Behrensmeyer, Anna K.
Senior Research Geologist and Curator of Vertebrate Paleontology
Paleoecology of terrestrial environments, especially in the later Cenozoic of Africa and Pakistan, continental sedimentation, investigation of taphonomic processes affecting the fossil record, human paleoecology, evolution of terrestrial ecosystems.
Geographic Focus
Background And Education
Education And Training
- B.A., Washington University (St. Louis)
- Ph.D., Harvard University
Professional Biography
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Anna Katherine (Kay) Behrensmeyer is a Research Curator and Senior Scientist in the Department of Paleobiology at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History. She is recognized as a pioneer in taphonomy, and her research is broadly aimed at understanding the evolution of terrestrial ecosystems over the past 300+ million years. Kay’s career has been inspired by collaborative field projects in North America, Africa, and Pakistan, ranging up and down the geological time column from the Triassic to the Pleistocene. She has explored temporal versus spatial averaging in the fossil record and contributed concepts such as “isotaphonomy” and “taphonomic control fossils.” She designed methods for sampling paleontological sites aimed at understanding taphonomic biases, with a particular focus on how these affect the record of human evolution. Kay’s research in modern ecosystems has advanced knowledge of taphonomic processes that alter and recycle organic remains. Her 40+ year study of the “taphosystem” of Amboseli Park, Kenya, shows how changing ecological processes affect links between the living, the dead, the buried and fossilized. She is a leader of the Evolution of Terrestrial Ecosystems (ETE) Program and an active contributor to NMNH exhibits and outreach efforts, including her present role as lead scientist for the Deep Time Initiative.
Awards And Honors
- Membership, conferred by National Academy of Sciences, 2020
- NMNH Peer Recognition Award, 2019
- G. K. Warren Prize, conferred by National Academy of Sciences, 2019
- Romer-Simpson Medal, conferred by Society of Vertebrate Paleontology, 2018
- Paleontological Society Medal, conferred by Paleontological Society, 2018
- NMNH Science Achievement Award , 2016
- R. C. Moore Medal for Excellence in Paleontology, conferred by Society for Sedimentary Geology, 2016
- W. S. Cooper Award, 2014
- Paleontological Society Fellow, 2011
- Member, conferred by American Academy of Arts and Sciences, 2011
Research And Grants
Investigator On
Publications
Selected Publications
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Article
- Pansani, Thaís R., Bertrand, Loïc, Pobiner, Briana, Behrensmeyer, Anna K., Asevedo, Lidiane, Thoury, Mathieu, Araújo-Júnior, Hermínio I., Schöder, Sebastian, King, Andrew, Pacheco, Mírian L. A. F., and Dantas, Mário A. T. 2024. "Anthropogenic modification of a giant ground sloth tooth from Brazil supported by a multi-disciplinary approach." Scientific Reports, 14, (1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-69145-5. 2024
- Owen, R. B., Rabideaux, Nathan, Bright, Jordon, Rosca, Carolina, Renaut, Robin W., Potts, Richard, Behrensmeyer, Anna K., Deino, Alan L., Cohen, Andrew S., Muiruri, Veronica, and Dommain, René. 2024. "Controls on Quaternary geochemical and mineralogical variability in the Koora Basin and South Kenya Rift." Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 637. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.palaeo.2023.111986. 2024
- Hatala, Kevin G., Roach, Neil T., Behrensmeyer, Anna K., Falkingham, Peter L., Gatesy, Stephen M., Williams-Hatala, Erin, Feibel, Craig S., Dalacha, Ibrae, Kirinya, Martin, Linga, Ezekiel, Loki, Richard, Alkoro, Apolo, Longaye, Malmalo, Lonyericho, Emmanuel, Loyapan, Iyole, Nakudo, Nyiber, Nyete, Cyprian, and Leakey, Louise N. 2024. "Footprint evidence for locomotor diversity and shared habitats among early Pleistocene hominins." Science, 386, (6725) 1004–1010. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.ado5275. 2024
- Negash, Enquye W., Alemseged, Zeresenay, Barr, W. A., Behrensmeyer, Anna K., Blumenthal, Scott A., Bobe, René, Carvalho, Susana, Cerling, Thure E., Chritz, Kendra L., McGuire, Elizabeth, Uno, Kevin T., Wood, Bernard, and Wynn, Jonathan G. 2024. "Modern African ecosystems as landscape-scale analogues for reconstructing woody cover and early hominin environments." Journal of human evolution, 197. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhevol.2024.103604. 2024
