Vertebrate Skeletal Remains as Paleohydrologic Proxies: Complex Hydrologic Setting in the Upper Cretaceous Kaiparowits Formation
The Kaiparowits Formation preserves one of the best fossil records of Cretaceous North America, which provides great insight into the paleoecology. In an effort to investigate the paleohydrology of the Kaiparowits Formation, stable isotope compositions (δ<sup>13</sup>C, δ<sup>18<...
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| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Geosciences |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3263/15/7/262 |
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| Summary: | The Kaiparowits Formation preserves one of the best fossil records of Cretaceous North America, which provides great insight into the paleoecology. In an effort to investigate the paleohydrology of the Kaiparowits Formation, stable isotope compositions (δ<sup>13</sup>C, δ<sup>18</sup>O-carbonate, δ<sup>18</sup>O-phosphate) of 41 hadrosaur teeth, 27 crocodile teeth, and 35 turtle shell fragments were analyzed. The mean O-isotope compositions of drinking water (δ<sup>18</sup>O<sub>w</sub>) calculated from the O-isotope of bioapatite (phosphate-δ<sup>18</sup>O<sub>p</sub>) are −13.76 ± 2.08‰ (SMOW) for hadrosaur, −8.88 ± 2.76‰ (SMOW) for crocodile, and −10.14 ± 2.62‰ (SMOW) for turtle, which strongly reflect niche partitioning. The Kaiparowits formation does not fit the global trend in isotopic compositions of vertebrate skeletal remains from previous studies, which suggests a unique hydrological setting of the Kaiparowits basin. High-elevation runoff from the Mogollon Highlands and sea level fluctuation may have contributed to such a unique paleohydrology. |
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| ISSN: | 2076-3263 |