Place Based Project
Rancho La Brea Tar Pits
Raccoons are well-known scavengers and will eat most anything.
Vultures are also scavengers who will eat the remains of dead organisms.
Here are some insects that also fall into the category of decomposer.
Raccoons are well-known scavengers and will eat most anything.
Scavengers
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Scavengers feed on dead animal and plant material present in its habitat. Scavengers like raccoons, vultures, and hyenas can pick off the dead remains before the orgnism can be fossilized. When they are finished, decomposers come in to finish the job.
Decomposers
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Have you ever picked up a handful of dirt and found all sorts of worms and other living things crawling around? Many of these are decomposers and they live in the top layers of soil. Other types of decomposers are microscopic, meaning that they can't be seen without a microscope. These decomposers can break down dead organisms before they can harden into fossils. Bacteria, fungi, worms, and other insects are all decomposers.
Other Organisms:
A biological factor that prevents fossilization
We now know the ways other organisms can prevent the fossilization process from occuring.
Click on one of the links below to take you back to main fossilization page or to the next factor on our journey.
If this is the last leg of your journey, click on the review button to summarize what you have learned.