ppt课件-evolutionandthe fossil record（evolutionandthe化石记录）.pptVIP

Evolution and the Fossil Record The Cambrian and Beyond The nature of the fossil record How organic remains fossilize Four categories of fossils defined by method of formation Compression and impression fossils Permineralized fossils Casts and Molds Unaltered Remains Compression and Impression fossils Made when organic material is buried in water or wind-borne sediment before it decomposes The weight of the sediment causes the structure to leave an impression in the material it is resting on Analogous to footprints in mud or leaves in wet concrete Fig 17.1 Permineralized fossils Form when structures are buried in sediments and dissolved minerals precipitate in the cells Can preserve details of internal structure Fig 17.2 Casts and molds Molds are unfilled spaces left behind as organic material decays or dissolves away Casts are made when the molds are filled in with new material which then hardens into rock Provide information about external and internal surfaces. Fig 17.3 Unaltered remains mummified remains that are protected from weathering, animals and decomposition by bacteria and fungi Found in peat bogs, permafrost very dry desiccating environments (dessert caves). Preserved in plant resins (amber) Fig 17.4 Saturated tar sands Trace Fossils Basically these are signs left behind by living organisms rather than parts of the organisms themselves Includes tracks, burrows, fecal material Can be used to get a general idea of the type of life in some areas Features of Objects Which Fossilize Durable Buried before or shortly after death (usually in water-saturated sediment) Located in areas devoid of oxygen Therefore…… Most fossils are of hard materials left in areas of deposition such as river deltas, flood plains, marshes, beaches, ocean bottoms and river beds There is an abundant fossil record of organisms that normally burrow in sediments, such as bivalves Strengths and Weaknesses of the fossil record Bias - a potential weakn