Paleontology

The above mentioned deposits are, however, absent from most of the area studied. The Carboniferous is covered by the Hipparion Clay, sometimes directly. Most often, however, there is a conglomerate bed of varying thickness (sometimes up to 4 m thick). The cobbles and the matrix are of calcium carbonate. The stratification is horizontal. Nonetheless, the conglomerate formed before the Hipparion Clay. Fossils cannot be found in it. Topographically the conglomerate can be recognised because it forms a layer between the highest slate-like members of the Carboniferous unit and the red clay. Being harder than either of these, it forms a frequently undercut projecting cliff in the ravines. It is noteworthy that its calcareous matrix is grey, while the carbonate layers in the Hipparion Clay are cemented by the red clay.

Above this lies the Hipparion Clay, red clay similar to that of Pikermi in every respect. The maximal observed thickness is about 65 m. A subdivision into different horizons cannot a priori be carried out because the commonly occurring shingle beds are not sufficiently continuous. However, they demonstrate that a horizontal stratification is present. Layers of carbonate concretions occur sparsely. A fossil-rich horizon appears in this clay about 1150 m (cf. the map). It is mined by the local population. The fossils of the fauna characterized by Hipparion Richthofeni Schl. appear in "nests," in which usually a great number of bones of the most different forms occur together in a restricted space, typically from 0.5 to 2.0 cubic meters in volume. Complete skeletons were not found, but more or less complete limb bones and parts of vertebral columns are present. Also, carnivore skulls appear with their mandibles attached, and this is also the case with the rhinocerids. These fossils are quite heavily mineralised, the marrow cavities are usually filled with crystals of calcite , and the surface appears pure white. The clay is infiltrated and hardened by calcite in the immediate vicinity of the fossil "nests." At times small sand lenses are embedded in the clay. They usually contain small fragments of bone. Often a certain stratification can also be recognised within the fossil "nests." In addition to the shingle layer, the clay also contains isolated cobbles of small size.

As already mentioned, the fossil "nests" all lay at one level, although there can be vertical variation of about 5 m, and, indeed, two fossil nests may lay one directly above the other, separated by a 1 m gap. Of the total thickness of Hipparion Clay, 25 m thus lie under and 35 m above the fossil level (see Figure 5). As for the fossil content of the nests, it is everywhere the same, i.e., no forms are limited to certain localities only. However, it must be noted that especially locality 30 at Tai-Chia-Kou [Daijiagou] contains almost exclusively larger ruminants and carnivores, in addition to rhinocerids, which are common everywhere. In Yang-Mu-Kou [Yang-Mu-Gou], locality 49, a fossil nest unusually rich in carnivore fossils was found. On another occasion, the remains of at least four pigs, which are otherwise quite rare, were found together in the smallest of spaces. The west-east extent of the region is 5.5 km, and the north-south extent is 5.0 km. The clay is covered by loess, which can reach a very considerable thickness. Once it covered the whole region, but in the course of time, the post-Tertiary streams have carved themselves in, so that the topography has by-and-large remained unchanged (see profile A-B, Figure 5). In support of this argument, it can be stated that in the side valleys, which are naturally younger, the contact between the Hipparion Clay and loess is always parallel to the modern surface. Fossils are not known from the loess in this region. Finally, the hilltops are mostly covered with eolian sand, a circumstance explained by the proximity of the Ordos Desert.

No. Precambrian rocks are exceptionally rare. That period ended 570 million years ago, and the oldest rocks on the surface of the Earth are in the Laurentian Range, which runs from Southern Quebec down into Texas and Mexico.

Yes, the Ozarks uplift occurred during the Mesozoic era, specifically during the Late Paleozoic and Early Mesozoic periods. This geologic event formed the rugged landscape of the Ozark Mountains in the central United States.

One major geologic development during the Paleozoic era was the formation and breakup of the supercontinent Pangaea. This event had significant impacts on ocean circulation, climate, and the distribution of landmasses and species.

The Continental Divide is associated with a ridge of high terrain that separates the direction of water flow on a continent. It determines whether water will ultimately flow to the Pacific Ocean or the Atlantic Ocean.

Radiocarbon dating is used for frozen fossils because it can accurately determine the age of organic materials up to about 50,000 years old. This method relies on the decay of carbon-14 isotopes in organic materials, which stops when an organism dies. By measuring the remaining carbon-14 levels in a fossil, scientists can calculate its age even if it is frozen.

The National Park Service says the Indarctos found in John Day Oregon stood 16 feet tall, tall enough to look through a two story window.

For all we know, 20 foot bears once lived in Oregon.

Hyperkalemic PP is also called potassium-sensitive PP.

The most likely place would be at a limestone or dolostone rock quarry. However, fossils can be found in an abundance of places. Fossils are common in landscaping gravels, or anywhere mixed rocks are found.

The Permian-Triassic mass extinction event marks the division between the Paleozoic and Mesozoic eras. This mass extinction, which occurred around 252 million years ago, resulted in the loss of about 90% of marine species and 70% of terrestrial vertebrate species.

The geologic time scale shows the division of Earth's history based on rock layers and fossils, while the biological time scale focuses on the evolution of life forms over time. Both scales are interconnected and provide a timeline of Earth's history, highlighting important events and transitions in geology and biology.

No, Iceland is a young country, the oldest rocks there are only 20-30 million years old and since the dinosaurs became extinct about 65 million years ago, there is no possibility of any in Iceland.

During the Precambrian Era, life forms were predominantly single-celled organisms such as bacteria and algae. These organisms were simple and lacked the complex structures seen in later eras. It was a time of significant evolution and diversification of life on Earth.

In nonvascular plants like mosses and liverworts, water is absorbed directly through the plant's cell walls by a process called osmosis. Once inside the plant, water moves through diffusion and capillary action from cell to cell, allowing nutrients and water to be distributed throughout the plant. This process is slower and less efficient than in vascular plants with specialized tissues for water transport.

Extrusive rocks are formed from magma that cools quickly on the Earth's surface, resulting in small or no crystals. They typically have a fine-grained texture and may contain gas bubbles. Examples of extrusive rocks include basalt and rhyolite.

Fossils can form from both soft parts and hard parts of organisms. Soft parts can become fossilized through processes like carbonization or preservation in amber, while hard parts like bones or shells can undergo mineralization or replacement to become fossils.

Plants found in amber are typically preserved in resin from trees, which is a process that occurs in forests. Volcanic rocks are formed from magma and do not provide the same type of environment conducive to preserving plant material. Additionally, the high temperatures and pressures associated with volcanic activity would likely destroy any plant material before it could be preserved.

Amber is sap from a tree that has hardened and when an insect gets stuck in it, the sap covers it completely over a long period of time. It preserves the insect because there is nothing in the amber that acts as a decomposer.

Either or both together. Really they are companion actions but the ratio between them will depend on the specific site. However the magma has to be intruded into the solid crust before it can break surface as an extrusive event - a volcanic eruption.

the type of sedimentary rock determines when other layers in rocks formed and how they shifted. the properties of the species of time periods need certain environmental conditions. these conditions must be what types of environments ancient creatures lived in.

Sedimentary rocks, such as sandstone, shale, and limestone, are most likely to result from the compaction and cementation of particles. These rocks form through the accumulation and lithification of sediments that have been weathered and eroded from pre-existing rocks.

The Carboniferous period followed the Devonian period and was characterized by extensive coal forests and the emergence of early reptiles. The Devonian period is known for the diversification of fish and the development of forests on land.

A diagram that shows an ecosystem's loss of energy at each level of the food chain is called an energy pyramid. It depicts the decrease in available energy as it moves up trophic levels due to the inefficiency of energy transfer between organisms. Typically, only about 10% of energy is passed on to the next trophic level, with the rest being lost as heat through metabolic processes.

The era of recent life is commonly referred to as the Modern Era, which began around the 16th century with the Age of Enlightenment and continues to the present day. It is characterized by significant advancements in technology, industry, globalization, and social change.