Sampling Techniques + Extinction Events + Introduction to Past Ecosystems Flashcards
What is the effect of an environment changing because of selection pressures?
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What is paleantology?
the study of fossils
What is the basis of paleantological evidence?
based on fossil evidence
at are fossils?
fossils are the remain or traces of living things that have been trapped in sediments, coal, tar, amber or frozen in ice
What is the use of a fossil record?
they tell the story of past changes and the evolution of species over millions of years
How can you prove past changes in ecosystems?
using palaeontological and geological evidence
How is a fossil formed?
the organism must die and be rapidly trapped in a substance (like sediment) so that decomposition or destrcution for not occur
How can the same type of fossil be found in two different countries?
Continental Drift. Land that was once connected has split apart over time
Where do we get most of our understanding of past ecosystems?
by studying rocks in the Earth’s crust
