Re: fossilization and floods

[Stephen Faust <smfaust@edisto.cofc.edu>]

As I understand it a study was done some years back and it was found that
a good sized animal skeleton could hang around for a good ten years or so,
particularly the axial skeleton, even when exposed to both weather and
scavengers.Wounded or just plain old dinosaurs might be expected to remain
near water. If they collapsed into a river, water and fish might be
expected to break down their tissues pretty quickly and currents
distribute their bones, cover the carcass with sand, or sweep them into a
hole or depression. Can't see that you would need a flood.

Steve

Stephen Faust                   smfaust@edisto.cofc.edu

On Thu, 19 Mar 1998, Stanley Friesen wrote:

> At 12:41 PM 3/18/98 +0000, hicks@mail.eden.com wrote:
> >     I was watching an old videotaped NOVA (about T-rex) recently 
> >when a thought occurred to me.  For an animal as big as a dinosaur 
> >to become a fossil, it has to be buried fast enough that scavangers 
> >can't get to it.
> 
> Actually, no it doesn't.  Many dinosaur bones show evidence of post-mortem
> scavenging.  All that is necessary is that it be buried before it can be
> completely broken down.
> 
> >  Am I correct in thinking that these conditions usually 
> >only occur in floods?
> 
> This is the most common way for land animals.
> 
> Also, death in a swamp can lead to prolonging the decay period, and gradual
> burial in silt.
> 
> Then there is quicksand and other quagmires, and sandbars may grow in
> extent even between floods, and so bury bones on them.
> 
> >Gobi dinos that buried by collapsing sand banks), but my point is 
> >that a majority of fossils of large animals are created by floods.  
> >Am I right or wrong?
> 
> Maybe.  I am not sure how common sandbar burial is.
> 
> --------------
> May the peace of God be with you.         sarima@ix.netcom.com
>                                           sfriesen@netlock.com
> 
>