Biochronology, Faunal Turnover, and Evolution
Biochronology, Faunal Turnover, and Evolution
The Middle Awash late Miocene faunal assemblages document diverse evolutionary trajectories for mammalian species across the Miocene-Pliocene boundary. The assemblages indicate a number of originations and extinctions in various groups adapted to different habitats. This chapter examines the biochronological and evolutionary significance of the Middle Awash faunal assemblages by looking at possible first appearance (FA) and last appearance (LA) of mammalian species. It synthesizes the information to look into faunal turnovers and their probable causes. The fact that the Middle Awash late Miocene fauna samples two time successive horizons, dated to between 5.8 Ma and 5.2 Ma, makes it ideal to look into what factors trigger evolutionary changes in a lineage.
Keywords: Middle Awash, faunal assemblages, first appearance, last appearance, mammalian species, Miocene fauna
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