Behavioral biology of trace fossils

Paleobiology ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 38 (3) ◽  
pp. 459-473 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roy E. Plotnick
Keyword(s):  
Animal Behavior ◽  
Internal State ◽  
Movement Ecology ◽  
Trace Fossils ◽  
Trace Fossil ◽  
Movement Behavior ◽  
Behavioral Biology ◽  
Deep Time ◽  
The Rich ◽  
Rich Data

The potential of the ichnofossil record for exploring the evolution of behavior has never been fully realized. Some of this is due to the nature of the trace fossil record itself. Equally responsible is the separation of ichnology from the relevant areas of modern behavioral biology. The two disciplines have virtually no concepts, methods, or literature in common. The study of animal behavior and its evolution is thus bereft of the rich data and insights of ichnologists.One potential pathway forward is for ichnologists to adopt and adapt the movement ecology paradigm proposed several years ago by Ran Nathan and colleagues. This approach views movement as resulting from interactions of the organism's internal state, its movement abilities, and its sensory capabilities with each other and with the external environment. These interactions produce a movement path. The adoption of this paradigm would place trace fossil studies in a far wider common context for the study of movement, while providing the dimension of the evolution of movement behavior in deep time to neontological studies.A second component of this integration would be for paleontologists to develop ataphonomy of behaviorthat places in a phylogenetic context the range of possible behaviors that organisms can carry out and assesses the potential of each of these behaviors in leaving a diagnostic trace. Parallel to other taphonomic concepts, this approach assesses the preservation potential of particular behaviors;behavioral fidelityis the extent to which trace fossils preserve these original behavioral signals.

scholarly journals Pleistocene golden mole and sand-swimming trace fossils from the Cape coast of South Africa

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-18
Author(s):  
Martin G. Lockley ◽  
Charles W. Helm ◽  
Hayley C. Cawthra ◽  
Jan C. De Vynck ◽  
Michael R. Perrin
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Trace Fossils ◽  
Trace Fossil ◽  
South Coast ◽  
Environmental Reconstruction ◽  
Cape Coast ◽  
Southeast Coast ◽  
Show Evidence ◽  
Golden Mole ◽  
Body Fossil

Abstract More than 250 Pleistocene vertebrate trace fossil sites have been identified on the Cape south coast of South Africa in aeolianites and cemented foreshore deposits. These discoveries, representing the epifaunal tracks of animals that moved over these sand substrates, complement traditional body fossil studies, and contribute to palaeo-environmental reconstruction. Not described in detail until now, but also important faunal components, are the infaunal traces of animals that moved within these sandy substrates. Six golden mole burrow trace sites (Family Chrysochloridae) have been identified on the Cape south coast. In addition, three sites, including one on the Cape southeast coast, have been identified that show evidence of sand-swimming, probably by a golden mole with a means of locomotion similar to that of the extant Eremitalpa genus. Such traces have not been described in detail in the global ichnology record, and merit the erection of a new ichnogenus Natatorichnus, with two ichnospecies, N. subarenosa ichnosp. nov and N. sulcatus ichnosp. nov. Care is required in the identification of such traces, and the orientation of the trace fossil surface needs to be determined, to avoid confusion with hatchling turtle tracks. Substantial regional Pleistocene dune environments are inferred from these sand-swimming traces.

scholarly journals Lower Cambrian trace fossils from northern Greenland

1988 ◽  
Vol 137 ◽  
pp. 43-53
Author(s):  
J Bergström ◽  
J.S Peel
Keyword(s):  
Lower Cambrian ◽  
Trace Fossils ◽  
Trace Fossil ◽  
East Greenland ◽  
North West ◽  
North Greenland

Rusophyciform and cruzianaeform trace fossils are described from Lower Cambrian siliciciastic shelf deposits in North-West and North Greenland. Cruziana cf. C. dispar Linnarsson, 1869 is reported from the Dallas Bugt Formation of Inglefield Land while a new ichnospecies, Rusophycus marginatus, occurs in the Buen Formation of Peary Land and in the equivalent Humboldt Formation of Daugaard-Jensen Land. These species show no similarity to the Cruziana sp. previously described from East Greenland. The occurrence of C. cf. C. dispar could indicate some similarity in Cambrian trace fossil 'ichnofaunas' between Greenland and Europe but available material is insufficient to ciarify this relationship.

scholarly journals CHONDRITES-CLADICHNUS ICHNOCOENOSIS FROM THE DEEP-SEA DEPOSITS OF PIERFRANCESCO (CRETACEOUS; ITALY): OXYGEN- OR NUTRIENT-LIMITED?

