Pitfalls of Paleobathymetric Interpretations Based on Trace Fossil Assemblages

Trace fossils have been used widely as indicators of original water depth in paleoenvironmental studies, but most paleobathymetric interpretations in ichnology have been based on only a small number of standard ichnofacies. In addition to bathymetry, it is important to recognize that salinity, oxygen concentration, and substrate character also play a major role in controlling the distribution of trace fossils. Several pitfalls of paleobathymetric interpretation based on trace fossils can lead to erroneous paleoenvironmental reconstructions.