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Taphonomy:

A resource guide

Carol Smith
Info 674 – resources in science / tech
Fall, 2005
Submitted December 4, 2005
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TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION TO TAPHONOMY 4
Discipline Overview 4
Resource Guide Scope 4
Subject Keywords 5
Library Of Congress Subject Headings 5
Library Of Congress Classification Numbers 6
Dewey Decimal Classification Numbers 6

MONOGRAPHS (KEY TEXTS) 6

REFERENCE WORKS 9
Atlases and Maps 9
Bibliographies 9
Catalogs 10
Dictionaries and Glossaries 10
Directories 12
Directories of Individuals 12
Directories of Organizations 12
Directories of Collections 13
Encyclopedias 13

GUIDES AND HANDBOOKS 14

Fossil Guides 14
Regional Field Guides 14
Handbooks 15

ABSTRACTING AND INDEXING SERVICES 16

ACADEMIC JOURNALS 19
Core Journals 19
Other Significant Journals 21

SELECTED ARTICLES 22
Highly Cited Articles 22
Key Literature Reviews 22
Background and Seminal Articles 23
Dedicated Journal Issues 24
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CONFERENCES AND CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS 25

Major Conferences and Associated Proceedings 25
Additional Published Proceedings 28

OTHER PUBLICATIONS 29
Dissertations and Theses 29
Government Publications 30
E-print and Preprint Repositories 31

ORGANIZATIONS AND INSTITUTIONS 31

Associations And Professional Societies 31
Government Agencies 33
Private Research Centers 33

CURRENT AWARENESS 34
Electronic Newsletters 34
Table Of Contents Service 35
Grants 35
Employment 37

DISCUSSION GROUPS 38
Listservs 38
Usenet Newsgroups 39

INTERNET RESOURCES 40
Informative Web Sites 40
Museum Collections 40
Databases 41
Gateways and Search Engines 43

Cover image credit

The Virtual Fossil Museum. Cathayornis yandica Fossil Bird from Liaoning China. Retrieved
November 12, 2005, from http://www.fossilmuseum.net/Fossil-
Pictures/Birds/Cathayornis-yandica/Cathayornis-yandica.htm
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INTRODUCTION TO TAPHONOMY

Discipline Overview
Taphonomy is the study of the processes impacting an organism between the time of its
death and its later discovery. The term ‘taphonomy’ was first coined in 1940 by Russian
paleontologist Ivan Efremov, and modern taphonomy is traditionally dated back to this
time. It is best known as the branch of paleontology that examines fossilization processes,
but also has application in archaeology, forensics and other sciences.

The two major sub-disciplines of taphonomy are biostratinomy and diagenesis.

Biostratinomic studies address the necrolysis, disarticulation, body transportation and
subsequent burial processes, while diagenesis focuses on the physical and chemical effects of
burial on an organism’s remains.

The information derived from taphonomic studies can contribute to our knowledge of an
organism’s morphology, geographic distribution and behavior patterns. It can also enhance
our understanding of historical environments, and providing insights for many broader
disciplines, including archaeology, paleontology and geology. Paleoecology, paleobotany,
paleobiology and sedimentology are all examples of specializations that actively employ
taphonomic studies.

Applied scientific methodologies include actualistic and comparative taphonomy. Actualistic

taphonomists study contemporary taphonomic patterns in the biosphere, and attempts to
extrapolate findings to the historic fossil record. Such studies can be observational or
experimental/simulated in nature. Comparative taphonomy seeks an enhanced
understanding of an organism through the comparison of cross-taxa taphonomic
differences.

The first journal dedicated exclusively to the study of taphonomy debuted just two years ago,
and the field is enjoying a resurgence thanks to a new emphasis on information that is gained
rather than lost as a result of taphonomic processes. Despite this increased attention,
taphonomy is still considered to be an emerging scientific discipline. Precise taphonomic
methodologies for describing fossil assemblages are still needed, for example, and the field
lacks a comprehensive bibliography. Further, because taphonomy is so inter-disciplinary in
nature, taphonomic studies and data are widely scattered in resources relating to broader
fields. It is therefore hoped that this subject resource guide will help fill an existing
information gap, and prove useful to taphonomists and other interested scientists.

Resource Guide Scope

This resource guide emphasizes English-language taphonomy resources relating to
paleontology, but also includes a small number of major taphonomic resources in the fields
of archaeology and forensics. It is hoped that future editions of the resource guide will
expand the number of taphonomic resources in these disciplines.
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Additionally, because much taphonomic work involves fossil discovery and identification,
relevant resources are included to assist the taphonomist with locating and classifying
taphonomic materials, both in the field and within collections.

✮ Particularly exceptional resources for the taphonomist are noted with a ✮ symbol.

Subject Keywords
The following terms may prove useful when searching for resources in taphonomy:

Abrasion Fragmentation
Actualistic paleontology / Incrustation / Encrustation
Actuopaleontology Laggerstätten
Actualistic taphonomy Microtaphonomy
Articulation Mineralization
Assemblages Necrolysis
Bioerosion Paleontology / Palaeontology (U.K.)
Biostratigraphy Quantitative taphonomy
Biostratinomy Soft-tissue preservation
Bioturbation Sedimentology
Carbonization Stratigraphy
Comparative taphonomy Taphograms
Diagenesis Taphonomy
Disarticulation Taphofacies / Taphomic facies
Dissolution Trace Fossils
Forensic taphonomy Time-averaging
Fossilization Uniformitarianism

Library Of Congress Subject Headings

Taphonomy
BT Paleontology
NT Forensic taphonomy
Fossilization

Fossils
RT Paleontology
NT Amber fossils
Animals, Fossil
Plants, Fossil
Trace fossils
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Library Of Congress Classification Numbers

Subject-specific classification numbers:

QE721.2.F6 Fossilization, Taphonomy

Z6033.P2 Fossils
RA1063.47 Forensic Taphonomy
QE721 Geology--Paleontology--Special aspects of the subject as a whole

Broader classes of interest:

QE640 - QE699 Stratigraphy

QE701 - QE760 Paleontology
QE760.8 - QE899.2 Paleozoology
QE901 - QE996.5 Paleobotany
Z6033.A-Z6033.Z Paleontology (reference)

Dewey Decimal Classification Numbers

Class Caption

560 Paleontology and paleozoology

560.17 Stratigraphic paleontology, paleozoology (may be
further classified by geological era)
560.41 Fossilization (Taphonomy)
560.43 Trace fossils
561.3-561.9 Fossils, specific plants and groups of plants
562-569 Fossils, specific taxonomic groups of animals

MONOGRAPHS (KEY TEXTS)

Allison, P.A., and Briggs, D.E.G. (1991). Taphonomy: releasing the data locked in the
fossil record. Topics in Geobiology, 9. New York: Plenum Press.

Not reviewed. A widely cited text of the early 1990’s.

Bottjer, D.J., Etter, W., Hagadorn, J.W., and Tang, C.M. (Eds.). (2002). Exceptional fossil
preservation: a unique view on the evolution of marine life. New York:
Columbia University Press.

Part of a series entitled “Critical Moments and Perspectives in Earth History and
Paleobiology”, this collection of research papers explores the taphonomic
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significance of premiere marine Fossil Lagerstätten sites. Lagerstätten are deposits of

exceptionally preserved fossils that still exhibit soft-tissue remains. Fewer than 1,000
such sites have been identified worldwide.

Brain, C.K. (1981). The hunters or the hunted? An introduction to African cave
taphonomy. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

A highly cited taphonomic study of bone assemblages in African caves. Provides

guidance on interpreting bone assemblages in caves, and presents an analysis and
interpretation of Sterkfontein Valley Caves as a case study. Applicable to both the
archaeological and paleontological disciplines.

Brett, C.E., and Speyer, S.E. (2005). Comparative Taphonomy: Pattern and Processes in
Fossil Preservation. Oxford University Press.

Not reviewed. Forthcoming publication, to be released November 2005. Place of

publication not provided.

Brett, C.E., and Baird, G.C. (Eds.). (1997). Paleontological events: stratigraphic,
ecological, and evolutionary implications. New York: Columbia University Press.

Unique taphonomic conditions or ecological events can result in thin stratigraphic

intervals of extraordinary fossil taxa. This collection of papers reviews Fossil
Lagerstätten and epiboles, two particular types of stratigraphic events, and their
significance for taphonomic studies.

Bromley, R.G. (1990). Trace fossils: biology and taphonomy. London: Unwin Hyman.

Trace fossils are any fossilized evidence of an organism’s activities, including

footprints, tracks and burrows. Whereas most studies of trace fossils emphasize a
geological approach, this work examines the biological and taphonomic implications
of the trace fossil record.

✮ Donovan, S.K. (Ed). (1991). The processes of fossilization. New York: Columbia
University Press.