2022 ◽  
Vol 128 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
ANDREA BAUCON ◽  
GIROLAMO LO RUSSO ◽  
CARLOS NETO DE CARVALHO ◽  
FABRIZIO FELLETTI
Keyword(s):  
Late Cretaceous ◽  
Deep Sea ◽  
Trace Fossils ◽  
Northern Apennines ◽  
Trace Fossil ◽  
Ecological Succession ◽  
Rhythmic Pattern ◽  
Low Oxygen ◽  
Fossil Assemblage

The Italian Northern Apennines are acknowledged as the place where ichnology was born, but there is comparatively little work about their ichnological record. This study bridges this gap by describing two new ichnosites from the locality of Pierfrancesco, which preserve an abundant, low-disparity trace-fossil assemblage within the Late Cretaceous beds of the M. Cassio Flysch. Results show that lithofacies and ichnotaxa are rhythmically organized. The base of each cycle consists of Megagrapton-bearing calciclastic turbidites, which are overlain by marlstone beds with an abundant, low-disparity assemblage of trace fossils. This includes Chondrites intricatus, C. patulus, C. targionii, C. recurvus and Cladichnus fischeri. The cycle top consists of mudstones with no distinct burrows. The rhythmic pattern of Pierfrancesco reflects a deep-sea ecological succession, in which species and behaviour changed as turbidite-related disturbances altered the seafloor. This study opens the question of whether the Chondrites-Cladichnus ichnocoenosis represents low-oxygen or nutrient-poor settings.

The trace fossil Dactyloidites ottoi (Geinitz, 1849) from the Neogene August Town Formation of south-central Jamaica

1993 ◽  
Vol 67 (6) ◽  
pp. 1070-1074 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ron K. Pickerill ◽  
Stephen K. Donovan ◽  
Harold L. Dixon
Keyword(s):  
Detailed Analysis ◽  
Trace Fossils ◽  
Trace Fossil ◽  
Marine Environments ◽  
Biogenic Origin ◽  
South Central ◽  
Rock Record ◽  
Distinctive Morphology ◽  
Detailed Interpretation ◽  
Deposit Feeding

Rosette-shaped problematica are relatively common structures in the Phanerozoic rock record. Historically, they have been accorded a variety of names and documented from various shallow to deep marine environments. Unfortunately, the detailed interpretation of many such structures as biogenic (trace fossils, medusoids, or other body fossils; see, for example, Häntzschel, 1970, 1975) or nonbiogenic (for example, Pickerill and Harris, 1979) in origin still remains to be resolved. However, a detailed analysis of one such structure by Fürsich and Bromley (1985), namely Dactyloidites Hall, 1886, convincingly demonstrated its biogenic origin. The distinctive morphology of Dactyloidites and its synonyms was interpreted by Fürsich and Bromley (1985) to result from successive probings of an essentially stationary deposit-feeding, worm-like organism, possibly possessing a proboscis, to produce a rosetted, vertical spreiten with a centrally located, vertical or subvertical shaft.

Martian stick-like structures are not trace fossils: a new protocol for testing ichnogenicity synthesized from paleosol ichnology

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Jorge F. Genise
Keyword(s):  
Surface Morphology ◽  
Trace Fossils ◽  
Trace Fossil ◽  
The Future ◽  
Study Case ◽  
First Time

Abstract There are different criteria that are usually analysed independently before identifying a new trace fossil, such as morphological regularity, completeness, dispersion, recurrence and complexity, surface morphology, and context. The synthesis of these criteria, as utilized in paleosol ichnology, composes a protocol that is presented herein for the first time and can be used for testing the ichnogenicity of trace-like structures in any paleoenvironment of Earth or Mars. As a study case, the Martian ‘stick-like structures’ do not fulfil any of the requirements posed by this protocol to be postulated as trace fossils. The ichnogenicity test, focussed exclusively on morphology and context, is simpler but equally useful as the biogenicity ones. It may be applied in the future with other potential cases before carrying on more complex analyses or to evaluate the astrobiological interest of trace-like structures.

