Taphonomy: A resource guide - Carol Smith Home Page

Kowalewski, M., Labarbera, M. (2004). Actualistic taphonomy: death, decay, and
disintegration in contemporary settings. PALAIOS, 19(5), 423-427.
Overview of the research themes and strategies associated with actualistic
taphonomy.
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Plotnick, R.E. (1993). Taphonomy: perfecting the fossil record. Geotimes, 38(11), 14.
A concise article defining taphonomy and its major sub-disciplines, and describing its
modern emphases on information gain vs. information loss.
Dedicated Journal Issues
These special issues of the below journals were entirely dedicated to taphonomic research.
Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 149(1-4). (1999). Amsterdam: Elsevier. Special
issue entitled “Taphonomy as a Tool in Paleoenvironmental Reconstruction
and Environmental Assessment.”
Contains 30 research articles covering a wide range of taphonomic subjects,
including marine research, taphonomic comparisons, experimental taphonomy, and
environmental data that can be derived from taphonomic studies.
A full list of articles can be accessed at:
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=IssueURL&_tockey=%23TOC%2358
21%231999%23998509998%2395109%23FLA%23&_auth=y&view=c&_acct=C00
0050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=b216b79a682e9c80c1429
f8e76228846
PALAIOS, 19(5) (2004). Tulsa, OK: Society for Sedimentary Geology. Special issue entitled
the “Friday Harbor Laboratory Special Issue”.
This special issue of the journal PALAIOS includes eight case studies representing a
diverse cross-section of the research themes of modern actualistic taphonomy.
Themes cover necrolysis, biostratinomy, comparative taphonomy, fidelity and
methodology of taphonomy.
A full list of articles can be accessed at:
http://www.bioone.org/bioone/?request=get-toc&issn=0883-
1351&volume=019&issue=05