The influence of Taphonomy and Curation on Molecular Analyses
This ongoing collaborative project with Dr. Caitlin Colleary, the Museum’s Associate Curator of Vertebrate Paleontology, investigates the role of burial environment in biofilm production during early decay and its impact on taphonomic processes (e.g., rate of decay in different environments) in situ and after collection. This experimental, methods-based project explores how environmental factors affect molecular preservation and fossilization.