- Present, Theodore M., Niespolo, Elizabeth M., Clarke, Catherine E., Behrensmeyer, Anna K., Leakey, Louise N., Leakey, Meave G., Mongle, Carrie, Du Plessis, Anton, Northrup, Paul, Tappero, Ryan V., Yang, Deming, Rasbury, E. T., and Grine, Fredrick E. 2024. "Nondestructive geochemical characterization of fossil hominin taphonomy and burial history." Quaternary Science Reviews, 328. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2024.108525. 2024
- Hatala, Kevin G., Roach, Neil T., and Behrensmeyer, Anna K. 2023. "Fossil footprints and what they mean for hominin paleobiology." Evolutionary Anthropology: Issues, News, and Reviews, 32, (1) 39–53. https://doi.org/10.1002/evan.21963. 2023
- Villaseñor, Amelia, Uno, Kevin T., Kinyanjui, Rahab N., Behrensmeyer, Anna K., Bobe, René, Advokaat, Eldert L., Bamford, Marion, Carvalho, Susana C., Hammond, Ashley S., Palcu, Dan V., Sier, Mark J., Ward, Carol V., and Braun, David R. 2023. "Pliocene hominins from East Turkana were associated with mesic environments in a semiarid basin." Journal of human evolution, 180. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhevol.2023.103385. 2023
- Patterson, David B., Du, Andrew, Faith, J. T., Rowan, John, Uno, Kevin, Behrensmeyer, Anna K., Braun, David R., and Wood, Bernard A. 2022. "Did vegetation change drive the extinction of Paranthropus boisei?" Journal of human evolution, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhevol.2022.103154. 2022
- Fraser, Danielle, Villaseñor, Amelia, Tóth, Anikó B., Balk, Meghan A., Eronen, Jussi T., Barr, W. Andrew, Behrensmeyer, A. K., Davis, Matt, Du, Andrew, Tyler Faith, J., Graves, Gary R., Gotelli, Nicholas J., Jukar, Advait M., Looy, Cindy V., McGill, Brian J., Miller, Joshua H., Pineda-Munoz, Silvia, Potts, Richard, Shupinski, Alex B., Soul, Laura C., and Lyons, S. Kathleen. 2022. "Late quaternary biotic homogenization of North American mammalian faunas." Nature Communications, 13, (1) 3940. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-31595-8. 2022
- Cohen, Andrew S., Campisano, Christopher J., Arrowsmith, J. R., Asrat, Asfawossen, Beck, Catherine C., Behrensmeyer, Anna K., Deino, Alan L., Feibel, Craig S., Foerster, Verena, Kingston, John D., Lamb, Henry F., Lowenstein, Tim K., Lupien, Rachel L., Muiruri, Veronica, Olago, Daniel O., Owen, R. B., Potts, Richard, Russell, James M., Schaebitz, Frank, Stone, Jeffery R., Trauth, Martin H., and Yost, Chad L. 2022. "Reconstructing the Environmental Context of Human Origins in Eastern Africa Through Scientific Drilling." Annual Review of Earth and Planetary Sciences, 50, (1) 451–476. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-earth-031920-081947. 2022
- Behrensmeyer, Anna K., Cerling, Thure, Fortelius, Mikael, Gathogo, Patrick, Harmand, Sonia, Martin, Lawrence, Miller, Ellen, Pilbeam, David, Ungar, Peter, and Wood, Bernard A. 2022. "Richard Erskine Frere Leakey (1944–2022)." Evolutionary Anthropology: Issues, News, and Reviews, 31, (4) 160–165. https://doi.org/10.1002/evan.21947. 2022
- Fraser, Danielle, Soul, Laura C., Toth, Aniko B., Balk, Meghan A., Eronen, Jussi T., Pineda-Munoz, Silvia, Shupinski, Alexandria B., Villasenor, Amelia, Barr, W. Andrew, Behrensmeyer, Anna K., Du, Andrew, Faith, J. Tyler, Gotelli, Nicholas J., Graves, Gary R., Jukar, Advait M., Looy, Cindy V., Miller, Joshua H., Potts, Richard, and Lyons, S. Kathleen. 2021. "Investigating Biotic Interactions in Deep Time." Trends in Ecology and Evolution, 36, (1) 61–75. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tree.2020.09.001. 2021
- Muiruri, Veronica, Owen, R. B., Potts, Richard, Deino, Alan L., Behrensmeyer, Anna K., Riedl, Simon, Rabideaux, Nathan, Beverly, Emily J., Renaut, Robin W., Moerman, Jessica W., Deocampo, Daniel, Faith, J. T., Noren, Anders, Cohen, Andrew S., Shannon, Kristina Brady, and Dommain, René. 2021. "Quaternary diatoms and palaeoenvironments of the Koora Plain, southern Kenya rift." Quaternary Science Reviews, 267. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2021.107106. 2021
- Faith, J. Tyler, Du, Andrew, Behrensmeyer, Anna K., Davies, Benjamin, Patterson, David B., Rowan, John, and Wood, Bernard A. 2021. "Rethinking the ecological drivers of hominin evolution." Trends in Ecology and Evolution, 36, (9) 797–807. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tree.2021.04.011. 2021
