How is fossilization dependent upon the environment?
The environment plays a crucial role in an organisms ability to fossilize. The best scenario would be in which an organism is buried at the bottom of a lake where it is then covered by a lot of sediment. In this type of environment, the organism is protected from other animals and natural elements that would cause the body’s breakdown. It is crucial that the body be in an environment that allows for rapid burial. Areas in which there is a high rate of sediment deposition is ideal because of the presence of minerals and the increase of pressure. The environment can also affect where the fossil is found. For example, river currents can carry a body away from the site of death before it is buried. Drier environments, such as land, are more susceptible to the effects of erosion and so it is more difficult to preserve the organism before it decays. Where are fossils found? Both body and trace fossils are commonly found buried in sedimentary rocks. There are major sediment deposits in such p
