Palaeontology and its Applications

Paleontology, usually called palaeontology, is the scientific study of life in the geologic past that involves the examination of plant and animal fossils preserved in rocks, including microscopic ones. It is concerned in all elements of ancient life forms’ biology, including their shape and structure, evolutionary trends, taxonomic relationships with other ancient life forms and present living species, geographic distribution, and interactions with the environment. Because fossils are a primary means of identifying and correlating sedimentary strata, palaeontology, stratigraphy and historical geology are all mutually linked. Its investigative methods include biometry (statistical analysis applied to biology), which is meant to provide a statistical description of organism shapes and quantitative expression of taxonomic relationships.

Study of History

Earlier philosophers had identified features of the fossil record before palaeontology was formed about 1800. From fossil sea shells, the ancient Greek philosopher Xenophanes (570–480 BC) deduced that some sections of land were formerly under water. During the Middle Ages, the Persian naturalist Ibn Sina, better known in Europe as Avicenna, examined fossils and suggested a theory of petrifying fluids, which Albert of Saxony expanded on in the 14th century. Shen Kuo (1031–1095), a Chinese naturalist, offered a theory of climate change based on the occurrence of petrified bamboo in areas that were too dry for bamboo at the time.

The scientific study of fossils became a vital aspect of the transformations in natural philosophy that happened throughout the Age of Reason in early modern Europe. Leonardo da Vinci made multiple key contributions to the field throughout the Italian Renaissance, as well as depicting countless fossils. Leonardo’s contributions to palaeontology are significant because he established a link between the two primary fields of palaeontology, ichnology and body fossil palaeontology. He came up with the following:

• The biogenic nature of ichnofossils, which means that they were formed by living organisms;
• The value of ichnofossils as paleoenvironmental instruments – certain ichnofossils indicate that rock strata originated in the sea;
• The importance of the neoichnological method – understanding ichnofossils requires current traces;
• The independence and complementarity of ichnofossils and body fossils — Ichnofossils are separate from body fossils, but they can be combined to offer paleontological knowledge

Paleontology has contributed significantly to the reconstruction of Earth’s history and has offered substantial evidence in favour of evolution. Furthermore, data from paleontological studies has benefited petroleum geologists in discovering oil and natural gas resources. The presence of such fossil fuels is frequently linked to the presence of the remains of ancient living forms.

Paleontological study began in the early 1800s. William Smith, an English geologist, proved the importance of utilising fossils to understand strata in 1815. Around the same period, French scientist Georges Cuvier began comparing the structure of live animals to that of fossils. Bioengineering is the application of technical knowledge to medical and biological disciplines. The bioengineer must be knowledgeable in biology and have a broad understanding of engineering, including electrical, chemical, mechanical, and other disciplines. Bioengineers can work in many different sectors. The provision of artificial means to assist deficient body functions, such as hearing aids, artificial limbs, and supportive or substitute organs, is one of them. In a different path, a bioengineer might apply engineering methods to achieve biosynthesis of animal or plant products, such as fermentation processes.

Application of Palaeontology

The use of fossils in the arranging of rocks in time and space, in biostratigraphy, paleobiology, and sequence stratigraphy are all covered in Applications of Palaeontology. Academic researchers and professionals from a variety of fields and industries will find Applications of Palaeontology to be a helpful resource.

Based on fossils

Shell fossils, such as those of brachiopods or lamp shells, and trilobites, are the most useful for correlation. Almost all fossils are found in the Earth’s sedimentary rocks layer. Strata are single flat layers that make up sedimentary rocks. Because of the protected layers of sediments surrounding them, bones, teeth, horns, and other hard components do not degrade as quickly as squishy fossils.

Conclusion

Palaeontology, the scientific study of fossils, has progressed from a descriptive to an analytical science that is used to explain Earth-life history links. In a comprehensive and up-to-date explanation of applied palaeontology, this book covers the use of fossils in the ordering of rocks in time and space, as well as biostratigraphy, palaeobiology, and sequence stratigraphy. Numerous case studies by Robert Wynn Jones demonstrate the subject’s application and significance in sectors such as petroleum, mineral, and coal exploration and exploitation, engineering geology, and environmental science. Outside of the geosciences, specialised applications are also addressed.