Dr. Robert Feranec

Director of Research and Collections, Curator of Pleistocene Vertebrate Paleontology
robert.feranec@nysed.gov
518-474-5819

While my interests encompass a broad scope of topics including influences on biogeography, causes of speciation and adaptive radiation, and triggers of extinction, my research has been focused at describing the evolution of ecology in mammals.  My research concentrates on examining ecology in mammals from short time scales (seasons) to very long time scales (millions of years). 

In order to understand ecology of fossil mammals, the modern quantitative and analytical techniques I employ include stable isotope geochemistry, utilization of bioinformatics databases, and computer-based imaging of fossils which permits quantitative analysis of various morphological features.  Fieldwork is also an important aspect of my research program, and I have conducted or participated in excavations in the U.S. and Spain. 

Typical questions addressed in my research include:

How does climate change effect ecology?
Does ecology change during development?
Does immigration/dispersal of new species affect ecology?
Does extinction/extirpation of species affect ecology?

I am interested and open to collaboration within and beyond North America.  Potential collaborators, including current or potential graduate students, are encouraged to email me.

Publications

2009

R. Feranec, A. Paytan, E. Hadley 2009, Stable Isotopes Reveal Seasonal Competition for Resources Between Late Pleistocene Bison (Bison) and Horse (Equus) from Rancho La Brea, Southern California, Paleogeography, Paleoclimatology, Paleoecology 271, 153-160. 10.1016/j.palaeo.2008.10.005
R. Feranec, N. Garcia, J. Arsuaga, J. de Castro, C. Carbonell 2009, Isotopic Analysis of the Ecology of Herbivores and Carnivores from the Middle Pleistocene Deposits of the Sierra de Atapuerca, Northern Spain, Journal of Archaeological Science 36, 1142-1151. 10.1016/j.jas.2008.12.018
J. Hart, R. Feranec, W. Lovis, G. Urquhart 2009, Non-linear Relationship Between Bulk d13C and Percent Maize in Carbonized Cooking Residues and the Potential of False-negatives in Detecting Maize, Journal of Archaeological Science 36, 2206-2212. 10.1016/j.jas.2009.06.005
J. Cryan, R. Feranec, J. Kirchman 2009, Evolution Every Day. Legacy: The Magazine of the New York State Museum 4, 10-11
R. Feranec 2009, Evolution of Ecology in Mammals. Legacy: The Magazine of the New York State Museum 4, 13

2008

R. Feranec, J.L. Blois, E.A. Hadly 2008, Environmental Influences on Spatial and Temporal Patterns of Body-size Variation in California Ground Squirrels (Spermophilus beecheyi), Journal of Biogeography 35, 602-613. 10.1111/j.1365-2699.2007.01836.x
R. Feranec 2008, Growth Differences in the Saber-Tooth of Three Field Species, Palaios 23, 566-569. 10.2110/palo.2007.p07-079r
R. Feranec 2008, Using Stable Isotopes as an Additional Tool to Understand Ancient Human Environments, Coloquios de Paleontologia 58, 7-11.
R. Feranec 2008, Mortal Combat: How the Cohoes Mastodon Died. Legacy: The Magazine of the New York State Museum 4, 7
R. Feranec 2008, Who Dunnit? What Caused the End-Pleistocene Extinction in North America?. Dig 10, 28-29