The collected essays in this book fall into two major sections – an overview of the
history of taphonomic studies, and discussions of the distinct taphonomic processes
of different categories of organisms, such as trilobites, plants, vertebrates and soft-
bodied animals. A wealth of illustrations and extensive chapter references make this a
useful starting point for exploring many topics in taphonomy.
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Ginsburg, R.N. (1973). Evolving Concepts in Sedimentology. Baltimore, MD: Johns

Hopkins University Press.

A dated work, but one that contains an excellent section on biostratinomic processes

✮ Lyman, R.L. (1994). Vertebrate taphonomy. Cambridge, England: Cambridge University

Press.

Considered a primary textbook for many university courses on vertebrate

taphonomy. The author provides comprehensive coverage of historical, theoretical
and practical aspects of the discipline, as it relates to vertebrate organisms. Highly
recommended as an introductory text to the subject.

✮ Martin, R.E. (1999). Taphonomy: A process approach. Cambridge, England: New

York: Cambridge University Press.

This volume aims to cover the entire discipline of taphonomy, as it relates to both
plant and animal fossils, in both oceanic and terrestrial environments. A process
approach is emphasized, stressing its application in associated disciplines. A section
devoted to taphonomic laws, rules and classification models is of particular interest,
as it is a topic not treated in equal depth elsewhere.

Micozzi, M.S. (1991). Postmortem change in human and animal remains: A systematic
approach. Springfield, IL: C.C. Thomas.

Excerpt from author’s introductory synopsis: “This book provides a unique,

synthetic treatment of postmortem change presented in a systematic fashion with
attention to the relative chronologies of both physical and cultural factors that
influence human and animal remains. The author integrates reports and observations
in the anthropology /archaeology literature with material as appropriate from
medicine, pathology, paleopathology, ethnography and the forensic sciences (cover)”

Shipman, P. (1981). Life history of a fossil: an introduction to taphonomy and

paleoecology. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

Not reviewed. A widely cited text on taphonomy. Still used in undergraduate

taphonomy courses today.
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REFERENCE WORKS

Atlases and Maps

Ocean Drilling Stratigraphic Network (1998). ODSN Fossil Distribution Plotting Service.
Retrieved November 9, 2005, from
http://www.odsn.de/odsn/services/plot_dist.html

Allows a user to plot the distribution of more than 5.000 kinds of marine fossils,
using data and world maps from the GEOMAR Research Center for Marine
Geosciences.

Scotese, C.R. (2002). PALEOMAP Project. Retrieved November 11, 2005, from
http://www.scotese.com/

Created as a PhD project at the University of Chicago, these paleogeographical

atlases are still developed and maintained by the original developer, Christopher
Cortese. Provides animated models of plate tectonic and climactic reconstructions
from all time periods. Useful in the understanding of fossil distribution patterns.

U.S. Geological Survey (2005). USGS Web Site. Retrieved November 20, 2005, from
http://www.usgs.gov/search/

The U.S. Geological Survey, an agency of the U.S. Department of the Interior,
provides reliable scientific information in the Earth Sciences, including numerous
maps, publication and data relating to major fossils deposits. A large web site,
resources of interest are most easily located using the web site’s comprehensive
search function.

Bibliographies

✮ Koch, C.P. (1989). Taphonomy: a bibliographic guide to the literature. Orono, ME:
Center for the Study of the First Americans, Institute for Quaternary Studies,
University of Maine.

A taphonomic guide for researchers in the disciplines of archaeozoology,

paleoanthropology, and paleontology. The guide provides more than 1,200
bibliographic entries, in addition to author and topical indexes.
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Beisaw, April M. (2005). Annotated Bibliography of Taphonomy. Retrieved November

15, 2005, from
http://www.geocities.com/abeisaw/Taphonomy/annotatedbibpart1.html

An Internet-based bibliography maintained by April M. Beisaw, an independent

zooarchaelogist with expertise in taphonomic analysis. Although the bibliography
emphasizes zooarchaeological resources, it also includes resources related to
paleontological and forensic taphonomy. Updated as recently as July 2005.

Damuth, J. (2003). The Bibliography of Fossil Vertebrates (BFV Online). Retrieved

November 18, 2005, from http://www.bfvol.org/

A web-based counterpart of a now defunct print series published by the Society of

Vertebrate Paleontology. Contains 131,190 references to resources published
between the years 1509-1968 and 1981-1993, including literature related to
taphonomic studies. Site requires specialized query formation; instructions are
provided.

Print equivalent: Society of Vertebrate Paleontology. Bibliography of fossil vertebrates.

Society of Vertebrate Paleontology: Northbrook, IL. Series. Publication: irregular.

Catalogs

Lewis, S.E., and Heikes, P.M. (1991). A catalog of fossil sites from the tertiary of the
United States. St. Cloud, MN: St. Cloud State University.

Not reviewed. 487-page catalog with maps. The Tertiary period lasted from the end
of the Cretaceous period about 65.5 million years ago to the start of the Quaternary
period about 1.6 million years ago.

Dictionaries and Glossaries

Allaby, A., and Allaby, M. (1999). A dictionary of earth sciences. Oxford Reference
Online Premium. Oxford: Oxford University Press. [Subscription database]

Contains approximately 6,000 entries covering a wide range of earth science topics,
including paleontology. Definition terms are hyperlinked, facilitating navigation.
Available in both print and electronic formats.

Access: Oxford Reference Online Premium database is available

via Drexel University’s Hagerty Library subscription.
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Bromley, R.G. (1990). Trace fossils: biology and taphonomy. London: Unwin Hyman.

An excellent glossary of taphonomic terms is included in this text.

Burgess, R. (1972). Dictionary of vertebrate paleontology: a compilation of the

glossaries of paleontology and related sciences. Unpublished manuscript.

Not reviewed. This manuscript is held by the Smithsonian Institution in Washington,

D.C. 701 leaves in length.

Lyman, R.L. (1994). Vertebrate taphonomy. Cambridge, England: Cambridge University

Press.

Text includes a 14-page glossary of taphonomic terms.

Parker, S.P. (ed.). (2003). McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Earth Science. Second edition. New
York: McGraw-Hill.

Includes more than 10,000 essential terms covering every discipline of the earth
sciences, including paleontology. Synonyms, acronyms, and abbreviations are
provided. Available in both print and electronic subscription form.

Electronic Access: eBrary [Subscription database]. Palo Alto, CA: ebrary,

Inc. Available via Drexel University’s Hagerty
Library subscription.

Sinibaldi, R.W. (1999). The handbook of paleontological terms. St. Petersburg, FL: R.W.
Sinibaldi.

Not reviewed. A 58-page, self-published glossary of paleontological terms.

U.S. Department of the Interior. U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). (1999). Paleontology
Glossary of Terms. Retrieved November 6, 2005, from
http://geology.er.usgs.gov/paleo/glossary.shtml

Includes major terms likely to be encountered in taphonomy resources.

The Virtual Fossil Museum (2002). Glossary of Scientific Terminology Related to Fossils.
Retrieved November 12, 2005, from
http://www.fossilmuseum.net/Fossil%20Museum%20Scientific%20Glossary.htm

A glossary of fossil terms.

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Directories
Directories of Individuals

American Quaternary Association (1995). Directory of North American Quaternary

Scientists. United States: AMQUA.

Directory includes active, employed scientists, as well retired but still-active

Quaternary researchers who reside in the United States. Membership in AMQUA is
not required for directory listing. Quaternary researchers include all scientists that
study the last 2 million years of Earth history, including paleontologists and
taphonomy specialists. Directory was originally published by Academic Press, Inc., in
the July 1995 issue of Quaternary Research (v 44, no. 11). An up-to-date version of
this print directory is now available electronically:

Web access: http://www3.nau.edu/amqua/search-db.html

Doescher, R.A. (ed.). (1989). Directory of Paleontologists of the World. Fifth edition.
Washington, D.C.: International Palaeontological Association.

A 447-page guide to professional paleontologists worldwide. Membership in the

International Palaeontological Society is not required for inclusion in the directory.
An up-to-date version of the directory is now available in electronic form:

Web access: http://ipa.geo.ku.edu:591/Directory/

Directories of Organizations

American Association of Museums. The Official Museum Directory 2005. Washington,

DC: American Association of Museums. Biennial publication. 1971-

Not reviewed.

Tinsley, E.J., and Hollander, J.P. (1984). Worldwide directory of national earth-science
agencies and related international organizations: a listing of governmental
earth-science agencies and selected major international organizations whose
functions are similar to those of the U.S. Geological Survey. Washington: U.S.
Government Printing Office.

