Fossils and Evolution Review

These flashcards cover key terms and definitions related to fossils and evolution, based on the lecture notes.

Fossils

Remnants or traces of ancient living organisms.

Paleontology

The study of fossils.

Sedimentary rock

Most fossils occur here.

Body fossils

Physical remains of an organism.

Trace fossils

Reworking of lithic, xylic, or unlithified substrates by an organism.

Molecular fossils

Cannot be seen with the naked eye and are key for paleoenvironmental reconstructions.

Biogenic minerals

Minerals produced by living organisms, such as bones and shells.

Recrystallization

Process where unstable minerals change to a more stable form after burial.

Permineralization

Buried biological tissues that are infiltrated with groundwater containing minerals.

Carbonization

Preservation as thin films of carbon on sedimentary rock.

Dissolution

Groundwater penetrates and dissolves the original material of fossils.

Index fossils

Fossils that are used to define and identify a particular time period.

Biostratigraphy

Using fossils to tell time in geology.

Lagerstätten

Locations with extraordinary fossil preservation, often including soft tissues.

Erosion

The process that exposes fossils after burial.

Anoxic environment

Low oxygen conditions favorable for fossilization.

Taphonomy

The study of how organisms decay and become fossilized.

Lithification

The process that turns sediment into rock.

Isotope ratios

Differences in isotopes resulting from metabolic processes.

Fossil record

The history of life as documented by fossils.

Extinction

When a species no longer exists.

Great Barrier Reef

An example used to understand fossil preservation.

Morphological change

Changes in the form or structure of organisms over time.

Paleoecology

The study of the relationships of organisms with their environment in the past.

Diagenesis

Physical and chemical changes occurring in sediments after deposition.

Anatomical structures

Physical features of organisms that can be preserved in fossils.

Fossilization process

Stages through which organisms become fossils.

Flesh rotting

The breakdown of soft tissues after an organism’s death.

Fossilized footprints

Trace fossils formed by the activity of organisms.

Skeltonization

Replacement of organic material with minerals.

Carbon cycle

The cycle through which carbon is exchanged among the Earth's systems.

Cryosphere

The frozen water part of the Earth system.

Glaciers

Masses of ice that persist over time.

Extinct species

Species that have completely disappeared from the planet.

Fossil evidence

Clues provided by fossils that help understand historical life on Earth.

Fossil identification

The process of determining the type or species of a fossil.

Soft-bodied organisms

Organisms with soft tissues that are rarely preserved.

Exceptional preservation

Fossilization conditions that allow for the preservation of soft parts.

Biomineralized tissues

Hard parts like bones and shells that are common in the fossil record.

Predator-prey interactions

Relationships between organisms that can influence fossilization.

Fossil diversity

The variety of different fossils found in the geological record.

Ecosystem dynamics

Interactions among living organisms and their environment over time.

Fossils in amber

Organisms preserved in tree resin that hardens over time.

Taxonomy

The classification of organisms in an orderly manner.

Trilobites

An extinct group of marine arthropods known from the fossil record.

Gastropods

A large class of mollusks that includes snails and slugs.

Bivalves

Mollusks that have two-part shells.

Ammonites

Extinct marine mollusks that are often fossilized.

Taxa

Groups of organisms used in biological classification.

Diatoms

Unicellular algae with silica cell walls, common in fossil records.

Coccolithophores

Tiny single-celled algae that create calcareous plates.

Macrofossils

Fossils large enough to be seen with the naked eye.

Microfossils

Fossils that can only be seen with a microscope.

Geologic time scale

A system of chronological dating that relates geological strata to time.

Soft part preservation

Fossilization where soft tissues remain intact.

Extinction events

Periods in history when a large number of species die out.

Climate change

Long-term changes in temperature and weather patterns.