What is Fossil Record?
fossil record, history of life as documented by fossils, the remains or imprints of the organisms from earlier geological periods preserved insedimentary rock. In a few cases the original substance of the hard parts of the organism is preserved, but more often the original components have been replaced by minerals deposited from water seeping through the rock. Occasionally the original material is simply removed, while nothing is deposited in its place; in this case, all that remains is a mould of the shape of the plant or animal.
Fossils also provide the geologist a quick and easy way of assigning an age to the strata in which they occur. The precision with which this may be done in any particular case depends on the nature and abundance of the fauna: some fossil groups were deposited during much longer time intervals than others.
Fossil organisms, furthermore, may provide useful information about the climate and environment of the site where they were deposited and preserved.
-From Encyclopedia Britannia
Fossils also provide the geologist a quick and easy way of assigning an age to the strata in which they occur. The precision with which this may be done in any particular case depends on the nature and abundance of the fauna: some fossil groups were deposited during much longer time intervals than others.
Fossil organisms, furthermore, may provide useful information about the climate and environment of the site where they were deposited and preserved.
-From Encyclopedia Britannia