- Buatois, Luis A., Renaut, Robin W., Owen, Richard B., Behrensmeyer, Anna K., and Scott, Jennifer J. 2020. "Animal bioturbation preserved in Pleistocene magadiite at Lake Magadi, Kenya Rift Valley, and its implications for the depositional environment of bedded magadiite." Scientific Reports, 10, (1) Article 6794. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-63505-7. 2020
- Pineda-Munoz, Silvia, Jukar, Advait M., Toth, Aniko B., Fraser, Danielle, Du, Andrew, Barr, W. Andrew, Amatangelo, Kathryn L., Balk, Meghan A., Behrensmeyer, Anna K., Blois, Jessica, Davis, Matt, Eronen, Jussi T., Gotelli, Nicholas J., Looy, Cindy, Miller, Joshua H., Shupinski, Alexandria B., Soul, Laura C., Villasenor, Amelia, Wing, Scott, and Lyons, S. Kathleen. 2020. "Body mass-related changes in mammal community assembly patterns during the late Quaternary of North America." Ecography, https://doi.org/10.1111/ecog.05027. 2020
- Potts, Richard, Dommain, René, Moerman, Jessica W., Behrensmeyer, Anna K., Deino, Alan L., Riedl, Simon, Beverly, Emily J., Brown, Erik T., Deocampo, Daniel, Kinyanjui, Rahab, Lupien, Rachel, Owen, R. B., Rabideaux, Nathan, Russell, James M., Stockhecke, Mona, deMenocal, Peter, Faith, J. T., Garcin, Yannick, Noren, Anders, Scott, Jennifer J., Western, David, Bright, Jordon, Clark, Jennifer B., Cohen, Andrew S., Keller, C. B. et al. 2020. "Increased ecological resource variability during a critical transition in hominin evolution." Science Advances, 6, (43). https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.abc8975. 2020
- Bobe, René, Braun, David R., Behrensmeyer, Anna K., and Harris, John W. K. 2020. "Introduction: Hominin paleobiology in the early Pleistocene Okote Member, Koobi Fora Formation, Kenya." Journal of human evolution, 145 Article 102811. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhevol.2020.102811. 2020
- Villaseñor, Amelia, Bobe, René, and Behrensmeyer, Anna K. 2020. "Middle Pliocene hominin distribution patterns in Eastern Africa." Journal of Human Evolution, 147 Article 102856. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhevol.2020.102856. 2020
- Richmond, B. G., Green, D. J., Lague, M. R., Chirchir, Habiba, Behrensmeyer, Anna K., Bobe, R., Bamford, M. K., Griffin, N. L., Gunz, P., Mbua, E., Merritt, S. R., Pobiner, Briana L., Kiura, P., Kibunjia, M., Harris, J. W. K., and Braun, D. R. 2020. "The upper limb of Paranthropus boisei from Ileret, Kenya." Journal of human evolution, 141 Article 102727. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhevol.2019.102727. 2020
- Deino, A. L., Dommain, R., Keller, C. B., Potts, Richard, Behrensmeyer, A. K., Beverly, E. J., King, J., Heil, C. W., Stockhecke, M., Brown, E. T., Moerman, J., deMenocal, P., Deocampo, D., Garcin, Y., Levin, N. E., Lupien, R., Owen, R. B., Rabideaux, N., Russell, J. M., Scott, J., Riedl, S., Brady, K., Bright, J., Clark, J. B., Cohen, A. et al. 2019. "Chronostratigraphic model of a high-resolution drill core record of the past million years from the Koora Basin, south Kenya Rift: Overcoming the difficulties of variable sedimentation rate and hiatuses." Quaternary Science Reviews, 215 213–231. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2019.05.009. 2019
- Patterson, David B., Braun, David R., Allen, Kayla, Barr, W. A., Behrensmeyer, Anna K., Biernat, Maryse, Lehmann, Sophie B., Maddox, Tom, Manthi, Fredrick K., Merritt, Stephen R., Morris, Sarah E., O'Brien, Kaedan, Reeves, Jonathan S., Wood, Bernard A., and Bobe, René. 2019. "Comparative isotopic evidence from East Turkana supports a dietary shift within the genus Homo." Nature Ecology & Evolution, 3 1048–1056. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-019-0916-0. 2019
- Close, Roger A., Benson, Roger B. J., Alroy, John, Behrensmeyer, Anna K., Benito, Juan, Carrano, Matthew T., Cleary, Terri J., Dunne, Emma M., Mannion, Philip D., Uhen, Mark D., and Butler, Richard J. 2019. "Diversity dynamics of Phanerozoic terrestrial tetrapods at the local-community scale." Nature Ecology & Evolution, 3, (4) 590–597. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-019-0811-8. 2019
- Toth, Aniko B., Lyons, S. Kathleen, Barr, W. Andrew, Behrensmeyer, Anna K., Blois, Jessica L., Bobe, Rene, Davis, Matt, Du, Andrew, Eronen, Jussi T., Faith, J. Tyler, Fraser, Danielle, Gotelli, Nicholas J., Graves, Gary R., Jukar, Advait M., Miller, Joshua H., Pineda-Munoz, Silvia, Soul, Laura C., Villasenor, Amelia, and Alroy, John. 2019. "Reorganization of surviving mammal communities after the end-Pleistocene megafaunal extinction." Science, 365, (6459) 1305. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aaw1605. 2019
