Editorial preface to special issue: New trends in ichnology

Since the foundation of ichnology as a science, there have been many conceptual developments, resulting in a huge number of contributions publications. The aim of this Virtual Special Issue (VSI), entitled New trends in Ichnology, is to highlight some recent innovative approaches to the study of trace fossils. The works published here encompass a wide range of topics, from neoichnological studies of key structures to new methods and technologies, together with quantitative analyses of trace fossils, covering key time intervals in Earth history. The exploration of these new trends expand the frontiers between ichnology and other fields of geosciences, such as tectonophysics, geochemistry, microbiology, and the use of advanced techniques to better understand trace fossils and to reconstruct reconstruct palaeoenvironments and palaeoecosystems. Through this VSI, we show that ichnology still has great potential for innovative research into the future.