paleobiology
Studying prehistoric organisms
Paleobiology is the study of ancient life through fossil evidence, combining paleontology with biological principles.
Where paleontology focuses on identifying and classifying fossils, paleobiology asks broader questions about how extinct organisms lived, evolved, and interacted with their environments: Paleobiology helps us understand mass extinction events.
Extinct prehistoric reptiles
- megafaunaSpecies over 44 kilograms
- trilobitesExtinct marine arthropods
- ammonitesExtinct coiled-shell cephalopods
- pterosaursExtinct flying reptiles
plesiosaurs · ichthyosaurs · brachiopods · stromatolites · early mammals · archosaurs · cyanobacteria
Extinct segmented marine arthropod
- ammoniteExtinct spiral-shelled cephalopod
- archaeopteryxEarly feathered dinosaur genus
- petrifiedSolidified or fear-paralyzed
- amberHardened ancient tree secretion
coprolite · fossilization · sedimentary · stratigraphy · excavation · carbon-dating · trace fossils · microfossils
Differential reproductive success
- adaptationFitting to new conditions
- speciationFormation of distinct species
- phylogenyEvolutionary relationships among organisms
- divergenceSeparation from common origin
Darwinism · mutation · variation · survival of the fittest · common ancestor · genetic drift · extinction events · macroevolution
Study of prehistoric ecosystems
- ancient ecosystemsExtinct webs of life
- food websLinked predator-prey relationships
- predator-preyEcological consumption relationship
- paleoclimatePast geological climate conditions
marine environments · reef systems · niche · symbiosis · environmental change · ecosystem collapse
Dinosaur-dominated geological period
- CretaceousFinal Mesozoic period
- TriassicFirst Mesozoic period
- CambrianEarliest Paleozoic period
- PermianLate Paleozoic geological period
Devonian · Carboniferous · Ordovician · Silurian · Precambrian · Cenozoic · Mesozoic · Paleozoic
Study of organism structure
- skeletal structureBones arranged as support
- body planOrganism's fundamental structural arrangement
- comparative anatomyStudy of structural similarities between organisms
- biomechanicsScience of organism movement
locomotion · exoskeleton · endoskeleton · growth patterns · ontogeny · reconstruction
dinosaurs
Extinct prehistoric reptiles
- megafaunaSpecies over 44 kilograms
- trilobitesExtinct marine arthropods
- ammonitesExtinct coiled-shell cephalopods
pterosaurs · plesiosaurs · ichthyosaurs · brachiopods · stromatolites · early mammals · archosaurs · cyanobacteria
trilobite
Extinct segmented marine arthropod
- ammoniteExtinct spiral-shelled cephalopod
- archaeopteryxEarly feathered dinosaur genus
- petrifiedSolidified or fear-paralyzed
amber · coprolite · fossilization · sedimentary · stratigraphy · excavation · carbon-dating · trace fossils · microfossils · preservation
natural selection
Differential reproductive success
- adaptationFitting to new conditions
- speciationFormation of distinct species
- phylogenyEvolutionary relationships among organisms
divergence · Darwinism · mutation · variation · survival of the fittest · common ancestor · genetic drift · extinction events · macroevolution · microevolution
paleoecology
Study of prehistoric ecosystems
- ancient ecosystemsExtinct webs of life
- food websLinked predator-prey relationships
- predator-preyEcological consumption relationship
paleoclimate · marine environments · reef systems · niche · symbiosis · environmental change · ecosystem collapse
Jurassic
Dinosaur-dominated geological period
- CretaceousFinal Mesozoic period
- TriassicFirst Mesozoic period
- CambrianEarliest Paleozoic period
Permian · Devonian · Carboniferous · Ordovician · Silurian · Precambrian · Cenozoic · Mesozoic · Paleozoic · Holocene
anatomy
Study of organism structure
- skeletal structureBones arranged as support
- body planOrganism's fundamental structural arrangement
- comparative anatomyStudy of structural similarities between organisms
biomechanics · locomotion · exoskeleton · endoskeleton · growth patterns · ontogeny · reconstruction