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The Exceptional Preservation of Plant Fossils: A Review of Taphonomic Pathways and Biases in the Fossil Record

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 July 2017

Emma R. Locatelli
Emma R. Locatelli*
Affiliation:
Department of Geology and Geophysics, Yale University, PO Box 208109, New Haven, CT 06520 USA
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Abstract

The exceptional preservation of plant fossils falls into two categories: whole plant preservation and anatomical detail. Whole plant preservation is controlled primarily by transport and event preservation (e.g., ash falls), whereas anatomical preservation can occur through one of several taphonomic pathways: compression-impression, silicification, coal-ball formation, pyritization, and charcoalification. This review focuses on these taphonomic pathways, highlighting important factors and controls on the exceptional preservation of plants. Special emphasis is given to data garnered from experimental and actualistic approaches.

Type
Research Article
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The Paleontological Society Papers , Volume 20: Reading and Writing of the Fossil Record: Preservational Pathways to Exceptional Fossilization , October 2014 , pp. 237 - 258
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Copyright © 2014 by The Paleontological Society 

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