- Du, Andrew, Robinson, Joshua R., Rowan, John, Lazagabaster, Ignacio A., and Behrensmeyer, Anna K. 2019. "Stable carbon isotopes from paleosol carbonate and herbivore enamel document differing paleovegetation signals in the eastern African Plio-Pleistocene." Review of palaeobotany and palynology, 261 41–52. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.revpalbo.2018.11.003. 2019
- Deino, Alan L., Behrensmeyer, Anna K., Brooks, Alison S., Yellen, John E., Sharp, Warren D., and Potts, Richard. 2018. "Chronology of the Acheulean to Middle Stone Age transition in eastern Africa." Science, 360, (6384) 95–98. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aao2216. 2018
- Potts, Richard, Behrensmeyer, Anna K., Faith, J. Tyler, Tryon, Christian A., Brooks, Alison S., Yellen, John E., Deino, Man L., Kinyanjui, Rahab, Clark, Jennifer B., Haradon, Catherine M., Levin, Naomi E., Meijer, Hanneke J. M., Veatch, E. Grace, Owen, R. Bernhart, and Renaut, Robin W. 2018. "Environmental dynamics during the onset of the Middle Stone Age in eastern Africa." Science, 360, (6384) 86–90. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aao2200. 2018
- Karp, Allison T., Behrensmeyer, Anna K., and Freeman, Katherine H. 2018. "Grassland fire ecology has roots in the late Miocene." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 115, (48) 12130–12135. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1809758115. 2018
- Brooks, Alison S., Yellen, John E., Potts, Richard, Behrensmeyer, Anna K., Deino, Alan L., Leslie, David E., Ambrose, Stanley H., Ferguson, Jeffrey R., d'Errico, Francesco, Zipkin, Andrew M., Whittaker, Scott, Post, Jeffrey, Veatch, E. Grace, Foecke, Kimberly, and Clark, Jennifer B. 2018. "Long-distance stone transport and pigment use in the earliest Middle Stone Age." Science, 360, (6384) 90–94. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aao2646. 2018
- Roach, Neil T., Du, Andrew, Hatala, Kevin G., Ostrofsky, Kelly R., Reeves, Jonathan S., Braun, David R., Harris, John W. K., Behrensmeyer, Anna K., and Richmond, Brian G. 2018. "Pleistocene animal communities of a 1.5 million-year-old lake margin grassland and their relationship to Homo erectus paleoecology." Journal of human evolution, 122 70–83. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhevol.2018.04.014. 2018
- Du, Andrew and Behrensmeyer, Anna K. 2018. "Spatial, temporal and taxonomic scaling of richness in an eastern African large mammal community." Global Ecology and Biogeography, 27, (9) 1031–1042. https://doi.org/10.1111/geb.12762. 2018
- Behrensmeyer, Anna K., Potts, Richard, and Deino, Alan. 2018. "The Oltulelei Formation of the southern Kenyan Rift Valley: A chronicle of rapid landscape transformation over the last 500 k.y." GSA Bulletin, 130, (9/10) 1474–1492. https://doi.org/10.1130/B31853.1. 2018
- Behrensmeyer, Anna K., Denys, Christiane, and Brugal, Jean-Philip. 2018. "What is taphonomy and What is not? INTRODUCTION." Historical Biology, 30, (6) 718–719. https://doi.org/10.1080/08912963.2018.1432919. 2018
- Patterson, D. B., Braun, D. R., Behrensmeyer, Anna K., Merritt, S., Zliobaite, I., Reeves, J. S., Wood, B. A., Fortelius, M., and Bobe, R. 2017. "Ecosystem evolution and hominin paleobiology at East Turkana, northern Kenya between 2.0 and 1.4 Ma." Palaeogeography palaeoclimatology palaeoecology, 481 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.palaeo.2017.05.001. 2017
- Hatala, Kevin G., Roach, Neil T., Ostrofsky, Kelly R., Wunderlich, Roshna E., Dingwall, Heather L., Villmoare, Brian A., Green, David J., Braun, David R., Harris, John W. K., Behrensmeyer, Anna K., and Richmond, Brian G. 2017. "Hominin track assemblages from Okote Member deposits near Ileret, Kenya, and their implications for understanding fossil hominin paleobiology at 1.5 Ma." Journal of human evolution, 112 93–104. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhevol.2017.08.013. 2017
- Patterson, D. B., Braun, D. R., Behrensmeyer, Anna K., Lehmann, S. B., Merritt, S. R., Reeves, J. S., Wood, B. A., and Bobe, R. 2017. "Landscape scale heterogeneity in the East Turkana ecosystem during the Okote Member (1.56-1.38 Ma)." Journal of human evolution, 112 148–161. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhevol.2017.06.007. 2017
