Re: Tarbosaurus

[Dinogeorge@aol.com]

In a message dated 7/22/00 1:13:42 PM EST, abcoulso@unity.ncsu.edu writes:

<< I think that's a gross oversimplification. Fossilization and preservation 
can be affected by localized conditions such as soil pH, precipitation, the 
scavenger fauna present, water velocity and stream gradient in that area, 
etc. If all sand bars were created equal, Dinosaur National Monument wouldn't 
be so unique (and spectacular) :) >>

We all know this, but there is absolutely no way to get a handle on how these 
factors might affect the fauna that is being selected for fossilization. Tell 
me how soil pH and/or rainfall will cause more juveniles to be preserved as 
fossils versus adults, for example. If we see more juveniles versus adults 
here than there, this is presumably because there >were< more juveniles 
versus adults in the population here than there, not because the soil pH is 
different, or there was more rain, or water flowed uphill. It does no good to 
bring in all these extraneous factors that cannot even be remotely 
quantified; we have to simplify the problem or we will get nowhere.