Biology 4490- Assignment 1

Go to the following website (http://www.colostate.edu/Depts/Entomology/courses/en570/papers_1998/spriggs.htm) and read about Taphonomy. After reading this material, answer the following questions in two typewritten pages:

 

1) Define the terms Ichnology, Palynology, Taphonomy

2) What assumptions are made when conducting experiments in taphonomy. What assumptions are necessary when extrapolating the results of these studies to the fossil record.

3) How might you test the dinosaur fossil record in a taphonomic study? What extant organisms might be reasonable models to use?

 

You may have to use your text and go to other resources to answer these questions. Some helpful websites include:

http://cathar.jcu.edu.au/~jluly/taphonomy.html

http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/FAQ/faq.html

http://www.emory.edu/COLLEGE/ENVS/research/ichnology/

http://www.science.uwaterloo.ca/earth/geoscience/beaudoin.html#PALY

 

This assignment is due at the beginning of class on Wednesday, 29 August 2001. It is worth 10 points.