Not reviewed.
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Directories of Collections

International Paleontological Association (2004). Fossil Collections of the World: An

International Guide. Retrieved November 5, 2005, from
http://ipa.geo.ku.edu:591/Fossil/

An Internet-based directory of worldwide fossil collections held by museums,

academic institutions and departments, and other organizations. Directory may be
searched geographically or by specific institution. There is no print equivalent.

Encyclopedias

Currie, P.J., and Padian, K. (eds.). (1997). Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs. San Diego:
Academic Press.

Pertinent articles include but are not limited to ‘Taphonomy’ (author: Fiorillo, A.R.)
and ‘Biostratigraphy’ (author: Lucas, S.G.). Entries include reference citations.

McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of Science & Technology Online (2004). McGraw-Hill

AccessScience subscription database.

Devoted section on paleontology includes a bibliography, a topical study guide,

biographies of paleontologists, a geological time scale, and encyclopedic articles on
such topics as ‘Taphonomy’ and ‘Trace Fossils’.

Electronic access: McGraw-Hill AccessScience subscription database.Available

via Drexel University’s Hagerty Library. For more database
information, visit http://www.accessscience.com/.

Singer, R. (ed.). (1999). Encyclopedia of Paleontology. Chicago: Fitzroy Dearborn. 2

volumes (vol. 1: A-L; vol. 2 M-X).

Includes relevant entries entitled ‘Fossilization Processes’ (author: Davis, P.G.),

‘Taphonomy’ (author: Davis, P.G.), and ‘Sedimentology’ (author: Webb, M.W.).
Entries include references citations and suggestions for further reading.
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GUIDES AND HANDBOOKS

Fossil Guides

Arduini, P., and Giorgio Teruzzi; Horenstein, S., editor (1986). Simon & Schuster’s guide
to fossils. New York: Simon & Schuster.

Introduction includes sections on fossilization processes and taphonomy. Provides

280 color photographs of significant plant and animal fossils, including their
stratigraphic position and geographical distribution.

✮ Mayr, H. (1992). A guide to fossils. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.

This field guide to fossil identification includes over 500 color photographs, with
concise descriptions of fossil structure, stratigraphic and geographic distribution, and
fossilization conditions. Includes introductory discussions on the formation,
emplacement and preservation of fossils.

Thompson, I. (1982). National Audubon Society field guide to North American fossils.
New York: Knopf.

An all-photographic field guide to the fossils of North America (north of Mexico).

Includes nearly 500 full-color photographs identifying fossils of all types, as well as
fossil-bearing sediments and common fossil outcrop formations.

Regional Field Guides

Regional taphonomy field guides are often published as the outcome of field trips associated with a society’s
annual meeting. A small sample of available guides.

Darby, D.A. (1983). Sedimentology, diagenesis and stratigraphy of pleistocene coastal

deposits in southeastern Virginia. Norfolk, VA: Old Dominion University.

Field trip associated with the Fifteenth annual Virginia Geologic Field Conference,
November 12, 1983.

Flessa, K.W., (ed.). (1987). Paleoecology and taphonomy of recent to Pleistocene

intertidal deposits, Gulf of California. Washington, DC: Paleontological Society.

“Prepared for Field Trip Number 5 sponsored by the Geological Society of America
and the Paleontological Society at their joint annual meeting, Phoenix, Arizona,
1987.”
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Wilson, J.R. (1992). Taphonomy of an Allosaurus quarry in the deposits of a Late

Jurassic braided river with a gravel-sand bedload, Salt Wash Member of the
Morrison Formation, Dinosaur National Monument, Utah. Field Guide to
Geological Excursions in Utah and Adjacent Areas of Nevada, Idaho, and Wyoming.
Publication 92-3, pp. 375-381. Salt Lake City, UT: Utah Geological Survey

“Prepared for the Geological Society of America, Rocky Mountain Section Meeting
in Ogden, Utah, May 13-15, 1992.”

Additional regional field guides and guidebooks may be located using:

American Geological Institute (2005. Geologic Guidebooks of North America. Retrieved

November 18, 2005, from http://guide.georef.org/dbtw-wpd/guidens.htm

Handbooks

Converse, H.H., McCarty, R. (1994). Handbook of paleo-preparation techniques. Third

edition. Gainesville, FL: Florida Paleontological Society.

Illustrated guide to fossils collection and preservation techniques.

✮ Goldring, R. (1991). Fossils in the field: information potential and analysis. New
York: Longman Scientific & Technical.

A process-oriented guide for fossil collection and site analysis that includes a chapter
devoted to taphonomic methods in the field. Includes numerous flow charts and
tables correlating field observations with stratigraphic and taphonomic implications.
Taphonomy of trace fossils, plant fossils, soft-bodied and vertebrate animals are
treated individually.

Lichter, G. (1993). Fossil collector's handbook: finding, identifying, preparing,

displaying. New York: Sterling Publishing.

Illustrated guide to the paleontological tools and methods used to collect, preserve
and record fossil specimens.

MacDonald, J.R. (1983). The fossil collector's handbook: a paleontology field guide.
Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.

Not reviewed.
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ABSTRACTING AND INDEXING SERVICES

Applied Science & Technology Full Text. New York: The H.W. Wilson Company.
[subscription database]

This extensive index covers a wide range of resource types. Although the index stresses the
applied sciences, all areas of science and technology are included. Topic coverage includes
paleontology, taphonomy, and other related areas. Covers more than 400 scientific journals.

Dates covered: 1983 to present

File size: Over 1.3 million records
Update frequency: Monthly (approximately 5,000 records per update)
Electronic access: 1. Web-based access provided via WilsonWeb
OmniFile database. Available via Drexel University’s
Hagerty Library subscription. More information:
http://www.library.drexel.edu/resources/dbinfo/applieds
ciwilson.html
2. Dialog subscription database, file 99 (Cary, NC: The
Dialog Corporation). Abstracts only. Accessible with
librarian assistance. More information:
http://library.dialog.com/bluesheets/html/bl0099.html
Print counterparts: Wilson Applied Science & Technology Index

BioOne. Washington, D.C.: BioOne. [subscription database]

BioOne provides full-text access to nearly 70 academic journals in the biosciences, and
emphasizes journals of small publishers that were previously only available in print form.
Indexed journals of relevance include but are not limited to the Journal of Paleontology,
Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, Micropaleontology, Paleobiology,

Dates covered: 2000 to present (older publications will be gradually added)

Electronic access: Web-based access available via Drexel University’s Hagerty
Library subscription.
 Smith 17

GeoArchive – Oxon, U.K.: Geosystems. [subscription database]

GeoArchive is a comprehensive database covering multiple information sources in

geoscience, hydroscience, and environmental science. Topic coverage includes paleontology
and stratigraphy. Provides international coverage of over 5,000 journals, books from over
2,000 publishers, geological maps, and doctoral dissertations. Also includes conference
proceedings, technical reports and maps.

Dates Covered: 1974 to present

File Size: Over 893,879 records as of September 2005
Update Frequency: Monthly (approximately 1,000 records per update)
Electronic access: Dialog subscription database, file 58(Cary, NC: The Dialog
Corporation). Accessible with librarian assistance. More
information:
http://library.dialog.com/bluesheets/html/bl0058.html - PE
Print counterparts: Geotitles Weekly
Geocom Weekly
Geocom Bulletin
Geoscience Documentation
Bibliography of Vertebrate
Paleontology

GeoBase – Amsterdam, The Netherlands: Elsevier B.V, [subscription database]

GeoBase covers research literature in physical and human geography, earth and
environmental sciences, ecology, and related disciplines, including paleontology and
stratigraphy. Special emphasis is placed on international and non-English publications,
providing access to information resources not available elsewhere. Database covers
approximately 5,000 scientific and technical journals, with approximately 100,000 new
records are added annually.

Dates Covered: 1980 to present

File Size:
Update Frequency:
Electronic Access:
Print counterparts:
Over 1,311,101 records as of June 2004
Biweekly
Dialog subscription database, file 292 (Cary, NC: The
Dialog Corporation). Accessible with librarian
assistance. More information:
http://library.dialog.com/bluesheets/html/bl0292.ht
ml
Geographical Abstracts: Physical Geography
Geographical Abstracts: Human Geography
Geological Abstracts
Ecological Abstracts
International Development Abstracts
Geomechanics Abstracts
Oceanographic Literature Review
 Smith 18

✮ GeoRefS – Alexandria, VA: American Geological Institute. [subscription database]

The premier database of bibliographic materials in geology and other earth sciences,
including the paleontological sciences. GeoRefS was established by the American Geological
Institute in 1966, and currently provides access to over 2.5 million references to articles,
books, maps, conference papers, reports and theses. Over 25,000 individual sources are
represented. All U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) publications are included.

