Final answer:
b) Earl Douglass is the palaeontologist who discovered the dinosaur bone bed at the quarry. His work began in 1909 and was fundamental to the study of the Jurassic period. While other scientists made significant contributions to palaeontology, it was Douglass's discovery that was pivotal in this instance.
Step-by-step explanation:
The palaeontologist who discovered the dinosaur bone bed of the quarry was Earl Douglass. While Georges Cuvier contributed significantly to evolutionary thinking with his theory of catastrophism, and Edward Cope is known for his work on North American dinosaurs, it was Earl Douglass who is credited for his monumental discovery of a vast dinosaur bone bed. Douglass, working for the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, began his famous excavation in 1909 in what would become known as Dinosaur National Monument. His discovery was profoundly significant, providing a wealth of information about the Jurassic period and its dinosaurs. Other figures mentioned, such as Richard Owen, were also substantial contributors to the field of palaeontology, but with other distinctions. Owen, for instance, is renowned for coining the term Dinosauria but is not associated with the discovery in question. Similarly, citizen scientists and their contributions to palaeontology are crucial, but in this context, Earl Douglass stands out as the discoverer of the bone bed.