Project Description
The student will examine the St. Peter Sandstone and Platteville Group of sedimentary rock exposed in the Driftless area of SE Wisconsin. These strata were deposited during the Ordovician as part of a transgressive succession during sea level rise. At that time, the north central part of Wisconsin was exposed as a dome-shaped structure. Encroaching seas from the west and south progressively cover this dome during sea level rise. However, the exact nature of that sea level rise has not been documented, and the ecology of the organism that lived in that seaway have not been related to changing environmental and sea level conditions. This work will aid in our understanding of sea level and environmental change and its influence on the biota.
Tasks and Responsibilites
The student will measure and describe up to five rock exposures in this area. They will measure the sections using standard sedimentological procedures, and will collect the fossil invertebrates and place them in their proper environmental setting. They will then use data to draft strati-graphic sections and run basic statistics on the distribution of the organism.
Desired Qualifications
None Listed