Dates Covered: 1785 to the present (North American material);

1933 to the present (worldwide material)
File Size: Over 2.6 million records.
Update Frequency: Biweekly (approximately 3,000 records per update)
Electronic Access: 1. Subscription web access provided via FirstSearch/OCLC.
Available via Drexel University’s Hagerty Library
subscription. More information:
http://www.oclc.org/support/documentation/firstsearch/
databases/dbdetails/details/GeoRefS.htm
2. Dialog subscription database (file 89). Accessible with
librarian assistance. More information:
http://library.dialog.com/bluesheets/html/bl0089.html
Print Counterparts: Bibliography and Index of North American Geology
Bibliography of Theses in Geology
Geophysical Abstracts
Bibliography and Index of Geology Exclusive of North
America
Bibliography and Index of Geology
More information: http://www.agiweb.org/georef/

✮ ISI Web of Science – Philadelphia, PA: Thomson Scientific. [subscription database]

Web of Science provides access to approximately 8,700 research journals in the arts and
humanities, sciences and social sciences. Unique to ISI, the citation index allows forward and
backward citation searching. Result sets may be sorted by number of times an article is cited,
allowing a researcher to quickly identify key research in their discipline of interest. A search
on the term ‘taphonom*’ currently yields over 1,600 results.

Electronic Access: Via Drexel University’s Hagerty Library subscription.

Print Counterparts Arts & Humanities Citation Index (DU Indexes 1977-1984)
Social Sciences Citation Index (Hagerty does not have)
Science Citation Index (DU Indexes 1961-1994)
More information: http://scientific.thomson.com/products/wos/
 Smith 19

ACADEMIC JOURNALS

Core Journals
A source title analysis conducted via the ISI Web of Science Citation database suggests the following journals
are core publications for the field of taphonomy. Journals are listed in suggested order of significance.

✮ PALAIOS. Tulsa, OK: Society for Sedimentary Geology. ISSN: 0883-1351. Publication
frequency: bi-monthly. 1986-

A multidisciplinary journal dedicated to emphasizing the impact of life on Earth

history as recorded in the paleontological and sedimentological records.

Indexed in:
 BioOne

Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. Amsterdam: Elsevier. ISSN: 0031-

0182. Publication frequency: varies. 1965-

An international journal of the geo-sciences. A multidisciplinary journal, it includes

original studies and comprehensive reviews in the field of paleo-environmental
geology.

Indexed in:
 AESIS  Elsevier BIOBASE
 AGI's Bibliography and Index  GEOBASE
of Geology  Meteorological and
 BIOSIS Geophysical Abstracts
 Bulletin Signalétique  PASCAL/CNRS
 Current Contents  Petroleum Abstracts
 ESRISAT  Scopus

Journal of Archaeological Science. New York: Academic Press. ISSN: 0305-4403.

Publication frequency: monthly. 1974-

A journal covering advances in the application of scientific techniques and

methodologies to all areas of archaeology.

Indexed in:
 Abstracts in Anthropology  Current Contents/Arts &
 Art and Archaeology Humanities
Technical Abstracts  Geological Abstracts
 British & Irish Archaeological  Research Alert
Bibliography  Scopus
 Social Sciences Citation Index
 Smith 20

Lethaia. London: Taylor and Francis Ltd. ISSN 0024-1164. Publication frequency:
quarterly. 1968-

An international journal of palaeontology and stratigraphy.

Indexed in:
 AESIS  Geographical Abstracts
 Abstracts in Anthropology  Physical Geography
 Biological Abstracts  Geological Abstracts
 British Geological Literature  GeoREF
 Coal Abstracts  Life Sciences Collection
 Current Contents  Petroleum Abstracts
 Deep Sea Research  Research Alert
 Ecological Abstracts  Science Citation Index

Paleobiology. Lawrence, KS: Paleontological Society. ISSN: 0094-8373. Publication

frequency: quarterly. 1975-

Dedicated to providing a forum for the greater integration of paleontology and

biology.

Indexed in:
 BioOne
 JSTOR Ecology and Botany

Journal of Paleontology. Tulsa, OK: Society of Economic Paleontologists and

Mineralogists. ISSN: 0022-3360. Publication frequency: bi-monthly. 1927-

Publishes original research on the systematics of fossil organisms and its implications
for all aspects of paleobiology and stratigraphic paleontology. Emphasizes
specimen-based research.

Indexed in:
 BioOne
 JSTOR Biological Sciences
 ProQuest Research Library
 Smith 21

Journal of Human Evolution. New York: Academic Press. ISSN: 0047-2484. Publication
frequency: monthly. 1972-

The journal covers all aspects of paleoanthropology, including discoveries and

interpretive analysis of human and primate fossils.

Indexed in:
 EMBiology  Scopus
 IBBS

Other Significant Journals

✮ Journal of Taphonomy. Madrid, Spain: Prometheus Press S.L. No ISSN listed.

Publication frequency: quarterly. 2003-.

This two-year old publication is the first journal devoted exclusively to taphonomic
research. The peer-reviewed journal aims to better promote taphonomy as a full-
fledged discipline within the paleontological sciences.

More information: http://www.journaltaphonomy.com/

Indexed in:
 Zoological Record (Dialog File: 185).

Palaeontologia electronica. College Station, TX: Coquina Press. ISSN: 1094-8074.

Publication frequency: quarterly. 1998-.

An electronic publication covering all topics in paleontology. Emphasizes digital

graphics, modeling, databases and data analysis tools. Includes a wide range of
taphonomic studies.

Web access: http://palaeo-electronica.org.

Additional journals of interest:

American Journal of American Anthropology

American Journal of Physical Anthropology
Cretaceous Research
Facies
Geology
Journal of Forensic Sciences
Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology
Paleontology
Quaternary International
 Smith 22

SELECTED ARTICLES

Highly Cited Articles

These journal articles are among the most highly cited articles in the ISI citation databases from 1990 to
present for keyword “taphonom*”. Articles are listed in descending order of citation frequency.

Flessa K.W., Cutler, A.H., and Meldahl K.H. (1993). Time and taphonomy - quantitative
estimates of time-averaging and stratigraphic disorder in a shallow marine
habitat. Paleobiology, 19(2), 266-286.

Research article examines the age, taphonomic condition and stratigraphic position
of shells from Mexican tidal flats. A key study of time-averaging processes (temporal
resolution, an important taphonomic method).

Holland S.M. (1995). The stratigraphic distribution of fossils. Paleobiology, 21(1), 92-109.

Presents a model of the stratigraphic distribution of fossils.

Foote M., and Raup D.M. (1996). Fossil preservation and the stratigraphic ranges of
taxa. Paleobiology, 22(2), 121-140.

Research linking the incompleteness of the fossil record to loss of fossiliferous rock,
as opposed to failure of a species to enter the fossil record in the first place.

Butterfield N.J. (1990). Organic preservation of non-mineralizing organisms and the

taphonomy of the Burgess Shale. Paleobiology, 16(3), 272-286.

Detailed taphonomic examination of the organic preservation processes of non-

mineralizing animals.

Two additional highly cited articles are noted in the Key Literatures Review Section, directly below.

Key Literature Reviews

Brett C.E. (1995). Sequence Stratigraphy, biostratigraphy, and taphonomy in shallow
marine environments. Palaios, 10(6): 597-616.

A review of advances in marine stratigraphy and taphonomy. Recommends an

integrated framework for uniting stratigraphic and taphonomic studies. A highly
cited article.
 Smith 23

Ferguson, D.K. (2005). Plant taphonomy: ruminations on the past, the present and the
future. PALAIOS, (20)5, 418-428.

A thorough review of the literature covering developments in taphonomic processes

of leaves, woody tissues, spores, pollen and diasporas, as well as the biostratinomic
processes affecting plant accumulation and burial. 11 areas are identified for future
research. Extensive 4 ½ page bibliography.

Kidwell S.M., Flessa K.W. (1995). The quality of the fossil record: populations, species
and communities. Annual Review Of Ecology And Systematics, 26, 269-299.

A review of taphonomic studies on the postmortem behavior of organic remains in

modern environments. Concludes that such experimental and actualistic taphonomic
studies are providing new insights into information that can be gained from the fossil
record. A highly cited article.

Martin-Closas, C., Gomez, B. (2004). Plant taphonomy and palaeoecological

interpretations: a synthesis. GeoBios, 37(1), 65-68.

A recent review of the literature, covering necrobiotic, biostratinomic, and

lithospheric processes on plant material.

Background and Seminal Articles

Brett, C. E. and Baird, G. C., 1986, Comparative taphonomy: a key to

paleoenvironmental interpretation using fossil preservation. Palaios 1, 207-227.

Excellent background article on the utility of comparative taphonomic

methodologies.

