UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY

FALL 2014
GLGY 209-L02: INTRODUCTION TO GEOLOGY
FOSSILS AND FOSSILIZATION

FOSSILS AND FOSSILIZATION

INTRODUCTION
TYPES OF FOSSILS
LIVING REALM SUBDIVISION
PALEONTOLOGY
FOSSILIZATION PROCESSES

INTRODUCTION

Fossils: These are the preserved relicts/remains

life forms such as animals and plants.
Preserved
Remains/Relicts or Traces/Imprints
Ancient Animals and Plants

and/or traces of ancient

Bacteria cells
Dinosaurs
Biomarkers - unseen

Modern Classes

Fossil (older than ~11,000 years)

Subfossil (younger than ~11,000 years)

Fossil Record: Documentation of life history by discovered and

undiscovered fossils stored in sedimentary or stratigraphic units and other

rock formations
Documentation of life history
Discovered and undiscovered
Stratigraphic units/ rock formation

INTRODUCTION
Fossilization: The processes by which fossils are formed
involving the alteration of organism remains, imprints and
activities by biological, chemical and physical changes
retaining the original material in some form
Fossilization Conditions

Fast accumulation (prevents the organic matter decay)

Anoxic conditions
Absence of Oxygen in the environment
Limits reaction
Limited organism present

OXIC AND ANOXIC CONDITION

Source: http://image.slidesharecdn.com/2092010-100622175116-phpapp02/95/209-20-10-2-728.jpg?cb=1277247172

Types of Fossils
Fossil types
They are based on attributes of original organism preserved
Actual body
Imprints
Traces of activities

Body Fossils:
Fossils in which a part or the whole body of organism is preserved. Usually the hard
parts such as bones and shells. Soft part only preserved when there is rapid burial
after death. A focus of Paleontology

Parts or whole Preserved

Usually hard parts: shells, bones, etc.
Rapid burial after death for soft parts
Studied in Paleontology

Body Fossil: Ammonite Fossil

Source: http://www.angelfire.com/fossilweb/shell.jpg

Types of Fossils
Trace Fossils:

Fossils in which relicts of ancient organism activities such as feeding, movement,

dwelling etc. are preserved. Focus of Paleontology and Ichnology
Relicts of activities
Burrows, trails, foot prints
Studied in Paleontology and Ichnology

Chemical Fossil

Chemical combination of substances produced by organism or existing in its body

with minerals in the surround environment either during organism life cycle or after
its death. Focus of Geochemistry
Chemical Combination
Substances produced by organism
Substances within organism
Substances from Surrounding environment

During life cycle and or after death

Studies in Geochemistry

Trace Fossil - Mammal-like Reptile Tracks Chemical Fossil Coal- Fossilized Plants

Source: https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQL_clZN93GYgEljNHzybcVToLUur887hk7RjOHnAQ1DN56ZtYBSWluzTcv

Source: https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQs4qiqd3v6xiQUV7ta3GXsGtITsrMYa9KJuTg7abaaMtcv-weqPFvvthU

Living Realm Subdivision

Subdivision into Kingdoms based on body plans and general
morphological features. Five major Kingdom are:

Bacteria
Protista
Fungi
Plantae
Animalia

Kingdom Bacteria
Simplest organism on planet with a single cell called
prokaryotes and no hard part, as such, only occasional
fossilized

One cell organism - Prokaryotes

No hard part
Oldest organism and fossil
Rarely fossilized
Pre-existing rocks

Living Realm Subdivision

Kingdom Protisa
Organisms with single cell and well defined nuclei called
Eukaryotes. Some possess hard parts and can be easily
fossilized.

Single cell
Well defined nucleus
Some with internal hard parts/ external protective structure
Can be fossilized easily

Kingdom Fungi
Organism with multi cells with cell wall containing chitin and
well represented in modern biosphere. They range in size from
microscopic to very large ( Mushroom)

Multicellular organism
Cell wall contain chitin
Widespread in modern biosphere
Microscopic to very large

Living Realm Subdivision

Kingdom Plantae
Organisms with multi cells capable of photosynthesis but with
limited movement capabilities.

Multi cellular
Photosynthesis capabilities
Limited movement abilities
Can be fossilized easily

Kingdom Animalia
Organism with multi cells and well developed movement
capabilities. Some develop a vertebral column and demonstrate
high level of intelligence.

Multicellular organism
Well developed movement capabilities
Some with vertebra column
Many with high level of intelligence

Paleontology

Definition
The study of life of past geological periods through fossil
records.
Subdivisions of Paleontology
Based on fossil size and morphological characteristics:

Micropaleontology
Palynology
Invertebrate paleontology
Vertebrate Paleontology

Paleontology related science

Based on applications of fossil records in different fields

Paleoecology
Paleobiogeography
Biostratigraphy
Evolutionary paleontology

Subdivisions of Paleontology
Micropaleontology

The study of mostly microscopically sized fossils (Microfossils). Usually single cell
prokaryotes and Eukaryotes. Occasionally involved specie with cm size bodies.
Further subdivision based on microfossils composition

Microscopic sized fossils

Usually single cell prokaryote and eukaryotes
Occasional large cm-sized species are studied
Microfossils subdivisions

Calcareous Microfossils: coccolith and foraminifera

Siliceous microfossils: diatoms, radiolaria
Phosphatic microfossils
Organic microfossils: Pollens and spores

Palynology

The study of pollens grains and spores, which are usually microscopic and can be
organic debris and/or, parts of plant reproductive apparatus. Collectively called
palynomorphs. They are resistant to decomposition and produced in great abundance
Spores and pollen grains
Microscopic organic debris
Resistant to decomposition and well preserved

Subdivisions of Paleontology
Paleobotany

The study of plant debris from marine and continental environments. Involves
the recovery and identification of plant remains for biological reconstruction of
past geological environment.
Plant remains
Continental and marine environment
Reconstruction of past geologic environment

Invertebrate paleontology

Study of the fossils of multicellular organisms that do not have a vertebral

column. Organism that protect their bodies with shells ( e.g. gastropods),
Carapace (e.g. Trilobites). They are range to approximately 600 million years in
record and flourish in both marine and continental environments.

