Jenn Campbell1, Sam "Sammy Dean" Matson2, David L. Fox2
1Williams College, Williamstown, MA 01267 2Dept. of. Geology &
Geophysics, Univ. of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55455
The purpose of this study was to determine the similarities and differences
in the taphonomy of three fossil mammal localities in the East of Alien
Canyon, Meade County, Kansas. We set up 1 m2 grids at each locality and
surface picked each quadrat for all bones. Two variables, bone size and
weathering state, were compared statistically, both between the fossil
localities and within each of the localities. It was discovered that one
locality, Camelpod, was significantly different in terms of bone size from
the other two localities, Bishop and Vasquez. All the localities differed
significantly in terms of weathering state. The differences observed are
likely a reflection of the differing depositional environments at the localities.
In particular, there is evidence that Camelpod is a fossiliferous artesian
spring deposit, while Bishop and Vasquez are both likely fluvial deposits.
Within each locality there were no major statistically significant differences
for either variable, with the exception of mean weathering state in 5 quadrats
at Camelpod. This implies that uniform taphonomic processes were operating
within each locality.