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UNIVERSITY OF CALGARFALL 2014

GLGY 209-L02: INTRODUCTION TO GEOLOGY

FOSSILS AND FOSSILIZATION

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FOSSILS AND FOSSILIZATION

INTRODUCTION

TYPES OF FOSSILS

LIVING REALM SUBDIVISION

PALEONTOLOGY

FOSSILIZATION PROCESSES

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INTRODUCTION Fossils: These are the preserved relicts/remains and/or traces of

life forms such as animals and plants. Preserved Remains/Relicts or Traces/Imprints

Ancient Animals and Plants Bacteria cells Dinosaurs Biomarkers - unseen

Modern Classes Fossil (older than ~11,000 years)

Subfossil (younger than ~11,000 years)

Fossil Record: Documentation of life history by discovered andundiscovered fossils stored in sedimentary or stratigraphic units anrock formations

Documentation of life history Discovered and undiscovered Stratigraphic units/ rock formation

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INTRODUCTION

Fossilization: The processes by which fossils are forinvolving the alteration of organism remains, impriactivities by biological, chemical and physical changretaining the original material in some form

Fossilization Conditions Fast accumulation (prevents the organic matter dec Anoxic conditions

Absence of Oxygen in the environment Limits reaction Limited organism present

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OXIC AND ANOXIC CONDITION

Source: http://image.slidesharecdn.com/2092010-100622175116-phpapp02/95/209-20-10-2-728.jpg?cb=12772

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Types of Fossils

Fossil types They are based on attributes of original organism preserved

Actual body Imprints

Traces of activities

Body Fossils: Fossils in which a part or the whole body of organism is preserved. U

parts such as bones and shells. Soft part only preserved when there iafter death. A focus of Paleontology

Parts or whole Preserved

Usually hard parts: shells, bones, etc.

Rapid burial after death for soft parts

Studied in Paleontology

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Body Fossil: Ammonite Fossil

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Types of Fossils

Trace Fossils: Fossils in which relicts of ancient organism activities such as feeding

dwelling etc. are preserved. Focus of Paleontology and Ichnology

Relicts of activities Burrows, trails, foot prints

Studied in Paleontology and Ichnology

Chemical Fossil Chemical combination of substances produced by organism or existi

with minerals in the surround environment either during organism lits death. Focus of Geochemistry Chemical Combination

Substances produced by organism

Substances within organism

Substances from Surrounding environment

During life cycle and or after death

Studies in Geochemistry

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Trace Fossil - Mammal-like Reptile Tracks Chemical Fossil Coal- Fos

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Living Realm Subdivision

Subdivision into Kingdoms based on body plans and gmorphological features. Five major Kingdom are:

Bacteria

Protista Fungi Plantae Animalia

Kingdom Bacteria

Simplest organism on planet with a single cell callprokaryotes and no hard part, as such, only occasiofossilized

One cell organism - Prokaryotes No hard part Oldest organism and fossil Rarely fossilized Pre-existing rocks

Li i R l S bdi i i

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Living Realm Subdivision Kingdom Protisa

Organisms with single cell and well defined nuclei Eukaryotes. Some possess hard parts and can be eafossilized.

Single cell Well defined nucleus Some with internal hard parts/ external protective structure Can be fossilized easily

Kingdom Fungi Organism with multi cells with cell wall containing

well represented in modern biosphere. They range microscopic to very large ( Mushroom)

Multicellular organism Cell wall contain chitin Widespread in modern biosphere Microscopic to very large

Li i R l S bdi i i

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Living Realm Subdivision Kingdom Plantae

Organisms with multi cells capable of photosyntheslimited movement capabilities.

Multi cellular Photosynthesis capabilities Limited movement abilities Can be fossilized easily

Kingdom Animalia

Organism with multi cells and well developed movecapabilities. Some develop a vertebral column and dhigh level of intelligence.

Multicellular organism Well developed movement capabilities Some with vertebra column Many with high level of intelligence

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S bdi i i f P l t l

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Subdivisions of Paleontology Micropaleontology

The study of mostly microscopically sized fossils (Microfossils). Usuaprokaryotes and Eukaryotes. Occasionally involved specie with cm sFurther subdivision based on microfossils composition

Microscopic sized fossils Usually single cell prokaryote and eukaryotes Occasional large cm-sized species are studied Microfossils subdivisions

Calcareous Microfossils: coccolith and foraminifera

Siliceous microfossils: diatoms, radiolaria Phosphatic microfossils

Organic microfossils: Pollens and spores

Palynology The study of pollens grains and spores, which are usually microscop

organic debris and/or, parts of plant reproductive apparatus. Collectpalynomorphs. They are resistant to decomposition and produced in

Spores and pollen grains Microscopic organic debris Resistant to decomposition and well preserved

S bdi i i f P l t l

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Subdivisions of Paleontology Paleobotany

The study of plant debris from marine and continental environmthe recovery and identification of plant remains for biological rpast geological environment.

