Soft-sediment deformation below mammoth tracks at White Sands National Monument (New Mexico) with implications for biomechanical inferences from tracks

Authors: Bennett, M.R., Bustos, D., Belvedere, M., Martinez, P., Reynolds, S.C. and Urban, T.

Journal: Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology

Volume: 527

Pages: 25-38

ISSN: 0031-0182

DOI: 10.1016/j.palaeo.2019.04.023

Abstract:

Implicit in any biomechanical analysis of tracks (footprints), whatever the animal, is the assumption that depth distribution within the track reflects the applied plantar pressure in some way. Here we describe sub-track deformation structures produced by Proboscidea (probably Mammuthus columbi) at White Sands National Monument (WHSA) in New Mexico. Patterns of sub-surface deformation are consistent with the plantar pressure data for modern Proboscidea, but do not reflect track morphology. Our work cautions against overinterpreting track topology of any large animal, including extinct animals such as sauropods, in terms of their biomechanics unless the subsurface stratigraphy and associated variation in shear strength is known.

https://eprints.bournemouth.ac.uk/32878/

Source: Scopus

Soft-sediment deformation below mammoth tracks at White Sands National Monument (New Mexico) with implications for biomechanical inferences for from tracks

Authors: Bennett, M.R., Bustos, D., Belvedere, M., Martinez, P., Reynolds, S.C. and Urban, T.

Journal: PALAEOGEOGRAPHY PALAEOCLIMATOLOGY PALAEOECOLOGY

Volume: 527

Pages: 25-38

eISSN: 1872-616X

ISSN: 0031-0182

DOI: 10.1016/j.palaeo.2019.04.023

https://eprints.bournemouth.ac.uk/32878/

Source: Web of Science (Lite)