This document discusses paleoecology, which is the study of ancient ecosystems based on fossil evidence. Paleoecologists use various proxies like pollen, dating techniques, and microfossils to reconstruct past environments. Trace fossils, which are fossilized tracks or burrows, provide important paleoecological indicators about organism behavior and substrate environments. Principal ichnofacies are categorized by substrate, environment, water depth and energy, and distinguishing trace fossil characteristics. Paleoecology aims to understand how organisms interacted with each other and their physical surroundings over time.

1. PALAEOECOLOGY

2. ECOLOGY
ECOSYSTEM
PALAEOECOLOGY
Ecology is the study which deals with the
relations of organisms to one another and to
their physical surroundings.
Ecosystem is community of interacting
organisms and their physical environment.
Palaeoecology is the study of ancient
environmental parameters on the basis of
fossil.
• Palaeoecology uses data from fossils to reconstruct
the ecosystem of past.
• Palaeoecology uses data from fossils and other
evidence to examine how organism and their
environment changes throughout time.

3. Palaeoecological Methods
Reconstruction of environment can be done by :
• Use of Proxies (pollen)
• Use of Chronology (dating)
• Use of Microfossils (foraminifera's)
• Use of Trace Fossils
MAJOR PRINCIPLE
• Organism are restricted to a particular environment.
• All organism depend on one another directly of indirectly.
• Taphonomy is an important consideration in interpreting fossil assemblages.
• Concept of Uniformitranism is used as a methodology.

4. Fig: Types of Trace
Fossils
• Trace fossils are important palaeo-ecological indicators.
• Identified due to direct evidence of preservation.
• Identified through their Biological activity.
• Identified through morphology.

5. Principal Ichnofacies
Ichn
o
facie
s
Substrate Enviro
nment
Water
Depth
Water
Energy
Distinguishing characteristics
Psilo
-
nichn
us
Soft
ground
sand, mud
Marine
to
Nonmar
ine
J, Y or U shaped burrows, vertical shafts and
horizontal tunnels, tracks, trails and root traces
Sko-
lithos
Soft
ground
sand
Marine Beach High Vertical, cylindrical or U shaped burrows, very
few horizontal burrows, low diversity
Cru-
ziana
Soft
ground
sand, mud
Marine Lagoon
, shelf
Medium
to Low
Mixed association of vertical, inclined and
horizontal structures, high diversity of traces
Zoo-
phyc
os
Soft
ground
mud
Marine Slope-
abyssal
Low Simple to moderately complex grazing and
feeding structures, horizontal to slightly inclined
feeding or dwelling structures arranged in delicate
sheets, ribbons, lobes or spirals
Ne-
reites
Soft
ground
sand, mud
Marine Slope-
abyssal
Turbidity
current
Complex horizontal, crawling and grazing traces
and patterned feeding or dwelling traces, low
diversity

6. Limiting
Factor
Temperature
Substratum
Salinity
Food
Water
Depth
Oxygen