Multicellular organism with vertebral column

Shells and carapace to protect bodies
Range to about 600 million years in record
Marine and continental environment presence

Subdivisions of Paleontology
Vertebrate paleontology
Study of animals with a vertebral column which are complex
multicellular organism in the planet. The earliest member os
this group or organism were found in marine environment and
they evolved into continental organism.

Complex Multicellular Organism

Organisms with vertebral column
Earliest forms exclusive to marine environment
Group member

Fishes
Amphibians
Reptiles
Birds
Mammals

Paleontology Related Sciences

Paleoecology

Study of ancient ecosystem involving the reconstruction of the

habitat or environment in which organism or communities of
organism lived. Significant data for studying ancient climate
Ancient ecosystem
Paleo-habitat and organism inter-relation
Organism distinctive to environment

Polar Bears, Penguins Kingdom in future as fossils for polar climate

Trilobites: Marine environment from Late Cambrian to Permian ( 520 Ma to 240 Ma)

Paleobiogeography

Study of the spatial relationship with the development of distinct

environment. Combines paleontology with paleoecology
Environment distribution from distribution of particular fossils
Paleontology and Paleoecology

Paleontology Related Sciences

Biostratigraphy
Study of fossil distribution in space and time. It involves sediment dating
and layer correlation based on fossil content
Dating based on fossil record
Layer correlation based on fossil content

Evolutionary Paleontology
Study of the ancestor-descendant relationship between fossils species
and correlation with events in Earth's geologic history
Evolution and extinction of species
Geologic event correlation with morphology or absence of organism

Fossilization Processes

Processes that lead to the preservation of organism hard parts (bones, shells). Usually
soft tissues are lost through organic matter decay
Preservation of organism hard parts

Source: http://www.erincolonna.com/images/fossilization_puzzle.jpg

Common Processes include:

Permineralization
Recrystallization
Dissolution
Replacement
Carbonization
Metasomatosis

Fossilization Processes
Permineralization

Formation of new minerals within the pores or cavities existing in organism after
death and burial. Soft tissues decay and create room for fluid which precipitate new
minerals. Original fossil parts are therefore preserved

Cavities and pores in organism

Cavities filled with fluid after death and burial; of organism
New minerals precipitated by fluids e.g. Calcium carbonate
Original hard parts of organism preserved e.g. bones and woody tissues
Organisms with single cell and well defined nuclei called Eukaryotes. Some possess hard parts
and can be easily fossilized.

Recrystallization

Partial or complete change in shell mineralogical composition after death of

organism. Shells change to more stable minerals. Mineralogical composition changes,
but chemical composition remains the same. E.g. Aragonite (Orthorhombic CaCO3)
shells in Mollusc change to calcite (Rhombohedra CaCO3)

Change in shell mineralogical composition after death of organism

Unstable minerals structure to more stable mineral structure
No change in chemical composition
Mollusc shell change from Aragonite to Calcite after death

Recrystallization Aragonite to Calcite in Mollusc Shell

Permineralization Mineralized Wood

Source: http://paleo.cortland.edu/tutorial/Taphonomy%26Pres/preservation.htm

Fossilization Processes
Dissolution
The dissolution of fossil shell or carapace by fluid flowing through rock resulting in
the creation of voids or empty spaces in rocks and the preservation of the internal
features (Mold) and the external features (Cast) of the shell, valve or carapace

Dissolution of fossils shell embedded in rocks

Creation of void or empty spaces
Preservation of internal feature of shell
Preservation of external feature of shell

Replacement
The precipitation of new minerals in the empty spaces resulting from dissolution. An
example is pyritization when pyrite is precipitated in the empty spaces created by
dissolution
Dissolution spaces
Precipitation of new minerals

Replacement- Pyritized Ammonite

Dissolution- Cast and Mold in Trilobite fossil

http://paleo.cortland.edu/tutorial/Taphonomy%26Pres/Taph%26Pres%20Images/inexmold.GIF

Fossilization Processes
Carbonization

Death and rapid burial of plants and invertebrate fossils deep into the Earth crust at
higher pressure and temperature and chemically reactive fluids leading to the
expulsion of elements ( e.g. Nitrogen, oxygen, sulphur, etc.) until only carbon
remains

Death of organism
Rapid burial under high pressure, high temperature and chemical reactive fluid
Expulsion of elements
Only carbon is left behind
Further burials lead to graphite formation

Metasomatism

The complete replacement of chemical and mineralogical composition of a fossil

under the action of highly reactive and concentrated fluid at the Earths surface or in
the subsurface leading to the preservation of finer structures
Complete replacement or mineralogical and chemical composition of fossils
At the surface and the Subsurface of the earth
Preservation of finer structures of fossils

Source: http://paleo.cortland.edu/tutorial/Taphonomy%26Pres/preservation.htm

Carbonization- Fossilized Leaves

SOFT TISSUE FOSSILIZATION

Congealment

Preservation of body structure almost intact

High Latitudes
Very low temperature
Woolly Mammoth from Siberia Russia

Dehydration (mummification)
Warm and Arid Climate
Loss of water rapidly
Burial under sediments

Fossilization in Amber
Fossilization in Coal Tar
Impregnation

QUESTIONS ????