Journal of Greek Archaeology Volume 6: Editorial

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. v-v
Author(s):  
John Bintliff
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Material Culture ◽  
Bronze Age ◽  
Iron Age ◽  
Regional Economics ◽  
Greek Archaeology ◽  
Contemporary Politics ◽  
The Rich ◽  
Landscape Survey ◽  
Rich Data

Our latest volume maintains our goal to cover the broad chronological spread of Greek Archaeology, ranging from a new review of the Mesolithic occupation at Theopetra, one of the most important hunter-gatherer sites in Greece, to a detailed analysis of how the distribution of Middle Byzantine churches in the Peloponnese enlightens us into the evolution of human settlement and land use. Prehistory is richly represented in further articles, as we learn about Middle Bronze Age society on Lefkas, the dispute over exotic primates portrayed on the frescoes of Santorini, a new Minoan-style peak sanctuary on Naxos, and Post-Palatial settlement structure on Crete. Bridging prehistory to historical times, a detailed study rethinks the burial and settlement evidence for Early Iron Age Athens, then entering the Archaic period, an original article links textual analysis and material culture to investigate dedicatory behaviour in Ionian sanctuaries. As a special treat, that doyen of Greek plastic arts Andrew Stewart, asks us to look again at the evidence for the birth of the Classical Style in Greek sculpture. Greek theatres in Sicily are next contextualised into contemporary politics, while the sacred Classical landscape of the island of Salamis is explored with innovative GIS-techniques. For the seven-hundred years or so of Roman rule we are given an indepth presentation of regional economics from Central Greece, and a thorough review of harbours and maritime navigation for Late Roman Crete. Finally we must mention a methodological article, deploying the rich data from the Nemea landscape survey, to tackle issues of changing land use and the sometimes controversial topic of ancient manuring.

Faculty as Leaders in the 21st Century University

2019 ◽  
pp. 248-266 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sharmila Pixy Ferris ◽  
Maureen C. Minielli
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Leadership Styles ◽  
Critical Incident ◽  
The United States ◽  
Administrative Leadership ◽  
Academic Leaders ◽  
Institutional Leadership ◽  
Convenience Sampling ◽  
The Rich ◽  
Rich Data

Increased participation in institutional leadership is one of the most important changes demanded of contemporary faculty. This chapter summarizes findings based on interviews of eight current academic leaders. Interviews employed a qualitative ethnographic approach, strengthened by Flanagan's classic critical incident technique with purposive convenience sampling. Leadership narratives from lived experiences of interviewees illuminate issues, problems, perspectives, and opinions about contemporary academe, including changes in higher education and with today's college students. This chapter discusses administrative leadership tools and provides insider insights about idealistic expectations for administrative leadership styles versus realistic actualizations. This chapter further discusses useful skills in four areas: communication, collaboration, organization, and work-life balance. The rich data from the interviewees provide rare perspectives of how contemporary faculty-turned-leaders can view and influence leadership responses to the changing face of higher education in the United States.

Trace fossils and tropical karst

2016 ◽  
Vol 154 (1) ◽  
pp. 166-168 ◽  
Author(s):  
STEPHEN K. DONOVAN
Keyword(s):  
Trace Fossils ◽  
Trace Fossil ◽  
The Tropics ◽  
Growth Deformity ◽  
Tropical Karst

AbstractTwo crinoid pluricolumnals from Permian rocks of Timor show similar patterns of external pitting. Platycrinitid sp. preserves circular, parabolic pits that do not cross-cut between columnals, some have raised rims and at least one columnal shows a growth deformity. These pits are interpreted as the trace fossil Oichnus paraboloides Bromley. Crinoid sp. indet. has particularly dense pits cross-cutting columnals on one side of the pluricolumnal only and extending onto the contiguous limestone; it is a Holocene microkarstic solution feature. Care must be taken to separate true bioerosive trace fossils from modern microkarstic features in limestones in the tropics.

