Paleonet: GSA topical session on Form, function, and ecological interactions: In memory of Richard Alexander

[Kelley, Patricia]

If you are involved in research related to form, function, and
ecological interactions, and/or if you would like join us in honoring
the memory of Richard Alexander, please consider submitting an abstract
for the following Geological Society of America topical session.  The
session is entitled "Whole-organism paleoecology and the relationship of
form, function, and ecological interactions: In memory of Richard
Alexander" and is organized by Lindsey Leighton, Greg Dietl, and
Patricia Kelley.

The following proposal was approved by GSA:

This session focuses on the relationship between form, function, and
ecological interactions of fossil and Recent organisms, in memory of
Richard Alexander, whose work on brachiopods and molluscs combined the
field of functional morphology with the study of the role of ecological
interactions in evolution.

Rationale for session:

Ecological interactions among organisms (e.g., predation, competition,
parasitism, mutualism) are affected by the form and function of the
organisms involved.  In turn, such interactions affect the evolution of
morphology and behavior. However, studies of functional morphology (in
particular biomechanics) and tests of hypotheses concerned with the role
of ecological factors in evolution are often conducted without reference
to one another. Greater understanding of the effect of ecological
interactions on evolution of morphology, and of form and function on
ecological interactions, is needed. Union of functional morphology with
the ecological context of evolving species interactions can help us to
better understand not just how morphological features work but why the
intensity of interactions among organisms varies across spatial and
temporal scales.

This topical session will include presentations on approaches that
explore the relationship of form, function and ecological interactions.
Case-studies will be included on the fossil record of organismal
interactions, as well as on research that uses diverse fossil and modern
taxa from multiple time-periods through the entire Phanerozoic to
understand the implications of this fossil record. 

This session will honor the memory of paleontologist Richard Alexander,
who met an untimely death in December, 2006.  For over a
quarter-century, "Alex" was one of the most innovative paleoecologists
in our field; his creative ideas and methods continue to inspire and
influence the present generation of paleoecologists. For example, not
only was he among the first to help recognize the broad trends in
predation intensity through time, but he also played a major role in
establishing how we identify and study predation in the fossil record.
His work was question and process driven and exemplifies how an intimate
knowledge of shell form and function can inform the trace fossil record
of predation in tests of hypotheses concerned with the escalation of
biological hazards. These significant achievements established Richard
Alexander as a major voice in paleoecology. 

The abstract deadline is July 10.  The GSA meeting is October 28-31,
2007, in Denver, Colorado; exact date of the session within that period
will be determined by GSA later.

If you are interested in participating, or if you have questions, please
contact Lindsey R. Leighton at leighton at geology.sdsu.edu.


Dr. Patricia H. Kelley
Professor of Geology
Department of Geography and Geology
University of North Carolina Wilmington
601 South College Road
Wilmington, North Carolina 28403-5944

Telephone: 910-962-7406 or 910-962-2348
Department office: 910-962-3490
Fax: 910-962-7077

Email: kelleyp at uncw.edu