ANTH 3-1 Flashcards
Lacustrine
lake
colluvial
landslide
eolian
wind
alluvial
river
Let’s say you found a fossil in some lacustrine sediments. Which conclusion can you reasonably draw from this?
The fossil animal you found was deposited in a lake and buried by lake sediments
Paleomagnetism
When the earth’s magnetic polarity flipped
OSL
When sediments were buried and no longer exposed to light
Carbon-14
When a living organism died
Argon-Argon
Volcanic Eruptions
The _________ of a fossil is extremely important in understanding the extinct organism’s behaviors when it was alive.
Context
The study of how living organisms interact with one another and their environment is known as _________, while the study of these relationships in the past is known as _______.
Ecology
Paleoecology
Humans practice the full range of mating systems, including monogamy, polyandry, polygyny, and polygynandry.
True
In gelada monkeys, males are substantially larger than females, with large canines, manes of long hair, and bright red coloration on their chests. These visual differences between males and females in this species are a result of what?
Sexually selected traits for male-male competition and display.
Paleontology
The study of the history of life on earth
as it is preserved in fossils (plants, animals, microbes, etc.)
Archaeology
The study of humans in the past and present through the physical evidence of their behavior (including material culture).
What is the key main difference in
focus between these fields?
Paleontology: All life
Archeology: Specifically, humans
Paleoanthropology
The study of human evolution through fossil and archaeological records.
Can paleontology be used to study
human evolution and behavior?
yes
Fossils
are the preserved remains of plants and animals
- Two types of fossils:
- body fossils
- trace fossils
fossilization
Fossils are formed after an animal dies,
decomposes and is covered in sediment.
Unfavorable Conditions
- Weathering (sunlight, rain)
- Consumption and trampling by animals
- Acidic soil
- Geologically active localities
favorable conditions
- Rapid Burial
- Fine-grained sediment,
airborne or from still
water environments
Do most things fossilize?
No, only a tiny fraction of organisms
