Kirsty Edgar

Dinosaurs were a hugely successful group of vertebrates with a wide array of morphologies and ecologies that dominated terrestrial ecosystems globally during much of the Mesozoic (~228-66 million years ago). Dinosaur tracks (footprints) are a key means of determining the palaeoecology and distribution of dinosaurs through time and highly complementary to the skeletal record. There is a long history of dinosaur tracks being reported and studied in the UK, from the mid-19th century to the present day, reflecting the excellent exposure of Mesozoic rocks through many parts of the UK and a long history of public and scientific interest in fossils.

This talk will provide insights into the UK dinosaur track record, including the scientific and cultural value of in situ dinosaur track sites, as well as exciting new discoveries from recent excavations at Dewars Farm Quarry, Oxfordshire. This site, which has featured on Digging for Britain, provides a snapshot into Middle Jurassic terrestrial ecosystems and is the UK’s largest dinosaur track site, hosting some of the longest dinosaur trackways found anywhere in the world.

Kirsty is a Professor of Micropalaeontology in the School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University of Birmingham, UK. The bulk of her research focuses on the timing, nature, and interactions between global climate, biogeochemical cycling, and marine life in the Mesozoic and Cenozoic. More recently, prompted by the pandemic, she has become increasingly involved in UK palaeontology and heritage preservation, and has led projects on recording, monitoring, and communicating dinosaur track sites across the UK, including co-leading the excavation of the UK’s largest dinosaur track site in Oxfordshire.