Experiments on the burial of shells
In: The Journal of Geology. University of Chicago Press: Chicago,. ISSN 0022-1376; e-ISSN 1537-5269, more
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| Abstract |
Experiments indicate that current scouring induced by the presence of shells resting on a movable substrate is an effective mechanism for their burial. Original orientation is the most important shell factor relative to its ultimate disposition. Turbulent action about a shell results in sediment movement at current velocities too low to effect movement on an unobstructed bottom. All combinations of shell type, size, and orientation result in burial if scouring lowers shells sufficiently before the critical burial velocity is attained. The depth of burial is related to the amount of scouring before the shell is subjected to the critical burial velocity. The paleoecological implications of this phenomenon, relative to the formation of fossil assemblages, are discussed. |
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