Scribd
Upload
1K views2 pages

Different Modes of Fossil Preservation

The document outlines four modes of fossil preservation: 1) coalified compression where plant parts are flattened under pressure into carbonaceous films, 2) cellular permineralization where minerals infiltrate and replace plant cells, 3) authigenic preservation where sediments accumulate around plant parts due to electrical charges, and 4) duripartic preservation where resistant coats like silica precipitate to preserve parts like diatom cell walls. These different modes allow the study of surface features, internal structures, and evolution of extinct plant species.

Uploaded by

rajat
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
1K views2 pages

Different Modes of Fossil Preservation

The document outlines four modes of fossil preservation: 1) coalified compression where plant parts are flattened under pressure into carbonaceous films, 2) cellular permineralization where minerals infiltrate and replace plant cells, 3) authigenic preservation where sediments accumulate around plant parts due to electrical charges, and 4) duripartic preservation where resistant coats like silica precipitate to preserve parts like diatom cell walls. These different modes allow the study of surface features, internal structures, and evolution of extinct plant species.

Uploaded by

rajat
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 2

DIFFERENT MODES OF FOSSIL PRESERVATION

Different modes of preservation of fossils as proposed by James William Schopf (1975):


1. COALIFIED COMPRESSION
 Fossils are formed in the sedimentary environment under high pressure.
 Environmental factors had the tendency to macerate the plant parts prior to
deposition and fossilization.
 The round and solid plant parts become flat forming a carbonaceous film.
 Water and sediments create constant pressure due to which gas, moisture, soluble
minerals are lost from sedimentary deposits, thus a black coaly deposit results.
 Finer the sediment, better the preservation.
 Parts like leaves, flowers, roots, stems, etc. (megafossils) and spores, pollens,
fragments of leaf cuticle, etc. (microfossils) are preserved by this mode of
preservation.
 OCCURRENCE: Cretaceous beds of Sweden and Easter North America.
 IMPORTANCE :
a) Study of external features of extinct plants’ parts.
b) Study of leaf forms, venation, epidermal cells and stomata types.
c) Floristic study (floral morphology, nature of pollens).
d) Classification of extinct plants and make evolutionary pathways.
e) Understand past climate, physical & biological environment, plant distribution.

2. CELLULAR PERMINERALISATION
 There is precipitation of compounds like silicates, carbonates, iron compounds, etc.(all
soluble salts).
 The precipitate infiltrates cells and intercellular spaces which forms the rock matrix
supporting the plant tissues.
 Vegetative and reproductive parts of flowering plants, conifers, ferns, bryophytes and
even fungi are preserved by this method.
 Prior to preservation, the degree of decay of plant tissues varies.
 Mostly ‘petrified fossils’ are formed.
 OCCURRENCE: a) Triassic woods from forests of Arizona b) Eocene deposits in British
Columbia.
 IMPORTANCE:
a) Study of surface features and internal tissue nature of fossilized plant organs.
b) Formation of coal balls which are irregular concrete masses of CaCO3, MgCO3, FeS,
spherical or ovoid limestone rocks with parts of plants found in coal seams.
c) Formation of paper coal. When upper 10cm thick part of coal seam is composed of
layers of leaf cuticles (often with decomposed stems) of ancient plants, it is termed
as paper coal.
d) Calcareous fossilized specimens reveal the ontogeny and phylogeny of
carboniferous plants.
3. AUTHIGENIC PRESERVATION OR CEMENTATION
 Sediments of iron and carbonate are accumulated around plant parts when the
plant parts develop electrical charges in the depositional environment.
 As a result of this charge formation, oppositely charged colloidal and other small
ionized particles to be sediment are attracted towards the plant parts and
accumulate around the plant parts to be fossilized.
 The internal structures of the plant parts get degraded and are replaced by
surrounding sediments.
 After transformation of sediments into rocks, the internal structures of the organs
become the cast and the external surface features form the mold.
 Venation pattern, epidermal hairs and outline features of leaves are preserved
properly.
 OCCURRENCE: Mazon Creek (<place name>) concretions found in Braidwood area
of Illinois.
 IMPORTANCE:
a) Understanding of external configuration of plant organs.
b) Understanding surface features of fossilized organs.
c) Venation pattern of fossilized leaves are distinctly observed.

4. DURIPARTIC PRESERVATION
 The resistant hard coats of limestone or silica of some algae like diatoms, red green
coralline algae and few cyanophytes are precipitated.
 These remain unaffected by oxidation or other physical factors.
 So, in the course of time the precipitated plant materials are transformed into
fossils.
 The indestructible silicified cell walls of huge number of diatoms are precipitated at
a specific site, resulting in algal stromatolite type of fossil.
 IMPORTANCE:
a) Such fossils are used in industries and their products are widely used in daily
life.
b) Sites of oil fields can be recognized by the presence of such fossils.

You might also like

pFad - Phonifier reborn

Pfad - The Proxy pFad of © 2024 Garber Painting. All rights reserved.

Note: This service is not intended for secure transactions such as banking, social media, email, or purchasing. Use at your own risk. We assume no liability whatsoever for broken pages.


Alternative Proxies:

Alternative Proxy

pFad Proxy

pFad v3 Proxy

pFad v4 Proxy