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Examine structure and function in these fossils, and think about the environments they lived in. Based upon your analysis of this fossil record, determine which answer or answers below are best supported by this diagram.

• This diagram shows how igneous rock was changed into metamorphic rock. It also shows how erosion due to weathering eventually formed basalt rock with fossils in it.

• This record reveals changing environments with two aquatic and two terrestrial layers.

• This illustration shows that this area had four different environments over time and organisms adapted to and lived in each of these four environments.

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What can we discover about ancient life by studying sedimentary rocks?

• Which kinds of organisms went extinct and how long they survived.

• The number of chambers in a dinosaur’s heart and how loud a lion roared.

• How a species’ physical structure changed over time.

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Fossil evidence suggests that horse’s physical structure began changing around 55 million years ago. Fossils of forest plants have been found near the first horse fossils, but mainly grassland fossils are found near later horse fossils.

Which statement is the most logical conclusion based on this fossil evidence?

• Modern horses are not structurally similar to ancient horses.

• Body size in horses increased in response to environmental changes.

• Body size in horses remained unchanged because its environment stayed the same.

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The fossil evidence found in these sedimentary layers reveals that...?

• vertebrate organisms (backbones) developed after invertebrates (without backbones)

• carnivores evolved from omnivores and herbivores during the Cretaceous period

• organisms with exoskeletons caused the extinction of organisms with endoskeletons

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These were found in Oklahoma.

Based on this fossil record, what conclusions can you draw about this region?

• Comparing the structure of the Mesozoic Era fossils with the structure of the Cenozoic Era fossils reveals that these marine organisms evolved to become land organisms.

• Based on this fossil record, we can conclude that marine organisms were driven to extinction by terrestrial invaders which took over the aquatic environment.

• Marine fossils show that an ocean once covered this area, and terrestrial fossils show that uplifting occurred which resulted in the return of land animals.

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At layer F there is an index fossil called a trilobite which thrived in the Cambrian period. Which choice best explains why no trilobite fossils are in any strata above layer F?

• This fossil record does include additional trilobites with structural adaptations.

• An asteroid impact caused the trilobites to migrate to a different region.

• The environment changed resulting in the extinction of the trilobites.

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A paleontologist was digging for fossils at several cliff faces in Colorado. As she excavated deeper down the geologic column, she noticed that the fossils looked different.

What did she most likely observe regarding structure and function as she went down the cliff face?

• More complex organisms were found only in the older rock layers

• Simpler and less complex organisms were found at deeper depths in older rock.

• Simpler and less complex organisms were found closer to the surface in younger rock.

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Three sedimentary layers were exposed in a rock quarry. The sandstone layer at the bottom contained fossils of three different types of dinosaurs. The layer above it contained mainly volcanic ash. The top layer of shale contained fossils of only one type of dinosaur.

Which of the following interpretations of this fossil record is the most logical?

• A volcanic eruption caused the extinction of two dinosaur species. Only smaller variants of the third species survived but this variant prospered in the post-volcano environment.

• Excessive predatation by carnivores caused the population of herbivores to crash which resulted in extinction of two species of dinosaurs.

• This sedimentary rock displays tectonic uplift which formed a shallow ocean resulting in the extinction of two out of three dinosaur species.

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Two-Part Question

1) How can you determine that fossil 6 and fossil 4 are similar in age?

2) What kind of environment did these organisms live in?

• 1) Fossils 4 and 6 are in the same layer of sedimentary rock.

  2) These organisms lived in an aquatic environment.

• 1) Fossils 6 and 4 are both sea shells, so they must have lived at the same time.

  2) These fossils most likely lived in a marine environment.

• 1) Fossils 4 and 6 are the same species.

  2) These organisms lived in a deciduous forest biome.

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Comparing the skeletons of which of the following fish would best reveal any structural changes in the species over time?

• The same fish just after it hatched and when it was full grown.

• Two living fish, male and female, that could produce viable offspring.

• A fish that lived recently and a similar fish that lived thousands of years ago.

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