The middle Miocene in southern California: Mammals, environments, and tectonics of the Barstow, Crowder, and Cajon Valley formations—Field Trip of the North American Paleontological Convention, June 22, 2019

The Mojave Region preserves a rich and continuous Miocene mammal-fossil record that formed during a time of significant tectonic activity and climate change. We will visit exposures of the Crowder, Cajon Valley, and Barstow formations to look at the evolution of three different sedimentary basins through the middle Miocene. Participants will learn how depositional environments and habitats changed through time in relation to tectonics and climate and how they influenced patterns of mammal diversity and biostratigraphy