INTRO TO PALAEOBIOLOGY

Question 1

Process of finding a fossil

Answer 1

• Collect fossil in the field (sedementary rocks)
• Prepare fossil in the lab
• Examine fossil and describe in monograph
• Analyse fossil
• Interpret fossil

Question 2

Collect fossils in the field: How do new fields become available?

Answer 2

New field sites are continuously appearing:

• e.g. coastal erosion
• New regions become open to study e.g. china

Question 3

How to prepare fossils in the lab?

Answer 3

• Acid etching
• Used to dissolve limestone

Question 4

How to analyse a fossil

Answer 4

Microscopy:

• Synchrontron & CT scanning
• Finite strain analysis / Geochemical analysis

Question 5

Interpreting a fossil

Answer 5

Based on modern biological thinking

Question 6

Pre - 1750’s

The historical development of the science of palaeontology

Answer 6

Galileo was one of the first to say that fossils are the remains of organisms that once lived.

Question 7

1859

The historical development of the science of palaeontology

Answer 7

Darwin/Wallace propose evolutionary theory (speciation)

Darwin thought the fossil record didn’t support evolution.

Question 7

1750’s - present

The historical development of the science of palaeontology

Answer 7

Realisation that earth is very old

Question 7

Pre-1859

The historical development of the science of palaeontology

Answer 7

Different organisms lived in the past (?extinction)

Question 8

1900’s

The historical development of the science of palaeontology

Answer 8

Medel’s work was rediscovered

Palaeontology was pushed aside when the study of genetics took over

Question 9

1930’s

The historical development of the science of palaeontology

Answer 9

Neo-Darwinain Evolution (the modern synthesis)

Question 10

1960’s

The historical development of the science of palaeontology

Answer 10

Plate tectonics

• people realised that continents mvoe around the planet.
• fossils found in Africa are also found in South America because they were once joined.

Question 11

1972 - the punctuated equlilibrium model

Answer 11

• Stephen jay gould and Niles Eldregdge.
• Went against Darwin’s idea that evolution was a slow continuous process. Turning point for palaeontology.
• Periods of stasis

Question 12

1970’s-1980’s: The claudistics revolution

Answer 12

A way of studying phylogenies
(classification)

Question 13

1980’s: Reality of mass extiction

Answer 13

• Discovery of radioactive material - asteroid that caused mass extiction.
• Realisation that there has been 5 mass extictions in earths history

Question 14

1990’s +: The reality of past, present and future global change

Answer 14

Previously thought that earths climate was stable - realisation that there is constant large changes.

Question 15

2000+: Molecular biology

Answer 15

• Evo-Devo and the pattern of life
• Molecular biology development has been huge.

Question 16

What is Palaeobiology?

Answer 16

Recoupling of palaeontology and biology

Question 17

What are fossils?

Answer 17

• The remains of any past living organim
• Trace fossils e.g. footprints etc
• Chemical fossils

Question 18

What dominates the dinosaur fossil record?

Answer 18

• Disarticulated, solitary, dispersed bones and teeth.
• Occasionally partial or complete articulated skeletons are found allowing us to know where body parts go and what they are

Question 19

How to reconstruct a dinosaur fossil from partial remains?

Answer 19

• Skeletons can be reconstructed from several different individuals
• Using evidence from articulated skeletons and our anatomical knowledge
• Then reconstruct “flesh up” the animal based on anatomical knowledge
• Use computer and engineering techniques to work out capability of animal.
• Can mechanically work out the force of the animal - bite, movement etc

Question 20

What is the nearest living relative approach
?

Answer 20

• Dinosaurs offer a conundrum as they are completely extinct - crocodile are closest living relative (but occupy a different niche)
• E.g. Brachiopod still exsist today but no living dinosaur.
• Birds are sister group but still far away

Question 21

What do trace fossils show?

Answer 21

Footprints - can allow knowledge of the size and pace etc of the animal

Question 22

What can a fossil stomach content show us?

Answer 22

• What their diet was.
• Hadrosaurs (duck-billed) dinosaur stomach content fossil with conifir leaves - showed they stripped conifirs for food.

Question 23

What are Coprolites and what do they show?

Answer 23

• Fossilised poo
• Full of bacteria
• Quite common
• If buried, phosphorus allows the preservation
• Hard to know which dinosaur produced the coprolites.

Question 24

Soft tissue fossils

Answer 24

• Skin (occasional acceptional preservation)
• Fast preservation in an anaerobic environment
• Not much for dinosaurs

Question 25

What can Fossilised eggs show us ?

Answer 25

• Species that buried their eggs in nests - lots of preserved eggs.
• Gives some evidence of behaviour - did they give parental care etc
• Some eggs contain preserved embryos.

Question 26

Feathers

Answer 26

• Modified scales.
• Was discovered in Chinese specimens.
• Feathers do not preserve well.

Question 27

Fossil Proteins and DNA?

Answer 27

No dinosaur DNA (yet)

Question 28

What are Gastroliths?

Answer 28

• Gastroliths - some birds/crocs swallow stones to help break up food.
• Dinosaurs also did this - worn like pebbles.