Determining fossilisation processes of a rare iron-rich Lagerstätte (ARC Linkage Project administered by The University of New South Wales) (2023–2026)
Abstract:
Most fossil sites only preserve resistant elements such as bones and teeth, leading to questions about how soft
animals and structures have evolved over time. The recent discovery of a fossil deposit in New South Wales
appears to demonstrate a new set of conditions for the preservation of soft tissues. This project aims to constrain
the age of and assess the fossilisation processes that produced this unique fossil site. We will use an integrative
approach to reconstruct the formation of this Lagerstätte. The work will provide significant advances in our
understanding of the process of fossilisation and guide the discovery of other exceptionally-well preserved fossil
deposits, critical in reconstructing the biological history of Australia.