Trace fossils from the Lower Muschelkalk of Raciborowice Górne (North Sudetic Synclinorium, SW Poland) and their palaeoenvironmental interpretation

2013 ◽  
Vol 63 (3) ◽  
pp. 315-353n ◽  
Author(s):  
Alina Chrząstek
Keyword(s):  
Trace Fossils ◽  
Carbonate Ramp ◽  
Trace Fossil ◽  
Germanic Basin ◽  
Sw Poland ◽  
Bathymetric Changes ◽  
Lower Muschelkalk ◽  
Short Episode

Abstract The following trace fossils have been recognised in the Lower Muschelkalk of Raciborowice Gorne (North Sudetic Synclinorium, SW Poland): Archaeonassa fossulata, Balanoglossites triadicus, ?Gastrochaenolites isp., Lockeia isp., Palaeophycus tubularis, Palaeophycus isp., ?Planolites beverleyensis, P. montanus, Planolites isp., ?Protovirgularia isp., Rhizocorallium commune var. auriforme, R. commune var. irregulare, R. jenense, Skolithos linearis, Thalassinoides suevicus and Trypanites weisei. Coprolites and an unidentified trace fossil A are also described. The trace fossils allow the discrimination of five ichnoassociations in the Raciborowice Gorne section: (IA 1) Rhizocorallium- Pholeus, (IA 2) Rhizocorallium-Palaeophycus, (IA 3) Thalassinoides, (IA 4) Trypanites-Balanoglossites and (IA 5) Planolites-Palaeophycus. The Lower Muschelkalk succession was deposited on a shallow carbonate ramp affected by frequent storms. Deposition commenced with sedimentation in a restricted lagoon on the inner ramp with a short episode of sabkha formation. It continued on the middle and outer ramp and then on a skeletal shoal of the outer ramp and in an open basin. Ichnoassociation IA 5 is related to a maximum transgression that commenced with the deposition of the Spiriferina Bed and which probably marked the opening of the Silesian-Moravian Gate. The basin underwent two shallowing episodes, as evidenced by ichnoassociations IA 3-IA 4, resulting in the formation of hardgrounds. Bathymetric changes in the Raciborowice Gorne section correspond well with a general transgressive trend in the Germanic Basin.

scholarly journals A safe place to reflect on the meaning of recovery: a recovery community co-productive approach using multimedia interviewing technology

2016 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 4-15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nigel Cox ◽  
Amanda Clayson ◽  
Lucy Webb
Keyword(s):  
Evidence Base ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Safe Place ◽  
Self Reflection ◽  
Social Events ◽  
The Rich ◽  
Productive Research ◽  
Methodological Practice ◽  
Rich Data

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to develop further the understanding of co-productive methodological practice for substance use research by demonstrating the use of a mobile, multimedia interviewing aid by members of a UK recovery community. Design/methodology/approach – A co-productive approach to data collection was piloted using a bespoke, audio-visual booth located in a range of recovery and community-focused social events. Audio-visual data were collaboratively selected, curated and analysed by recovery community partners and researchers. Findings – Findings illustrate how a mobile audio-visual booth can be used successfully within co-productive research. This approach facilitated a better understanding of the experiences and practices of self-reflection within the recovery community as they worked together to create a meaningful recovery largely independent of conventional recovery services. Research limitations/implications – This research was performed with one cohort of co-production members. However, the co-productive nature of the enquiry and the rich data this provided invites the making of cautious but firmer claims with regard to the transferability of this approach to similar recovery contexts. Social implications – Co-productive approaches confer a meaningful impact upon members of the recovery community, and wider understanding of this approach will promote an impact upon others engaging in recovery, supporting growth of a practice-based and theoretically underpinned evidence base. Originality/value – This study highlights use of digital technologies within co-productive community-based methodologies, reducing reliance upon academic expertise, and facilitating participant leadership in research. The analysis also signposts new areas for scholarly discussion in the area of co-productive, community-driven research.

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