Temporal and environmental distribution of microfossils

Since a species persists only for a limited amount of geologic time and only in a specific environment, microfossils can be used to date the rocks in which they are found (biostratigraphy) and to indicate the environment in which the sediment was deposited (paleoecology).

Biostratigraphic utility of microfossil groups

Figure 1 See text for explanation.

The chart in Figure 1 shows the geologic periods in which various microfossil groups existed and those periods for which the groups are most useful for dating.

See also

• Stratigraphic and geographic distribution of fossils
• Biogeography
• Paleoclimatology
• Taphonomy and provenance

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