FOSSIL RECORD OF ANCIENT FAUNAS:INSIGHTS FROM PALEOZOOLOGY AND GEOLOGY

Abstract

The fossil record itself is the main direct evidence for the history of Earth's life. This paper discusses how interdisciplinary collaboration between paleozoology and geology offers basic knowledge on ancient faunas, faunal evolution, and paleoenvironments. Paleozoological research into the morphology, taxonomy, and taphonomy of fossil remains is underpinned in a critical way by geological context, specifically stratigraphy, sedimentology, and geochronology, that offer accurate temporal and environmental contexts. New developments in analytical methods, including non-destructive imaging (CT scanning, synchrotron microtomography) and geochemical analysis (stable isotopes, paleoproteomics), are transforming the potential to harvest high-resolution information from fossils and their associated matrices. These holistic methods have given rise to numerous groundbreaking discoveries, including the description of new taxa, precise knowledge of evolutionary rates and patterns, and exhaustive reconstruction of ancient ecosystems and climatic change. By integrating information from these various disciplines, we have a better and truer appreciation of the history of life in geological time, emphasizing the deep interaction between Earth's history and the history of its faunas. Synergistic investigation is necessary to answer questions of intrinsic importance in paleontology and biology, providing key insights into present-day biodiversity and environmental issues.

Keywords: Fossil record, Paleozoology, Geology, Ancient faunas, Evolution