The maximum size of organisms has increased enormously since the initial appearance life >3.5 billion years ago (Gya), but pattern and timing this increase is poorly known. Consequently, controls underlying spectrum global biota have been difficult to evaluate. Our period-level compilation largest known fossil demonstrates that by 16 orders magnitude first appeared in record. great majority accounted for 2 discrete steps approximately equal magnitude: middle Paleoproterozoic Era (≈1.9...

Multiple models (steady state, episodic, and early growth followed by crustal reworking) have been postulated to explain the evolution of Earth’s continental crust. An independent assessment these is now possible as a result massive numbers detrital zircon grains that dated individually over recent years using U-Pb Hf isotopes. A compilation ∼200,000 published dates reveals global age distribution (U-Pb) with six prominent, statistically significant peaks: 3.2–3.0, 2.7–2.5, 2.0–1.7, 1.2–1.0,...

Paleontological research on predation has been expanding rapidly in scope, methods, and goals. The growing assortment of strategies goals led to increasing differences sampling strategies, types data collected, definition variables, even reporting style. This methodological overview serves as a starting point for erecting some general guidelines studying the fossil record predation. I focus here trace fossils left by predators skeleton their prey, arguably one most powerful sources direct...

Research Article| December 01, 1998 A fossil record full of holes: The Phanerozoic history drilling predation Michal Kowalewski; Kowalewski 1Institute Paleobiology, Polish Academy Sciences, Twarda 51/55, PL-00-818 Warsaw, Poland Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Alfréd Dulai; Dulai 2Department Geology and Paleontology, Hungarian Natural History Museum, Pf. 137, H-1431 Budapest, Hungary Franz T. Fürsich 3Institut für Paläontologie, Universität Würzburg, Pleicherwall...

This study quantifies the fine structure of time-averaging by using large samples dated shells collected from within individual strata. Time-averaging results in both good and bad news for interpreting bioclastic deposits.Nine were four Holocene cheniers on Colorado Delta (Gulf California) 165 bivalve Chione fluctifraga 14C-calibrated amino acid racemization (D-alloisoleucine/L-isoleucine). The age range averages 661 years and, seven out nine samples, exceeds 500 years. sample standard...

The importance of ecological interactions in driving the evolution animals has been focus intense debate among paleontologists, evolutionary biologists, and macroecologists. To test whether intensity such covaries with secular trend global biodiversity, we compiled a species-level database predation intensity, as measured by frequency common traces (drillings repair scars ranging age from Ediacaran to Holocene). results indicate that increased notably Ordovician, not mid-Paleozoic suggested...

Time-averaging makes events that happened at different times appear to be synchronous in the geological record. It can generate overcompleteness by concentrating objects (e.g., fossils, clasts) from a longer time interval into unit formed during shorter interval. results both extrinsic agents vertical mixing, condensation, analytical pooling of data) and intrinsic properties fossilized (preservational potential abundance). Variation factors disharmonious time-aver aging: taxa preserved...

Radiocarbon dates provide a means for estimating the time shell may persist in active sedimentary environments and actual temporal extent of time-averaging marine deposits. Information compiled from published literature on radiocarbon age shells gave information total 734 276 localities nearshore (< 10 m depth) shelf (> habitats. The median 128 is 2,465 years; that 158 8,870 years. distribution ages both strongly skewed: most are 0–3,000 range, number older age-classes falls off rapidly....

Ediacara fossils [575 to 542 million years ago (Ma)] represent Earth's oldest known complex macroscopic life forms, but their morphological history is poorly understood. A comprehensive quantitative analysis of these indicates that the assemblage-the Avalon assemblage (575 565 Ma)-already encompassed full range morphospace. comparable morphospace was occupied by subsequent White Sea (560 550 Ma) and Nama (550 assemblages, although it populated differently. In contrast, taxonomic richness...

