Final answer:
Taphonomic Bias is the non-random sampling of organisms in the fossil record due to various factors. Four specific biases include Environmental Bias, Biological Bias, Temporal Bias, and Collection Bias.
Step-by-step explanation:
Taphonomic Bias refers to the processes that affect how organisms are preserved in the fossil record, leading to a non-random sampling of what gets preserved. There are different types of biases that can affect the fossil record. Four specific taphonomic biases include:
- Environmental Bias: Organisms that live in environments that are conducive to fossilization, such as riverbeds or bogs, are more likely to be preserved.
- Biological Bias: Organisms with hard parts, like bones or shells, are more likely to fossilize than those with soft bodies.
- Temporal Bias: Older fossils are less likely to be found because they have had more time to be destroyed or buried deeply in rock layers.
- Collection Bias: Human selection and retrieval of fossils can also skew the record, depending on where and how paleontologists choose to dig.