Alcootas Research Question

Since the beginning of time our Earth has experienced many changes, these changes affected Australian biota whether it be in a positive or negative way. The study of Australian fossils contributes to the development of understanding the evolution of species in Australia in many different ways, such as seeing changes in physical appearance of species, and possible reasons why the species evolved into what they did, when and why a certain species may have become extinct and evidence/proof of theories such as natural selection. Each of these goes hand in hand and helps us find out what our Earth would have been like millions of years ago.

Sedimentary rocks interpret dinosaur habitats through encased environmental structures of the past. Through sedimentary rocks, paleoecologists’ can examine the arranged formation of sedimentary structures to specify what type of environment the dinosaurs’ lived in. An example of a specific sedimentary rock structure can be seen through formed weathering and ripple marks by how wind and sand formed distinct patterns in the past layered sediment. These arrangements provide interpretations on the structure of the sediment and the habitat of encased fossils, through modern day comparisons

Diatomite is a rock that forms from the silica cell walls of a group of unicellular algae known as diatoms. Diatoms are found in both fresh water and salt water. When they die, their cell walls dissolve under water and become compacted over time into diatomite. The fossilization rock, may have fossil remains of many kinds of plants preserved within it. Amber is considered a mineral that is used as a gem but is less valuable than precious stones. Amber or semiprecious stones is the fossilized resin produced by earlier cone-bearing evergreen trees. Before resins harden, floral parts, pollen grains, fungal spores, and other plant parts may become trapped and be preserved. Amber is valued for jewelry and as fossils mainly from two parts of the world, the region of northern Europe and the Dominican Republic. When describing different types of fossilization, specific qualities of the fossil are used. A two-dimensional with organic material is called compressions. The physical 3-D structure is compressed to one or two-dimensions. Peat, lignite, and coal are compressions of thick plant debris of covered mineral sediment. Impressions are two-dimensional imprints lacking organic material. If the sediment is grained, impressions may show detailed external forms of the plant. Casts and models is a three-dimensional that has a surface layer of organic material. A cast is made when sediment is deposited into cavities left by the decay of plant parts. A mold is a cavity left in the sediment by the decayed plant tissue. Molds are usually unfilled, or partly filled with sediment. Casts and molds may be found together with the cast filling the mold. Permineralizations are also three-dimensional with plant tissue being infiltrated by mineral-rich fluid. The internal structure of the plant is preserved in three dimensions. Lastly, molecular fossils are non-structural and preserves organic

The first chapter of the book discusses the way we can use fossil records to study the biological world. Fossils are one of the major lines of evidence we use to understand ourselves. Surprisingly, we are able to discover them with a high amount of precision and predictability. In particular, field paleontologists have it easier than it has ever been before due to the current information age. The physical hunt for important fossils, however, is much like it has always been. Three factors limiting the number of useful fossil sites include rock age, type (whether or not it can preserve fossils), and number of exposed rocks. So, it takes a bit of luck to reliably find fossils. Thankfully, rock

The fossils that are yet to be found in this project just very well may double the museum’s collection which is already at 3.5 million fossils. The project contains 16 fossil deposits that were recently unknown which makes us wonder how many more deposits are there left to discover (The Natural History Foundation, 2016). As technology advances and our understanding of these fossils grows it will be interesting to see what the future years will bring to the field of

(B) - The recognizable remains of a plant or animal are known as fossils. Unlike artifacts, fossils are not made by man and instead come from living things. Those who study fossils are known as paleontologists. The word “fossil” comes from the Latin word “fossilis”, which means “found by digging”.

The fossil of Tiktaalik confirmed a major prediction of paleontology in that it showed characteristics of both aquatic animals, such as fish, and land animals, such as reptiles and amphibians. While it had fins and scales, it also had a flexible neck, a flat head, and complex bone structure in its fins that correspond with the structure of the legs of terrestrial animals. Thus, it demonstrates the evolutionary transition between aquatic and terrestrial life.

First, the reading states that the breaking of fossilized leg bone revealed many small branching channels inside, which probably blood vessels. The professor counters this point by saying that the bacteria is the most probably the formed these traces of organic materials, which they are soft and moist residue.

Fossils are organisms that were once living but have now died and been preserved in sediment. Their bones can remains can tell how they lived, what they ate, and what their behavior was like. In the article titles, “Fossils: How Are They Made?”, it states that, “The remains inside the rock also turn to rock. The remains are replaced by minerals. The remains literally turn to stone.” There are also other ways an organism can be fossilized, such as being buried in tar. For example, in the La Brea Tar Pit in the city of Los Angeles, they found remains of many ancient beings such as wooly mammoths and sabertooth tigers. In the video “Death By Tar Pit” on discovery.com, it was stated that remains of over 3 million ice age fossils were found in there because they had died and their remains were preserved in the tar pit. An organism can also be fossilized by being trapped in tree sap which

Plant fossils and trilobites are often found as casts and molds. Most molds and casts do not contain the actual remains of an organism. Shells, bone, and wood often form as molds or casts. Dinosaur footprints can also be classified as mold fossils. Shells can make an imprint in sand, and under certain conditions such an imprint might be preserved and then filled in. Trace fossils can form if two conditions are met. First, the activity has to take place in a material that will hold its form (like mud or clay). Second, the evidence of the activity has to be well preserved (often by being buried quickly). Common activities that are captured in time as these conditions are met include walking and running (footprint fossils), burrowing (organisms homes can be frozen in time through petrification), and defecating. The animals speed, length of stride, and whether they walked on two or four legs. The bones structure of the foot and the stalking behavior (a carnivore hunting a herd of herbivores).The existence of dinosaur herds and stampedes. How the tail is carried (few tail tracks have been found, so tails were probably held above the ground). Speed, the length of stride and whether they walked on two or four

Now to find a fossil you grab a shovel and start digging, right? WRONG! Chances are the bones, tracks, poop or whatever else was buried really deep. So fossils are usually found when the earth quakes or erosion happens. Some weirdo might stumble upon them and call up the pros and tell them to come excavate the find.

What is the point (reason)? If you go to the beach you can find rocks that have fossils in them and you can find them in the cliff around the beach.

Why is the fossil record incomplete? Why is it important in spite of that fact? Because not every dead animal becomes a fossil - in fact the process is relatively rare compared to the number of creatures that have lived on this planet. Add to that the fact that some fossils have been lost through erosion and other processes, or are currently inaccessible, and it is hardly surprising that we do not have as complete a record as we might like. That said the existing fossil record is quite extensive. In fact, about half of current discoveries come not from new fossils, but from more thorough study of those already in possession of various

: Fossils are the remains or traces of ancient organisms which have been preserved. For example, a fossil can exist as skeletal remains or even as a footprint. Such organisms are subjected to a slow rate of decaying since they have been rapidly buried under conditions that facilitate this. It is common for fossils to occur as hard-bodied organisms as these are more resistant to environmental influences. Fossils are usually found embedded in rock. The layers of rock are of different age and makeup. Hence fossils found in one layer would vary in characteristics from those found in another layer. They can be observed and analyzed through visual as well as radiometric means so that the age and morphology can be determined. These features indicate

My outside source for questions 3 and 4 is a journal by Pat Shipman titled Fossils. This journal was published in The New Scientist Vol. 215, Issue 2876, p. 8-16.