THE ROLE OF STRUCTURAL PARAMETERS OF BIOMINERALS IN THEIR PRESERVATION: A DATA-MINING APPROACH (Invited Presentation)

Structural and mechanical properties of biominerals building skeletal tissues reflect the diverse functions performed in organisms, the histories of their adaptations, as well as developmental and kinetic constraints. After the death of an organism, these biomaterials live a second life becoming sedimentary particles. Their structure adapted to the demands of the living organisms continues to influence how these particles are transported and destroyed. Thus the properties of biominerals influence their preservation and can influence selective accumulation of certain structures over the others. Quantitative methods of characterising crystal structures of skeletal tissues such as electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) and X-ray diffraction open the possibility of surveying macroevolutionary trends in skeletal taphonomy. Nonetheless, in spite of the advent of sustainable scientific data management practices, very few studies provide original quantitative data that would permit meta-analyses and detection of long-term trends. We surveyed these studies and tested for correlations with taphonomic trajectories and preservation potential. It is clear that parameters such as grain size distribution or distributions of crystal orientations have an influence on the differential preservation of various types of skeletal tissues, but unlocking this potential requires more researchers endorsing data sharing protocols.