Getting into the Fossil Record Flashcards
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What are the five kinds of trace fossils?
Burrows, coprolites, tracks, trails, nests, and footprints
How did the walnut become a fossil?
The walnut was mineralized, which means minerals carried in water build up in the spaces of an organism eventually.
What happened to the mammoth?
The mammoth froze quickly and preserved in ice, before decomposition, weather, or other processes could destroy it.
Why are the mouse and jellyfish being compared?
The mouse and the jellyfish are being compared in order to explain how hard parts, such as bones and teeth, are more readily preserved in the fossil record than soft tissue.
Why is it difficult for an organism living in the rainforest to become a fossil?
It is difficult for an organism living in a rainforest to become fossilized. The large amount of rain throughout the year causes rapid decay of dead organisms. Also, many scavengers and decomposers work quickly to break down the tissues and structures of rain forest life.
What are two reasons why many organisms never become part of the fossil record?
Not all organisms are equally protected from destruction after death, are made of structures that fossilize well, or die in environments that are likely to lead to fossilization.
What are two ways that geologic processes can destroy a fossil?
A fossil can be destroyed or altered when it is melted, crushed, moved, or eroded.
Why isn’t igneous rock a good place to look for fossils?
Fossils are rarely found in igneous rock because the extreme temperatures would destroy any organism caught in a lava flow.
Find the map of Montana. What are two things to keep in mind when you are looking for a fossil like T. rex? What do the colors and letters represent?
You need to look for rock that is the right type (sedimentary) and the right age (Mesozoic). The colors and letters represent the different ages and types of rocks.
Abiotic/Physical Factors
non-living factors such as erosion, wind, and sun exposure
Benthic
Living at the bottom of the ocean or the ocean floor
Biological/Biotic Factors
living factors such as decomposers, scavengers, and predators
Body Fossil
body parts of organisms that become fossils, such as bone, teeth, skin, leaves, tree trunks.
Cast
fossils formed when water containing minerals leaks into a mold. The minerals haden to form a copy of the original structure or organism
Compression
fossils formed when an organism is flattened (compressed), leaving a dark stain in the rock.
Coprolite
fossilized feces
Decomposer
an organism that breaks down the tissue and/or structures of dead organisms
Erosion
weathering or wearing away of rock and earth (and any fossils they contain) caused by wind, sun, and/or water
Fossil
The natural remains or traces of past life. Something is considered to be a fossil if it is at least 10,000 years old.
Fossil Record
ALL of the fossils that have existed throughout life’s history, whether they have been found or not.
Geologic Maps
maps that show the types and ages of rock of an area. These maps are used by paleontologists to find areas that are likely to contain fossils they are interested in.
Groundwater
Water found underground as a result of rainfall, ice and snow melt, submerged rivers, lakes, and springs
Ichnology
The study of trace fossils
Igneous Rock
Type of rock produced when molten magma (lava) cools and solidifies
Impression
Fossilized prints or marks made by a living thing. Leaf prints, skin prints, and footprints are good examples.
Inorganic
Something that is not organic
Intertidal
The coastal zone between the low and high tide mark where waves impact the land
Macroscopic
objects or organisms that are large enough to be seen with the naked eye
Metamorphic Rock
Rock produced when any type of rock is changed by heat, pressure, and chemical activity in the Earth
Microscopic
objects or organisms that are too small to be seen with the naked eye.
Mineralization
The process of replacing any organism’s original material with a mineral.
Mold
The impression of an organism left behind in the rock
Organic
containing carbon. Also refers to characteristic features of living things
Paleontology
The study of life in the past
Paleontologists
people who study fossils and other types of evidence to learn about life in the past.
Plate tectonics
The concept that explains the movement of the Earth’s crustal plates, sea floor spreading, and a number of other geologic processes of the Earth’s surface
Permineralized
fossilization process that occurs when minerals, carried by groundwater, enter and harden in the pores of an organism’s structures.
Replacement
fossilization process that occurs when an organism is completely decomposed and replaced by minerals.
Rock Cycle
The process through which one type of rock (igneous, sedimentary, or metamorphic) is converted into another
Scavenger
An organism that feeds on dead and dying organism
Sedimentary Rock
Rock that is formed when layers of small particles (sediment) are compressed and cemented together
Trace fossil
Evidence left by organisms, such as burrows, imprints, coprolites, or footprints
Uplift
The process that causes part of the Earth’s crust to rise above surrounding areas. This can cause layers of rock to become exposed at the surface.
