Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Preservation of Trace Fossils

  • Chapter
The Study of Trace Fossils

Synopsis

Trace fossils are normally preserved at or near interfaces, as a result of burrowing or crawling activity along the junction of successive beds of different lithology. The traces may be enhanced by diagenetic concentration of such minerals as calcite, chert, and pyrite, and hence may appear as concretionary nodules. The scour-fill activity of turbidity currents on the seabed may also play a preservational role in flysch sequences, and in some instances, a difference in orientation of grains within beds of uniform lithology may be sufficient to reveal trace fossils.

A variety of formal terms has been proposed to describe trace fossil preservation. Among the more useful are full reliefs and semi-reliefs, the latter being subdivisible into epireliefs and hyporeliefs, depending on their relationship to the main casting medium. Alternative terms are epichnia, endichnia, hypichnia, and exichnia.

Characteristics of the sedimentary matrix control the style of preservation to a considerable extent; for instance, compact clay retains finer impressions than does unconsolidated sand. Variations in sedimentation rate can affect the morphology of burrows, and the character of whole assemblages of trace fossils—as for instance in turbidite sequences—may be strongly influenced by the sedimentary bottom conditions.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
eBook
USD 16.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Bromley, R. G. 1967. Some observations on burrows of thalassinidean Crustacea in chalk hardgrounds. Geol. Soc. London, Quart. Jour., 123:157–182.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chamberlain, C. K. 1971. Morphology and ethology of trace fossils from the Ouachita Mountains, southeast Oklahoma. Jour. Paleont., 45:212–246.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chisholm, J. I. 1970. Teichichnusand related trace fossils in the Lower Carboniferous at St. Monance, Scotland. Geol. Surv. Great Britain, Bull. 32:21–51.

    Google Scholar 

  • Crimes, T. P. 1970. The significance of trace fossils in sedimentology, stratigraphy and palaeoecology with examples from lower Palaeozoic strata. In T. P. Crimes and J. C. Harper (eds.), Trace fossils. Geol. Jour., Spec. Issue 3:101–126.

    Google Scholar 

  • ———. 1973. From limestones to distal turbidites: a fades and trace fossil analysis in the Zumaya flysch (Paleocene-Eocene), north Spain. Sedimentology, 20:105–131.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ferguson, L. 1965. A note on the emplacement of sediment in the trace-fossilChondrites. Geol. Soc. London, Proc., 1622:79–82.

    Google Scholar 

  • Frey, R. W. 1970. Trace fossils of Fort Hays Limestone Member of Niobrara Chalk (Upper Cretaceous), west-central Kansas. Univ. Kansas Paleont. Contr., Art. 53, 41 p.

    Google Scholar 

  • ———. 1971. Ichnology—the study of fossil and recent lebensspuren. In B. F. Perkins (ed.), Trace fossils, a field guide. Louisiana State Univ., School Geosci., Misc. Publ. 71–1:91–125.

    Google Scholar 

  • ———. W. 1973. Concepts in the study of biogenic sedimentary structures. Jour. Sed. Petrol., 43:6–19.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goldring, R. 1962. The trace fossils of the Baggy Beds (Upper Devonian) of North Devon, England. Paläont. Zeitschr., 36:232–257.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goldring, R. 1964. Trace-fossils and the sedimentary surface in shallow-water marine sediments. In L. M. J. U. van Straaten (ed.), Deltaic and shallow marine deposits. Developments in Sedimentology, 1:136–143.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Hallam, A. 1960a. Kulindrichnus langi, a new trace-fossil from the Lias. Palaeontology, 3:64–68.

    Google Scholar 

  • ———. 1960b. The White Lias of the Devoncoast. Geol. Assoc. London, Proc., 71:47–60.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hallam, A. 1964. Origin of the limestone-shale rhythm in the Blue Lias of England: a composite theory. Jour. Geol., 72:157–169.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hallam, A.1970. Gyrochorteand other trace fossils in the Forest Marble (Bathonian) of Dorset, England. In T. P. Crimes and J. C. Harper (eds.), Trace fossils. Geol. Jour., Spec. Issue 3:189–200.

