Critical Transitions Across the Phanerozoic: A Roundtable Workshop on Sino-US Collaborative Research on Major Events in the History of Life during the Past 600 Million Years

Los Angeles County Museum Of Natural History Foundation, Los Angeles CA

Investigators

Abstract

Critical Transitions across the Phanerozoic: A Roundtable Workshop on Sino-US Collaborative Research on Major Events in the History of Life during the Past 600 Million Years EAR-1332320 Xiaoming Wang, Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History Ray Bernor, Howard University David Bottjer, University of Southern California Nigel Hughes, University of California, Riverside Xiangdong Wang, Nanjing Institute of Palaeontology and Geology ABSTRACT In the past 20 years, some of the most exciting fossil discoveries have been found in China. Spectacular fossils are brought to light that are previously unheard of or unimagined, ranging from Precambrian embryos, Cambrian basal animal groups, transitional fishes leading to invasion of land, exquisitely preserved Mesozoic plants, birds and dinosaurs, and an abundance of Cenozoic mammals. Such an unprecedented inventory of discoveries is accompanied by an equally unprecedented increase in funding for Chinese geology and paleontology. Amid this exciting context, collaborations between US and Chinese paleontologists and related geologic disciplines are flourishing. There is much to be gained in these broad collaborations. Specialists from the US bring to the table innovative approaches as well as a large existing body of knowledge, whereas Chinese scientists have rapidly acquired the state-of-the-art practice, and have leveraged these collaborations for additional funding from Chinese sources. PIs plan to bring approximately 50 paleontologists (~20 American) and related geoscientists and students from US and China, as well as administrators of relevant Chinese funding agencies, for a four-day workshop in Kunming, China. Cost for the participation of Chinese scientists and students will be borne by the Natural National Science Foundation of China.