Through the End of the Cretaceous in the Type Locality of the Hell Creek Formation in Montana and Adjacent Areas

Mammalian extinction, survival, and recovery dynamics across the Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary in northeastern Montana, USA
-
Published:January 01, 2014
-
CiteCitation
Gregory P. Wilson, 2014. "Mammalian extinction, survival, and recovery dynamics across the Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary in northeastern Montana, USA", Through the End of the Cretaceous in the Type Locality of the Hell Creek Formation in Montana and Adjacent Areas, Gregory P. Wilson, William A. Clemens, John R. Horner, Joseph H. Hartman
Download citation file:
- Share
-
Tools
The Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary marks a critical event in mammalian evolution. Using a database of 4769 mammalian specimens from the Hell Creek and lower Fort Union formations of Garfield County, northeastern Montana, I quantified temporal patterns of diversity and community structure to evaluate faunal dynamics during the last ~1.9 m.y. of the Cretaceous, the Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction and survival, and the first ~1.2 m.y. of the early Paleocene recovery and placental radiation.
Mammalian taxonomic composition and species richness remained relatively stable for most of the last ~1.9 m.y. of the Cretaceous, but the relative abundance of metatherians and evenness of paleocommunities began...