The distribution of taxa in time and space is controlled not only by ecological and evolutionary processes (e.g., taxa environmental niches, extinctions/originations), but also by the sedimentary processes that govern where and when fossil-containing sediments are deposited and preserved. Stratigraphic, taphonomic, and ecologic attributes of Quaternary fossil assemblages can be potentially useful for detecting biological trends and environmental shifts through time and space, correcting stratigraphic biases that affect the fossil record, or enhance stratigraphic interpretations.
This line of research will also highlight the utility of macrofossils for assessing responses of ecosystems to environmental changes, thus providing a reference baseline for evaluating severity and significance of anthropogenic processes that threaten present-day ecosystems and their biodiversity.
