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Significance of Hierarchical Structure and Scale in Stratigraphy and Paleoecology: An Example from the Pliocene of North Carolina

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 July 2017

Richard H. Bailey
Richard H. Bailey*
Affiliation:
Department of Geology, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115
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Extract

The study of paleoecologic processes through geologic time requires careful analysis of the stratigraphic distribution of fossils. Collections from stratigraphic units of varying thickness provide data needed to describe the spatial and temporal patterns of fossil species, populations, and paleocommunities. Obviously, collections that have broad stratigraphic spacing will reveal only long-term trends. Narrowing the stratigraphic distance between collections may reveal some aspects of shorter term biological processes, but it is well established (Gould, 1980; Schindel, 1980; McCall and Tevesz, 1983) that the lower limit of paleontologic resolution is reached when biological processes operate more quickly than the rate of formation of final undisturbed bedding units.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Paleontological Society Special Publications , Volume 5: Paleocommunity Temporal Dynamics: The Long-Term Development of Multispecies Assemblies , 1990 , pp. 236 - 261
Copyright
Copyright © 1990 Paleontological Society 

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