Sample exercise investigating the influence of structure on the fossil record
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Here is a sample food chain from a wooded area.
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Structure analysis of the organisms in this food chain:
|
Organism |
Fossilization potential (high or low), What gets fossilized |
|
Raccoon |
High, teeth and bones |
|
Worm |
Low, no hard parts |
|
Clover |
Low, no hard parts |
|
Robin |
Low, mostly feathers, small bones |
|
Groundhog |
High. |
|
Alder |
Low, no hard parts |
|
Mosquitoe |
Low, tiny, no hard parts |
|
White-tailed deer |
High, large size, bones make up large % of body mass |
Conclusions: The fossil record if these organisms had equal potential of fossilization in other characteristics would most likely include parts of the
raccoon, groundhog, and white-tailed deer.
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