0
Index fossils are very important to geologists because they identify geological time periods.
Index fossils are found within a specific layer of rock- So when one finds the age of the rock layer, that is also the age of the index fossil.
Wiki User
∙ 11y ago
Add your answer:
Earn +20 pts
What is a fossil that can be used as a marker in time called?
Index fossils (also known as guide fossils, indicator fossils or zone fossils) are fossils used to define and identify geologic periods (or faunal stages). They work on the premise that, although different sediments may look different depending on the conditions under which they were laid down, they may include the remains of the same species of fossil. If the species concerned were short-lived (in geological terms, lasting a few hundred thousand years), then it is certain that the sediments in question were deposited within that narrow time period. The shorter the lifespan of a species, the more precisely different sediments can be correlated, and so rapidly evolving types of fossils are particularly valuable. The best index fossils are common, easy-to-identify at species level, and have a broad distribution-otherwise the likelihood of finding and recognizing one in the two sediments is minor. --- Wikipedia
Why are their so many well-preserved fossils?
There are so many well preserved fossils because there are so many fossils, some will be well preserved. In certain locations at certain times the conditions will be right for preserving living tissues.
Why are fossils so important?
Fossils are important to the humans because they help us learn about animals that are extinct (like dinosours). They can also help us with many clues as to how dinosours became extinct, and what they looked like.
Where were fossils of carnotaurus sastrel recently found?
As I konow they lived in Patagonia, Argentina, so probbably fossils were found there.
What is the name of a person who studies fossills?
A person who studies rocks and fossils is called an archeologist. No, the study of fossils is called paleontology and the study of rocks is called geology, so a person studies fossils is called a paleontologist. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archeology http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paleontology
Why can trilobites be used as index fossils?
Trilobites: The Index Fossil There are many thousands of known species of trilobite fossils found worldwide. Trilobites are considered to be good index fossils because they evolved so rapidly, and this allows geologists the ability to date the rocks in which the trilobites are found. The discovery of trilobites is second only to the discovery of dinosaurs, and new species of trilobites are still being discovered today.
Why is magnetite so important to geologists?
its not
Why is it important for geologists to work gently and slowly while digging up fossils?
They work gently so as not to break any fragile remnants. They work slowly so they don't miss any thing
Why are index fossils useful for figure out the age of a set of disturbed rock layers?
index fossils are useful for figuring out the age of a set of disturbed rock layers by index fossils are used to determine when rock layers were formed so if they were used to figure out the age of a set of disturbed rock layers than they can also figure out when they were formed .
What fossils could be used as possible index fossils?
I think it cause being a dective is rude and annoying and it is so rude that they fired me as being a stupid detetive
Why are fossils so important to researchers?
because that is their job
Why are fossils so important to archaeologists?
Archaeologists use fossils to scan the way of living of the past people.
What is an index fossil and how is useful?
Index fossils (also known as guide fossils, indicator fossils or zone fossils) are fossils used to define and identify geologic periods (or faunal stages). They work on the premise that, although different sediments may look different depending on the conditions under which they were laid down, they may include the remains of the same species of fossil. If the species concerned were short-lived (in geological terms, lasting a few hundred thousand years), then it is certain that the sediments in question were deposited within that narrow time period. The shorter the lifespan of a species, the more precisely different sediments can be correlated, and so rapidly evolving types of fossils are particularly valuable. The best index fossils are common, easy-to-identify at species level, and have a broad distribution-otherwise the likelihood of finding and recognizing one in the two sediments is minor. Ammonites fit these demands well, and are the best-known fossils that have been widely used for this. Other important groups that provide index fossils are the corals, graptolites, brachiopods, trilobites, and echinoids (sea urchins).Conodonts may be identified by experts using light microscopy such that they can be used to index a given sample with good resolution.{cn}}Fossilized teeth of mammals have also been used. Geologists use both large fossils (called macrofossils) and microscopic fossils (called microfossils) for this process, known asbiostratigraphy. Macrofossils have the advantage of being easy to see in the field, but they are rarer, and microfossils are very commonly used by oil prospectors and other industries interested in mineral resources when accurate knowledge of the age of the rocks being looked at is needed.
How do the characteristics of an index fossil is useful to geologists?
Index fossils are fossilized remains of organisms that serve as convenient reference points to geologists because they were very widely distributed during a very short period. This means that, if a geologist is trying to figure out how old a certain segment of rock is, the presence of an index fossil will give him a very good idea to a pretty high level of certainty.Most index fossils are aquatic, especially mollusks. This is because (a) mollusks had shells, which are easily preserved, and (b) marine organisms generally fossilize easily because they often live on sand and so turn into sedimentary rock, which forms without volcanic activity (like igneous) or intense pressure (like metamorphic).One good example of an index fossil is Paradoxides, a species of trilobite that was distributed in seas all over the world, but only for a very small amount of time during the Cambrian Period, about 540 million years ago.
What makes a fossil an index fossil?
fossils are preserved animals or plants. but index fossils are fossils have wide distribution,many of them,evolves rapidly, and very easy to recognize. Ammonites are index fossils. The fossils were made only in a certain short time period.
Why are traditional fossils important?
so you can get oil and find out how did ancient people lived
Would horseshoe crabs be useful as an index fossils?
No, Index fossils are used to date certain rock layers where the fossil is found. So it's usefull when you can find a certain index fossil only in a small period of time. So you can get the most precise dating for the rock layer. Horseshoe crabs are known as a 'living fossil', the first fossils of horse shoe crabs are found 450 millions years ago. So when you find a fossil of a horse shoe crab in a rock or sediment, you can't say anything about the age of the rock.
