Query: For that, we have to work on other types of marine organisms so that we clearly understand what took place in the sediment over geological time”

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Paleontology <=SEP=> Paleontology or palaeontology ( -LSB- pronˌpeɪliɒnˈtɒlədʒi -RSB- , -LSB- ˌpeɪliənˈtɒlədʒi -RSB- or -LSB- ˌpæliɒnˈtɒlədʒi -RSB- , -LSB- ˌpæliənˈtɒlədʒi -RSB- ) is the scientific study of life that existed prior to , and sometimes including , the start of the Holocene Epoch ( roughly 11,700 years before present ) . It includes the study of fossils to determine organisms ' evolution and interactions with each other and their environments ( their paleoecology ) . Paleontological observations have been documented as far back as the 5th century BC . The science became established in the 18th century as a result of Georges Cuvier 's work on comparative anatomy , and developed rapidly in the 19th century . The term itself originates from Greek παλαιός , palaios , i.e. `` old , ancient '' , ὄν , on ( gen. ontos ) , i.e. `` being , creature '' and λόγος , logos , i.e. `` speech , thought , study '' .   Paleontology lies on the border between biology and geology , but differs from archaeology in that it excludes the study of anatomically modern humans . It now uses techniques drawn from a wide range of sciences , including biochemistry , mathematics , and engineering . Use of all these techniques has enabled paleontologists to discover much of the evolutionary history of life , almost all the way back to when Earth became capable of supporting life , about . As knowledge has increased , paleontology has developed specialised sub-divisions , some of which focus on different types of fossil organisms while others study ecology and environmental history , such as ancient climates .   Body fossils and trace fossils are the principal types of evidence about ancient life , and geochemical evidence has helped to decipher the evolution of life before there were organisms large enough to leave body fossils . Estimating the dates of these remains is essential but difficult : sometimes adjacent rock layers allow radiometric dating , which provides absolute dates that are accurate to within 0.5 % , but more often paleontologists have to rely on relative dating by solving the `` jigsaw puzzles '' of biostratigraphy . Classifying ancient organisms is also difficult , as many do not fit well into the Linnaean taxonomy that is commonly used for classifying living organisms , and paleontologists more often use cladistics to draw up evolutionary `` family trees '' . The final quarter of the 20th century saw the development of molecular phylogenetics , which investigates how closely organisms are related by measuring how similar the DNA is in their genomes . Molecular phylogenetics has also been used to estimate the dates when species diverged , but there is controversy about the reliability of the molecular clock on which such estimates depend .

Geobiology <=SEP=> Geobiology is a field of scientific research that explores the interactions between the physical Earth and the biosphere . It is a relatively young field , and its borders are fluid . There is considerable overlap with the fields of ecology , evolutionary biology , microbiology , paleontology , and particularly biogeochemistry . Geobiology applies the principles and methods of biology and geology to the study of the ancient history of the co-evolution of life and Earth as well as the role of life in the modern world . Geobiologic studies tend to be focused on microorganisms , and on the role that life plays in altering the chemical and physical environment of the lithosphere , atmosphere , hydrosphere and/or cryosphere . It differs from biogeochemistry in that the focus is on processes and organisms over space and time rather than on global chemical cycles .   Geobiological research synthesizes the geologic record with modern biologic studies . It deals with process - how organisms affect the Earth and vice versa - as well as history - how the Earth and life have changed together . Much research is grounded in the search for fundamental understanding , but geobiology can also be applied , as in the case of microbes that clean up oil spills .   Geobiology employs molecular biology , environmental microbiology , chemical analyses , and the geologic record to investigate the evolutionary interconnectedness of life and Earth . It attempts to understand how the Earth has changed since the origin of life and what it might have been like along the way . Some definitions of geobiology even push the boundaries of this time frame - to understanding the origin of life and to the role that man has played and will continue to play in shaping the Earth in the Anthropocene .

Geology <=SEP=> Geology ( from the Ancient Greek γῆ , gē , i.e. `` earth '' and - λoγία , - logia , i.e. `` study of , discourse '' ) is an earth science concerned with the solid Earth , the rocks of which it is composed , and the processes by which they change over time . Geology can also refer generally to the study of the solid features of any terrestrial planet ( such as the geology of the Moon or Mars ) .   Geology gives insight into the history of the Earth by providing the primary evidence for plate tectonics , the evolutionary history of life , and past climates . Geology is important for mineral and hydrocarbon exploration and exploitation , evaluating water resources , understanding of natural hazards , the remediation of environmental problems , and for providing insights into past climate change . Geology also plays a role in geotechnical engineering and is a major academic discipline .