Spatial analyses of Ediacaran communities at Mistaken Point

Spatial analyses of Ediacaran fossil communities at Mistaken Point, Newfoundland, reveal complex ecological interactions among 10 taxa on one surface (E), while another (D) shows no such associations. Bayesian network inference identified a web of interactions on the E-surface, with all but one taxon (Thectardis) linked to others, suggesting distinct ecological roles. The study also detected habitat associations and weak competition for resources between certain taxa, such as Charniodiscus–Plumeropriscum and Plumeropriscum–Fractofusus. No instances of interspecific facilitation were found. The research used millimeter-accurate GPS mapping and spatial point-process analysis to study these ~565-million-year-old fossils, providing insights into the ecological dynamics of early multicellular life.

Mitchell, E. G., & Butterfield, N. J. (2018). Spatial analyses of Ediacaran communities at Mistaken Point. Paleobiology, 44(1), 40–57. https://doi.org/10.1017/pab.2017.35