Dear All,

next Tuesday, we will visit Science Center Heureka ( http://www.heureka.fi/portal/englanti/ ). Heureka has a new outdoor dinosaur exhibition where Mikko Haaramo has been the scientific advisor; thus we’ll get complimentary tickets.

Because of the opening hours, Time & Loc.:
Tuesday 17.5., 14.00, Science Center Heureka ( http://www.heureka.fi/portal/englanti/visiting_us/how_to_find_us/ )

Give your binding enrolment (to: aleksis.karme(at)helsinki.fi ) by Friday 13.5. (12.00) so we can book the (free) tickets.

This is also our last meet this spring. Thank you all for the past year!

Welcome,
Allu

Dear all,

next Tuesday, Pam Gill will give a talk about

Inside and out: what can we learn from the jaws of two basal mammals?

Time & Loc.:
16.00, 10.5.2011, C108 Physicum

We plan to go for a meal afterwards and all are welcome.

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Title: Inside and out: what can we learn from the jaws of two basal mammals?

Abstract: Mesozoic mammals are traditionally viewed as small, generalized insectivores, but recent exceptionally preserved fossils hint at much greater evolutionary diversity. Despite these discoveries, Mesozoic mammals are still overwhelmingly represented by lower jaws or isolated teeth, so can these more incomplete remains also reveal niche separation? Late Triassic-Early Jurassic fissure fills located in Glamorgan, Wales, offer a unique window into the evolution of Mesozoic mammals, containing abundant fragmented remains of two of the first insectivorous mammals, Morganucodon and Kuehneotherium. High definition synchrotron radiation XμCT (SRXTM) revealed internal detail and a 3-step functional approach of lever mechanics, finite element analysis (FEA) and tooth microwear analysis was used to tease out evidence for very early ecomorphological diversity in mammals, even amongst insectivores.

Dr Pam Gill lectures and researches in the Department of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, UK. Her research is focused on the early mammals from the Late Triassic and Early Jurassic; a time when critical changes were occurring to the jaw joint and dentition. Her main focus involves the basal mammals Kuehneotherium and Morganucodon, and she is particularly interested in how the selective pressures of feeding influenced mandibular evolution in these mammals and what biomechanics can tell us about why the jaw may have evolved in a particular manner.

(Ian)

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Welcome,
Allu

Dear all,

next Tuesday, Andrew Smith will give a talk about

A Taxonomic Revision: Mesozoic Mammals from Welsh Fissure Fills.

Time & Loc.:
16.00, 3.5.2011, C108 Physicum

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Title: A Taxonomic Revision: Mesozoic Mammals from Welsh Fissure Fills.

Abstract:

The Mesozoic represents approximately two thirds of mammalian evolution, and is traditionally equated with low taxonomic, morphological and ecological diversity, where mammals lived “In the shadow of the dinosaurs.” However, increasing evidence opposes this view with Mesozoic mammals occupying a variety of different niches and achieving a near global distribution.

My research interests lie in mammalian morphology and diversity, primarily using dental material to investigate early mammalian disparity. Current work focuses on exploring the taxonomic diversity of the basal mammal Morganucodon watsoni. This early insectivorous mammal is known from an abundant collection of disarticulated material found in the Triassic-Jurassic fissure fills of South Wales. By possessing certain features seen in both reptiles and mammals, it is important in tracing major evolutionary developments of the ear, lower jaw, and dentition.

This research has utilized a mixture of traditional morphometric methods, coupled with a novel use of disparity analysis, to search for differences in Morganucodon dental material. This study serves to increase our knowledge about the palaeoecology of the area and the extent of mammalian diversity in the Welsh fissures.

Info:

Andrew Smith recently gained his MSc in Palaeobiology from the University of Bristol, and has been accepted on the graduate program at UMASS, Amherst, USA, to research mammalian feeding mechanics with Betsy Dumont.

(Ian)

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Welcome,
Allu

Dear all,

next Tuesday, Jussi Eronen will give a talk about

North American hypsodonty, and other recent and ongoing projects.

Time & Loc.:
16.00, 5.4.2011, C108 Physicum

Welcome,
Allu

Dear all,

tomorrow, Andy Kruse will give a talk about

Two Paths Diverged in Beringia: Human Migration to the New World.

Time & Loc.:
16.00, 29.3.2011, C108 Physicum

Welcome,
Allu

Dear all,

tomorrow, Hui Tang will give a talk about

Mountain uplift and the asynchronous evolution of the summer monsoons in Asia.

Time & Loc.:
16.00, 22.3.2011, C108 Physicum

Abstract:
The uplift of the mountains in Asia, particularly the Tibetan Plateau is thought to be the major factor that drives the intensification of the Indian and E-Asian monsoon in the Neogene (since 23 Million years before present) and shapes the modern Asian monsoon climate. Here, we use a regional climate model to investigate the sensitivity of the Asian summer monsoon to the regional mountain uplift. Different from the classical view that both the Indian and E-Asian summer monsoon are strengthened by the uplift of the Tibetan Plateau, our results show that the uplift of different parts of the Tibetan Plateau and the surrounding orography may trigger the asynchronous development of the summer monsoon in India and E-Asia.

Welcome,
Allu

Dear all,

tomorrow, Leena Sukselainen will give a talk about

Paleoecological comparison of pliopithecid and hominoid localities in Eurasia.

Time & Loc.:
16.00, 15.3.2011, C108 Physicum

Welcome,
Allu

Dear all,

there´s no meeting tomorrow.
Next week, Leena Sukselainen will give a talk.

Best,
Allu