ACMS Speaker Series 2020 – Deciphering Dinosaur Growth
January 7, 2020 @ 5:30 pm - 7:00 pm
Synopsis
After the pioneering reconnaissance by the Central Asiatic Expedition led by Roy Chapman Andrews, the dinosaur fossils from Mongolia has been studied intensely by many researchers from various countries including very own Mongolians. An abundance of herbivorous dinosaur fossils from the Mongolian Cretaceous formations widens our view of the dinosaur physiology and behavior of this extinct organism such as the population growth strategy, parental care. Since the 1980s, dinosaur bone histology has been the primary tool for determining dinosaur growth rates and has also been used as evidence for their physiology. In 1981, Reid reported lines of arrested growth (LAGs) in sauropod pelvic bones and this finding was confirmed by Ricqles (1983). Paleontologists assume that LAGs were deposited in dinosaurs annually, based on the fact that they are deposited annually in modern reptiles and many mammals.
Even though dinosaur bone microstructure has been studied for more than three decades, most dinosaur histological studies used only a small number of bone samples and generalized longevity, growth rate, and physiology by excluding individual histological variation. A larger sample size of same skeletal element is important to encompass the individual histologic variations. Moreover, the specimens must be collected from the same stratigraphic level reflecting a population that lived in same time period. The dinosaur growth research based on previous fundamental studies will enable to construct a robust and comprehensive growth curve for any dinosaur species.
About the presenter:
Dr. Badamkhatan (Badmaa) Zorigt is vertebrate paleontologist at the Institute of Paleontology, Mongolian Academy of Sciences. He graduated from Mongolian University of Sciences and Technology, with bachelors in engineering and masters in geology/paleontology. He received his Ph.D. in Earth Sciences from Montana State University. His research is focused on dinosaur bone microstructure. Dr. Badmaa has been conducting research on growth strategy of early Cretaceous, herbivorous dinosaur, Psittacosaurus, using their limb bone histology (tissue data). His field work areas include lower Cretaceous dinosaur sites such as Andai sayr, Builst Khudag, Oosh, and Mt. Javkhlant in Gobi desert of Mongolia. His current research on basal, horned dinosaur bone microstructure is important to determine central Asian dinosaurs’ growth dynamics.
Dr. Badmaa is currently establishing first paleohistological laboratory for studying paleobiology of ancient vertebrates from central Asia.
About ACMS:
The American Center for Mongolian Studies (ACMS) is a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting scholarship in Mongolian Studies.
The ACMS Speaker Series are organized in partnership with the U.S. Embassy and the Natsagdorj Library and provides an important platform for researchers engaged in Mongolia to share their experiences and findings with the public. The event promotes information exchange on a variety of subjects related to Mongolia and is free and open to the public.
