Dr. Laura Vietti

Education

Geology, PhD, University of Minnesota, 2014
Geology & Geophysics, BS, University of Wyoming, 2006

Research Projects

My research is focused on the development and advances in methods for interpreting taphonomic histories of vertebrate fossil material using a variety of interdisciplinary techniques. My work incorporates molecular biology techniques such as next generation DNA sequencing of bacteria and fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) to better understand and interpret the microbial communities involved in the early decay process of bone. My work also involves using surface characterization techniques to quantify bone weathering analyses. My research goals include applying techniques I’ve developed (weathering and microbial) to better interpret taphonomic processing of Wyoming vertebrate fossils and ultimately apply them to invertebrate fossils as well.

Publications

Published

1. L.A. Vietti, Preliminary designation of marine tetrapod taphofacies, in Tate 2010: Beneath Wyoming Waves, Marine Paleontology, Tate Museum, Casper College, Casper, WY (2010) 75-88

Accepted

1. L.A. Vietti, J.A. Bailey, R.R. Rogers, D.L. Fox, Early framboidal sulfides from a simulated whale-fall: new insights into marine vertebrate taphonomy, Palaios ,(accepted)

In Preparation

1. L.A. Vietti, Quantifying bone weathering stages using RA, a surface roughness parameter measured from profiles of 3D data, Journal of Taphonomy,(in prep)
2. S.S. Greer*, L.A. Vietti, Identification of bone dismemberment tools using 3D surface analyses on cut marks, Journal of Forensic Research, (in prep)
3. L.A. Vietti, J.A. Bailey, E. Ricci*, Microbial exploitation of bone deposited in marine environments, Paleobiology, (in prep)

*= undergraduate student’s I’ve mentored

Recent Abstracts

1. L.A. Vietti, J.A. Bailey, E.M. Ricci, Insights into the microbial degradation of bone in marine environments from rRNA gene sequencing of biofilms on lab simulated carcass-falls; 10^th North American Paleontological Convention, Gainsville, FL (Feb. 5^th-18^th, 2014)
2. L.A. Vietti, Insights into the microbial degradation of bone in marine environments: genetic sequencing of biofilms from lab-simulated whale-falls; Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 33,(3) (Oct. 31^st, 2013)
3. L.A. Vietti, J.A. Bailey, Lab simulated whale-falls produce framboids resembling those from euxinic basins, Geological Society of America, Annual Meeting. Abstracts with Programs- Geological Society of America, 44 (7) November, 2012
4. L.A. Vietti, Quantifying bone weathering stages using RA, a surface roughness parameter measured from 3d data; Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 32,(3) (Oct. 17^th, 2012)
5. L.A. Vietti, Quantifying bone weathering stages using RA, a surface roughness parameter measured from 3d data; Second Annual Conference of Surface Metrology of the Americas (Oct. 14^th, 2012)
6. L.A Vietti, J.A. Bailey, B. Flood, Early framboidal pyrite from a simulated whale fall: new insights into marine tetrapod bone diagenesis. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 31, (3), (Nov. 5^th, 2011)
7. R. Littlewood, L.A. Vietti, Constraints on the formation of marine bone concentrations., Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 31, (3), (Nov. 5^th, 2011)
8. L.A. Vietti, S. Greer, J. Soderberg, Error rates of surface roughness using optical microscopy and leica stereoexplorer software and application to taphonomy and potter research. First Annual Conference of Surface Metrology of the Americas, WPI, MA (Oct. 23^rd, 2011)
9. L.A. Vietti, B. Flood, J. Bailey. The role of whale-fall microbial communities on bone corrosion explored with metagenomics. Geological Society of America 43, (5): 425 (November, 2011)
10. L.A. Vietti, S. Greer, J. Soderberg, Error rates of surface roughness using optical microscopy and leica stereoexplorer software and application to taphonomy and potter research. Geological Society of America 43, (5): 425 (November, 2011)
11. L.A. Vietti, D.L. Fox, R. Rogers. Preliminary designation of marine tetrapod taphofacies, Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 30, (2), (Sept. 28^th, 2010).
12. L.A. Vietti, D.L. Fox, R. Rogers, Taphonomic patterns in the marine vertebrate record over the Phanerozoic: a database approach. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 29, (3), (Sept. 25^th, 2009).