Lecture 4 - How are fossils made?

Question 1

Paleontologist

Answer 1

A person who studies ancient life
Not all paleontologists study dinos

Question 2

Fossil

Answer 2

Any evidence of life preserved in the rock record

Question 3

Body fossils

Answer 3

Bones, teeth, skin

Question 4

Trace fossils

Answer 4

Evidence of their day to day activities
Footprints. trails, or burrows

Question 5

Taphonomy

Answer 5

Study of the processes b/w death and discovery

Question 6

Rapid burials protects organisms from

Answer 6

mechanical and biological breakdown

Question 7

Natural burial occurs where there is a lot of sediments being depositied give examples

Answer 7

Sea floor - shallow photic zone has higher rates of sedimentation
Rivers/lakes
Flood plains

Question 8

3 things that fossils need to be protected from

Answer 8

Scavengers - break up skeleton and eat the bones
Transportation
Decomposition

Question 9

What are the 4 types of preservation styles in single animal

Answer 9

Articulated skeletons
Partially articulated and associated skeletons
Disarticualted skeletons
Isolate bones (most common)

Question 10

two types of preservation styles for multiple animals

Answer 10

Bonebeds
Microvertebrates

Question 11

Bones are usually ___ or ___ in bonebeds

Answer 11

Disarticulated or associated

Question 12

Bone beds are often caused by

Answer 12

mass death

Question 13

Microvertebrate sites

Answer 13

Concentrations of small isolated bones bone fragments caused by the movement of water

Question 14

3 methods of unaltered remians

Answer 14

Freeze
Jerkify
Cover it in something sticky (encasement)

Question 15

Altered remains

Answer 15

Replace it (Original bone or shell is dissolved and another mineral takes its place)
Permineralization (fill in the void)
Petrify it