Trending topics in Spanish Palaeontology: Contributions from the XI Encuentro de Jóvenes Investigadores

Resumen

The present volume represents a series of synthetic works presented at the “XI Encuentro de Jóvenes Investigadores en Paleontología”, which took place in Atarfe (Granada, Spain) on April 2013. During this meeting, more than thirty contributions were presented, offering a representative sample of the palaeontological state-of-the-art research currently developed in Spain. A small selection of these contributions is here presented, highlighting than most of them are first-authored by early-stage Spanish researcher who attended the aforementioned meeting.

As stated above, our planet has evolved since its origin, in a similar wat that Palaeontology has evolved during the las decades. This evolution, with the application of new novel ways to obtain accurate information form the past, combined with more traditional approaches, its patently showed by the contents of the following paper. Several of these papers deal with the application of recently developed techniques on palaeobiological studies: 3D models of tetrapod footprints using photogrammetry, histological analysis, or the use of Finite Element Analysis on vertebrates.

On the other hand, other papers here present point out that there is still classic palaeontological work to do: description of the first fossil records; radiocarbon dating; or new fossil remains on deposits previously studied.

We would like to thank the early-stage researcher who have contributed to this volume, the senior researchers co-authoring the papers, an all the people and institution that supported the successful celebration of the “XI Encuentro de Jóvenes Investigadores en Paleontología”