CHAPTER 2

Question 1

Taphonomy

Answer 1

The study of all natural processes that involve an organism after it dies.

Question 2

explain BLOAT-AND-FLOAT

Answer 2

shirty after death, the body will swell up with putrid gases, this can cause the carcass to float easily and to be transported by shallow and weakly water.

Question 3

plastic deformation

Answer 3

occurs when pressure causes the shape of the fossil to be changed so that when the pressure is later removed, the fossil does not return to its original shape.

Question 4

where is fossilization most common, and why?

Answer 4

In wet environments, cuz a fossil needs to be buried, most common burial is when water washes sand or mud over a body.

Question 5

Fluvial deposits

Answer 5

sediments transported and deposited in river or streams.

Question 6

animals that died and were preserves in lakes are called _____

Answer 6

Lacustrine deposite

Question 7

sedimentary rock

Answer 7

rocks that form when mineral and organic particles accumulate and become either cemented or compacted together.

Question 8

igneous rock

Answer 8

rocks which form from magma or cooled lava.

Question 9

metamorphic rock

Answer 9

when sedimentary or igneous rocks are changed by heat or pressure.

Question 10

mudstone and shale

Answer 10

sedimentary rocks that form from mud and silt

Question 11

sandstone

Answer 11

sedimentary rocks that from from sand

Question 12

coal

Answer 12

sedimentary rock that from from compressed remains of plants.

Question 13

what can coal indicate

Answer 13

a former swampy environment

Question 14

preservation styles

Answer 14

the many different ways a fossil forms.

Question 15

permineralization

Answer 15

occurs when empty internal spaces of a one are filled with minerals. these minerals first dissolve in water and then are deposited into the empty spaces of the bone.

Question 16

replacement

Answer 16

occurs when the original bone gradually decays and minerals fill the space that the bone once occupied.

Question 17

badlands

Answer 17

modern environments that are covered with considerable erosion, and where vegetation is sparse, ad large expanses of sedimentary rock is exposed.

Question 18

what is the first step in excavation of a large fossil

Answer 18

removing the overburden

Question 19

overbruden

Answer 19

the rock and earth that covers a fossil and must be removed. removed using indelicate tools like shovels.

Question 20

bonebeds

Answer 20

accumulations of bones of many dinosaurs

Question 21

disarticulation

Answer 21

when parts of the skeleton are separated.

Question 22

what may cause disarticulation

Answer 22

occur as. carnivores eat the carcass, or because it was transported by water.

Question 23

orientation

Answer 23

long bones that are aligned in the same direction indicate that the bones were transported by water.

Question 24

abrasion

Answer 24

(process of waring and scraping) gives a relative sense for how far the bones may have been transported by flowing water or tooth marks (means carnivore’s fed on carcass)

Question 25

where is fossilization more common in terms of elevations and why?

Answer 25

low elevations where water can bring in mud and sand and allow it to build up

Question 26

why is fossilization worse in high elevations?

Answer 26

because sand and mud are often carried away from erosion bemire they can build up and cover/protect a body.

Question 27

why is it easier to preserve soft tissue and hair like feathers in water.

Answer 27

• Because very little water movement to disrupt the skeleton

- sediments laid down in the lakes are very fine grained, making it easier to preserve feather impressions.

Question 28

why don’t we find dinosaurs in sediments representing ancient deserts?
And if there is how does that happen?

Answer 28

because there isn’t enough sediment being deposited to preserve the skeleton.

If there is a Dino found most likely due to Aeolian or wind based deposits

Question 29

Sedimentology

Answer 29

The science of how sedimentary rocks form.

Question 30

what can be a clue to learning about the habitat of the fossil organism?

Answer 30

understanding environmental conditions that led to the formation of sedimentary rocks

Question 31

what are reasons why a fossil may be destroyed or not found by a palaeontologist?

Answer 31

they could have melted or metamorphosed by geological processes deep within the earth or have eroded away to dust on earth surface.

or they could have been buried too deep.

Question 32

what are geologic maps used for ?

Answer 32

To identify locations where there are exposures of sedimentary rocks that are the right age to contain fossils.

Question 33

what is the ideal dinosaur skeleton or fossil?

Answer 33

one that has been freshly or only just nearly exposed above ground.

Question 34

Why is it important to map the relative locations and positions of fossils?

Answer 34

mapping the relative positions of bones may help in putting the skeleton back together, and give taphonomic clues.

Question 35

what does long limb bones that share an orientation mean?

Answer 35

means that the bones were carried by a strong river and that this river oriented the limb bones in line with its current.

Question 36

How are individual map sheets used?

Answer 36

individual map sheets are combined and digitized to form a map of the entire Dino bone bed.

Question 37

what do Individual map sheets allow for us to understand ?

Answer 37

allows us to understand the distribution of different bones within the quarry:

• whether or not small bones are found together or mixed in with larger bones
• If the long bones are aligned in the same direction
• if the bones are articulated together still.

Question 38

what does the palaeontologist do once the overburden is removed ?

Answer 38

they map out the fossil, and then it’s ready to be dug up.

Question 39

steps to procedure after the fossil has been dug up.

Answer 39

1) protect the bone by wrapping it in layers of protective material.
2) covered by strips of burlap that have been soaked in plaster. which forms a jacket, not opened until arrived to the lab.
3) once at the lab, special glues are applied to the fossil to strengthen it.
4) the final work on removing the surrounding rock takes place in the lab.

Question 40

where does removing the last of the surrounding rock around the fossil.

Answer 40

In the lab.

Question 41

name all of the types of sedimentary rocks.

Answer 41

• mudstone and shale
• limestone
• sandstone
• coal

Question 42

which rock are almost all fossils found in

Answer 42

sedimentary rocks, few fossils have exceptions.

Question 43

what do large deposits of mudstone and shale indicate ?

Answer 43

can indicate former lake bottom environment.

Question 44

what do large deposits of sand stone indicate?

Answer 44

indicate former beach river channel, or coastal environment.

Question 45

what do large deposits of coal indicate?

Answer 45

inside a former swampy environment.

Question 46

what are the two preservation styles most fossils from through?

Answer 46

permineralization and replacement.

Question 47

what tools are used to remove overburden ?

Answer 47

large indelicate tools like picks, hammers, shovels.