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Processes of Fossilization

Processes of Fossilization. Proceed to Lesson. Types of Fossilization. Ready to test yourself?.

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Processes of Fossilization

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  1. Processes of Fossilization Proceed to Lesson

  2. Types of Fossilization Ready to test yourself? After millions of years, most organic matter is either destroyed or broken. While there are forms of fossilization that will provide unaltered organic material, most fossils found are changed from their original composition. In this presentation, you will be familiarized with these Processes of Fossilization. Permineralization Mold Replacement Recrystallization Carbonization Desiccation Amber

  3. Permineralization Return Home • Permineralization occurs when organic material, such as bones or wood, absorb and hold minerals before decaying themselves. This results in a drastically different and more stable composition of fossil than the original organic material. • These are the kinds of fossils people are most familiar with, largely due to the fact that most dinosaur bones are a result of Permineralization. • Petrified Wood is another great example of Permineralization.

  4. Mold Return Home • A mold occurs when organic material is buried by sediment. Eventually, the organic material decays, leaving a trace outline of the original organism. In this manner, no organic material remains. • These also include fossils of footprints or of textures from things such as feathers or leaves. • Sometimes sediment inside a clam will fossilize, giving an imprint of the clam’s insides. These are called Steinkerns.

  5. Replacement Return Home • Replacement fossilization is similar to Permineralization in that a foreign mineral assumes the shape of the organic material. However it is also similar to Mold fossilization in that the organic matter is already deteriorated. • The result is a foreign mineral being molded into the shape of the original organism. Some of the most interesting examples involve metals such as iron pyrite replacing the form of an invertebrate’s shell mold.

  6. Recrystallization Return Home • Recrystallization occurs when organic material isn’t chemically stable enough after deposition to maintain it’s composition. This is most often found amongst invertebrate shells, which will change from aragonite to calcite.

  7. Carbonization Return Home • Carbonization occurs when enough pressure is placed upon organic material that the carbon is left behind in the rock. Examples are characteristically black and in the shape of the animal that was deposited.

  8. Desiccation Return Home • Desiccation occurs when an animal dies in extremely dry and arid locations, such as deserts or some caves. Essentially, these conditions create an aseptic environment, where it is highly unlikely that it will be able to decay. • These fossils are very rare, due to the fact that they require that the remains be undisturbed by scavengers and that the environmental factors leading to desiccation remain constant. • Desiccation is almost identical to mummification, although it is conducted by natural conditions and are typically from further back in time.

  9. Amber Return Home • Essentially, Amber is tree sap that has hardened after many millions of years. Occasionally, insects and small animals would manage to get themselves caught in the sap, and would be preserved in almost pristine condition. • You may be familiar with this method of fossilization due to the movie Jurassic Park, where dinosaur DNA was extracted from parasitic insects trapped in Amber. In real life though, this is impossible, due to the fact that the half life of DNA is about 521 years.

  10. Which two processes formed this fossil? This animal’s bones still have traces of its original organic matter. Also, markings around it’s body indicate that it at one point had fur. A. Carbonization and Recrystallization B. Permineralization and Mold C. Permineralization and Carbonization D. Replacement and Mold E. Desiccation and Carbonization

  11. Wrong… Remember, Replacement means that the original mass deteriorated to nothing, and a foreign mineral merely filled the leftover mold. Try Again

  12. Wrong… • Keep in mind that mold fossils are formed after the original creature entirely decays, leaving behind only an imprint of its body. Try Again

  13. Victory! Congratulations! You have taken your first step into the subfield of Geology known as Paleontology!! Return to Title page

  14. Wrong… • Don’t forget that both Mold and Recrystallization require the original biomass to deteriorate entirely. If the fossil still has traces of the original animal, then it cannot be fossilized by Mold or Recrystallization processes. Try Again

  15. Wrong… • Remember, fossils that are preserved by desiccation still have much of their skin and inner organs intact. The fossil shown consists only of bones and some carbonized hair. Try Again

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