Ichnology, the interdisciplinary branch of natural sciences, between geology and biology, dealing with traces of life activity of organisms modifying the substrate, is getting more and more popular, involving more researchers from many countries. One of the directions of ichnological studies is the description and interpretations of ichnofabrics, i.e. all aspects of structures and textures of sedimentary rocks formed by bioturbating or bioeroding organisms. This type of research, initiated by Richard G. Bromley and Allan (Tony) A. Ekdale at the beginning of 1990’s contributes very much to better understanding of sedimentary rocks. For development of such topics, the international ichnofabric workshop is organised every two years in different countries. The 12th International Ichnofabric Workshop was organised in Çanakkale (Dardanelles) in NW Turkey on 30 June–5 July, 2013 under the general sponsorship of the General Directorate of Mineral Research and Exploration of Turkey. Eighty-nine representatives of 20 countries have contributed to this event and presented results of their researches. The participants have had an opportunity to visit ichnologically interesting geological sites in the Gelibolu Peninsula and in the Gökçeada island.
This volume collects papers from the presentations during the workshop. It shows a great variability of topics of the recent ichnology. Complex interactions among Pleistocene trace fossils in Gulf of Kachchh, India, as presented by B.G. Desai, show how burrows of invertebrate organisms can be used by other burrowing animals, especially for feeding. D. Kapaska-Merkel and A.K. Rindsberg point that the so-called resting traces can express, in fact, different ethological functions. A closer description and interpretation of ichnological features of the Mezardere Formation (Late Eocene – Early Oligocene) in Gökçeada island (NE Turkey) can be found in the paper by H. Demircan and A. Uchman; a strong influence of freshwater on ichnofauna can be deduced from this study. The paper by Löwemark et al. is focused on peculiar tubes within Ophiomorpha shafts from the Miocene of Taiwan, interpreted as refuges for juvenile crustaceans within ‘parent’s’ home burrows. The study on association of Diplocraterion and dinosaur footprints from the Lower Cretaceous of Texas by Martin et al. shows how vertebrate and invertebrate ichnology can be integrated (the idea of ‘one ichnology’ by R.G. Bromley). A study of shallow marine trace fossils and ichnofabrics in the Lower Permian of North China is presented by Song et al. L.H. Vallon, A.K. Rindsberg and R.G. Bromley made a critical review of ethological categories distinguished during the latest few decades, showing that proper ethological classification of trace fossils can influence interpretations of palaeoenvironments based on ichnology. The paper by Wang et al. shows Cretaceous continental invertebrate trace fossils from the Xixia Basin, China, from sediments rich in dinosaur eggs and egg nests.
We hope that the reader will find interesting topics and will benefit from the volume, which apart of all will memorise the 12th International Ichnofabric Workshop, the first event of this type in Turkey.
Department of Geological Research, General Directorate of Mineral Research and Exploration (MTA), 06520, Ankara, Turkey, [email protected]
Ercan Özcan
İstanbul Technical University, Faculty of Mines, Department of Geological Engineering, Maslak-34469, İstanbul, Turkey, [email protected]