PALEOECOLOGY OF THE LATE CRETACEOUS WESTERN INTERIOR SEAWAY AND GULF COASTAL PLAIN

Author

Ceara Kathleen Quinn Purcell, University of New MexicoFollow

Publication Date

Spring 5-11-2024

Abstract

This dissertation presents research into the paleobiogeography and paleoecology of the Western Interior Seaway (WIS) and Gulf Coastal Plain (GCP) during the Late Cretaceous. The dataset utilized here includes an extensive record of marine invertebrates from over 200 years of fossil collecting and sedimentary data collated from over 45 different literature sources, representing approximately 17 million years of deposition. The high-resolution of this dataset, and its extensive geographic distribution and temporal duration, make it ideal for exploring various ecological questions. Using these data, I have attempted to reconstruct paleobiogeographic provinces as published in prior works, explore functional diversity patterns, and test some of the fundamental assumptions related to niche modeling in the fossil record. This work represents one of the most extensive and dynamic analyses of the WIS, focusing on elucidating primary assumptions regarding broad scale ecological relationships and the methods used to explore them.

Degree Name

Earth and Planetary Sciences

Level of Degree

Doctoral

Department Name

Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences

First Committee Member (Chair)

Corinne Myers

Second Committee Member

Louis Scuderi

Third Committee Member

Jason Moore

Fourth Committee Member

Tyler Mackey

Language

English

Keywords

Paleoecology, Late Cretaceous, Western Interior Seaway, Paleontology

Document Type

Dissertation

Recommended Citation

Purcell, Ceara Kathleen Quinn. "PALEOECOLOGY OF THE LATE CRETACEOUS WESTERN INTERIOR SEAWAY AND GULF COASTAL PLAIN." (2024). https://digitalrepository.unm.edu/eps_etds/402