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(Posted for Jim Kirkland)
Announcement TRACKING DINOSAUR ORIGINS: THE TRIASSIC/JURASSIC TERRESTRIAL TRANSITION March 15-17, 2005 Dixie State College St. George, Utah, USA Followed by the Utah Friends of Paleontology Annual Meeting - March 18-20, 2005 The Triassic/Jurassic transition is a critical time in Earth history, recording the origins and early radiation of dinosaurs, pterosaurs, crocodilians, mammals, and several other significant Mesozoic vertebrate clades. Additionally, a major interval of faunal stepwise extinction is recorded in both the marine and terrestrial environments that may be linked to impact events, setting the stage for the ascendance of dinosaurs to a position of dominance for the remainder of the Mesozoic. Current research in this area is dynamic with important implications to a number of areas in paleobiology and geology. A number of recently discovered fossil localities in a little researched area of southwestern Utah that preserves a thick sequence of rocks spanning the Triassic/Jurassic interval are proving to be a catalyst for new studies on this time period. In addition to discoveries at Zion National Park and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, many of these discoveries have centered on the basal Jurassic St. George Dinosaur Tracksite at Johnson Farm. This remarkable new site preserves an extraordinary series of track levels along the margin of a Hettangian lake (“Lake Dixie”) and has associated fossil plants, invertebrates, fish, and dinosaur remains making it particularly significant. These discoveries, along with a new interpretive center slated to open in the summer of 2004, provide an impetus to bring scientists together to discuss terrestrial faunas across the Triassic/Jurassic transition in a dramatic geologic setting unfamiliar to most attendees in the warm palm-tree studded desert of SW Utah. A full color overview volume is planned by the Utah Geological Survey for initial distribution to attendees at the conference. This volume will include short review papers on areas of critical interest regarding the Triassic/Jurassic terrestrial transition in various areas of the world, summary papers on these rocks, and their preserved fossils in southwestern Utah. Preliminary Conference Program March 15 AM - Plenary Papers - 30 min. each March 15 PM, March 16 - General Conference Papers - 20 min. each March 17 - Field Trip: Triassic/Jurassic Geology and Paleontology in the St. George and Zion National Park areas Abstracts Electronic abstracts are due on October 15, 2004. They are to be no more than one page long at 12 pitch, Times Roman with titles all caps followed by indented list of authors (names in caps) and affiliations. Speaker’s information should include e-mail address. Abstract text follows. Send to e-mail jameskirkland@utah.gov; or by snail-mail James Kirkland, Utah Geological Survey, PO Box 146100, Salt Lake City, UT 84044. A proceedings volume is to be published by the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science following the conference. For more information contact Spencer Lucas; NMMNH, 1801 Mountain Rd. NW, Albuquerque NM 87104-1375 slucas@nmmnh.state.nm.us Conference participants may fly into St George, Utah directly, or speakers may fly into Las Vegas, Nevada and then transported by volunteers to St. George. Conference participants are invited to remain for the Utah Friends of Paleontology Annual Meeting, which will include additional afternoon field trips on March 18 and 19 and all day March 20. In addition; there will be a Paleo Art Show: THE BEGINNING OF THE AGE OF DINOSAURS that will be up from February Hosted by Pioneer Center for the Arts For more information contact Gary Sanders: Community Arts and Exhibits Administrator City of St. George, Pioneer Center for the Arts, 47 East 200 North, St. George, Utah 84770 (435) 634-5942 ext. 16 artadmn@infowestcom Information on the St. George tracksite may be viewed starting on page 4 of Survey Notes v. 34, no. 5. http://geology.utah.gov/surveynotes/snt34-3.pdf Sponsored by Utah Geological Survey, Dixie State College, City of St. George, Utah Friends of Paleontology Spring is a busy time in St. George, UT (Utah’s Palm Springs) so book your rooms early. Host Hotels have reduced their price and set aside a block of rooms until February 21, 2005. Crystal Inn Rooms being held under GROUP NAME: DINOSAUR ORIGINS CONFERENCE Rate: Single/Double: $69.00/$69.00 Triple/Quad: $79.00/$89.00 Toll Free Reservation Line: 800-662-2525 Hotel Location: Crystal Inn, I-15, Exit 6, 1450 S. Hilton Drive, St. George, UT 84770 Hampton Inn Rate: $85.00 (+ Tax (10.35%) Toll Free Reservation Line: 1 (800) 426-7866 (HAMPTON) Location: 53 N River Rd., St. George, UT 84770 Other nearby budget Hotels include: Sands Motel Phone: (435) 673-3501 Location: 581 East St. George Blvd., St. George, UT 84770 Days Inn Phone: (435) 673-6123 Location: 150 N. 1000 E., St George, UT 84770 Comfort Inn Toll Free Reservation Line: 1 (877) 577-6740 Location: 999 Skyline Dr., St George, UT 84770 Ramada Inn Phone: 435-628-2828 Location: 1440 E Saint George Blvd., St George, UT 84790 Additional Questions: Contact Theresa Walker 1 (435) 703-3776 2flyfree@infowest.com |
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