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Sedimentary Geology And Paleontology Research—A Perspective

Where are research and research funding headed for the subdisciplines encompassed in PALAIOS? As its website notes, PALAIOS publishes research results that focus on the impact of life on Earth history as recorded in the paleontological and sedimentological records. What is the next generation of research in biogeochemistry, ichnology, sedimentology, stratigraphy, paleoecology, paleoclimatology, paleoceanography, etc.? How do we get there? What is needed to do this research? Will there be funding for it?

The summary statement is that, to move forward with the next generation of research, our community must develop a more organized and concerted effort than has occurred to date; one that will articulate the science and outline what is needed to conduct the research. What I will focus on are specific science themes, underlying issues, and funding trends and vehicles in the geosciences that will impact sedimentary geology and paleontology research.

The science themes listed in the following discussion reflect existing or projected directions, and go beyond paleontology and sedimentary geology. Some, such as paleoclimatology and climate-change research, and biogeosciences and biocomplexity, have been important for some time, and are receiving support from the White House down through Congress, and by most of the agencies. Freshwater science (hydrology, but also all aspects of the water cycle, including biologic components) is quickly building in importance and its future is clear, whereas coupled human and natural systems are in early discussion stages. The need for a broader perspective on a range of ecology issues is pushing the marriage of biodiversity and paleobiology, which are linked to the fundamental understanding of sedimentary basins. Sedimentary basins are also part of orogenic systems—the mountain belts that are at the heart of our continuing study of the architecture and evolution of continental crust. Coupled with the latter is understanding, and therefore predicting, earthquakes …