21 May 2020
Traces in Deep Time: Ichnological Discoveries
Dr. Ilya V. Buynevich
Throughout the recent history of the Earth (half a billion
years or so…), animals have left traces in sediments and changed parts of many
landscapes. The presentation will cover recent discoveries in the lower
Delaware Valley region that combine paleontological, sedimentological, and
ichnological (trace fossil) approaches. The Late Triassic Lockatong Formation
is famous for its lacustrine fossils, invertebrate traces, and tetrapod
footprints. New research in Bucks County, Pennsylvania examines enigmatic
traces on paleo-surfaces, which are interpreted as vertebrate swim marks.
The second part of the talk will focus on utilizing the
trends in decapod burrows, which are associated with one of the world’s largest
marine death assemblages linked to the end-Cretaceous mass extinction. Recent
findings at several New Jersey sites demonstrate the potential use of
ichnofossils as in situ markers for the boundary placement and
for correlation to other North American localities. Finally, we will explore
the underappreciated impact of animal activity on riverbank stability, as part
of an exciting field of zoogeomorphology.