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WalesGeologyQuick questions
G3: Past Life and Past Climates
Quick questions on Palaeoecology and mode of life - WJEC A-Level Geology
5short Q&A pairs drawn directly from our worked dot-point answer. For full context and worked exam questions, read the parent dot-point page.
What are trace fossils?Show answer
A trace fossil is evidence of the activity of an organism (a burrow, track, trail or boring) rather than the organism itself. Their value lies in three things: they are almost always preserved in place (not transported), so they record the true environment; particular trace types (ichnofacies) are characteristic of particular water depths and conditions; and they record soft-bodied organisms that leave no body fossils.
What are reconstructing environments?Show answer
A fossil assemblage (the set of fossils found together) and the adaptations of its members let you reconstruct the environment, for example reef corals indicating warm, shallow, clear marine water, or rooted plant beds indicating a swamp. Combining the assemblage with sedimentary structures gives a strong environmental reconstruction.
What is q1?Show answer
State what a deep pallial sinus in a bivalve shell indicates about its mode of life. [2 marks]
What is q2?Show answer
Give two reasons trace fossils are good environmental indicators. [2 marks]
What is q3?Show answer
State the environment indicated by an assemblage of reef corals and crinoids in growth position. [2 marks]
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