University Professor Assists Croatian Geologists
Nicholas Nelson | March 17, 2006 10:46 AM | Link
University of Kansas geology professor Stephen Hasiotis recently found a possible link between two ancient animal behaviors. However, he had to go to Croatia to do it.
Hasiotis traveled to southern Croatia to help scientists there better understand their rocks and the trace fossils within them. They had little training in the field and were not sure what to make of markings they had found. Near a mountain range along the Adriatic Coast, which he called the “Spine of the Adriatic,” Hasiotis examined evidence of complex marine animal behavior, only in shallow water. The pattern that was found near the mountain range is called Chondrites, a formation caused by burrowing, which looks like a pattern is produced by plant roots.
What Hasiotis discovered was that the Chondrites pattern was similar to another pattern called Paleodictyon, which is normally found in the ancient deep sea. Paleodictyon looks like a pattern that would be made if a chain-linked fence was laid down in the mud, and then pulled up. Hasiotis said that it is possible that the creature associated with Chondrites had, over time, changed its pattern of movement, for example changed to make only right turns rather than crawling all around. This causes the Chondrites pattern to possibly turn in to Paleodictyon.
Hasiotis believes that the unknown creature that made this recently discovered marking and the one that makes the deep sea pattern might be one in the same, but has evolved, changed its behavior and worked its way up closer to shore under similar conditions. The “similar conditions,” he said, are a big factor. Consistencies such as a low rate of sediment accumulation and energy must be taken in to account.
“You wouldn’t find them on the beach with the kids at spring break,” Hasiotis said.
Dr. Bob Goldstein, chairman of the geology department at the University, said Croatian scientists have traveled to KU to study in the past and he was excited to work with them again.
“It makes sense they’d want to come to KU (for assistance),” said Goldstein.
KU’s sedimentary rock department is one of the best in the country, and is one of two graduate programs in the University’s geology department that is ranked in the top ten by the US News and World Reports, the other being paleontology.
The purpose of the trip, Hasiotis said, was also to better the scientific relationship between Croatia and the U.S., and “to bring the Balkan countries from war to a mainstream international community of science education.”
Goldstein said there was also a great economic interest in the area of sedimentary rocks. Almost all of the oil (about 80 percent) and natural gas found today is found in this type of rock, Goldstein said. Oil is formed from plants and animals that have died and are buried deep in the earth. This organic matter cooks beneath the earth’s surface in what’s called “the kitchen,” boils up and gets trapped, he said. Much of the time, it is trapped in the pore space in sedimentary rock.
Hasiotis also gave a keynote lecture on trace fossils while he was over sea. He addressed several scientists from the Balkan area, including geologists from Italy, Greece, Serbia, Slovenia and Bosnia.
He faced another challenge that was not so scientific. Much of Hasiotis’ research was done in a former Croatian war zone. This caused Hasiotis and his colleagues to literally dodge land mines and trip wires that still remained.
“It was sort of scary,” he said. “You go in the wrong area and you can be blown up.”
