Lecture 1

Question 1

Paleontology definition

Answer 1

Study of ancient creatures

Question 2

Paleontology meaning

Answer 2

Analysis of the fossilized remains and traces of organism

Question 3

What disciplines are paleontology a part of?

Answer 3

Halfway between Biology and Geology

Question 4

Definition or fossils

Answer 4

Obtained by digging

Question 5

Meaning of fossils

Answer 5

Remains or impressions of life forms are preserved thanks to favourable preservation conditions or because of their resistance to chemical or mechanical degradation

Question 6

What kinds of things can be included by the term fossils that may not be as intuitive?

Answer 6

Evidence of the behaviour of animals, even if the body parts are not preserved

Question 7

Name 4 reasons for the development of palontology

Answer 7

Geological mapping
Evolution
Museums
Geological surveys

Question 8

Explain geological surveys as a reason for the development of paleontology

Answer 8

Government surveys in Canada and the US carried out much important paleontological research, documenting the fossils of North America
Key application of fossils to mapping, dating rocks

Question 9

BC

Answer 9

Before Christ

Question 10

BC meaning

Answer 10

Counting backwards from Jesus’ birth

Question 11

AD

Answer 11

Anno Domini

Question 12

AD meaning

Answer 12

“In the year of our Lord”
Counting forwards

Question 13

CE

Answer 13

Common Era

Question 14

BCE

Answer 14

Before Common Era

Question 15

BP

Answer 15

Before Present

Question 16

BP meaning

Answer 16

Before 1950

Question 17

Years ago

Answer 17

From “now” backwards

Question 18

Phanerozoic time divisions

Answer 18

Paleozoic
Mesozoic
Cenozoic

Question 19

Paleozoic time divisions

Answer 19

Permian
Pennsylvanian
Mississippian
Devonian
Silurian
Ordovician
Cambrian

Question 20

Mesozoic time divisions

Answer 20

Cretaceous
Jurassic
Triassic

Question 21

Cenozoic time divisions

Answer 21

Holocene
Pleistocene
Pliocene
Miocene
Oligocene
Eocene
Paleocene

Question 22

Phanerozoic time divisions

Answer 22

Quaternary
Tertiary
Cretaceous
Jurassic
Triassic
Permian
Pennsylvanian
Mississippian
Devonian
Silurian
Ordovician
Cambrian

Question 23

Taxonomy

Answer 23

Classification of fossil and modern animals into ordered and natural groupings

Question 24

Name the 3 sub-divisions of paleontology

Answer 24

Paleoenvironments
Geochronology
Paleozoology & paleobotany

Question 25

Name the 3 sub-classes of paleoenvironments

Answer 25

Biomolecular paleontology Paleobiogeography Paleoecology

Question 26

Name the 2 sub-classes of geochronology

Answer 26

Geochronometry Biostratigraphy

Question 27

Name the three sub-classes of paleozoology & paleobotany

Answer 27

Functional morphology Growth and form Evolution theory

Question 28

Applications of paleontology

Answer 28

Understanding of the history and evolution of life Determining the age and depositional environment of sedimentary rocks Reconstruction of Earth's history and climate Geological mapping Prospecting for petroleum and minerals (using info on age and environment) Understanding of petroleum deposits Education, entertainment

Question 29

What does soft parts refer to?

Answer 29

Organic matter

Question 30

What does hard parts refer to?

Answer 30

Biomineralized, e.g., skeleton, shell

Question 31

What has higher preservation potential? Examples?

Answer 31

Hard parts E.g., calcite, silica/opal, tricalcium phosphate, chirin, sporopollenin

Question 32

What 3 factors does fossilization depend on?

Answer 32

Chemical nature of the organisms Physical robustness of the structures Taphonomic processes undergone by the remains

Question 33

Taphonomy

Answer 33

The study of post-mortem alteration processes

Question 34

Biostratinomy

Answer 34

Processes that occur from death to burial

Question 35

Names of processes involved in biostratinomy

Answer 35

Biological and chemical processes Mechanical processes

Question 36

Examples of biological and chemical processes involved in biostratinomy

Answer 36

Scavenging, early decomposition

Question 37

What kind of environment allows better preservation? Why? Caveats?

Answer 37

Anoxic or hypoxic environment Because it inhibits decaying activities by aerobic decomposers However, does not completely inhibit degradation (there are some anaerobic decomposers)

Question 38

Examples of mechanical processes involved in biostratinomy

Answer 38

Disarticulation, abrasion, transport, dislocation, fragmentation, etc.

Question 39

Abrasion

Answer 39

Progressive wear associated with transport, typically by waves or currents

Question 40

Fossil diagenesis

Answer 40

Processes that occur following burial

Question 41

Names of processes involved in fossil diagenesis

Answer 41

Lithification Remineralization

Question 42

Examples of processes involved in lithification

Answer 42

Compaction, cementation

Question 43

How is preservation improved generally?

Answer 43

If time is reduced between death, and isolation from oxygen and decaying organisms

Question 44

Fossilization is much more likely to occur under water in places where:

Answer 44

Oxygen is depleted Water movement is reduced Fine sediment is being regularly deposited