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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
Source: https://reader010.{domain}/reader010/html5/0605/5b15e830e08ab/5b15e835702ae.jpg
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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
Source: https://e ncrypted- tbn1.gstati c.com/imag es?q=tbn:AN d9GcQL_clZN93GY gEljNHzybcVTo LUur887hk7RjOHnAQ1DN56ZtY BSWluzTcv Source: https://en crypted-t bn0.gstatic .com/imag es?q=tbn:AN d9GcQs4qiqd3v6xiQUV7
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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 ????