✮ Efremov, I.A. (1940). Taphonomy: a new branch of paleontology. Pan American

Geologist, 74, 81-93. Retrieved November 3, 2005, from
http://www.astro.spbu.ru/staff/serg/interests/literature/efremov/tapharticle
13.html

Seminal article that coined the term ‘taphonomy’, and called for the establishment of
taphonomy as a separate branch of paleontology. The modern discipline of
taphonomy is typically dated from the publication of this article.
 Smith 24

Kowalewski, M., Labarbera, M. (2004). Actualistic taphonomy: death, decay, and

disintegration in contemporary settings. PALAIOS, 19(5), 423-427.

Overview of the research themes and strategies associated with actualistic

taphonomy.

Plotnick, R.E. (1993). Taphonomy: perfecting the fossil record. Geotimes, 38(11), 14.

A concise article defining taphonomy and its major sub-disciplines, and describing its
modern emphases on information gain vs. information loss.

Dedicated Journal Issues

These special issues of the below journals were entirely dedicated to taphonomic research.

Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 149(1-4). (1999). Amsterdam: Elsevier. Special

issue entitled “Taphonomy as a Tool in Paleoenvironmental Reconstruction
and Environmental Assessment.”

Contains 30 research articles covering a wide range of taphonomic subjects,

including marine research, taphonomic comparisons, experimental taphonomy, and
environmental data that can be derived from taphonomic studies.
A full list of articles can be accessed at:
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=IssueURL&_tockey=%23TOC%2358
21%231999%23998509998%2395109%23FLA%23&_auth=y&view=c&_acct=C00
0050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=b216b79a682e9c80c1429
f8e76228846

PALAIOS, 19(5) (2004). Tulsa, OK: Society for Sedimentary Geology. Special issue entitled
the “Friday Harbor Laboratory Special Issue”.

This special issue of the journal PALAIOS includes eight case studies representing a
diverse cross-section of the research themes of modern actualistic taphonomy.
Themes cover necrolysis, biostratinomy, comparative taphonomy, fidelity and
methodology of taphonomy.

A full list of articles can be accessed at:

http://www.bioone.org/bioone/?request=get-toc&issn=0883-
1351&volume=019&issue=05
 Smith 25

PALAIOS, (20)5. (2005). Tulsa, OK: Society for Sedimentary Geology. Special issue entitled
the “Plant Taphonomy Special Issue”.

This special issue of the journal PALAIOS includes 6 research reports presented at
the 7th International Organization of Paleobotany Conference, held March 21-26,
2004 in Bariloche, Argentina.

A full list of articles can be viewed at: http://www.bioone.org/bioone/?request=get-

toc&issn=0883-1351&volume=020&issue=05

CONFERENCES AND CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS

Major Conferences and Associated Proceedings

This section includes recent professional gatherings of taphonomists, including conferences, meetings, workshops
and symposia. Associated resources, including published proceedings and conference web sites, are provided
where available.

✮ TAPHOS - The premier international conference devoted to the field of taphonomy.

The next scheduled conference will be held in Granada, Spain in 2008 (contact Julio Aguirre
at jaguirre@ugr.es). Prior TAPHOS conferences and published proceedings:

TAPHOS 2005 – 4th Taphonomy and Fossilization Meeting / 2nd International

Conference. Held June 16-18, 2005, Barcelona, Spain.

Web site: http://www.ub.edu/taphos05/

Proceedings: To be published in a forthcoming issue of Geobios (journal
published by Elsevier. ISSN: 0016-6995)

TAPHOS 2002 – 3rd Taphonomy and Fossilization Meeting / 1st International

Conference. Held February 14-16, 2002, Valencia, Spain.

Web site: http://paleopolis.rediris.es/paleontologia/Taphos2002/

Proceedings: De Renzi, M., Alonso, M.V.P., Belinchón, M., Penalver, E.,
Montoya, P., and Márquerz-Aliaga, A. (eds.). (2002). Current
topics on taphonomy and fossilization. Valencia, Spain:
Ayuntamiento de Valencia.
 Smith 26

TAPHOS 1996 – 2nd Taphonomy and Fossilization Meeting. Held June 13-15, 1996,
Zaragoza, Spain.

Proceedings: Melendez, G., Blasco, M.F., Perez-Urresti, I. (eds.). (1996).

Proceedings volume of the II meeting on taphonomy and
fossilization. Zaragoza, Spain: Institution Fernando el
Catolico.

TAPHOS 1990 –1st Taphonomy and Fossilization Meeting. Held in Madrid, Spain.

Proceedings: None located.

International Meeting on Bone Diagenesis - This conference brings together specialists

from multiple disciplines, to discuss and explore the processes of diagenesis and fossilization
on bone tissue.

2005 - Fifth International Meeting on Bone Diagenesis. Held August 28-31, 2005, at
University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.

Proceedings: No publication intentions announced as of this time. Possibly

forthcoming.

2002 – Fourth International Meeting on Bone Diagenesis. Held May, 2002 in

Albarracín, Spain.

Proceedings: Published in a dedicated issue (August, 2002) of

Archaeometry, 44(3).

1996 – Third International Meeting on Bone Diagenesis. Held March 4-7, 1996, in
Paris, France.

Proceedings: Published in dedicated bilingual issue (1997) of the Bulletin

de la Société Géolique de France, 168(4).

1993 – Second International Meeting on Bone Diagenesis. Held in Oxford, England.

Proceedings: Published in dedicated issue (1995) of the Journal of

Archaeological Science, 22(2).

1988 – First International Meeting on Bone Diagenesis. Held in Oxford, England.

Proceedings: None located.

 Smith 27

International Workshop on Plant Taphonomy - This international conference has been

held annually since 1989. Its purpose is to “stimulate scientific research and to promote
contacts among scientists engaged in the study of plant taphonomy including living and
fossil plants of all geological periods” (retrieved November 11, 2005, from http://www.uni-
wuerzburg.de/mineralogie/tapho/tapho1.html)

Although most of the papers presented at these workshops have not been published as
consolidated proceedings, many papers have been published individually in academic
journals. Many of these papers can be located using OCLC’s PapersFirst subscription
database (available via Drexel University’s Hagerty Library). Additionally presentation
abstracts are available on the below-listed conference web sites.

16th International Plant Taphonomy Meeting. Held September 16-18, 2005, in

Pilsen, Czech Republic.

Web site: http://www.zcm.cz/meeting/

Proceedings: No publication intentions announced as of this time. Possibly
forthcoming.

15th International Plant Taphonomy Meeting. Held November 12-13, 2004 in

Leiden, Netherlands.

Web site: http://www.uni-wuerzburg.de/mineralogie/tapho/leiden.html

14th International Plant Taphonomy Meeting. Held November 8, 2003 in

Chemnitz, Germany.

Web site: http://www.uni-wuerzburg.de/mineralogie/tapho/chemnitz2003.html

13th International Plant Taphonomy Meeting. Held November 9, 2002 in Bonn,

Germany

Web site: http://www.uni-wuerzburg.de/mineralogie/tapho/bonn2002.html

12th International Plant Taphonomy Meeting. Held October 26, 2001 in

Altlengbach, Austria.

Web site: http://www.uni-wuerzburg.de/mineralogie/tapho/vienna.html

11th International Plant Taphonomy Meeting. Held November 11, 2000 in

Barcelona, Spain.

Web site: http://www.uni-wuerzburg.de/mineralogie/tapho/barcelona.html

 Smith 28

10th International Plant Taphonomy Meeting. Held November 20-21, 1999 in

Leeds, United Kingdom.

Web site: http://www.uni-wuerzburg.de/mineralogie/tapho/leeds.html

6th International Workshop on Plant Taphonomy. Held November, 1994, Bonn,

Germany.

Proceedings Published in dedicated 1996 issue of Neues Jahrbuch Fur

Geologie Und Palaontologie Abhandlungen, 202(2). Text
in English. Abstracts in English and German.

Additional Published Proceedings

Behrensmeyer, A.K., and Hill, A.P. (1980). Fossils in the making: vertebrate taphonomy
and paleoecology. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Part of a published series on “Prehistoric Archeology and Ecology”, this volume

brings together papers presented at a symposium held in July, 1976, entitled
“Taphonomy and Vertebrate Paleoecology, with Special Reference to the Late
Cenozoic of Sub-Sarahan Africa” (Burg Wartenstein Symposium No. 69). Papers fall
into a range of categories, including the history of taphonomic studies, implications
for studies of modern ecology, archaeological taphonomy, taphonomic methodology,
and applications in paleoecology.

Bonnichsen, R., and Sorg, M.H. (eds.). (1989). Bone Modification. Orono, ME: Center for
the Study of the First Americans, Institute for Quaternary Studies, University of Maine.