    Google Scholar 

  • ———. and K. Swett. 1965. Trace fossils from the Lower Cambrian Pipe Rock of the north-west Highlands. Scottish Jour. Geol., 2:101–106.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hester, N. C. and W. A. Pryor. 1972. Bladeshaped crustacean burrows of Eocene age: a composite form ofOphiomorpha. Geol. Soc. America, Bull., 83:677–688.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Howard, J. D. and R. W. Frey. 1973. Characteristic physical and biogenic sedimentary structures in Georgia estuaries. Amer. Assoc. Petrol. Geol., Bull., 57:1169–1184.

    Google Scholar 

  • Martinsson, A. 1970. Toponomy of trace fossils. In T. P. Crimes and J. C. Harper (eds.), Trace fossils. Geol. Jour., Spec. Issue 3:323–330.

    Google Scholar 

  • Osgood, R. G., Jr. 1970. Trace fossils of the Cincinnati area. Palaeontographica Amer., 6(41):281–244.

    Google Scholar 

  • ———. and E. J. Szmuc. 1972. The trace fossilZoophycosas an indicator of water depth. Bulls. Amer. Paleont., 62(271):5–22.

    Google Scholar 

  • Plessmann, W. 1966. Diagenetische und kompressive Verfermung in der Oberkreide des Harz-Nordrandes sowie im Flysch von San Remo. Neues Jahrb. Geol. Paläont., Monat., 8:480–493.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schäfer, W. 1956. Wirkungen der Benthos-Organismen auf den jungen Schichtverband. Senckenbergiana Leth., 37:183–263.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schäfer, W. 1972. Ecology and palaeoecology ofmarine environments. Edinburgh and Chicago, Oliver 8c Boyd and Univ. Chicago Press, 568 p.

    Google Scholar 

  • Seilacher, A. 1953a. Studien zur Palichnologie. I. Uber die Methoden der Palichnologie. Neues Jahrb. Geol. Paläont., Abh., 96:421–452.

    Google Scholar 

  • ———. 1953b. Studien zur Palichnologie. II.Die Fossilen Ruhespuren (Cubichnia). Neues Jahrb. Geol. Paläont., Abh., 98:87–124.

    Google Scholar 

  • ———. 1962. Paleontological studies on turbidite sedimentation and erosion. Jour. Geol., 70:227–234.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • ———. 1964. Sedimentological classificationand nomenclature of trace fossils. Sedimentology, 3:253–256.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • ———. 1967. Bathymetry of trace fossils.Marine Geol., 5:413–428.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shinn, E. A. 1968. Burrowing in recent lime sediments of Florida and the Bahamas. Jour. Paleont., 42:879–894.

    Google Scholar 

  • Simpson, S. 1957. On the trace-fossilChondrites. Geol. Soc. London, Quart. Jour., 112:475–495.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • ———. 1970. Notes onZoophycosandSpirophyton. In T. P. Crimes and J. C. Harper (eds.), Trace fossils. Geol. Jour., Spec. Issue 3:505–514.

    Google Scholar 

  • Webby, B. D. 1969. Trace fossils (Pascichnia) from the Silurian of New South Wales, Australia. Palaont. Zeitschr., 43:81–94.

    Google Scholar 

  • Weimer, R. J. and J. H. Hoyt. 1964. Burrows ofCallianassa majorSay, geological indicators of littoral and shallow neritic environments. Jour. Paleont., 38:761–767.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geology and Mineralogy, University of Oxford, Oxford, England

    A. Hallam

Authors
  1. A. Hallam
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geology, University of Georgia, 30602, Athens, Georgia, USA

    Robert W. Frey

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1975 Springer-Verlag New York Inc.

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Hallam, A. (1975). Preservation of Trace Fossils. In: Frey, R.W. (eds) The Study of Trace Fossils. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-65923-2_4

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-65923-2_4

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-65925-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-65923-2

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation