Biomass: Is it a useful tool in paleocommunity reconstruction?

1985/07/01 by George Staff, George M. Staff, Eric N. Powell +2 · 1 citation
Earth and Planetary Sciences · #Abundance (ecology) #Biology #Biomass (ecology) #Dominance (genetics) #Ecology #Environmental science #Evolution and Paleontology Studies #Geology and Paleoclimatology Research #Habitat #Paleontology and Stratigraphy of Fossils #Relative species abundance #Taxon #Trophic level

paper · doi:10.1111/j.1502-3931.1985.tb00700.x

openalex publication_date 1985/07/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/23

Abstract

In general, more of the biomass of the community is preserved than is its numerical abundance. Thus, the paleontologist, on the average, works with more of the community when biomass is used. Community characteristics such as taxon dominance and habitat proportions are at least as accurately derived from biomass as numerical abundance. The use of biomass is clearly more appropriate in describing energy flow and trophic proportions. Whenever possible, biomass should be used as a complement to numerical abundance in future paleoecologic reconstructions.

Citations

• The detection of differences among assemblages of marine benthic species based on an assessment of dominance and diversity

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