Trace Fossils


Book Description

This book serves as an up-to-date introduction, as well as overview to modern trace fossil research and covers nearly all of the essential aspects of modern ichnology. Divided into three section, Trace Fossils covers the historical background and concepts of ichnology, on-going research problems, and indications about the possible future growth of the discipline and potential connections to other fields. This work is intended for a broad audience of geological and biological scientists. Workers new to the field could get a sense of the main concepts of ichnology and a clear idea of how trace fossil research is conducted. Scientists in related disciplines could find potential uses for trace fossils in their fields. And, established workers could use the book to check on the progress of their particular brand of ichnology. By design, there is something here for novice and veteran, insider and outsider, and for the biologically-oriented workers and for the sedimentary geologists.* Presents a review of the state of ichnology at the beginning of the 21st Century* Summarizes the basic concepts and methods of modern trace fossil research* Discusses crucial background information about the history of trace fossil research, the main concepts of ichnology, examples of current problems and future directions, and the potential connections to other disciplines within both biology and geology




Trace Fossil Analysis


Book Description

This definitive textbook by a renowned field observer and analyst of trace fossils concentrates on the most distinctive examples, mostly made by infaunal invertebrates in originally soft sediments. It covers the whole geologic column and ranges from deep-sea to shallow-marine and continental environments. The book is designed to foster interpretative skills using the author's own drawings. They are thematically grouped in 75 plates that form the core for the descriptive text and annotated references. A glossary of ichnological terms is also provided. This book’s author is perhaps the world’s most acknowledged expert in the field of trace fossils.




Atlas of Trace Fossils in Well Core


Book Description

This book provides readers with a well-balanced blend of high-quality photographs, figures and accompanying texts on the identification of trace fossils, both in core and in outcrop. Ichnological data has become increasingly important in sedimentological and paleoenvironmental interpretations, not only in the exploration and exploitation of hydrocarbons but also in the characterization of aquifers and in scientific drilling. Following an introduction to the study of trace fossils in core and an outline of ichnological basics, principles and concepts, the book provides detailed descriptions and interpretations of 39 trace fossils (ichnogenera) and associated features (such as bioturbate texture, plant roots and their traces, borings and pseudo-trace fossils) commonly encountered in well cores and in outcrop. The trace fossils are highlighted by their expression in well cores and illustrated with carefully prepared, eye-catching core photographs. This unique information is complemented by examples of trace fossils in outcrop, as well as relevant key figures from the literature. Each description is presented in a consistent manner, stating the ichnogenus name and author in the title, followed by sections on the morphology and size, ichnotaxonomy, substrate, appearance in core, similar trace fossils, producers, ethology, depositional environment, ichnofacies, age, and reservoir quality. An extensive list of references per chapter for further reading rounds out the book, which is based on the author’s continuous work with trace fossils in core over the past two decades.




The Ecology of the Cambrian Radiation


Book Description

The Cambrian radiation was the explosive evolution of marine life that started 550,000,000 years ago. It ranks as one of the most important episodes in Earth history. This key event in the history of life on our planet changed the marine biosphere and its sedimentary environment forever, requiring a complex interplay of wide-ranging biologic and nonbiologic processes. The Ecology of the Cambrian Radiation offers a comprehensive and surprising picture of the Earth at that ancient time. The book contains contributions from thirty-three authors hailing from ten countries and will be of interest to paleontologists, geologists, biologists, and other researchers interested in the global Earth-life system.




Trace Fossils as Indicators of Sedimentary Environments


Book Description

Integration of ichnological information into sedimentological models, and vice versa, is one of the main means by which we can improve our understanding of ancient depositional environments. Mainly intended for sedimentologists, this book aims to make ichnological methods as part of facies interpretation more popular, providing an analytical review of the ichnology of all major depositional environments and the use of ichnology in biostratigraphic and sequence stratigraphic analysis. It starts with an introduction to the historical aspect of ichnology, introducing common concepts and methods, and then continues with parts treating the main depositional systems from continental, shallow-marine and deep-marine siliciclastics, and marine carbonates. The last part is dedicated to the ichnology in hydrocarbon reservoir and aquifer characterization. - First overview in 25 years of the status of ichnological studies in facies reconstructions of all major depositional environments - Written by a selected, well-experienced and specialized international authorship - Provides easy access to the comprehensive and widespread literature




