History of Life on Earth

Fossils
Agenda or Summary Layout
A summary of the presentation

Discussion Item Human Impact

1 One
What are fossils? 5 on
andBiodiversity
Natural
Environment
Discussion Item Discussion Item Six
2 Two
Formation of Fossils
6 Fossil tourism

Discussion Item
3 Three
Determining the age of
the fossils

4 Evidence
the
in
life key
the for of
events
history
What are Fossils?

Fossils are remains of ancient life forms preserved in

rock.

They may also occur in ice, tar and dried sap of trees.

The study of fossils is called paleontology.

Formation of Fossils

The richest sources of fossils are found in sedimentary rock.

Sand and silt from the land is carried to the seas and swamps by
rivers.
The remains of dead organisms settle to the bottom.
The mineral salts also settle to the bottom.
The mineral salts then filter into the body of the dead organism.
The organism becomes petrified, this means that it turns into
stone.
Formation of Fossils
Imprints
An imprint is left behind when the organism starts to
decay before it becomes petrified.

Therefore some fossils are actual organisms or parts of

the dead organism while other fossils are just
impressions or imprints.
Imprints are just outlines of the dead organism or parts
of it left in the stone.
Formation of Fossils
Sedimentary Rock
The sedimentary rock pile up over each other over millions of years.
They pile up in layers called strata.
The oldest layer is at the bottom and the youngest layer at the top.
Certain fossils were found in certain layers.
This means that these fossils were formed in a particular period of
time.
Formation of Fossils
Index fossils
Index fossils give an indication of the time period in
which they were formed.

The index fossils have a wide geographic distribution.

This means that they are found in a large number of

places.
Formation of Fossils
Examples of Fossils
Some examples of fossils are…

 bones of vertebrates
 shells/exoskeletons of invertebrates
 tracks(footprints), burrows and hardened faeces of
animals
 petrified tree trunks
 imprints of leaves and small animals
Formation of Fossils
Examples of Fossils
Remember fossils also occur in tar and ice.

Here are some examples of such fossils…

 fossils of the woolly mammoth were found frozen in ice.
 pits of tar contained bones of the sabre toothed cats
 some insects have been found in amber.

Amber is the hardened form of liquid sap of plants.

Determining the Age of Fossils

There are two methods used to determine the age of

fossils.

These are:
 relative dating and
 radiometric dating
Determining the Age of Fossils
Relative dating
In relative dating the age of the fossil is worked by
comparing it to another fossil or geological event.

Relative dating is able to tell us whether a fossil is formed

before or after another fossil or geological event.

It does not give the exact age of the fossil.

An example of geological event is an volcanic eruption.
Determining the Age of Fossils
Relative dating
If the original stratification or layering in a rock is undisturbed
scientists can tell that a fossil in a lower layer was formed before
the one found in the upper layer.

This does not tell us the exact age of the fossil.

If the original layering is upset it is not so easy to compare the
age of one fossil to another.
Scientists are able to use index fossils.
Determining the Age of Fossils
Relative dating

If a new fossil and an index fossil is found in the upper

most layer of rock then scientists can tell:

 the rock actually came from a lower layer.

 the original layering was upset by a geological event.

 the new fossil was formed before the other fossils.

Determining the Age of Fossils
Radiometric Dating
Radiometric dating tries to find out how long ago a particular fossil was
formed.
Radiometric dating means: radio comes from the word radioactive.
Radioactive is used to describe substances that give off nuclear radiation.
Nuclear radiation is very useful because radioactive substances decay at a
fixed rate.
This means that they lose their radioactivity at a fixed rate.
Metric simply refers to measurement.
Dating refers to the process of finding out the age of the fossil.
Determining the Age of Fossils
Radiometric dating – the process

1. Living organisms contain carbon -12 and carbon -14

2. Carbon -14 is radioactive.
3. When the organism dies, the carbon -14 becomes
nitrogen-14.
4. Carbon-14 turns to nitrogen-14 at a fixed rate.
5. Scientists are able to work out the age of the fossil
by comparing the ratio of carbon -14 to total carbon
and nitrogen-14.
Determining the Age of Fossils
Both methods are used to determine the age of the
fossil.
For example:
If a volcanic eruption occurred, then radiometric dating can be
used to determine when the eruption occurred.
Relative dating can be used to compare the fossils with the date
of the eruption.
If the fossil is found in the layer above the volcanic ash then it
was formed after the eruption.
If it is formed in the layer below the ash then it formed before
the eruption.
Key Events in Southern Africa
Fossil Evidence
One of the oldest evidence of life on Earth is found in Barberton
in Mpumalanga.
These are fossilized photosynthetic bacteria cells.
These fossil are about 3400 million years old.
The bacteria had jelly like substance around it.
Fine rock particles became attached to the jelly like substance,
this forces the bacteria to grow upward to search for light.
This results in the formation of a structure called stromatolites.
Key Events in Southern Africa
Stromatolites

These are dome-shaped mat like layers of rock.