Plant remains Continental and marine environment

Reconstruction of past geologic environment

Invertebrate paleontology

Study of the fossils of multicellular organisms that do not have column. Organism that protect their bodies with shells ( e.g. gaCarapace (e.g. Trilobites). They are range to approximately 600record and flourish in both marine and continental environmen

Multicellular organism with vertebral column

Shells and carapace to protect bodies

Range to about 600 million years in record

Marine and continental environment presence

Subdivisions of Paleontology

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Subdivisions of Paleontology Vertebrate paleontology

Study of animals with a vertebral column which aremulticellular organism in the planet. The earliest m

this group or organism were found in marine envirthey evolved into continental organism.

Complex Multicellular Organism

Organisms with vertebral column

Earliest forms exclusive to marine environment

Group member Fishes

Amphibians

Reptiles

Birds

Mammals

Paleontology Related Sciences

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Paleontology Related Sciences Paleoecology

Study of ancient ecosystem involving the reconstructiohabitat or environment in which organism or commun

organism lived. Significant data for studying ancient cl Ancient ecosystem

Paleo-habitat and organism inter-relation Organism distinctive to environment

Polar Bears, Penguins Kingdom in future as fossils for polar climate

Trilobites: Marine environment from Late Cambrian to Permian ( 5

Paleobiogeography Study of the spatial relationship with the development of d

environment. Combines paleontology with paleoecology Environment distribution from distribution of particular fossils

Paleontology and Paleoecology

Paleontology Related Sciences

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Paleontology Related Sciences Biostratigraphy

Study of fossil distribution in space and time. It involves seand layer correlation based on fossil content

Dating based on fossil record Layer correlation based on fossil content

Evolutionary Paleontology Study of the ancestor-descendant relationship between fos

and correlation with events in Earth's geologic history Evolution and extinction of species

Geologic event correlation with morphology or absence of organ

Fossilization Processes

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Fossilization Processes Processes that lead to the preservation of organism hard parts (bone

soft tissues are lost through organic matter decay Preservation of organism hard parts

Common Processes include: Permineralization Recrystallization Dissolution Replacement Carbonization Metasomatosis

Source: http://www.erincolonna.com/images/foss

Fossilization Processes

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Fossilization Processes Permineralization

Formation of new minerals within the pores or cavities existing in odeath and burial. Soft tissues decay and create room for fluid which minerals. Original fossil parts are therefore preserved

Cavities and pores in organism Cavities filled with fluid after death and burial; of organism New minerals precipitated by fluids e.g. Calcium carbonate Original hard parts of organism preserved e.g. bones and woody tissues Organisms with single cell and well defined nuclei called Eukaryotes. Som

and can be easily fossilized.

Recrystallization

Partial or complete change in shell mineralogical composition after organism. Shells change to more stable minerals. Mineralogical compbut chemical composition remains the same. E.g. Aragonite (Orthorhshells in Mollusc change to calcite (Rhombohedra CaCO3)

Change in shell mineralogical composition after death of organism Unstable minerals structure to more stable mineral structure No change in chemical composition Mollusc shell change from Aragonite to Calcite after death

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ermineralizationMineralized Wood

RecrystallizationAragonite to Calci

Source: http://paleo.cortland.edu/tutorial/Taphonomy%26Pres/preservation.htm

Fossilization Processes

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Fossilization Processes Dissolution

The dissolution of fossil shell or carapace by fluid flowing through rothe creation of voids or empty spaces in rocks and the preservation ofeatures (Mold) and the external features (Cast) of the shell, valve or

Dissolution of fossils shell embedded in rocks

Creation of void or empty spaces

Preservation of internal feature of shell

Preservation of external feature of shell

Replacement

The precipitation of new minerals in the empty spaces resulting froexample is pyritization when pyrite is precipitated in the empty spacdissolution

Dissolution spaces

Precipitation of new minerals

Replacement- Pyritized Ammonite

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Replacement Pyritized Ammonite

Dissolution- Cast and Mold i

htt :// aleo.cortland.edu/tutorial/Ta honom %26Pres/Ta h%26P

Fossilization Processes

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Fossilization Processes Carbonization

Death and rapid burial of plants and invertebrate fossils deep into thhigher pressure and temperature and chemically reactive fluids leadexpulsion of elements ( e.g. Nitrogen, oxygen, sulphur, etc.) until on

remains Death of organism

Rapid burial under high pressure, high temperature and chemical reactive flui

Expulsion of elements

Only carbon is left behind

Further burials lead to graphite formation

Metasomatism The complete replacement of chemical and mineralogical compositio

under the action of highly reactive and concentrated fluid at the Earthe subsurface leading to the preservation of finer structures

Complete replacement or mineralogical and chemical composition of fossils

At the surface and the Subsurface of the earth

Preservation of finer structures of fossils

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Carbonization- Fossilized Leaves

Source: http://paleo.cortland.edu/tutorial/Taphonomy%26Pres/preservation.htm

SOFT TISSUE FOSSILIZATION

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SOFT TISSUE FOSSILIZATION

Congealment Preservation of body structure almost intact

High Latitudes

Very low temperature Woolly Mammoth from Siberia Russia

Dehydration (mummification) Warm and Arid Climate

Loss of water rapidly

Burial under sediments Fossilization in Amber

Fossilization in Coal Tar

Impregnation

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QUESTIONS ????