Field Palaeontology


Book Description

"This is the major text on the integration of field palaeontology and sedimentology, particularly valuable for both practical lab exercises and students working independently and unsupervised on field projects" Reviewer's comment Field Palaeontology provides a comprehensive, rigorous and unique approach to the analysis of fossils and sediments and offers a practical field guide which no palaeontology student can afford to be without. The past decade has seen immense changes in palaeontology and in the study of sedimentary rocks in general. This edition has been thoroughly revised to take into account these advancements in the subject to produce a book that is unique in its coverage of palaeontology and sedimentology. It aims to provide a basis for evaluating the information potential of fossiliferous sediments, and then to give an outline of the strategy and tactics whicn can be adopted in the field. Field Palaeontology is written for advanced undergraduate courses in palaeontology, palaeoecology, palaeobiology, sedimentology and biostratigraphy within geoscience and geology degrees. It is also useful reading for Masters earth science students and first year postgraduates looking for a grounding in the basics of the subject.




The Trace-Fossil Record of Major Evolutionary Events


Book Description

This volume addresses major evolutionary changes that took place during the Ediacaran and the Paleozoic. These include discussions on the nature of Ediacaran ecosystems, as well as the ichnologic signature of evolutionary radiations, such as the Cambrian explosion and the Great Ordovician biodiversification event, the invasion of the land, and the end-Permian mass extinction. This volume set provides innovative reviews of the major evolutionary events in the history of life from an ichnologic perspective. Because the long temporal range of trace fossils has been commonly emphasized, biogenic structures have been traditionally overlooked in macroevolution. However, comparisons of ichnofaunas through geologic time do reveal the changing ecology of organism-substrate interactions. The use of trace fossils in evolutionary paleoecology represents a new trend that is opening a window for our understanding of major evolutionary radiations and mass extinctions. Trace fossils provide crucial evidence for the recognition of spatial and temporal patterns and processes associated with paleoecologic breakthroughs.




The Rise and Fall of the Ediacaran Biota


Book Description

The Proterozoic and early Phanerozoic was a time punctuated by a series of significant events in Earth history. Glaciations of global scale wracked the planet, interfingered with dramatic changes in oceanic and atmospheric chemistry and marked changes in continental configuration. It was during these dynamic and 'weedy' times that metazoans first appeared, diversified, culminating in the appearance of hard tissue skeletons and deep 'farming' of the marine substrate, in late Proterozoic and first few millions of years of the Phanerozoic. This book is the culmination of two symposia of UNESCO International Geological Correlation Project 493, one in Prato (Italy) in 2004, the second in Kyoto (Japan) in 2006. Both dealt specifically with the precise timing of physical events and teasing out of the effects which these changing environments, climates, global chemistry and palaeogeography had on the development and diversification of animals, culminating in the spectacular Ediacaran/Vendian faunas of the late Precambrian.




Geological Exploration in Murzuq Basin


Book Description

The Murzuq Basin is a large intracratonic sag basin located in southwestern Libya. Exploration efforts started in this vast and remote Saharan region already in 1957 and 60 exploratory wells have been drilled to date, resulting in over 20 discoveries with around 4,000 million barrels of oil in place. Most discoveries have been made in Ordovician sandstone reservoirs sourced by hot shales of the Lower Silurian Tanezzuft Formation. Oil is already being produced and exported from the area, but the basin's total hydrocarbon potential is still poorly understood. Recent exploration - especially the major discovery and initial development of the Giant "Elephant" Field - has greatly increased interest for the area's potential. Many petroleum geologists and companies now believe that the basin may well develop into a new major hydrocarbon province which will significantly contribute to Europe's energy needs in the next decades. This book presents papers from a conference held at Sebha University - on the eastern margins of the Murzug Basin - in September 1998.The book continues an ongoing series of presentations of the geology of Libya, but the 25 contributions herein mostly centre on the Murzuq Basin itself and on nearby areas. There are still many unresolved questions in terms of geological and hydrocarbon exploration in these difficult desert areas, but the papers herein will hopefully present a first comprehensive overview of an exciting frontier exploration region. About half of the papers are directly related to hydrocarbon exploration, and to source rock and reservoir development, but a wide variety of other features are also described, ranging from palaeontology and biostratigraphy to ore geology and water resources, covering the entire geological column from the Precambrian to the Holocene. The book concludes with a bibliography covering all geological aspects of this challenging but very promising frontier area.