 Key Events in Southern Africa
Oldest fossil of multi-cellular organism

The oldest known multi cellular organism is found in Namibia.

The multi-cellular organisms are sponges called Otavia.
They are found in limestone rocks found in northern Namibia.
These fossilized sponges are thought to be 650 million years old.

A similar type of fossil and fossils of other soft body invertebrates

have been found in North Cape.
Key Events in Southern Africa

Fossils of algae and early land plants have been found in the
Eastern Cape near Grahamstown.
These fossils are about 350 million years old.

A nearly 280 million year old fossil of cone bearing plants have
been found near Mooi River and Escourt in Kwa Zulu Natal.

A picture of Glossopteris
fossil
Key Events in Southern Africa
Glossopteris

These fossils are called

Glossopteris. These Glossopteris
occupied Gondwanaland for
almost 60 million years. These
plants were responsible for the
coal deposits found in Southern
Africa.
The picture is a reconstruction of
what the Glossopteris may have
looked like.
Map showing Coal Deposits in South Africa
Key Events in Southern Africa
Reptiles
Fossils of reptiles such
as Lystrosaurus and
Thrinaxodon have been
found in the Karoo. Lystrosaurus

These reptiles were

believed to give rise to
mammals.
They lived between 280
and 100 million years
ago.
Thrinaxodon
Key Events in Southern Africa
Dinosaurs
Dinosaurs lived 210 million years ago in Lesotho, north-
eastern Free State, Kwa Zulu Natal and the north
eastern parts of Eastern Cape.

This is supported by findings of fossilized footprints of

dinosaurs in these areas.

Fossilized dinosaur bones have been found in Maluti

and Drakensberg mountain ranges.
 Key Events in Southern Africa
Dinosaurs

Euskelosarus Euskelosarus was a very

early dinosaur.
It was a herbivore.
The first fossils of the skull
and skeleton were found
near Ladybrand in the
Eastern Free State.
Key Events in Southern Africa

There is evidence of early mammals in Southern Africa.

This is a shrew-sized mammal found in the Eastern Cape Province
and Lesotho.

The caves of the Cradle of Humankind contains most of the fossil

evidence of early humans.
Evidence of human existence can also be found in the Free State,
Kwa Zulu Natal and Eastern Cape.
This evidence is in the form of fossils and artefacts.
Key Events in Southern Africa
Coelacanths

The diagram shows a example of a

Coelacanths.
Some of their fins are lobe like.
This and many other features have
led scientists to believe that they
are more closely related to
Coelacanths were thought to have
amphibians than fish.
become extinct about 70 million years
ago.
However in 1938 a living coelacanth was
caught of the coast of East London.
A population of about 15 coelacanths
have been found near Sodwana Bay.
Coelacanths are also called the living
fossil.
Human Impact on Biodiversity and the Natural
Environment.
Threats to Biodiversity and the Natural Environment
Some of the treats are listed below:
1. Habitat destruction
2. Natural disasters
3. Over-exploitation
4. Pollution
5. Pesticides and fertilizers
6. Climate change
7. Alien invasive species
8. Disease
Fossil tourism

Fossil tourism is a type of ecotourism, but in fossil

tourism the main attraction is its fossils.

One of the most famous fossils sites is the Cradle of

Humankind.

The Cradle of Humankind is found in Gauteng and

North West Province.
Fossil tourism
Cradle of Humankind

Found in Sterkfontein, Swartkrans, Kromdraai regions.

It is a World Heritage Site since 1999.

It is one of the richest source of fossils of early

humans.

Nearly half of all human-ancestor fossils have been

found here.
Fossil tourism
West Coast Fossil Park
The West Coast Fossil Park is found in the Western Cape
Province.
It is found along the west coast, a few kilometers inland of the
Langebaan Lagoon.
This was once a phosphate mine.
It has the greatest diversity of five million old fossils.
It contained the fossils of the first bear ever found south of the
Sahara.
Fossils of the extinct true seal and four extinct species of
penguins were found here.
Fossil tourism
West Coast Fossil Park

The many hand on activities at the park that makes it very

exciting for the tourist.

Tourists can sift in the sand looking for fossils, with the promise
that if you find something new ( no one has found) then it will
be named after you.

