Answer:
Only a very small percentage of creatures that have lived become fossils. Not all creatures have the same potential to become fossils. Factors that come into play that determine the preservability or fossilization potential of a creature include:
1.composition of the creature
2. the environment where the organism lived and died
3. processes affecting the dead organism
All processes that occur to a creature prior to it become a fossil are called taphonomy. These processes include decay (necrolysis) and movement of the corpse. Necrolysis starts a few minutes after death and will continue until the destruction of the corpse or until fossilization. The factors that will determine the degree of necrolysis include:
a.the supply of oxygen. The less oxygen available, then fewer scavengers and microbes can exist. Examples of low oxygen environments are swamps and at the bottom of some large bodies of water such as the Black Sea.
b.pH extremes. A good example of areas that experience extremes in pH are peat bogs. These areas can be extremely acidic and effectively transform flesh into a kind of leather
Explanation:
