Taphonomy and paleoecology of fossil insect assemblages from Old Crow River (CRH-15) northern Yukon Territory, Canada.

Abstract

Discusses some of the types of biases that affect the composition of fossil Coleoptera assemblages. Eight samples from a single site provide the raw data. They represent different types of host sediments - ranging from autochthonous peats to organic rich alluvial sands. For each assemblage the authors noted the state of preservation of the fossils, counted the individual anatomical parts (pronota, heads, elytra) referred to each taxon and the number of articulated or partially articulated specimens, and sorted the fossils on the basis of predefined ecological groups. The data were examined statistically, and compared with paleoenvironmental conclusions derived by examination of the present distribution of the taxa in each assemblage.-from Authors