What are trace fossils?
Q: What are trace fossils?
A: Trace fossils are geological records of biological activity, such as impressions made on the substrate by an organism, burrows, borings, footprints, feeding marks, and root cavities.
Q: What are some examples of trace fossils?
A: Some examples of trace fossils are dinosaur trackways, coprolites (fossilized droppings), and chemical markers.
Q: Are Stromatolites trace fossils?
A: Yes, stromatolites are trace fossils because they are sediment structures produced by bacteria.
Q: What is the term for the study of traces?
A: The study of traces is called ichnology.
Q: How do trace fossils differ from body fossils?
A: Trace fossils differ from body fossils because they are not the fossilized remains of parts of organisms' bodies, but rather records of biological activity such as behavior, burrows, or footprints. Body fossils are usually altered by later chemical activity or mineralization.
Q: Do structures that are not produced by the behavior of an organism count as trace fossils?
A: No, structures that are not produced by the behavior of an organism are not considered trace fossils.
Q: What information do trace fossils provide?
A: Trace fossils provide information about the behavior of the creatures that made them, but usually not about their biological affinity.
