Expanding the potential of trace fossil analysis for practical applications

遗迹学是研究动物的足迹和洞穴（又名“痕迹化石”）的学科。遗迹学是沉积岩描述的一个重要组成部分，它对确定沉积岩的沉积环境有很大帮助。遗迹学从业者严重依赖于化石记录的解释，因此现代洞穴的特征（又名“痕迹”）使科学受益匪浅。概述的是一个建议，从事一个双重的，相互关联的研究计划，将：（1）调查的穴居行为，和行为的反应，可变的沉积和地球化学过程;和，（2）表征与现代海洋无脊椎动物的穴居活动的地球化学，并将地球化学与岩石记录中的微量化石发生。这项研究将建立在几年成功研究的基础上，其具体目标是改进对岩石记录中出现的痕迹化石的解释（沉积史和埋藏史），并将研究结果应用于基本问题，如解释沉积矿床，协助识别和描绘储层质量岩石，并描述储层岩石中生物结构的特征。研究的具体成果将包括一个新的框架，用于识别和分类动物对沉积变量的反应，以便非遗迹学家可以从岩石记录中得出详细的解释（对工业从业者特别重要）和一个系统的方法，将现代洞穴地球化学与遗迹化石联系起来，（以及随后的成岩过程）可以从岩石记录中识别出来。该计划旨在让研究生和本科生参与研究的每个阶段，以优化知识传播的数量，并培养出几名高素质的人才。

Ichnology is the study of the fossilized tracks and burrows (aka "trace fossils") of animals. Ichnology has become an important part of sedimentary rock description as it greatly helps in determining the environment of deposition of sedimentary rocks. Ichnological practitioners rely heavily on interpretations from the fossil record, so the science benefits greatly from characterization of modern burrows (aka "traces"). Outlined is a proposal to engage in a two fold, interrelated research program that will: (1) investigate the burrowing behaviors, and behavioral responses to variable sedimentary and geochemical processes; and, (2) characterize the geochemistry associated with the burrowing activities of modern marine invertebrates and associate that geochemistry with trace fossil occurrences in the rock record. The research will build on several years of successful research and has the specific aims of improving interpretations (depositional history and burial history) of trace-fossil occurrences in the rock record, and applying the findings to fundamental issues such as interpreting sedimentary deposits, assisting in the identification and delineation of reservoir quality rocks and characterizing biogenic fabrics in reservoir rocks. Specific outcomes of the research will include a new framework for identifying and classifying animal response to depositional variables so that non-ichnologists can draw detailed interpretations from the rock record (particularly important for industry practitioners) and a systematic approach to linking modern burrow geochemistry to ichnofossils so that chemical aspects of the sedimentary environment (and subsequent diagenetic processes) can be identified from the rock record. The program is designed to engage graduate and undergraduate students in every phase of the research to optimize the amount of knowledge dissemination and to produce several highly qualified personnel.