- Campisano, Christopher J., Cohen, Andrew S., Arrowsmith, J. Ramon, Asrat, Asfawossen, Behrensmeyer, Anna K., Brown, Erik T., Deino, Alan L., Deocampo, Daniel M., Feibel, Craig S., Kingston, John D., Lamb, Henry F., Lowenstein, Tim K., Noren, Anders, Olago, Daniel O., Owen, R. Bernhart, Pelletier, Jon D., Potts, Richard, Reed, Kaye E., Renaut, Robin W., Russell, James M., Russell, Joellen L., Schabitz, Frank, Stone, Jeffrey R., Trauth, Martin H., and Wynn, Jonathan G. 2017. "The Hominin Sites and Paleolakes Drilling Project: High-Resolution Paleoclimate Records from the East African Rift System and Their Implications for Understanding the Environmental Context of Hominin Evolution." PaleoAnthropology, 1–43. https://doi.org/10.1130/abs/2017am-295426. 2017
- Kinyanjui, R. N., Potts, Richard, Behrensmeyer, Anna K., and Bamford, M. 2016. "Comparing the Quaternary palaeoenvironments of two major Hominin sites: the Olorgesailie and Koobi Fora Basins, Kenya." Quaternary International, 404 207. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quaint.2015.08.196. 2016
- Zliobaite, Indre, Rinne, Janne, Tóth, Anikó B., Mechenich, Michael, Liu, Liping, Behrensmeyer, Anna K., and Fortelius, Mikael. 2016. "Herbivore teeth predict climatic limits in Kenyan ecosystems." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 113, (45) 12751–12756. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1609409113. 2016
- Lyons, S. Kathleen, Amatangelo, Kathryn L., Behrensmeyer, Anna K., Bercovici, Antoine, Blois, Jessica L., Davis, Matt, DiMichele, William A., Du, Andrew, Eronen, Jussi T., Faith, J. Tyler, Graves, Gary R., Jud, Nathan, Labandeira, Conrad C., Looy, Cindy V., McGill, Brian, Miller, Joshua H., Patterson, David, Pineda-Munoz, Silvia, Potts, Richard, Riddle, Brett, Terry, Rebecca, Tóth, Anikó, Ulrich, Werner, Villaseñor, Amelia, Wing, Scott L. et al. 2016. "Holocene shifts in the assembly of plant and animal communities implicate human impacts." Nature, (529) 80–83. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature16447. 2016
- Lyons, S. Kathleen, Miller, Joshua H., Amatange, Kathryn L., Behrensmeyer, Anna K., Bercovici, Antoine, Blois, Jessica L., Davis, Matt, DiMichele, William A., Du, Andrew, Eronen, Jussi T., Faith, J. T., Graves, Gary R., Jud, Nathan, Labandeira, Conrad C., Looy, Cindy V., McGill, Brian, Patterson, David, Pineda-Munoz, Silvia, Potts, Richard, Riddle, Brett, Terry, Rebecca, Tóth, Anikó, Ulrich, Werner, Villaseñor, Amelia, Wing, Scott L. et al. 2016. "Lyons et al. reply." Nature, 538, (7626) E3–E4. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature20097. 2016
- Roach, Neil T., Hatala, Kevin G., Ostrofsky, Kelly R., Villmoare, Brian, Reeves, Jonathan S., Du, Andrew, Braun, David R., Harris, John W. K., Behrensmeyer, Anna K., and Richmond, Brian G. 2016. "Pleistocene footprints show intensive use of lake margin habitats by Homo erectus groups." Scientific Reports, 6 26374. https://doi.org/10.1038/srep26374. 2016
- Lyons, S. Kathleen, Miller, Joshua H., Tóth, Anikó, Amatangelo, Kathryn L., Behrensmeyer, Anna K., Bercovici, Antoine, Blois, Jessica L., Davis, Matt, DiMichele, William A., Du, Andrew, Eronen, Jussi T., Faith, J. T., Graves, Gary R., Jud, Nathan, Labandeira, Conrad C., Looy, Cindy V., McGill, Brian, Patterson, David, Pineda-Munoz, Silvia, Potts, Richard, Riddle, Brett, Terry, Rebecca, Ulrich, Werner, Villaseñor, Amelia, Wing, Scott L. et al. 2016. "Questioning Holocene community shifts Reply." Nature, 537, (7618) E5–E6. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature19111. 2016
- Cohen, A., Campisano, C., Arrowsmith, R., Asrat, A., Behrensmeyer, Anna K., Deino, A., Feibel, C., Hill, A., Johnson, R., Kingston, J., Lamb, H., Lowenstein, T., Noren, A., Olago, D., Owen, R. B., Potts, Richard, Reed, K., Renaut, R., Schäbitz, F., Tiercelin, J. -J, Trauth, M. H., Wynn, J., Ivory, S., Brady, K., O'Grady, R. et al. 2016. "The Hominin Sites and Paleolakes Drilling Project: inferring the environmental context of human evolution from eastern African rift lake deposits." Scientific Drilling, 21 1–16. https://doi.org/10.5194/sd-21-1-2016. 2016
- Behrensmeyer, Anna K. 2015. "Four million years of African herbivory." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 112, (37) 11428–11429. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1514580112. 2015
- Tóth, Anikó B., Lyons, Sara K., and Behrensmeyer, Anna K. 2014. "A Century of Change in Kenya's Mammal Communities: Increased Richness and Decreased Uniqueness in Six Protected Areas." PLoS ONE, 9, (4) 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0093092. 2014
