The seminar covers microfossils and their use in paleoecological studies. Microfossils are the remains of tiny ancient organisms found in rock layers that can be used to study past environments. Specific topics covered include the domains of microorganisms found in aquatic and terrestrial environments like archaebacteria, eubacteria, protists, fungi and their examples. Paleoecology is defined as the study of ancient environments and ecosystems through microfossil evidence. Common microfossils used in paleoecological studies are also discussed like foraminifera, ostracods, diatoms, and radiolarians.

2. SEMINAR CONTENTS
ABOUT MICROFOSSILS
PALEOECOLOGY
DOMAINS OF MICRO ORGANISMS IN AQUATIC
TERRESTRIAL ENVIRONMENTS
INTERPRETATION OF PALEOECOLOGICAL
STUDIES THROUGH MICROFOSSILS

3. • Microfossils are the remains of tiny animals and
plants / organisms found in rock layers and
sediments.
• Spores and Pollen, Foraminifera, Dinoflagellates,
Radiolarians are some of the examples.
• Size of microfossils range between 50 to 500µm
• They are observed under Paleontological microscope
such as Phase Contrast Binocular, Trinocular and
Phase contrast microscopes and Biological
microscopes.
MICRO FOSSILS

4. •Microfossils are particularly useful in
paleoecological studies like: Aquatic-marine, fresh or
Brackish water. Depth of water / Turbidity / Current / Energy level etc.
• Also useful for finding out the age of rocks
where they occur. Vital aspect of application in
search for oil, gas and other resources like CBM
gas.

5. PALEOECOLOGY
Paleoecology is the science which deals with fossils as
a tool for detecting ancient environments, in which
these fossils FOSSILIZED within the associated
sediments.
Ornamentations
Paleoecology is the study of the relationship between
microfossil / microorganisms and their environment.
The following microfossils data as a Tool
Percent age of planktonic / Benthonic forms
Species diversity of a particular species Dominance
Shell-type ratios
Taxonomic approach

6. Archaebateria
Eubacteria
Protista
Animalia
Plantae
Fungi
DOMAINS OF MICRO ORGANISMS IN
AQUATIC TERRESTRIAL
ENVIRONMENTS

7. Archaebacteria
 Archae are tiny microorganisms,
usually less than one µm(Nano
size).
• single-celled prokaryotes (without
nucleus) having circular DNA.
• Live in extreme environments e.g.
acidic, extreme heat, no oxygen.
Examples: deep sea volcanic vents,
geysers, hot springs etc.

8. • Extremophiles are
microorganisms with the
ability to thrive in extreme
environment such as
hydrothermal veins , hot
sulfur springs, saline lakes,
and highly acidic or
alkaline environments.
Archean - Extremophiles

9. Eubacteria
A bacterium of a large group typically having simple
cells with rigid cell walls and often flagella for
movement .
A bacterium found mainly in extreme environments
like hydrothermal vents and volcanic areas .
Examples –Cynobacteria , Balciliobacteria etc,

10. Modern
Flagella

11. Protista
Protests are large and diverse group of
Eukaryotic Microorganisms.
It is a single –celled organism.
Live in snow, stream, ponds, lake etc,
Examples –Diatoms, Radiolarians etc,

12. Recent Diatoms

13. •Fungi is a eukaryotic
organisms.
•They can exist single cells
or chains of cells together.
•Fungi grows best in damp
and places where vegetation
decomposes , for example –
cut grass.
•Lives in various type of
organic matter, dead or
living organisms.
•Example –yeast etc,
Fungi

14. Yeast

21. • Most marine microfossils are protists but others are
multicellular or microscopic parts of macroscopic
forms.
• The value of marine microfossils is enhanced by their:
 - minute size.
 - abundant occurrence.
 - wide geographic distribution in sediments of all
ages and in almost all marine environments.
• Most planktonic and many benthic microfossils have
wide geographic distributions that make them
indispensable for regional correlations and
INTERPRETATION OF PALEOECOLOGICAL
STUDIES THROUGH MICROFOSSILS

22. Radiolaria, silicoflagellates, calcareous
nannoplankton, foraminifera and diatoms are
planktonic (free floating) and live in abundance
from 0 to 200m depth in the open ocean.
Other groups as the ostracodes, bryozoa, and
some foraminifera and diatoms are benthic
(adapted to living on the bottom of the sea).

23. • Radiolarians are planktonic marine protists
that secrete elaborate shells made of silica
and other materials
• Cells are typically spherical with radiating
spines
• they range in size from 0.03mm to 2mm.

24. OSTRACODA
Known as seed shrimps.
Live in various niches:ocean platform,on sea floor
water ponds ,humid forest soils ,mostly common
among the shallow marine benthos.
Used as :
1- Tools for biozonation of marine strata,as they
occur form cambrian to present.
2-Indicators of ancient marine shorelines
salanity relative sea floor depth.

25. Living Ostracoda

26. CONCLUSION
• All microfossils can be used either Stratigraphicaly,
Biostratigraphicaly, Paleoecological, Paleontologicaly
applied for all the age of sedimentary rocks.
• In reconstruction of paleoecological studies all
microfossil groups will not much useful.
• Studies depends on particular group of microfossils
like Foraminifera, Ostracoda, Palynofossils,
Dinoflagellates etc,
• Paleoecology is the study of the relationship between
microfossils/microorganisms &their environment.

27. REFERENCE
2005, Howard – Armstrong, M.D.Brasier, Microfossils,
Wiley – Blackwell, Pp 16 – 35
1965 ,Roman Fedorovich Gekker,Introduction to
palaeoecology, Pp 5-11
en,wikipedia.org/wiki/palaeoecology

28. 09/06/17 28
Thank you for your attention
This Photo captured in the evening sun set at the SON River Valley, MP