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December 5, 2000 |
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ENCYCLOPEDIC
REPORT DETAILS NUMEROUS SUBWAY FOSSIL FINDS
Tens of thousands of years ago, the climate of Los Angeles was much
cooler and wetter than it is today and its landscape teemed with ground
sloths, horses, elephants and camels, a virtual kingdom of prehistoric
creatures. There were even redwood trees. These
are among numerous fascinating revelations chronicled in a recently
released MTA-funded report authored by paleontologist Bruce Lander who,
with a team of 28 scientists, discovered more than 2,000 fossils, many of
them rare, during construction of the Metro Red Line subway project. There
is even evidence of a great flood in the San Fernando Valley 9,000 years
ago that swept away trees although weather conditions were drier and more
extreme than today. “This
is one of the most important projects we’ve had in terms of providing
new information and data to the scientific community,” Lander said.
“Our data will lead to a number of new publications.” Academicians
are in the process of reviewing the significant findings described in the
report entitled: “Paleontologic Resource Impact Mitigation Program Final
Technical Report of Findings.” The Natural History Museum of L.A.
County, the George C. Page Museum, University of California, Berkeley,
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, Occidental College,
California State University, Northridge and other institutions have
received the report. The Federal Transit Administration, U.S. Geological
Survey, “This
extensive body of work advances our knowledge about our world,” said MTA
Environmental Compliance Manager Jim Sowell. Fossil
finds discussed in the report include: ·
64 extinct species of marine fish, including 39 new to
science. ·
the tusk of an Ice Age elephant (possibly a Columbian
mammoth). ·
bones and teeth of a towering American mastodon, western
camel and ancient
longhorn bison. ·
bones of Harlan’s ground sloth. ·
wood and pollen of land plants including incense cedar and
coast redwood trees. ·
birds, shrews, cottontails, gophers, mice and kangaroo
rats. “Scholars
will find this to be an invaluable, complete reference tool,” said
Sowell. “The MTA went the extra mile in uncovering these materials. The
report also demonstrates how many disciplines are involved in a modern
paleontological exploration.” Authored
by Lander of Paleo Environmental Associates, the 300-page report contains
colorful fossil photos and maps pinpointing where the fossils were found.
The report describes, in depth, the more than 2,000 fossils found
primarily at the 11 stations that comprise Segments 2 and 3 of the Metro
Red Line and covers a period from some 16.5 million years ago to less than
10,000 years ago. Segments 2 and 3 stretch from Wilshire and Vermont to
Lankershim and Chandler in North Hollywood, a distance of 10.9 miles. “This
report summarizes the results of a multi-year mitigation program supported
by the MTA since 1987,” Lander said. “It demonstrates the benefits of
a major construction project to the science of paleontology. Many of the
fossil discoveries are scientifically highly important because they
represent the first or oldest fossil record of their respective
species.”
The
fossils can be viewed on the MTA’s “Los Angeles Underground” website
at www.MTA.net. The fossils also are periodically displayed at the MTA’s library, located on the
15th floor of MTA Headquarters at One Gateway Plaza. In
addition, a copy of the report is available in the MTA library. Funding
for the report was provided by grants to the MTA from the United States
Department of Transportation Urban Mass Transportation Administration and
Federal Transit Administration, the state of California and from local
transportation funds, including Propositions A and C. ### MTA-130 |
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