Index Fossils Research Paper

Fossils grant us opportunity of understanding about species which no longer exist on Earth- that are extinct. The prehistoric remains inform us about plants and

In the following space, explain the role of fossils in developing the Geologic column. Your explanation must be between 200 and 300 words.

Ichnology, the study of trace fossils, is the principal study in following and learning about trace fossils and how these fossil types indicate habitats. Ichnologists can use trace fossils, such as a track way and walking patterns of dinosaurs, to determine the specific area a dinosaur walked on, which can express a dinosaur species preferred habitat. By examining sedimentary layers and structures, ichnologists can use fossilized tracks to determine what specific habitat a species of dinosaur lived in. The use of uniformitarianism can be used to conclude what specific environment a dinosaur lived in through sedimentary structures. Ichnology uses tracks to determine what habitat a dinosaur inhabited by the pattern that a dinosaur walked in. With nests, Ichnologists can use information to determine what habitat a species of dinosaur lived in to ensure a safe environment for the eggs. Ichnologists can determine if a species of dinosaur stayed in a specific environment by studying the walking patterns of track ways and the indications of dinosaur nests. Ichnologists use track ways and nests to determine preferred habitats due to a plethora of trace fossils that a species of dinosaur can make in its

From both the title of the chapter and the introduction by Dr. Shubin, this chapter begins with a focus on teeth. Because the function of teeth is to break down food before it enters the esophagus, the different shapes of teeth can represent many different things about the organism it belongs to including what type of eater it was (carnivore, herbivore, or omnivore). Teeth are the hardest tissue (not bone) in the human body and therefore fossilize well. As Dr. Shubin stated in chapter one, there must be many points that permit a fossil to make any kind of scientific conclusion. Obviously, the state of their presence is important, so the fact that teeth preserve well allows for them to be great specimens for analysis. Dr. Shubin and his team analyzed fossilized teeth in areas as different as Nova Scotia and the Arizona desert. Studying different fossils in these diverse regions allowed the team to see that mammalian and reptilian teeth are very different. For example, mammalian teeth differ from organism to organism to fit with the organisms need (Cheetahs that eat only meat will have different teeth than deer who are herbivores) and are replaced only once in the lifetime of the organism while reptilian teeth are usually sharp and are constantly replaced if damaged. These differences allowed scientists to characterize fossils as either a reptile or a mammal. Similar to Tiktaalik discussed in chapter one, the discovery of fossils that were part reptile and part mammal allowed the researchers to see that mammals evolved from reptiles, and further supported the theory of evolution. Further studies yielded even more

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

They chose the time period of 375 million year old rocks because they thought that it was an ideal age to check the transition. They were only able to find fish found in 380 million year old rock and the animals with limbs in 365 million year old rocks. Sedimentary rocks are ideal because they are made due to the turns of the river, ocean and lakes. This is the place where fishes and animals are ideal to live and survive upon. Also the environment, in which they are made, doesn’t destroy the fossils and they preserve them. In 2004, the fossils were found on Ellesmere Island in Northern Canada. This location was chosen because this is the place where there are no humans or roads or any disturbance that would forbid them to dig anywhere they want.

_______8. In horizontal layers, the oldest rock is at the bottom, and youngest rock at the top layers.

Fossil preservation has always been the most accurate way to determine what species lived during a specific time period. Through correlations and radiometric dating, time periods

A Fossil-Lagerstätten is an undisturbed fossil accumulation in which fossils are exceptionally preserved. There are two types of fossil lagerstätten: Concentration Lagerstätten (Konzentrat-Lagerstätten) and Conservation Lagerstätten (Konservat-Lagerstätten). Concentration Lagerstätten are deposits of an immense number of preserved fossils, whereas Conservation Lagerstätten are the preservation of fossils in terms of quality rather than quantity (Nudds and Selden, 2008). There might be few fossils in the rock strata, however, the preservation of these are exemplary. There are many outcropping areas on Earth in which fossils are preserved like this. One example of a group of strata that has retained fossils in this way is the Crato Formation.

The author and his colleagues chose to focus on 375 million year old rocks in their search for fossils because amphibians that look dissimilar to fish were discovered in 365 million year old rocks, while fish without amphibian characteristics were discovered in 385 million year old rocks. Thus, it is possible that the evolutionary intermediary, or the “missing link” between fish and amphibians, would be discovered in 375 million year old rocks, between the two time periods. The rocks examined were sedimentary in composition, as the gradual and relatively gentle formation of sedimentary rock under conditions of mild pressure and low heat are conducive to the fossilization of animal remains. Sedimentary rock is also often formed in rivers and seas, where animals are likely to live. This site provides a resource that describes means by which fossils are formed and how the fossil record may be interpreted, and shows some examples of fossils demonstrating evolution through geological periods: http://www.fossilmuseum.net/fossilrecord.htm. In 2004, Shubin and his colleagues were looking for fossils on Ellesmere Island, in northern Canada. This location was chosen because of its lack of human development, as well as of obstructing natural formations and life forms such as trees, which

Analyzing fossils is a difficult task. Fossils are the most important resources for scientists when it comes to researching about prehistoric life. Their information can educate society about their past.

: 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

Macrofossils and ichnofossils can be used to generate reconstructions of ancient environments based on the nature of preservation. Both of these allow us to interpret different aspects of the environment the fossils were preserved in and its controls, however advantages and disadvantages of each must be considered so that the data collected is treated with the appropriate caution. Macrofossils, ranging from bones to shells, with exceptional preservation allowing for the analysis of soft tissues, focuses on the analysis of the organism itself to interpret the conditions that it lived in, whereas ichnofossils, or trace fossils as they are more commonly known, provide a more useful indicator as to how the organism lived in its environment.

Fossils can provide us with a great deal of information about the past. They can also help us to understand the present.

Digging for fossils is no easy task, especially out in the wilderness where home is a tents and there is no boundary between you and the wild. It is magnificent to work in nature, but also humbling. The first lesson that I - and all young scientists- must learn is patience. Finding fossils is slow work, we will often spend hours hiking to find one