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Of A Fossil: Preservation Does Not Necessitate Mineral
Of A Fossil: Preservation Does Not Necessitate Mineral
P established and recognized scien- tion or metamorphosis resulting in preser- remains of life from the Holocene (recent).
tific discipline. Professional pale- vation of biological remains. To some, the This use of subfossil is related to the accep-
ontologists have become highly specialized word fossilization is considered synony- tance of the idea that a fossil must be from
and employ a wide range of scientific meth- mous with the word petrification. Both a previous time period. Subfossil is a term
odologies in pursuit of data. Research into words denote a process, however, petrifica- that is used inconsistently, and its ambigu-
the functional morphology of ancient or- tion is a specific type of fossilization in- ity hinders the ability to rigorously define
ganisms, the physics of tetrapod locomo- volving the conversion of organic material the term fossil.
tion, the development of extinction models, to stone (more precisely minerals).
the application of molecular biology in Furthermore, there are various types
systematics, comparative bone histology of petrification including mineral re-
and other practices are certainly based upon placement, permineralization and re-
the scientific method. crystallization. Not all types of fossil-
What common denominator unifies all ization involve petrification. Fossil-
of the diverse fields within paleontology? ization can occur through other pro-
The answer is clearly — FOSSILS. How- cesses, such as freezing, desiccation
ever, a close examination of the use of the or encasement of organic remains
wordfossil in modern society demonstrates within other materials (amber), and
that the definition of a fossil is less than does not necessarily involve any min-
scientific. eral replacement (petrification).
"What is a fossil?" is a common interpre- The preservation aspect of a fossil FOOTPRINTS: Early dinosaur tracks are preserved
in sandstone at Glen Canyon.
tive theme presented in museum exhibits, needs further analyzing. Perhaps the um^muunmummWmBm
RANGER • Spring 2002 • 1
Definitions of fossil that incorporate a existing in the current definition for the
time reference or date result in interpreta- word fossil. The geologic context helps to
tions that are unscientific. Many sources differentiate a fossil from fresh road kill
have presented a definition that indicates a along the highway. Placing biological re-
specimen must be older than 10,000 years mains in a geologic context seems more
or from a previous geologic time period to congruent with the actual scope of paleon-
qualify as a fossil. Establishing a boundary tology than to reference a relative time
or date may make classification easy, but marker or a degree of preservation.
does this make real scientific sense? The lack of a consistent and scientifi-
Shall biological remains that date to cally based definition for what we recog-
merely 9,000 years ago be denied space in nize to be a fossil is problematic. As the
the paleo cabinets? Do we need to consider foundation for the science of paleontology,
waiting another 1,000 years until these fossils should be more clearly defined. The
remains can officially be called fossils? definition should be based upon science
Likewise, what is significant about de- and logic in order to minimize the ambigu-
fining a fossil through its occurrence in a ity and to maximize understanding. We
past geologic time period? Humans estab- should establish a consistent definition to
lish these boundaries. What intrinsic rela- facilitate our efforts in resource steward-
tionship do these boundaries have with ship and public education. Furthermore,
determining whether biological remains the lack of a sound scientific definition for
are fossils? fossils limits our ability to establish an
Are the Wrangell Island mammoths to acceptable legal definition for fossils.
be excluded from being recognized as fos- SENTENELS: These standing petrified trees are in As a final note, we have come to learn in
an ancient forest in Yellowstone.
sils? In the late 1980s the remains of mam- the science of paleontology that our knowl-
moths were discovered in the Russian Arc- portant element missing from the various edge of the history of life is only as good as
tic. These mammoths underwent exhaus- definitions currently being used for the our previous field season. Our interpreta-
tive research. Scientists from St. Peters- word fossil. This element is the geologic tions may need to be modified as our fossil
burg established isotopic dates of 4,000 context in which the fossil is preserved. The database grows.
years B.P. (before present) for the mam- geologic context refers to the environment, This discussion was not presented to be
moth remains. Other researchers confirmed both components and conditions, in which dogmatic, nor was it presented to be
this work independently. Does this discov- the organic remains occur. The preserva- adversarial. On the contrary, this discus-
ery support a definition for fossil, which tion of biological organisms is directly de- sion is intended as a means to generate
includes a reference to a particular date or pendent upon the geologic context or the meaningful discussions between those of us
time period? ancient environmental (paleoenvi- who manage and care for fossils. Perhaps
If the definition of a fossil is free of time ronmental) conditions to which they are paleontologists and public land managers
association, then what are the limits defin- exposed. Evidence of this environment is should work together and discuss topics
ing a fossil? Is there rationale for including often preserved itself in the form of sedi- such as definition of a fossil in order to
extinction as a criterion in the definition of ments, soils and other geological resources. better attain consistency and the highest
a fossil? A cursory look at the fossil record As most paleontologists recognize and level of understanding in our management,
indicates that there is no basis for including advocate, the geologic context in which protection and interpretation of the non-
extinction as a criterion. For example, the fossils occur provides some of the most renewable resources known as fossils.-fit
extant genus Lingula (a bivalved marine important information regarding the fossil.
organism) extends back to the Cambrian, Fossils removed from strata without docu- Vincent Santucci is chief ranger at Fossil Butte
whereas many species of plants and ani- mentation of the associated geologic and National Monument. He has served as a ranger
mals have succumbed to extinction within stratigraphic data have limited value to and a palenotologistwith the MPS since 1985, and
he has been involved in the inventory ofpaleonto-
the last century. There doesn't seem to be a science. The associated geologic informa-
logical resources throughout the NPS. Santucci
unified taxonomic component suitable for tion can yield valuable information rel- also has worked at Badlands, Petrified Forest.
inclusion as a criterion in the definition of evant to the fossil including: climate, sedi- Grand Canyon and Yellowstone, and he has served
a fossil. mentary environment, age, contemporary as the servicewide paleontologist for the Geologic
Resources Division.
As clever government bureaucrats, per- organisms and other data.
haps we could establish some useful acro- What, then, do we propose as a scientifi- Photos courtesy of the author.
nym to help us with our fossil definition. cally sound definition for the word fossil?
The following acronym came to me during
a late night attack of insomnia: F.O.S.S.I.L. Fossil: evidence of life preserved
(Fairly Old Stone-like Specimen Indicat- in a geological context.
ing Life). It is apparent, however, that this
approach is still not scientifically sound. It appears that the concept of geologic
In consideration of the discussions pre- context may be the critical missing element
sented above, there appears to be one im- and may resolve some of the "gray areas"
8 -^ ANPR • Association of National Park Rangers
RANGER
-^^- ^ ^ . The Journal of the Association of National Park Rangers
A N PR pSa Stewards for parks, visitors and each other