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Paleontology-Definition and Scope

Paleontology is the study of ancient organisms through their fossils, tracing their existence from discovery back to their living state. It encompasses various sub-disciplines, including paleozoology and paleobotany, and plays a crucial role in understanding evolutionary history, organism migration, and stratigraphy. The scope of paleontology extends to areas like palaeogeography, palaeoecology, and the discovery of economic mineral deposits.

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76 views10 pages

Paleontology-Definition and Scope

Paleontology is the study of ancient organisms through their fossils, tracing their existence from discovery back to their living state. It encompasses various sub-disciplines, including paleozoology and paleobotany, and plays a crucial role in understanding evolutionary history, organism migration, and stratigraphy. The scope of paleontology extends to areas like palaeogeography, palaeoecology, and the discovery of economic mineral deposits.

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Subject: Geology

Institute: Science
Class: B.Sc. Semester IV
Paper: GLB401: PALEONTOLOGY AND STRATIGRAPHY
Topic: Paleontology-definition and scope

Dr. Dinesh Kumar Naik


Assistant Professor
Department of Geology
Institute of Science
Banaras Hindu University
Varanasi 221 005
Email: [email protected]
Paleontology
Composed of three Greek words:
‘Paleos’ = ancient,
‘ontos’ = organism
‘logos’ = study/discourse.

Definition:
Paleontology comprises the study of fossils, their entire back journey,
from the time of their discovery up to the time, they were once living.

The science which includes the study of those organisms that once
existed on the earth, their vestiges (trace or remnant) or fossils of
which have been found preserved in the sediments by natural causes.

This term was used in 1825 by Ducrotay De Blainville and incorporated


in geological literature in 1834 by Fischer Von Waldheim.
Biology

Neontology Paleontology
Based on Kingdom

Botany Zoology Palaeozoology Palaeobotany

Vertibrate Invertibrate
paleontology paleontology

Paleontology
Based on size of fossil

Macropaleontology Micropaleontology
SCOPE OF PALEONTOLOGY

1. Understanding of the evolutionary history of organisms


comprise one of foundation stones of the doctrine organic evolution,
ontogeny and phylogeny of organism since their origin. Clearly
supports the fundamental postulates of evolution “descent with
accumulative modification”

2. Migration of organisms: Ex. The primitive horses originated in


North America and in course of their evolution they migrated to
India, through Central Asia. This type of scientific conclusion is
possible because of systematic research on the available fossil
records.
3. Stratigraphy
• Order of superposition: law of faunal succession

• Biostratigraphy: organization of sedimentary succession into distinct units


based on its characteristic fossil assemblages. Fossil species occurs in a
particular sequence

• Chronostratigraphy: Age of strata and their time relation. Each geologic


time period is characterized by a distinctive group of animals and plants.

• Establishing the geological age: all the phanerozoic stages is defined on the
basis of first appearance of a particular species.

• Correlation: Index fossils are most appropriate tools for correlation of


strata.
Uses of fossils in
stratigraphy

Tertiary

Cretaceous Jurassic Triassic

Permian Carboniferous Devonian Silurian Ordovician Cambrian

Precambrian
4. Palaeogeography/ Palaeobiogeography
Relation/distribution of ancient land and sea, migration routes etc.

5. Palaeobathymetry
many organisms are depth sensitive.

6. Palaeoenvironments: forms and structure of shell bears the imprints of


environment in which the organisms lived. The adaptations of organisms are
characteristic of particular environments.

7. Palaeoecology: Fossils explains how ancient organisms adapted to a particular


environment in which they feed or breed.

8. Palaeoclimate: Variation in temp., degree of moisture, salinity etc. clearly


indicated by the fossil record. Many organisms are narrowly adapted to changing
climatic condition.

9. Discovery of economic mineral deposits: fossil fuel - hydrocarbons and coal.

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