- Blois, Jessica L., Gotelli, Nicholas J., Behrensmeyer, Anna K., Faith, J. T., Lyons, Sara K., Williams, John W., Amatangelo, Kathryn L., Bercovici, Antoine, Du, Andrew, Eronen, Jussi T., Graves, Gary R., Jud, Nathan, Labandeira, Conrad C., Looy, Cindy V., McGill, Brian, Patterson, David, Potts, Richard, Riddle, Brett, Terry, Rebecca, Tóth, Anikó, Villaseñor, Amelia, and Wing, Scott L. 2014. "A framework for evaluating the influence of climate, dispersal limitation, and biotic interactions using fossil pollen associations across the late Quaternary." Ecography, 37, (11) 1095–1108. https://doi.org/10.1111/ecog.00779. 2014
- Miller, Joshua H., Behrensmeyer, Anna K., Du, Andrew, Lyons, Sara K., Patterson, David, Toth, Aniko, Villasenor, Amelia, Kanga, Erustus, and Reed, Denne. 2014. "Ecological fidelity of functional traits based on species presence-absence in a modern mammalian bone assemblage (Amboseli, Kenya)." Paleobiology, 40, (4) 560–583. https://doi.org/10.1666/13062. 2014
- Tóth, Anikó B., Lyons, Sara K., and Behrensmeyer, Anna K. 2014. "Mammals of Kenya's protected areas from 1888 to 2013: Ecological Archives E095-150." Ecology, 95, (6) 1711. https://doi.org/10.1890/13-2118.1. 2014
- Owen, R. Bernhart, Renaut, Robin W., Behrensmeyer, Anna K., and Potts, Richard. 2014. "Quaternary geochemical stratigraphy of the Kedong-Olorgesailie section of the southern Kenya Rift valley." Palaeogeography palaeoclimatology palaeoecology, 396 194–212. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.palaeo.2014.01.011. 2014
- Faith, J. Tyler and Behrensmeyer, Anna K. 2013. "Climate change and faunal turnover: testing the mechanics of the turnover-pulse hypothesis with South African fossil data." Paleobiology, 39, (4) 609–627. https://doi.org/10.1666/12043. 2013
- Lee, Ray K. L., Owen, R. B., Renaut, Robin W., Behrensmeyer, Anna K., Potts, Richard, and Sharp, Warren D. 2013. "Facies, geochemistry and diatoms of late Pleistocene Olorgesailie tufas, southern Kenya Rift." Palaeogeography palaeoclimatology palaeoecology, 374 197–217. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.palaeo.2013.01.019. 2013
- Wing, Scott L., Stromberg, Caroline A. E., Hickey, Leo J., Tiver, Fleur, Willis, Brian, Burnham, Robyn J., and Behrensmeyer, Anna K. 2012. "Floral and environmental gradients on a Late Cretaceous landscape." Ecological Monographs, 82, (1) 23–47. https://doi.org/10.1890/11-0870.1. 2012
- Kosnik, Matthew A., Alroy, John, Behrensmeyer, Anna K., Fursich, Franz T., Gastaldo, Robert A., Kidwell, Susan M., Kowalewski, Michal, Plotnick, Roy E., Rogers, Raymond R., and Wagner, Peter J. 2011. "Changes in shell durability of common marine taxa through the Phanerozoic: evidence for biological rather than taphonomic drivers." Paleobiology, 37, (2) 303–331. https://doi.org/10.1666/10022.1. 2011
- Owen, R. B., Renaut, R. W., Potts, Richard, and Behrensmeyer, Anna K. 2011. "Geochemical trends through time and lateral variability of diatom floras in the Pleistocene Olorgesailie Formation, southern Kenya Rift Valley." Quaternary Research, 76, (1) 167–179. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yqres.2011.05.002. 2011
- Levin, Naomi E., Brown, Francis H., Behrensmeyer, Anna K., Bobe, René, and Cerling, Thure E. 2011. "Paleosol carbonates from the Omo Group: Isotopic records of local and regional environmental change in East Africa." Palaeogeography palaeoclimatology palaeoecology, 307, (1-4) 75–89. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.palaeo.2011.04.026. 2011
- Deocampo, Daniel M., Behrensmeyer, Anna K., and Potts, Richard. 2010. "Ultrafine Clay Minerals of the Pleistocene Olorgesailie Formation, Southern Kenya Rift: Diagenesis and Paleoenvironments of Early Hominins." Clays and Clay Minerals, 58, (3) 294–310. https://doi.org/10.1346/CCMN.2010.0580301. 2010
- Western, David and Behrensmeyer, Anna K. 2009. "Bone Assemblages Track Animal Community Structure over 40 Years in an African Savanna Ecosystem." Science, 324, (5930) 1061–1064. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1171155. 2009
- Bennington, J. Bret, DiMichele, William A., Badgley, Catherine, Bambach, Richard K., Barrett, Paul M., Behrensmeyer, Anna K., Bobe, Rene, Burnham, Robyn J., Daeschler, Edward B., Van Dam, Jan, Eronen, Jussi T., Erwin, Douglas H., Finnegan, Seth, Holland, Steven M., Hunt, Gene, Jablonski, David, Jackson, Stephen T., Jacobs, Bonnie E., Kidwell, Susan M., Koch, Paul L., Kowalewski, Michal J., Labandeira, Conrad C., Looy, Cindy V., Lyons, Sara K., Novack-Gottshall, Philip M. et al. 2009. "Critical Issues of Scale in Paleoecology." Palaios, 24, (1-2) 1–4. https://doi.org/10.2110/palo.2009.S01. 2009