A dedicated collection of bone studies in archaeology and paleontology. Reviews

methods of interpreting various physical forces on bone, and tools used to examine
and catalog bone modifications. Text includes eleven archaeological case studies
Papers were originally presented at the first International Conference on Bone
Modification, held in Carson City, Nevada in 1984.

Huntley, J.P., and Stallibrass, S. (eds.). (2000). Taphonomy and interpretation. Oxford:
Oxbow Books.

Articles presented at the 1993 annual conference of the Association for

Environmental Archaeology, held at Durham University, September 18-21, 1993.
 Smith 29

Kidwell, S.M., and Behrensmeyer, A.K., editors (1993). Taphonomic approaches to time
resolution in fossil assemblages. Knoxville, TN: Paleontological Society.

Proceedings of the 16th annual short course of the Paleontological Society, held at
the 105th Annual Meeting of the Geological Society of America, Boston,
Massachusetts, October 1993.

O’Connor, T.P., editor (2005). Biosphere to lithosphere : new studies in vertebrate

taphonomy. Oxford: Oxbow Books.

Proceedings of the 9th Conference of the International Council of Archaeozoology,

Durham, August 2002.

Mountain, M., and Dowdery, D. (eds.). (1999). Taphonomy : the analysis of processes
from phytoliths to megafauna. Canberra : ANH Publications.

A collection of papers presented at the Taphonomy Symposium, held April 28-30,

1995, in Canberra, Australia.

Solomon, S.; Davidson, I. ; Watson, D. (1990). Problem solving in taphonomy:

archaeological and palaeontological studies from Europe, Africa and Oceania.
Lucia, Queensland, Australia: Anthropology Museum, University of Queensland.

Articles presented at the First New England Archaeology Symposium, entitled

"Taphonomy of Bones". Held February 21-23, 1987 at Armidale, New South Wales.

OTHER PUBLICATIONS

Dissertations and Theses

Digital Dissertations. Ann Arbor, MI: ProQuest Company. [Subscription database]

Contains more than 1.5 million doctoral dissertations and master’s theses of all
topics, dating from 1861 to present. Abstracts available for those published after
1980, and full text is available for two-thirds of all entries. Nearly 300 results were
returned on a query for keywords ‘taphonomy OR taphonomic’.

Electronic access: Via Drexel University’s Hagerty Library subscription.

More info: http://www.library.drexel.edu/resources/dbinfo/digdiss.html
 Smith 30

Networked Digital Library of Theses & Dissertations (NDLTD). Blacksburg, VA:

Virginia Tech. Retrieved November 15, 2005, from
http://www.ndltd.org/index.en.html

NDLTD is international organization dedicated to promoting the adoption,

creation, use, dissemination and preservation of electronic theses and dissertations. is
a free resource for accessing the increasing number of theses and dissertations
available electronically. The NDLTD’s browse and search page provides a number of
tools for discovery of and access to electronic dissertations. A query using just one of
these tools, Scirus ETD Search, yielded 263 results for a search on the keyword
‘taphonom*’.

Government Publications

U.S. Government Printing Office (2005). GPO Access. Retrieved November 29, 2005, from
http://www.gpoaccess.gov/index.html

GPO Access is a service of the U.S. Government Printing Office that provides free
electronic access to a wealth of publications of the federal government, including
agencies such as the U.S. Geological Survey. The site’s subject bibliography lists 160
resources in the earth sciences (not a comprehensive listing).

National Technical Information Service, U.S. Department of Commerce (2005). National

Technical Information Service (NTIS) . Springfield, VA: U.S. Department of
Commerce [subscription database]

This database consists of summaries of U.S. government-sponsored research

publications of many types, prepared by federal agencies, their contractors, or
grantees. It is the means through which unclassified, publicly available, unlimited
distribution reports are made available for sale from approximately 240 federal
agencies. Additionally, some state and local government agencies now contribute
summaries of their reports to the database. Includes publications relating to the earth
sciences.

Dates Covered: 1964 to present

File Size: Over 2.2 million records.
Update Frequency: Weekly
Electronic access: Dialog subscription database, file 6 (Cary, NC: The Dialog
Corporation). Accessible with librarian assistance.
Print counterparts: Government Reports Announcements & Index
Government Inventions for Licensing
More information: http://library.dialog.com/bluesheets/html/bl0006.html
 Smith 31

E-print and Preprint Repositories

Taphonomists do not make as extensive use of preprint resources as some other scientific disciplines. To some
extent, this is due to the limited amount of taphonomic research being conducted, and the site-oriented nature
of paleontological and archaeological fieldwork. It is unlikely that multiple researchers will be working on a
similar problem or location without being aware of each other. E-print resources for taphonomists are also
limited, but gradually growing.

U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Scientific and Technical Information. E-print

Network. Retrieved November 30, 2005, from http://www.osti.gov/eprints/

This web site provides “one-stop browse/search access to more than 18,200 Web
sites containing e-prints, full text searching of over 660,000 e-print documents
indexed from Web sites, deep Web searching across 39 major databases containing
close to 20 million pages of searchable full text, and links to more than 2,700
professional scientific societies” (retrieved November 22, 2005, from
http://www.osti.gov/eprints/about.html) An alerting service is available.

ORGANIZATIONS AND INSTITUTIONS

Associations And Professional Societies

There is currently no specific professional association dedicated to taphonomy and the advancement of
taphonomic studies. Professional taphonomists can be found as active members in the following paleontological
associations:

International Paleontological Association (IPA) - Paleontological Institute, University of

Kansas, Lawrence, KS.

Publications: Lethaia, published quarterly. Peer reviewed.

Meetings: Sponsors multiple meetings annually, in partnership with other
international congresses.
Web site: http://ipa.geo.ku.edu/index1.html
 Smith 32

The Paleontological Association – Institution of Geography and Earth Sciences,

University of Wales, Aberystwyth, Ceredigion, SY23 3DB, U.K.

The association was founded in 1957 to promote the study of palaeontology and its
allied sciences.

Publications: Palaeontology, published six times annually, covering all

aspects of paleontology, including taphonomy.
Special Papers in Palaeontology, monographic treatments
on dedicated subject areas. Published twice annually.
Paleontology Newsletter, published 3-4 times annually.
Field Guide to Fossils, a series of 10 illustrated guidebooks.
Meetings: Annual. Upcoming: 49th annual meeting in Oxford,
U.K., December 18-21, 2005.
Web site: http://palass.org/index.html

The Paleontological Society. Department. of Earth and Environment, Franklin and

Marshall College, Lancaster, PA 17604-3003.

The Paleontological Society is an international organization devoted exclusively to

the advancement of all branches of the science of paleontology. The Society was
founded in 1908 in Baltimore, Maryland, and disseminates research through
publications and meetings.

Publications: Numerous research articles on taphonomy can be found in

their official newsletter, Priscum, published twice annually,
and their peer-reviewed Journal of Paleontology, published
six times annually.
Meetings: Annual.
Web site: http://www.paleosoc.org/

The Society of Vertebrate Paleontology (SVP) - 60 Revere Dr., Suite 500, Northbrook, IL
60062

Founded in 1940 by thirty-four paleontologists, the Society now has over 2,000
members representing professionals and students interested in all aspects of
vertebrate paleontology. It is organized exclusively for educational and scientific
purposes, with the object of advancing the science of vertebrate paleontology.

Publications: The Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, published quarterly, peer-

reviewed.
Meetings: Annual. Upcoming: 67th Annual Meeting of the
Society of Vertebrate Paleontology, Oct. 17-20, 2007, Austin, TX.
Web site: http://www.vertpaleo.org/
Email: svp@vertpaleo.org
 Smith 33

Government Agencies

U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Department of the Interior. U.S. Geological Survey Web Site
(U.S.G.S.). Retrieved November 27, 2005, from
http://www.usgs.gov/science/science.php?term=861

A multi-disciplinary science organization of the United States federal government.

Emphasis on earth and environmental sciences, including paleontology. Resources
include research reports, maps and publications. The USGS search engine retrieves
relevant results across multiple federal and state web sites.

Private Research Centers

Haskin Shellfish Research Laboratory - Rutgers University - 6959 Miller Avenue, Port
Norris, NJ 08349-3167.

Research Initiatives: Shelf and Slope Environmental Taphonomy Initiative

(SSETI). A long-term taphonomic study of undersea
fossilization rates. Research centered at the Caribbean
Marine Research Center, Lee Stocking Island, Bahamas. A
federally funded research project involving multiple academic
institutions.
Lead scientist: Dr. Eric Powell, Director.
Web site: http://vertigo.hsrl.rutgers.edu/SSETI.html

Paleontological Research Institution. 1259 Trumansburg Road, Ithaca, NY 14850.

