Approximately 130 million years ago in what today occupies the extensive dry grasslands of Inner Mongolia (China), vast swamps and rivers molded the Early Cretaceous landscape. These ancient Inner Mongolia landscapes were occasionally interrupted by volcanic events that provided large amounts of silica that ultimately resulted in the preservation of plant material, known as “permineralized chert horizons.” The new chert horizons were discovered recently and provide a unique opportunity to reconstruct the paleovegetation that flourished in Inner Mongolia during the Cretaceous time. So far, we have identified conifers (cones, seed, leaves), ginkgo-like plants, ferns, roots, wood, and other unknown plant structures. These Chinese fossils are significant because they provide new data for the understanding of seed plant evolution, especially conifers and other extinct plants. 

The REU intern will work mainly on the selection and identification of fossil plants from the chert samples. The student will acquire useful knowledge for the identification of seed plants, systematics, plant anatomy, and morphology. The intern will also learn techniques about photography and 3D plant reconstructions.