Post-fossilization processes and their implications for understanding Ediacaran macrofossil assemblages

Post-fossilization processes significantly influence the composition and interpretation of Ediacaran macrofossil assemblages, introducing biases that can distort palaeoecological studies. Research at Mistaken Point, Newfoundland, reveals that weathering, erosion, tectonics, metamorphism, and discovery-related factors affect the preservational fidelity of fossils on extensive coastal bedding planes. These processes may generate features mistaken for original morphological traits, necessitating their consideration in palaeoecological analyses to accurately reconstruct Ediacaran palaeocommunities.

Matthews, J. J., Liu, A. G., & McIlroy, D. (2017). Post-fossilization processes and their implications for understanding Ediacaran macrofossil assemblages. Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 448(1), 251–269. https://doi.org/10.1144/sp448.20