Research: Ongoing research in multiple areas of paleontology, including

a current study on a variety of Problematica fossils (fossils of
organisms with no known living counterpart).
Collections: Recently opened the Museum of the Earth, an 18,000-foot
facility adjoining the research center, housing one of the
nation's largest fossil collections.
Publications: PRI publishes two paleontological research journals, the peer-
reviewed Bulletin of American Paleontology, published 2-3
times annually, and the non-specialist quarterly American
Paleontologist.
Web site: http://www.priweb.org/index.html
 Smith 34

CURRENT AWARENESS

Electronic Newsletters

Dauphin, Yannicke (ed.). (2005). Taphonomy & Diagenesis News (TDNews). Orsay,
France: Université Paris-Sud XI, Faculté des Sciences d'Orsay. Retrieved October 20,
2005, from http://biomin.geol.u-psud.fr/tdnews/index.htm

An Internet-based newsletter dedicated to current events in the study of vertebrate

taphonomy and vertebrate diagenesis. Maintained by a French group of academic
paleontologists. Publication frequency: irregular..

Donoghue, P.C. (ed.). The Paleontology Newsletter. Birmingham, U.K.: The

Paleontological Association.

A publication of the Paleontological Association. Contains a mixture of

palaeontological news, book reviews, reviews of past meetings, details of
forthcoming meetings and regular discussion features. Issue 26 to present is also
available electronically. Also available in print format, with association membership.

ISSN: 0954-9900.
Publication frequency: 3-4 times annually.
Web access: http://palass.org/index.html

Harries, P. (ed.). Priscum. Tampa, FL: The Paleontological Society.

A publication of the Paleontological Society, containing articles, book reviews,

announcements and notes. Newsletters can be downloaded in PDF format. Also
available in print format, with association membership. Publication frequency: bi-
annual.

Web site: http://www.paleosoc.org/publications.html

 Smith 35

Table Of Contents Service

Current Contents. Philadelphia, PA: ISI – Thomson Scientific. [subscription database]

This resource, available in both print and database formats, is a weekly service that
reproduces the tables of contents from current issues of leading journals in the
sciences, social sciences, and arts and humanities. Covers approximately 6,500
journals representing virtually every discipline within the sciences, social sciences,
arts, and humanities.

Dates Covered: 1990 to present

File Size:
Update Frequency:
Electronic Access:
Print counterparts include:
13,707,664 records as of November 2003
Daily (approximately 4,000 records per update)
Dialog subscription database, file 85 (Cary, NC: The
Dialog Corporation). Accessible with librarian
assistance. More information:
http://library.dialog.com/bluesheets/html/bl0440.ht
ml
Current Contents - Physical, Chemical and Earth
Science

Grants

Annual Register of Grant Support 2005: A directory of funding resources. 38th edition.
Los Angeles: Academic Media. Series.

Not reviewed. A print guide to the funding programs of government agencies,

private foundations, businesses and other grant-providing organizations.

Community of Science Funding Opportunities. Baltimore, MD: Community of Science,

Inc. [subscription database]

The most comprehensive source of funding information available on the Web, with
more than 22,000 records, representing over 3,500 grant-giving organizations, and
400,000 funding opportunities, worth over $33 billion. Includes access to numerous
grants relating to paleontology.

Access: Available via Drexel University’s Hagerty Library subscription.

 Smith 36

National Science Foundation (2005). Earth Sciences Research at the National Science
Foundation. Retrieved November 28, 2005 from
http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=5570

The National Science Foundation promotes and advances scientific progress in the
United States by competitively awarding grants and cooperative agreements for
scientific research and education. Their Division of Earth Sciences includes targeted
funding opportunities for paleontological research and projects. The NSF
encourages electronic dissemination of information, but print publications are also
available. Note: NSF grant information also available via Grants.gov (see below
listing).

Print equivalent: NSF Publication #04-613, last published September 9, 2004.

Available via NSF Publications, National Science Foundation,
Suite P-60, Arlington, VA 22230; phone: (703) 292-PUBS.

Grants – Phoenix, AZ: Oryx Press. [subscription database]

This database provides information on more than 10,000 available grants offered by federal,
state, and local governments, commercial organizations, associations, and private
foundations. Covers all academic disciplines.

Dates Covered: Currently available grants

File Size:
Update Frequency:
Electronic Access:
Print counterparts:
Approximately 9,573 records as of February 2004
Monthly
Dialog subscription database, file 85 (Cary, NC: The
Dialog Corporation). Accessible with librarian
assistance. More information:
http://library.dialog.com/bluesheets/html/bl0085.ht
ml
Directory of Research Grants
Directory of Biomedical and Health Care Grants
Directory of Grants in the Humanities
Funding Sources for Community and Economic
Development
Funding Sources for K-12 Schools and Educational
Organizations and Operating Grants for Nonprofit
Organizations

United States Department of Health and Human Services (2005). Grants.gov. Retrieved
November 5, 2005, from http://www.grants.gov/

A single point of access for federal funding information. Includes programs

sponsored by 26 federal grant-making agencies and over 900 individual grant
programs that award over $400 billion in grants each year.
 Smith 37

Employment

American Geological Institute (2005). GeoTimes Classifieds. Retrieved November 15,

2005, from http://www.agiweb.org/geotimes/ads.html

Current career opportunities across the earth science disciplines. Includes separate
section for student work opportunities. Hosted by The American Geological
Institute, a not-for-profit federation of 44 geoscientific and professional associations.

PaleoNet Jobs Page. Retrieved November 15, 2005, from

http://www.nhm.ac.uk/hosted_sites/paleonet/Jobs/Jobs.Html

A service of PaleoNet, an electronic communication resource for paleontological

professionals and graduate students. Lists paleontological work opportunities
worldwide, as well as links to further earth science employment resources.

Society of Vertebrate Paleontology (2005). Vertebrate Paleontology Employment and

Funding Opportunities. Retrieved November 15, 2005, from
http://www.vertpaleo.org/jobs/index.html

A service of the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology, a non-profit organization

dedicated to professional vertebrate paleontology. Lists work and grant opportunities
worldwide.
 Smith 38

DISCUSSION GROUPS
Discussion groups are interactive, electronic communication forums on defined subjects or topics. They are
available in two principle formats: listservs and USENET newsgroups. Listservs operate via e-mail
transmission, while USENET newsgroups communicate on Internet-based bulletin boards. The distinction
between the two formats is declining, as many listservs now also archive ongoing email discussions in an
Internet format.

Listservs
Listservs utilize several different e-mail addresses:
 Server address - Used only for posting messages to the listserv.
 Listserver management address - Primarily used to subscribe and unsubscribe. Other commands
can also be used with this address; i.e., to obtain lists of subscribers, obtain listserv descriptions,
and perform other subscription management functions.
 Moderator address - A personal e-mail address. Should only be used for questions, technical
difficulties, concerns, or suggestions about the listserv.

✮ DDDNet – Dedicated to the discussion of taphonomy and other fossil preservation

issues.

Server address: dddnet@uicvm.cc.uic.edu

Moderator: Roy E. Plotnick, University of Chicago at Illinois. Moderator
contact info:
Web: http://tigger.uic.edu/~plotnick/plotnick.htm
E-mail: plotnick@uic.edu
To subscribe: Send e-mail message to listserv@uicvm.cc.uic.edu with no
subject line. Include “SUBSCRIBE DDDNET (your name)”
in body of message.

Paleonet – An active discussion forum for the paleontological community.

Server address: paleonet@nhm.ac.uk

Moderator: Norman MacLeod, Dept. of Paleontology, The Natural
History Museum, London, U.K. Moderator contact info:
Web: http://www.nhm.ac.uk/hosted_sites/paleonet/
E-mail: N.MacLeod@nhm.ac.uk
To subscribe: Send e-mail message to PaleoNet-Request@nhm.ac.uk with
no subject line. Include “SUBSCRIBE PALEONET” in
body of message.
 Smith 39

VRTPALEO - Primarily serves the vertebrate paleontology community.

Web site http://www.vertpaleo.org/vrtpaleo/index.html

Server address: vrtpaleo@usc.edu
Moderator: Dr. Sam McLeod, Vertebrate Paleontologist, Los Angeles
County Museum of Natural History. Moderator contact info:
E-mail: smcleod@usc.edu
To subscribe: Send e-mail message to listproc@usc.edu with “subscribe
VRTPALEO in body of message, followed by your name, all
written on a single line.

