Applications of Geochemistry to the Study of the Fossil Record: Paleoecological and Paleoenvironmental Perspectives

Geochemistry is increasingly used in paleontology to investigate ancient organisms and the environments in which they lived. Advances in stable-isotope, radiogenic-isotope, and trace-element analyses have expanded what can be inferred from fossils, including shells, bones, teeth, and associated sediments. These methods provide evidence about past climate, habitat, diet, mobility, biomineralization, and taphonomic processes. However, geochemical signals can be altered by preservation and diagenesis, making it important to distinguish original biological and environmental information from later modification. Approaches for assessing proxy reliability and uncertainty continue to develop, and careful interpretation in geological context remains essential.This Research Topic aims to bring together research applying geochemical methods to the fossil record to improve understanding of ancient organisms, environments, and ecological relationships. It will highlight how geochemical evidence can inform interpretations of climate, habitats, trophic interactions, migration, seawater chemistry, biomineralization, and diagenesis, while examining the reliability and limitations of the proxies used.To gather further insights into geochemical applications to the fossil record, this Research Topic welcomes studies of fossil materials and fossil-bearing deposits across different geological intervals and temporal scales. Contributions should connect geochemical evidence to interpretations of past life and environments. We welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:-Geochemical reconstructions of ancient climates, habitats, and environmental conditions-Stable- and radiogenic-isotope applications to fossil research-Trace-element and rare-earth-element analyses of fossils and associated sediments-Geochemical evidence for diet, trophic interactions, mobility, and migration-Biomineralization and the chemistry of shells, bones, teeth, and other fossil materials-Preservation, taphonomy, diagenesis, and the identification of altered geochemical signals-Reliability, limitations, and uncertainty of geochemical proxies-Methodological developments, sampling strategies, and multiproxy approaches for interpreting the fossil record Topic editors: Francisco Sanchez Beristain, Alejandro Hiram Marín-Leyva Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/86874/applications-of-geochemistry-to-the-study-of-the-fossil-record-paleoecological-and-paleoenvironmental-perspectives