Integrated Desciplines of Paleontology

Presented By:
Usama Tahir
Hassan Iqbal
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Layout:
 Introduction
 Desciplines
 Paleontology in Petroleum Geology.
 Geological time scale.
 Other Applications.
 References.
 Introduction:
 Paleontology originates from a Greek word referring to the
study of prehistoric life usually fossils, their evolution and
their relationship with each other.
 Modern Paleontologists use variety of techniques like
electron microscopes, CT scanners and X-ray machines to
examine and to reveal internal anatomy of fossils.
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 Major Desciplines

 Micropaleontology (Study of microfossils like algae and protists)

 Invertebrate Paleontology (Invertebrate animal fossils like molluscs and echinoderms)
 Vertebrate Paleontology ( Vertebrate fossils from fishes to Mammals)
4  Paleobotany ( Study of Plant kingdom)
 Palynology ( Pollen and spores)
 Taphonomy ( Preservation of fossils)
 Ichnology ( Tracks, Trails and footprints)
 Paleoecology (Ecology and Climate of the past)
 Major Desciplines

 Stratigraphy (the analysis of the

order and position of layers of
archaeological remains.)
 Obeying the laws of Horizontality
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and Superposition.
Further classified as
Lithostratigraphy and
Biostratigraphy.
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Importance of Stratigraphy:

 Paleontologists use
microfossils to
determine the formation
that contains specific
fossils (Index Fossils)
and use them according
to the principle of
superposition to make
biostratigraphic
correlation for the
drilled formations.
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 Sequence Stratigraphy:
Type of stratigraphy that deals
with description, interpretation,
classification and
nomenclature of sedimentary
rocks based on their stratal
stcking patterns and their
stratigraphic relations.
  Sedimentology:
8 Study of modern sediments such as sand, silt and clay and the
processes that results in their formation, transport, deposition and
diagenesis.

Sedimentology is tied to stratigraphy, that studies the relationship

between rock layers and how they can shift and move.
 Paleontology in Petroleum Geology

 Microfossils has many applications to petroleum

geology, the most common uses are
biostratigraphical and Paleoenvoirnmental analyses.
 Index fossils are used to make some expectations
9 about the presence of oil in a particular area.
 There are some important microfossils that
contribute towards Hydrocarbon exploration like:
1) Foraminifera
2) Calcareous nanofossils
3) Palynomorphs
 Geological Time scale:
 Oldest fossil(3 billion to 3.5 billion years old.
Mainly bacteria)
 Appearing of complex animals in oceans was
565 million years ago and became common
about 542 million years ago.
 This marks Phanerozoic eon which is further
divided into Paleozoic, Mesozoic and Cenozoic
10 eras.
 Cenozoic is youngest while Paleozoic era is the
oldest.
 Paleozoic era includes extinct trilobites and rare
brachiopods.
 Paleozoic era begins with Cambrian radiation
and ends with greatest extinction in history of
life.
 Another mass extinction occurred at the end of
Triassic period.
 Neogene period: Homo Sapiens are evolved.
 Other Applications:

 Paleontology has contributed towards the study of plate

tectonics by revraling the apparent anamolies, such as
fossilized dinasours parts in Antartica.
 Guide fossils are used for age determination of a specified
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rock unit
 Gives an overview of ecology and climate of the past.
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References:
1) https://www.britannica.com/science/paleontology

2) https://www.biology-online.org/dictionary/Paleontology

3) https://study.com/academy/lesson/evidence-for-evolution-paleontology-biogeography-embryology-comparative-anatomy-molecular-biology.html