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The paleoenvironmental utility of fossil birds from bed I and lowermost bed II (Plio-Pleistocene), Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania
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TitleInfo
Title
The paleoenvironmental utility of fossil birds from bed I and lowermost bed II (Plio-Pleistocene), Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania
Name
(type = personal)
NamePart
(type = family)
Prassack
NamePart
(type = given)
Kari Alyssa
NamePart
(type = date)
1975-
DisplayForm
Kari Prassack
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(authority = RULIB)
author
Name
(type = personal)
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Scott
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Robert C
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Robert C Scott
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Advisory Committee
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chair
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Harris
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Jack W
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Jack W Harris
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Advisory Committee
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internal member
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Schrire
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Carmel
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Carmel Schrire
Affiliation
Advisory Committee
Role
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internal member
Name
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(type = family)
Hill
NamePart
(type = given)
Andrew
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Andrew Hill
Affiliation
Advisory Committee
Role
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outside member
Name
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Rutgers University
Role
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(authority = RULIB)
degree grantor
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Graduate School - New Brunswick
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school
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Text
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theses
OriginInfo
DateCreated
(qualifier = exact)
2012
DateOther
(qualifier = exact);
(type = degree)
2012-05
CopyrightDate
(qualifier = exact)
2012
Place
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(type = code)
xx
Language
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(authority = ISO 639-3:2007);
(type = text)
English
Abstract
(type = abstract)
This dissertation uses the taxonomic distributions and taphonomic profiles of fossil birds to test the Olduvai Landscape Paleoanthropology Projects (OLAPP) predictions of landscape composition and heterogeneity at the Plio-Pleistocene hominin site of Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. The distributions of avian taxa across the paleolandscape are compared to modern avifaunal communities in East Africa, providing evidence of specific environments at Olduvai. This taxonomic analysis provides much needed data on avian paleontology in East Africa and increases the paleobiogeographic range of several taxa. Environmental reconstructions are also independently tested through concurrent taphonomic modeling. The taphonomic component of this analysis is partially based on my own field research on bird bone survivorship in modern environments of Tanzania. This novel data provides information necessary for understanding preservation bias in saline-alkaline lake basin systems, which are important environments in East Africa and elsewhere for the preservation of hominin fossils and archaeological remains. The Olduvai fossil birds partially validate the current predictive paleolandscape models proposed by OLAPP and further refine our understanding of the potential resources and dangers hominins may have encountered across those landscapes. This study validates using birds for reconstructing past environments, including those hominin-bearing localities so important towards understanding our own evolution. As well, this dissertation explores expansion of modern taphonomic studies to address a wider range of landscape facets, organisms, and potential taphonomic agents.
Subject
(authority = RUETD)
Topic
Anthropology
Subject
(authority = ETD-LCSH)
Topic
Birds, Fossil -- Tanzania -- Olduvai Gorge
Subject
(authority = ETD-LCSH)
Topic
Pliocene -- Pleistocene boundary
Subject
(authority = ETD-LCSH)
Topic
Taphonomy -- Tanzania -- Olduvai Gorge
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Title
Rutgers University Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Identifier
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ETD
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(type = host)
TitleInfo
Title
Graduate School - New Brunswick Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Identifier
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rucore19991600001
Identifier
ETD_3737
Identifier
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http://hdl.rutgers.edu/1782.1/rucore10001600001.ETD.000065243
Identifier
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doi:10.7282/T3R21091
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Extent
xv, 287 p. : ill., maps
Note
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Ph.D.
Note
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Includes bibliographical references
Note
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Includes vita
Note
(type = general note)
Content from this dissertation has been published separately:
doi:10.1016/j.jhevol.2007.01.011
doi:10.3853/j.0067-1975.62.2010.1541
doi.org/10.1666/10041.1
doi.org/10.1016/j.jhevol.2011.10.001
doi.org/10doi.1016/j.jhevol.2011.05.003
doi.org/10.1016/j.jhevol.2013.09.013
doi:10.1016/j.jhevol.2007.01.011
doi:10.3853/j.0067-1975.62.2010.1541
doi.org/10.1666/10041.1
doi.org/10.1016/j.jhevol.2011.10.001
doi.org/10doi.1016/j.jhevol.2011.05.003
doi.org/10.1016/j.jhevol.2013.09.013
Subject
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Geographic
Olduvai Gorge (Tanzania) -- Antiquities
Location
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(displayLabel = Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey)
NjNbRU
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Rights
RightsDeclaration
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The author owns the copyright to this work.
RightsHolder
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Name
FamilyName
Prassack
GivenName
Kari
Role
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RightsEvent
Type
Permission or license
DateTime
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2012-04-16 08:38:56
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Name
Kari Prassack
Role
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Affiliation
Rutgers University. Graduate School - New Brunswick
AssociatedObject
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License
Name
Author Agreement License
Detail
I hereby grant to the Rutgers University Libraries and to my school the non-exclusive right to archive, reproduce and distribute my thesis or dissertation, in whole or in part, and/or my abstract, in whole or in part, in and from an electronic format, subject to the release date subsequently stipulated in this submittal form and approved by my school. I represent and stipulate that the thesis or dissertation and its abstract are my original work, that they do not infringe or violate any rights of others, and that I make these grants as the sole owner of the rights to my thesis or dissertation and its abstract. I represent that I have obtained written permissions, when necessary, from the owner(s) of each third party copyrighted matter to be included in my thesis or dissertation and will supply copies of such upon request by my school. I acknowledge that RU ETD and my school will not distribute my thesis or dissertation or its abstract if, in their reasonable judgment, they believe all such rights have not been secured. I acknowledge that I retain ownership rights to the copyright of my work. I also retain the right to use all or part of this thesis or dissertation in future works, such as articles or books.
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Embargo
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Access to this PDF has been restricted at the author's request.
Copyright
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Copyright protected
Availability
Status
Open
Reason
Permission or license
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