Paleonet: GSA Topical Session #T51

[hembree at ohio.edu]

Dear Colleagues,

Brain Platt, Jon Smith, and I are chairing a session at the 2008 GSA Annual
Meeting entitled "Neontological Solutions to Paleontological Problems:
Actualistic Studies of the Morphology, Behavior, and Ecology of Modern Analogs
for Ancient Organisms" This session is sponsored by the Paleontological Society.

This session will include talks discussing the use of modern organisms and
environments in enhancing the interpretation of ancient life and ecosystems. 
Modern analog studies allow paleontologists to assess a range of questions from
the behavioral and environmental significance of ichnofossils to animal
locomotion.  This session is open to a broad range of experimental research
involving modern organisms and their application to paleontologic problems. 
Topics may include organism-substrate interactions, microbial activity,
taphonomy, morphology, organism behavior, functional morphology, biomechanics,
and kinematics. 

We would like to invite anyone with an interest in actualistic studies to submit
an abstract to our session.  The abstract deadline is June 3rd.

Sincerely,

Dan Hembree, Brian Platt, and Jon Smith



Daniel Hembree
Assistant Professor
Department of Geological Sciences
Ohio University
316 Clippinger Laboratories
Athens, OH 45701