- Bennett, Matthew R., Harris, John W. K., Richmond, Brian G., Braun, David R., Mbua, Emma, Kiura, Purity, Olago, Daniel, Kibunjia, Mzalendo, Omuombo, Christine, Behrensmeyer, Anna K., Huddart, David, and Gonzalez, Silvia. 2009. "Early Hominin Foot Morphology Based on 1.5-Million-Year-Old Footprints from Ileret, Kenya." Science, 323, (5918) 1197–1201. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1168132. 2009
- Morgan, Michele E., Behrensmeyer, Anna K., Badgley, Catherine, Barry, John C., Nelson, Sherry, and Pilbeam, David. 2009. "Lateral trends in carbon isotope ratios reveal a Miocene vegetation gradient in the Siwaliks of Pakistan." Geology, 37, (2) 103–106. https://doi.org/10.1130/G25359A.1. 2009
- Owen, R. Bernhart, Potts, Richard, and Behrensmeyer, Anna K. 2009. "Reply to the comment on "Diatomaceous sediments and environmental change in the Pleistocene Olorgesailie Formation, southern Kenya Rift Valley" by R.B. Owen, R. Potts, A.K. Behrensmeyer and P. Ditchfield [Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 269 (2008) 17-37]." Palaeogeography palaeoclimatology palaeoecology, 282, (1-4) 147–148. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.palaeo.2008.06.021. 2009
- Cohen, A., Arrowsmith, R., Behrensmeyer, Anna K., Campisano, C., Feibel, C., Shimeles Fisseha, N. J., Johnson, R., Bedaso, Z. K., Lockwood, C., Olago, D., and Potts, Richard. 2009. "Scientific Drilling for Human Origins: Exploring the Application of Drill Core Records to Understanding Hominin Evolution. Workshop Report for EOS Supplementary On-line materials." Eos, 90, (14) 122. https://doi.org/10.1029/2009EO140010. 2009
- Owen, R. Bernhart, Renaut, Robin W., Scott, Jennifer J., Potts, Richard, and Behrensmeyer, Anna K. 2009. "Wetland sedimentation and associated diatoms in the Pleistocene Olorgesailie Basin, southern Kenya Rift Valley." Sedimentary Geology, 222, (1-2) 124–137. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sedgeo.2009.03.013. 2009
- Owen, R. B., Potts, Richard, Behrensmeyer, Anna K., and Ditchfield, P. 2008. "Diatomaceous sediments and environmental change in the Pleistocene Olorgesailie Formation, southern Kenya Rift Valley." Palaeogeography palaeoclimatology palaeoecology, 269 17–37. 2008
- Badgley, Catherine J., Barry, John C., Morgan, Michele E., Nelson, Sherry V., Behrensmeyer, Anna K., Cerling, Thure E., and Pilbeam, David. 2008. "Ecological changes in Miocene mammalian record show impact of prolonged climatic forcing." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 105, (34) 12145–12149. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0805592105. 2008
- Faith, J. T., Marean, C. W., and Behrensmeyer, Anna K. 2007. "Carnivore competition, bone destruction, and bone density." Journal of Archaeological Science, 34 2025–2034. 2007
- Behrensmeyer, Anna K., Quade, Jay, Cerling, Thure E., Kappelman, John, Khan, Imran A., Copeland, Peter, Roe, Lois, Hicks, Jason, Stubblefield, Phoebe, Willis, Brian J., and Latorre, Claudio. 2007. "The structure and rate of late Miocene expansion of C-4 plants: Evidence from lateral variation in stable isotopes in paleosols of the Siwalik Group, northern Pakistan." Geological Society of America Bulletin, 119, (11-12) 1486–1505. https://doi.org/10.1130/B26064.1. 2007
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Chapter
- Kinyanjui, Rahab N., Meadows, Michael, Gillson, Lindsey, Bamford, Marion K., Behrensmeyer, Anna K., and Potts, Richard. 2021. "Reconstructing vegetation history of the Olorgesailie Basin during the Middle to Late Pleistocene using phytolith data." In Quaternary Vegetation Dynamics – The African Pollen Database. 1 ed. Runge, Jürgen, Gosling, William D., Lézine, Anne-Marie, and Scott, Louis, editors. 85–106. London: CRC Press. 2021
- Behrensmeyer, Anna K. 2021. "Taphonomy." In Encyclopedia of Geology (Second Edition). Alderton, David and Elias, Scott A., editors. 12–22. Oxford: Academic Press. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-08-102908-4.00120-X. 2021
- Behrensmeyer, Anna K. and Strömberg, Caroline A. E. 2019. "Paleoenvironmental Reconstruction." In Foundations of Paleoecology: Classic Papers with Commentaries. Lyons, S. Kathleen, Behrensmeyer, Anna K., and Wagner, Peter J., editors. 415–419. Chicago, Illinois: University of Chicago Press. (https://doi.org/10.7208/chicago/9780226618340.001.0001), https://doi.org/10.7208/chicago/9780226618340.001.0001. 2019