Usenet Newsgroups
There are currently no newsgroups specifically dedicated to discussions of taphonomy. Relevant conversations
can be found, however, in the following broader newsgroups:

sci.bio.paelontology A USENET group devoted to all topics related to paleontology, with

the exception of Creationism discussions. High membership level, and frequent discussion
activity. Information and subscription to newsgroup can be accessed via:

http://groups.google.com/group/sci.bio.paleontology/about

sci.archaeology High membership level and frequent discussion activity. Information and
subscription to newsgroup can be accessed via:

http://groups.google.com/group/sci.archaeology/about

sci.anthropology.paleo Newsgroup dedicated to discussion of the evolution of man and

other primates. High membership level and frequent discussion activity. Information and
subscription to newsgroup can be accessed via:

http://groups.google.com/group/sci.anthropology.paleo/about

sci.geo.geology Newsgroup for the discussion of all solid earth science topics. High
membership level, medium discussion activity. Information and subscription to newsgroup
can be accessed via:

http://groups.google.com/group/sci.geo.geology/about

Paleontology and Fossil Talk. This newsgroup welcomes individuals of all levels of
interest and ability into an open discussion group on plant, invertebrate and vertebrate
fossils. Low membership, low activity. Information and subscription to newsgroup:

http://groups.google.com/group/Paleontology-and-Fossil-Talk/about
 Smith 40

INTERNET RESOURCES

Informative Web Sites

Bowie, Suzanne (1999). Experimental Taphonomy. Retrieved November 5, 2005, from

http://palaeo.gly.bris.ac.uk/Palaeofiles/Taph/

Web site providing excellent introduction to experimental taphonomic methods.

Developed by University of Bristol, U.K. graduate student. Includes bibliography
and glossary.

University of California – Berkeley, Museum of Paleontology (1998). Plant Fossils and

their Preservation. Retrieved November 8, 2005, from
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/IB181/VPL/Pres/PresTitle.html

A web tutorial covering taphonomic processes of plant fossils, environmental

conditions of ancient plant preservation and types of plant fossils.

The Virtual Fossil Museum (2005). Retrieved November 11, 2005, from
http://www.fossilmuseum.net/

An extensive and growing collection of high-quality fossil images, presented in

multiple contexts of geological history, the tree of life, paleobiology and evolution.
Images are donated by a variety of contributors under editorial guidance, and
provided to the public as an educational resource.

Wells, R.M. (1998). Taphonomy & Preservation. Retrieved October 30, 2005, from
http://paleo.cortland.edu/tutorial/Taphonomy%26Pres/taphonomy.htm

Site hosted by the College at Cortland, State University of New York. Excellent
overview of taphonomic processes and types of fossil preservation modes.

Museum Collections

Florida Museum of Natural History (2005). Vertebrate Paleontology. Retrieved November

25, 2005, from http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/natsci/vertpaleo/vertpaleo.htm#Top

The musem’s regional vertebrate fossil collections feature rich samples of all classes,
mainly from the Cenozoic Era.. Included are about 400,000 specimens, of which
more than 235,000 are catalogued and 220,000 are currently on a searchable
computer database.
 Smith 41

San Diego Natural History Museum (2005). Paleontology Collection Database. Retrieved
November 25, 2004, from
http://www.sdnhm.org/research/paleontology/searchdata.html

The paleontology collections of the museum can be searched by locality, taxon, rock
unit, or time unit. Includes regional fossil vertebrates, invertebrates, and plants.

✮ University of California, Berkeley (2005). Museum of Paleontology Web Site. Retrieved

November 10, 2005, from http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/

A rich resource detailing the museum’s microfossil, invertebrate, vertebrate and plant
fossil collections, and providing databases of fossil specimen data and images.
Sponsored by the UC Berkeley Digital Library Project, sponsored by the National
Science Foundation’s Digital Libraries Initiative.

Databases
In 2000, Jocelyn Kaiser noted that the paleontological sciences lag behind other disciplines in the creation of
Internet database resources. Challenges include the sharing of privately held specimens maintenance of rapidly
changing taxonomic data. The situation has improved in the intervening 5 years, however, and several
excellent paleontological databases now exist. A small sampling is provided here. Although not specifically
geared to taphonomic studies, specialists will nonetheless find the specimen identification and stratigraphic
data these resources contain to be useful.

Reference: Kaiser, J. (2000). Fossil databases move to the web. Science, 289(5488), 2307

✮ Department of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol (2003). Fossil Laggerstätten.

Retrieved November 17, 2005, from
http://palaeo.gly.bris.ac.uk/Palaeofiles/Lagerstatten/

A database listing sites with exceptional fossil preservation, worldwide. Details of

each paleontological deposit include a section on the site’s taphonomy, often with
images. Site listing can be ordered for browsing stratigraphically.

Department of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol. The Fossil Record 2. Retrieved

November 27, 2005, from http://palaeo.gly.bris.ac.uk/frwhole/FR2.html

A “near-complete listing of the diversity of life through time”. Data is searchable by

family, order, or phyla, and results can also be plotted onto paleogeographic maps.

Print equivalent: Benton, M. J. (ed.) (1993). Fossil record 2. London: Chapman

& Hall.
 Smith 42

Fortelius, M. (coord.). (2005). Neogene of the Old World (NOW). University of Helsinki.
Retrieved November 17, 2005, from
http://www.helsinki.fi/science/now/index.html

This database of European fossil mammals includes data of interest to taphonomists,

including stratigraphic and environmental interpretation information for fossil
specimens. Maintained by the University of Helsinki’s Department of Geology,
Finland, and overseen by a large advisory board that includes two taphonomy
specialists. Guests may log into the database server on a read-only basis.

Server requirements: Java Runtime Environment (JRE) 1.4.x

University of Iowa, Department of Geoscience (2004). Neogene Marine Biota of

Tropical America (NMITA). Retrieved November 17, 2005, from
http://porites.geology.uiowa.edu/index.htm

Provides fossil taxa data and images from two marine fossil sampling programs, one
hosted by the Smithsonian Institution. Although the database is primarily designed
“for use in research and education in systematics and evolutionary paleontology”,
taphonomists will find the database a useful resource for marine fossil identification.

Alroy, J. (coordinator). (2005). The Paleobiology Database. Retrieved November 29, 2005,
from http://flatpebble.nceas.ucsb.edu/cgi-
bin/bridge.pl?user=Guest&action=displayPage&page=paleodbFAQ

A public resource for the scientific community, organized and operated by a multi-
disciplinary, multi-institutional, international group of paleobiological researchers. Its
purpose is to provide global, collection-based occurrence and taxonomic data for
marine and terrestrial animals and plants of any geological age, as well as web-based
software for statistical analysis of the data. Currently funded by the National Science
Foundation.

The Paleontology Portal’s Fossil Gallery. (2003). Retrieved November 18, 2005, from
http://www.paleoportal.org/fossil_gallery/fossil_gallery.php

A collection of fossil images that can be searched by either time frame or taxon. A
joint project of the University of California’s Museum of Paleontology, the
Paleontological Society, the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology, and the United
States Geological Survey. Site funded by a grant from the National Science
Foundation.
 Smith 43

International Organisation of Palaeobotany (1997). Plant Fossil Record. Retrieved

November 22, 2005, from http://www.biodiversity.org.uk/ibs/palaeo/pfr2/pfr.htm

This database includes descriptions and occurrences of more than 10,000 extinct
plant genera. Modern genera with fossil species are also included in the description
database. Names, places and ages can be searched and the occurrences are instantly
plotted on palaeogeographic maps.

Stratigraphy.net. (2001). Retrieved November 12, 2005, from

http://stratigraphy.net/front_content.php?idcat=28

An understanding of stratigraphy is essential to the work of taphonomists. This

dynamic timescale database currently provides approximately 60 tables of the earth’s
stratigraphic layers, including lithostratigraphic and biostratigraphic views. Site is
expected to grow to approximately 100 interrelational tables. A non-profit project,
maintained by a group of German geologists.

U.S. Geological Survey, Coastal and Marine Geology Program (2004). U.S.G.S. Bedform
Sedimentology. Retrieved November 5, 2005, from
http://walrus.wr.usgs.gov/seds/

Provides computer-generated and photographic images of marine currents, and

resulting stratigraphic bedforms. An essential tool to assist taphonomists with
understanding diagenetic patterns (bone dispersal) and stratigraphic consequences.

Gateways and Search Engines

✮ Resource Discovery Network (2004). Physical Sciences Information Gateway

(PSIgate). Retrieved December 1, 2005, from http://www.psigate.ac.uk/newsite/

A gateway to high quality Internet resources in the physical sciences, including

paleontology and taphonomy. The project is funded by the United Kingdom
government. Each resource is selected by information professionals and subject to
ensure relevance and quality. A full description of each resource is provided, together
with a range of other information and direct access to the resource itself.

✮ Elsevier (2005). Scirus. Retrieved November 29, 2005, from http://www.scirus.com

A comprehensive search engine for the sciences. Covers 200 million science-specific
Web pages, and filters out non-scientific sites. Enables the user to quickly locate
scientific, scholarly, and technical data on the Internet. Retrieves articles, reports,
patents, and other resource types.