Fossils and coastlines - preliminary paleontological and geologic tasks.

Apply fossil and geologic data to estimate time and location of an ancient coastline in north eastern BC.

This is NOT a quiz. The activities will help you address each aspect of this task. "Answers" are provided but do not just skip to the answers. Use your brain to figure stuff out.

Think about this a little: Why should we want to apply fossil and geologic data to estimate the location of an ancient coastline? Before getting to work, jot down one or two ideas that suggest why this task could be interesting or perhaps even useful to some individuals or organizations.

Ignore the answer box - it is just a place holder here.
Also think about this a little: What kinds of evidence would geologists use to decide where the coastlines of this inland sea were at various times in the past? Jot down 2 or 3 ideas, but don't spend more than a few minutes thinking about this.

Ignore the answer box - it is just a place holder here.
First, during what time was the North American Inland Sea (or Western Interior Seaway, or the Cretaceous Seaway) at it’s widest (West to East)? You will have to spend 5-10 minutes researching the sea. HINTS: simply searching for either name should get you a result you can use in just a few minutes. Answer using two words - like "Late Ordovician" - not with dates.

Try answering in the box. After several "wrong" attempts the question will convert to multiple choice.
1. Late Jurassic
2. Early Cretaceous
3. Middle Cretaceous
4. Late Cretaceous
5. Early Paleogene
6. Middle Paleogene
Next, at roughly what time did the North American Inland Sea (Western Interior Seaway) close? You should have a rough idea based on your research about the sea for the previous question. Try answering in the box. After a couple of "wrong" attempts the question will convert to multiple choice.
1. Late Jurassic
2. Early Cretaceous
3. Middle Cretaceous
4. Late Cretaceous
5. Early Paleogene
6. Middle Paleogene
Trace fossils are
1. Body parts of organisms that have been replaced by minerals.
2. "Molds" of organisms or their body parts that have been filled in with sediments.
3. Organisms or parts of organisms preserved in amber.
4. Fossilized evidence of organism behavior or movements.
5. Silicified traces of some organism's soft parts.
Here are the five fossil samples. Click to see a larger version in a new window. Also - you may want to keep the image open in it's separate tab, or print a copy to make it easier to use later in the exercise.

One or more of these fossils appears to be associated with (pick only those that apply). Use web link URLs on each figure to learn more about these fossils.
1. Marine animals
2. terrestrial animals
3. plants
4. micro-organisms
5. feeding behaviors
6. moving behaviors
7. Fossilized shell parts
8. Fossilized soft-body parts
9. Fossilized hard-body parts
Which fossil includes a feature NOT caused by an organism, but which IS important for helping identify the corresponding environment?
1. A
2. B
3. C
4. D
5. E
What is that feature (two words)?
1. wave marks
2. ripple marks
3. fault marks
4. foot prints
5. bedding planes
6. sand layers
Which formation environments are associated with our 5 fossils (pick all that apply)?
1. land (damp ground)
2. land (dry, desert ground)
3. tidal ground between low and high tide
4. shallow water that experiences waves (i.e. above the wavebase)
5. slightly deeper water that does not experience waves (i.e. below the wave base).
6. deeper water further from the coastline
7. shallow very saline lagoon just inland of, but not connected to the tidal zone.