Abstract

The aim of this article is to present a case study in the application of methodologies for the excavation of fossil vertebrate remains in restricted areas, within the framework of the environmental monitoring process in Chile. This study is of particular interest because it was carried out under high humidity conditions, during a period of approximately one month in which eight tons of sediment were processed. The applied methodology consisted in the manual excavation of fossiliferous levels through lateral clearing of horizontal planes with grids, from the upper levels to the base of the carrier stratum, with recovery of fossils through excavation of the layer and dry wrap. Additionally, the standard methodology for recovery of microvertebrates by washing and sieving was applied. The entire rescue process allowed the extraction of 82 paleontological pieces, of which 76% were recovered in situ, while 24% were recovered using the standard methodology. Based on the above, recommendations are offered to improve the methodological proposals for rescue and environmental monitoring, offering a comparative basis to evaluate the effectiveness of the techniques used in future rescue efforts.