and help identify questions for developing future research. 
Organizer: Caroline A. E. Stromberg (cstrom@socrates.berkeley.edu), Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720. Ph: (510) 643-2545, FAX: (510) 642-1822. 

Updated: July 17, 2001