The Charles Lyell Award Lecture

What rots? How dead animals decompose and its importance for decoding the history of life

Fossils are our only direct evidence of ancient organisms and, as such, are essential to our understanding of the evolution of life on Earth. The fossil record, however, is incomplete, and is biased strongly towards the mineralised 'hard' parts of organisms (e.g. shells and bone). Evidence of 'soft' parts, and of entirely soft-bodied organisms, is normally lost during scavenging or microbial decay. In

this lecture, Dr McNamara will show how her research is revealing the processes involved in exceptional fossil preservation and how this new understanding can illuminate the ecology and physiology of ancient animals.

Presented by Dr Maria McNamara, University College Dublin.

Biography:

• Associatie Researcher, University College Dublin School of Geological School of Geological Sciences y
• PhD in palaeontology
• Earth Science at National University of Ireland, 1st Class Honours                       

Dr Maria McNamara's PhD is the most exhaustive documentation of the taphonomy of any lacustrine Lagerst yet attempted. The research resulted in significant advances in the understanding of the fossilisation of biological tissues as organic remains: it
presented the first reliable evidence that even extremely decay-prone tissues such as bone-marrow and musculature can be preserved organically with
exquisite, ultracellular, morphological detail. The research also resulted in significant modifications to our understanding of the controls on the very early
authigenic mineralization of soft tissues, in particular the role of specific anatomical and biochemical factors. Maria’s innovative postdoctoral research at UCD integrated experimental and fossil-based approaches in an
investigation of the taphonomy of birds and mice and, specifically, their keratinous tissues (hair and feathers). The research has fundamental implications for interpretations of fossil keratinous tissues, including their colour and therefore of their behavioural and physiological functions. In August 2008 Maria took the opportunity to work in geoscience outreach as a Geopark
Geologist, and has developed extensive education programmes in geoscience for both children and adults, including school visits and -field trips, evening lectures, adult training courses, and guided walks.

In 2009, the Award Lectures were supported by the Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851.