The Hamilton fossil deposit is a unique Pennsylvanian locality with a rich diversity of marine-to-terrestrial vertebrate, invertebrate and plant fossils. PI's will study (1) composition, phylogenetic implications and taphonomy of fauna and flora and (2) sedimentology, carbonate petrology and structural setting of the limestone in order to determine the overall paleoecology and depositional setting of the deposit. Mapping, coring, genetic microstratigraphy and sedimentology will give sediment-body geometry and precise lithostratigraphic correlation. Composition of the biota of different horizons will be studied to reveal community structure. Because many of the organisms present in the Hamilton deposit either are primitive stem groups or preserved embryos, the phylogenetic implications of this study are numerous and important. Taphonomic investigation will give additional information about the condition of the depositional environment and transport of biota. Results of the different studies will be integrated into a reconstruction of the paleoecology and paleoenvironment of the Hamilton area during deposition of this unique facies. Ultimately, we will compare the Hamilton deposit to other deposits that bear well-preserved fossils.
