Active migration and passive transport of marine organisms in the fossil record

Abstract

For the paleontologically oriented purposes of this review, migration can be conveniently considered from several aspects, some of which cannot be definitely identified nor definitely interpreted in the fossil record. In favourable circumstances, inference drawn from Schäfer's concept of actuopaleontology can provide enlightenment. Several ad hoc categories are briefly discussed here, to wit, seasonal migration, unidirectional migration driven by directed climatic, and or, geological factors, such as changes in the configuration of ocean basins, competition between species and the battle for survival and overpopulation, and enforced migration due to deep-sea oceanic currents. Additionally, and of particular paleontological consequence there is the contrasting circumstance of nekroplanktonic dispersal. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2005.