- Behrensmeyer, Anna K. and Reed, Kaye E. 2013. "Reconstructing the Habitats of Australopithecus: Paleoenvironments, Site Taphonomy, and Faunas." In The Paleobiology of Australopithecus. Reed, Kaye E., Fleagle, John G., and Leakey, Richard E., editors. 41–60. Springer Netherlands. In Vertebrate Paleobiology and Paleoanthropology. 2013
- Barry, John C., Behrensmeyer, Anna K., Badgley, Catherine E., Flynn, Lawrence J., Peltonen, Hannele, Cheema, I. U., Pilbeam, David, Lindsay, Everett H., Raza, S. M., Rajpar, Abdul Rahim, and Morgan, Michele E. 2013. "The Neogene Siwaliks of the Potwar Plateau, Pakistan." In Fossil Mammals of Asia: Neogene Biostratigraphy and Chronology. Wang, Xiaoming, Flynn, Lawrence J., and Fortelius, Mikael, editors. 373–399. Columbia University Press. 2013
- Flynn, Lawrence J., Lindsay, Everett H., Pilbeam, David, Raza, S. M., Morgan, Michele E., Barry, John C., Badgley, Catherine E., Behrensmeyer, Anna K., Cheema, I. U., Rajpar, Abdul Rahim, and Opdyke, Neil D. 2013. "The Siwaliks and Neogene Evolutionary Biology in South Asia." In Fossil Mammals of Asia: Neogene Biostratigraphy and Chronology. Wang, Xiaoming, Flynn, Lawrence J., and Fortelius, Mikael, editors. 353–372. Columbia University Press. 2013
- Behrensmeyer, Anna K. and Miller, Joshua H. 2012. "Building links between ecology and palaeontology using taphonomic studies of recent vertebrate communities." In Palaeontology in Ecology and Conservation. Louys, Julien, editor. 69–91. New York: Springer. In Springer Earth System Sciences. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-25038-5_5. 2012
- Behrensmeyer, Anna K. 2011. "Conversations with Glynn's Ghost: The Evolution of Paleolandscape Research at East Turkana." In Casting the Net Wide: Papers in Honor of Glynn Isaac and His Approach to Human Origins Research. Sept, Jeanne and Pilbeam, David, editors. 21–40. Cambridge, MA: American School of Prehistoric Research, Harvard University. 2011
- Behrensmeyer, Anna K. 2011. "Linking Researchers across Generations: Field Notes in Paleobiology." In Field Notes for Scientists and Naturalists. Canfield, Michael, editor. 89–108. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. 2011
- Behrensmeyer, Anna K. 2008. "Paleoenvironmental context of the Pliocene A.L. 333 “First Family” Hominin Locality, Denen Dora Member, Hadar Formation, Ethiopia." In GSA Special Paper 446: The Geology of Early Humans in the Horn of Africa. Quade, Jay and Wynn, Jonathan, editors. 203–214. 2008
- Behrensmeyer, Anna K., Bobe, Rene, and Alemseged, Zeresenay. 2007. "Approaches to the analysis of faunal change during the East African Pliocene." In Hominin Environments in the East African Pliocene: An Assessment of the Faunal Evidence, Vertebrate Paleobiology and Paleoanthropology Series, Volume 1. Bobe, Rene, Alemseged, Zeresenay, and Behrensmeyer, Anna K., editors. 1–24. Springer. 2007
- Behrensmeyer, Anna K. 2007. "Bonebeds through Geologic Time." In Bonebeds: Genesis, Analysis, and Paleobiological Significance. Rogers, R., Eberth, D., and Fiorillo, T., editors. 65–102. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. 2007
- Behrensmeyer, Anna K. 2007. "Changes through Time in Carcass Survival in the Amboseli ecosystem, southern Kenya." In Breathing Life into Fossils: Taphonomic Studies in Honor of C.K. (Bob) Brain. Pickering, T., Schick, K., and Toth, N., editors. 137–160. Stone Age Institute Press. 2007
- Behrensmeyer, Anna K., Alemseged, Zeresenay, and Bobe, Rene. 2007. "Finale and future: investigating faunal evidence for hominin paleoecology in East Africa." In Hominin Environments in the East African Pliocene: An Assessment of the Faunal Evidence. Vertebrate Paleobiology and Paleoanthropology Series, Volume 1. Bobe, Rene, Alemseged, Zeresenay, and Behrensmeyer, Anna K., editors. 333–346. Springer. 2007
- Bobe, Rene, Behrensmeyer, Anna K., Eck, G. G., and Harris, J. M. 2007. "Patterns of abundance and diversity in late Cenozoic bovids from the Turkana and Hadar Basins, Kenya and Ethiopia." In Hominin Environments in the East African Pliocene: An Assessment of the Faunal Evidence, Vertebrate Paleobiology and Paleoanthropology Series, Volume 1. Bobe, Rene, Alemseged, Zeresenay, and Behrensmeyer, Anna K., editors. 129–158. Springer. 2007
Editor Of
-
Book
- Lyons, S. Kathleen, Behrensmeyer, Anna K., and Wagner, Peter J., editors. 2019. Foundations of Paleoecology: Classic Papers with Commentaries. Chicago, Illinois: University of Chicago Press. https://doi.org/10.7208/chicago/9780226618340.001.0001. 2019
Affiliation
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Contact
Location
- National Museum of Natural History Academic Department