Tracing Processes in the Taphonomically-Active Zone on the Basis of Skeletal Preservation

Explore taphonomic processes affecting calcareous invertebrate remains in marine sedimentary environments through this 51-minute conference talk. Investigate how mixing and disintegration processes change with depth in the sediment column and their impact on fossil preservation potential and stratigraphic resolution in both Holocene and Anthropocene marine settings. Learn to analyze postmortem age-frequency distributions of skeletal remains near the sediment-water interface and within the mixed layer to understand taphonomic dynamics. Discover how taphofacies can function as a "taphonomic clock" to determine the temporal scope represented in skeletal-bearing deposits. Examine multiple methodological approaches for assessing the taphonomically-active zone, supported by empirical case studies from the northern Adriatic Sea and southern California continental shelf that demonstrate practical applications of these analytical techniques in real marine environments.