The Ediacara biota include macroscopic, morphologically complex soft-bodied organisms that appear globally in the late Ediacaran Period (575-542 Ma). physiology, feeding strategies, and functional morphology of modular (rangeomorphs erniettomorphs) remain debated but are critical for understanding their ecology phylogeny. Their construction triggered numerous hypotheses concerning likely ranging from micro-to-macrophagus to photoautotrophy osmotrophy. Macrophagus rangeomorphs erniettomorphs...

Abstract Preserving adaptive capacities of coastal ecosystems, which are currently facing the ongoing climate warming and a multitude other anthropogenic impacts, requires an understanding long‐term biotic dynamics in context major environmental shifts prior to human disturbances. We quantified responses nearshore mollusk assemblages sea‐level changes using 223 samples (~71,300 specimens) retrieved from latest Quaternary sediment cores Adriatic systems. These provide rare chance study...

Abstract Surficial shell accumulations from shallow marine settings are typically averaged over centennial-to-millennial time scales and dominated by specimens that died in the most recent centuries, resulting strongly right-skewed age-frequency distributions (AFDs). However, AFDs modern offshore (outer shelf uppermost continental slope) still need to be explored. Using individually dated shells (14C-calibrated amino acid racemization), we compared along an onshore-offshore gradient across...

The mechanisms that regulate minor and trace element biomineralization in the echinoid skeleton can be primarily controlled biologically ( i.e. , by organism its vital effects) or extrinsic environmental factors. Assessing relative role of those controls is essential for understanding biomineralization, taphonomy, diagenesis, their potential as geochemical archives. In this study, we (1) contrast signatures specimens collected across multiple taxa settings to assess situ effects...

Research Article| December 01, 2000 Dead delta's former productivity: Two trillion shells at the mouth of Colorado River Michal Kowalewski; Kowalewski 1Department Geological Sciences, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, 24061, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Guillermo E. Avila Serrano; Serrano 2Facultad de Ciencias Marinas, Universidad Autónoma Baja California, Ensenada, Mexico Karl W. Flessa; Flessa 3Department Geosciences,...

Research Article| February 01, 2013 Sequence stratigraphy and the resolution of fossil record Daniele Scarponi; Scarponi 1Dipartimento di Scienze Biologiche Geologiche e Ambientali, University Bologna, via Zamboni 67, 40126 Italy Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Darrell Kaufman; Kaufman 2School Earth Sciences & Environmental Sustainability, Northern Arizona University, Campus Box 4099, Flagstaff, 86011, USA Alessandro Amorosi; Amorosi Michał Kowalewski 3Florida...

The variation in time-averaging between different types of marine skeletal accumulations within a depositional system is not well understood. Here we provide quantitative data on the magnitude and age structure sub-fossil record two species with divergent physical ecological characteristics, brachiopod Bouchardia rosea bivalve Semele casali. Material was collected from sites mixed carbonate-siliciclastic shelf off coast Brazil where both are dominant components local fauna. Individual shells...

The Geozoic encompasses the 3.6 Ga interval in Earth history when life has existed. Over this time, diversified from exclusively tiny, single-celled organisms to include large, complex multicellular forms. Just how and why diversification occurred been a major area of interest for paleontologists evolutionary biologists centuries. Here, we compile data on organism size throughout fossil record three domains life. We describe canonical trends evolution body size, synthesize current...

The size of marine invertebrate predators has increased over the past 500 million years.

Palaeoecological data are unique historical archives that extend back far beyond the last several decades of ecological observations. However, fossil record continental shelves has been perceived as too coarse (with centennial-millennial resolution) and incomplete to detect processes occurring at yearly or decadal scales relevant ecology conservation. Here, we show youngest (Anthropocene) on northern Adriatic shelf provides decadal-scale resolution accurately documents an abrupt change...

Although the fossil record preserves a wealth of historical data about past ecosystems, current paradigm, which postulates that fossils provide faithful archives ecological information, stems from research primarily focused on single group organisms known for their high fossilization potential: molluscs. Here, we quantify fidelity higher taxa (six phyla and 11 classes) by comparing live communities sympatric dead remains (death assemblages) using comprehensive surveys benthic marine...