Throughout the Cenozoic, many species, especially herbivorous mammals, developed gigantic sizes worldwide (called megafauna). In this program, we will review the evolution of the megafauna of the Americas, characterizing their diverse groups, revisiting their migration events during the Great American Biotic Interchange during the Pliocene, and discussing their ecological roles and paleoenvironmental settings, focusing on the ice ages periods of the Quaternary (last 2.8 million years ago). Finally, we will go over the causes and consequences of their extinction in the Americas during the Pleistocene-Holocene transition (~10,000 years BP), and their importance for the intense debates on the Anthropocene and conservation biology.
About the presenter: Thaís Rabito Pansani (www.thaispansani.com) is a Research Associate in the Human Origins Program, Department of Anthropology, Smithsonian Institution (NMNH) and the Department of Biology, University of New Mexico.
After you register for the program, you’ll receive the Zoom link and passcode via email. Please contact the club coordinator (mfalk@marylandnature.org) with any questions or concerns. Like all NHSM club meetings, this event is free and open to the public (although donations are always welcome).s.
Natural History Society of Maryland’s Fossil Club is a group of novice and more experienced collectors who meet to exchange knowledge, help with fossil identification, and discuss fossil locations and other fossil-related topics. Monthly meetings are held the first Wednesday of every month and are open to all.
If you are a fossil enthusiast, please consider joining (https://www.marylandnature.org/club-membership/). NHSM membership is $35 for individuals, $50 for families. The Natural History Society of Maryland is a volunteer-led non-profit organization, so the fee you pay will go directly to support the programs, the nature collections, and the building that make this kind of nature education possible. Learn more about NHSM Clubs: https://youtu.be/pIA7naRjXws
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