Taphonomy: A resource guide - Carol Smith Home Page

SELECTED ARTICLES
Highly Cited Articles
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These journal articles are among the most highly cited articles in the ISI citation databases from 1990 to
present for keyword “taphonom*”. Articles are listed in descending order of citation frequency.
Flessa K.W., Cutler, A.H., and Meldahl K.H. (1993). Time and taphonomy - quantitative
estimates of time-averaging and stratigraphic disorder in a shallow marine
habitat. Paleobiology, 19(2), 266-286.
Research article examines the age, taphonomic condition and stratigraphic position
of shells from Mexican tidal flats. A key study of time-averaging processes (temporal
resolution, an important taphonomic method).
Holland S.M. (1995). The stratigraphic distribution of fossils. Paleobiology, 21(1), 92-109.
Presents a model of the stratigraphic distribution of fossils.
Foote M., and Raup D.M. (1996). Fossil preservation and the stratigraphic ranges of
taxa. Paleobiology, 22(2), 121-140.
Research linking the incompleteness of the fossil record to loss of fossiliferous rock,
as opposed to failure of a species to enter the fossil record in the first place.
Butterfield N.J. (1990). Organic preservation of non-mineralizing organisms and the
taphonomy of the Burgess Shale. Paleobiology, 16(3), 272-286.
Detailed taphonomic examination of the organic preservation processes of nonmineralizing
animals.
Two additional highly cited articles are noted in the Key Literatures Review Section, directly below.
Key Literature Reviews
Brett C.E. (1995). Sequence Stratigraphy, biostratigraphy, and taphonomy in shallow
marine environments. Palaios, 10(6): 597-616.
A review of advances in marine stratigraphy and taphonomy. Recommends an
integrated framework for uniting stratigraphic and taphonomic studies. A highly
cited article.