Transcript Fossils - Haiku Learning

Fossils
…old dead stuff…
Fossils
Fossil
The remains or evidence of plants or animals
that lived long ago.
Paleontology
The study of fossils
Fossils
Why Study Fossils?
Indicators of past environment
Are Fossils reliable or biased indicators?
Animals with hard parts are more likely to be
preserved
• Insects-- most common animal life form -- only 1% of
fossils
• Some animals are mostly water - jellyfish
Fossilization
Preservation
Mummification
• Drying out (often in desert environments)
Freezing
• In arctic regions or high altitude
image
Trapping
• Amber (tree sap) or Tar
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Petrification (turning to stone)
• Minerals replace animal parts
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Trace Fossils
Imprints
Animal tracks, footprints, or burrows
Plant part imprints
image
Molds
Empty space left by plant or animal part
Casts
Mud, sand, or mineral fills mold and makes a cast
• Coprolites -- Fossilized animal poop
GUIDE or INDEX fossils
Characteristics
• Widespread
• Abundant
• Short Geologic Range
FOSSILS IN SOUTHEAST
Aurora, NC – 20-40 MYO
Decaying bacteria and sea creatures –
phosphate sand
COKE, food preservative
Siler City/Sanford area
Triassic period – great plant fossils
Seashells on the mountaintop
Coral reefs of KY
Freezing and Mummification
Animal Trapping
Amber
Tar Pit
Dinosaur National Monument
Fossil Tracks
Animal Tracks