Small Mammal Taphonomy at the Gray Fossil Site
Abstract
Taphonomy is the study of processes that occur between the death of an organism and the discovery of its remains. The Gray Fossil Site in east Tennessee has been the subject of taphonomic work in the past, but this work focused on its larger specimens. Small mammals are very good paleoenvironmental indicators and their sample size is generally much larger, which makes them perfect subjects for a taphonomic analysis. This study aims to use context clues including but not limited to specimen locations and damage types (breakage, etching, etc.) to provide information on the death and decomposition of our fossil animals. Different environments yield different deaths and different types of decomposition, so it is possible to work “backwards”, so to speak, from the clues left on the fossils to a better understanding of the site’s paleoenvironment. A secondary purpose of this study is to find out whether the Gray Fossil Site’s collection methods and preservation type can yield enough taphonomic “clues” to conduct a thorough analysis in the first place. The collection practices at the Gray Fossil Site are, to some degree, dictated by efficiency. While this is certainly preferable to operating at a snail’s pace, several common methods used to conduct taphonomic analyses are not possible here, and it is worthwhile to check the extent to which that could bias our sampling or otherwise limit our understanding.
Start Time
15-4-2026 9:00 AM
End Time
15-4-2026 12:00 PM
Room Number
Culp Ballroom 316
Poster Number
66
Presentation Type
Poster
Student Type
Undergraduate Student
Faculty Mentor
Joshua Samuels
Small Mammal Taphonomy at the Gray Fossil Site
Culp Ballroom 316
Taphonomy is the study of processes that occur between the death of an organism and the discovery of its remains. The Gray Fossil Site in east Tennessee has been the subject of taphonomic work in the past, but this work focused on its larger specimens. Small mammals are very good paleoenvironmental indicators and their sample size is generally much larger, which makes them perfect subjects for a taphonomic analysis. This study aims to use context clues including but not limited to specimen locations and damage types (breakage, etching, etc.) to provide information on the death and decomposition of our fossil animals. Different environments yield different deaths and different types of decomposition, so it is possible to work “backwards”, so to speak, from the clues left on the fossils to a better understanding of the site’s paleoenvironment. A secondary purpose of this study is to find out whether the Gray Fossil Site’s collection methods and preservation type can yield enough taphonomic “clues” to conduct a thorough analysis in the first place. The collection practices at the Gray Fossil Site are, to some degree, dictated by efficiency. While this is certainly preferable to operating at a snail’s pace, several common methods used to conduct taphonomic analyses are not possible here, and it is worthwhile to check the extent to which that could bias our sampling or otherwise limit our understanding.