Plans have been put into place to start a national fossil and rock
art route, that joins the Fossil Park to the Cradle.
Fossil tourism
Museums
Important fossils have been moved to museums once
they have been discovered.

The dinosaur fossil found in the Karoo have been

moved to the museum in Graaff-Reinet.

The museums become important fossil tourist

attractions.
Fossil tourism
Advantages of Fossil Tourism
Fossil tourism:

1. Creates jobs.

2. Generates income for people living in these areas.

3. Creates business opportunities for travel agents

and tour operators.
Terminology:
Fossils are remains of ancient life forms preserved in rock.
Paleontology is the study of fossils.
Petrify this means to turn into stone.
Imprints are left behind when the organisms start to decay
before it becomes petrified.
Strata are the in layers in which sedimentary rock pile up.
Index fossils are fossils which have occurred in a particular
period of time and then can be used to determine the age of
other fossils by comparison with them.
Terminology:

Amber is the hardened form of liquid sap.

Relative dating finds the age of the fossil by comparing it to
another fossil or geological event.
Radiometric dating tries to find out how long ago a particular
fossil was formed.
Stromatolites are dome-shaped mat like layers of rock.
Fossil tourism is a type of ecotourism, where the main attraction
is its fossils.
Something for your to do

1. The solid formed from the hardening of the liquid

sap of trees is called…

A. Amber
B. Tar
C. Sapped
D. Ice
2. The process of finding out the ages of rocks and
fossils using radioactive elements is…

A. Relative dating
B. Paleontology
C. Timing
D. Radiometric dating
3. The process of finding out the ages of fossils by
comparison with another fossil or rock.

A. Relative dating
B. Paleontology
C. Timing
D. Radiometric dating
4. Substances which give of nuclear radiation and
decay into other substances are called…

A. Relative
B. Radioactive
C. Radiometric
D. Reactive
5. The group name given to the first life forms, which
developed on Earth about 3.8 billion years ago is…

A. Coelacanth
B. Glossopteris
C. Photosynthetic bacteria
D. Euskelosaurus
6. The strange looking fish, once thought to be extinct
over 70 million years ago.

A. Coelacanth
B. Glossopteris
C. Photosynthetic bacteria
D. Euskelosaurus
7. Cone bearing plants that were responsible for the
formation of the coal deposits in southern Africa.

A. Coelacanth
B. Glossopteris
C. Photosynthetic bacteria
D. Euskelosaurus
8. The skull and skeleton of the Euskelosaurus is found
in…

A. Ladybrand
B. Barberton
C. Northern Cape
D. Eastern Cape
9. The 359 million year old fossils of algae and early
land plants such as club mosses are located in…

A. Ladybrand
B. Barberton
C. Northern Cape
D. Eastern Cape
10. Fossilized photosynthetic bacterial cells which are 3
400 million years old are found in…

A. Ladybrand
B. Barberton
C. Northern Cape
D. Eastern Cape
11. The fossils of soft bodied invertebrates have been
found in…

A. Ladybrand
B. Barberton
C. Northern Cape
D. Eastern Cape
12. The fossils of the most primitive mammal like
reptiles were found in…

A. Maluti
B. Karoo
C. Northern Namibia
D. Western Cape
13. Dinosaur bones were located in…

A. Maluti
B. Karoo
C. Northern Namibia
D. Western Cape
14. The world’s richest concentration of fossils occur
in…

A. Maluti
B. Karoo
C. Northern Namibia
D. Western Cape
15. The fossils of 650 million year old sponges have
been found in…

A. Maluti
B. Karoo
C. Northern Namibia
D. Western Cape
16. Early dinosaur found in Ladybrand that was a
herbivore.

A. Lystrosaurus
B. Glossopteris
C. Euskelosaurus
D. Octavia
17. Name given to sponges found in the limestone rocks
of northern Namibia 650 million years ago.

A. Lystrosaurus
B. Glossopteris
C. Euskelosaurus
D. Octavia
18. A reptile that gave rise to mammals.

A. Lystrosaurus
B. Glossopteris
C. Euskelosaurus
D. Octavia
19. Cone bearing plant found in Mooi River nearly 280
million years ago.

A. Lystrosaurus
B. Glossopteris
C. Euskelosaurus
D. Octavia
20. World heritage site…

A. Cradle of Humankind
B. West Coast Fossil Park
C. Mooi River
D. Durban
Solution:
1. A
2. D
3. A
4. B
5. C
6. A
7. B
8. A
9. D
10. B
Solution:

11 C
12 B
13 A
14 D
15 C
16 C
17 D
18 A
19 B
20 A