APPLICATIONS OF EXPERIMENTAL NEOICHNOLOGY TO PALEOBIOLOGICAL AND EVOLUTIONARY PROBLEMS

Abstract

It is semi-traditional at PALAIOS for the outgoing editor to provide a Spotlight article as their tenure as editor ends. Past editors have pontificated on the state of the journal, its ranking, and its path to the future (e.g., Hasiotis and Taylor 2010; Hasiotis and Zonneveld 2012; Hasiotis 2013). In truth, I have a very positive outlook for the journal. PALAIOS is strong and healthy and I leave it in the capable hands of co-editors Gabriella Mangano and Thomas Olszewski and managing editor Kathleen Huber; three amazing human beings, each of whom possesses a wiser head than my own. PALAIOS has a very optimistic future with editors like these at the helm! To quote present and former Prime Ministers of Canada, “Sunny ways, my friends, sunny ways” (Laurier 1895; Trudeau 2015). Before I segue to my main topic, however, I wish to digress on some acknowledgements that are indeed in order. First and foremost I'd like to thank my co-editors Stephan Hasiotis and Thomas Olszewski. I learned much from both of you and it was indeed an honor to serve our society in the capacity of editor. I will always be grateful to Jill Hardesty, PALAIOS managing editor for my first few years as editor. Jill passed away last year but left a permanent imprint on the journal that we both love. Jill was succeeded by Kathleen Huber, our present managing editor, who quietly and capably piloted PALAIOS through a very difficult interval. Thank you Kathleen! I am also forever grateful to Melissa Lester and the Journal of Sedimentary Research who loaned us Melissa to help get PALAIOS through the difficult interval after Jill had to step down. The PALAIOS readership is also well served by a large group of generally unsung heroes, our associate editors. Without …