Study on the explosive diversification of animals of the early Phenerozoic

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26257212
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (A)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 海外学術
• Research Field: Stratigraphy/Paleontology
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: Isozaki Yukio 東京大学, 大学院総合文化研究科, 教授 (90144914)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 石川 晃 東京大学, 大学院総合文化研究科, 助教 (20524507) ; 河合 研志 東京大学, 大学院理学系研究科(理学部), 准教授 (20432007)
• Research Collaborator: Bauert H. Geological Survey of Estonia, Dr ; Poldvere A. Geological Survey of Estonia, Dr ; 張 興亮 西北大学, Prof ; Kirschvink J. L. CalTech, Prof
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 顕生代 / 進化 / 多様化 / カンブリア紀 / オルドビス紀 / 絶滅 / 表層環境

Outline of Final Research Achievements

By intense field research in Estonia, S. China, and Mongolia, we collected numerous rock samples and analyzed their geochemical aspects. The following new results were obtained. 1) We discovered the largest (30 cm-long) bilaterian animal fossils from the lowermost Cambrian to prove the early appearance of large animals. 2) Five new fossil zones of SSF (small shelly fossil) were proposed to bring much higher resolution in analysis of extremely rapid animal diversification. 3) The end-Ordovician and end-Guadalupian (Mid. Permian) mass extinctions shared plural similarities in global phenomena, in particular global cooling, suggesting the common cause and processes of the two extinctions. These results were published in 30 articles in international refereed journals.

Free Research Field

地質学