Final answer:
Fossils of sea creatures are found thousands of meters above sea level primarily due to uplift and tectonic processes, which over time, have lifted marine sediments that contain these fossils. Continental drift, mountain building, and volcanic eruptions are key factors contributing to this phenomenon, allowing scientists to understand Earth's past environments and biodiversity changes.
Step-by-step explanation:
We see fossils of sea creatures thousands of meters above sea level primarily due to uplift and tectonic processes, rather than human interference, atmospheric changes, or rapid sedimentation. Over geological timescales, tectonic plates can move and collide, forming mountain ranges and lifting marine sediments above sea level. Continental drift, mountain building, and other geological processes like volcanic eruptions can also contribute to this phenomenon.
In examining fossil records, changes can indicate whether the sea level was rising, falling, or constant during certain time periods. This data, combined with knowledge of past biogeography and ecological succession, helps scientists understand the history of Earth's environments, including biodiversity changes and extinction events.
For example, when paleontologists find evidence of a mass extinction in a geological layer, they could conclude so based on the sudden absence of certain fossils or the presence of trace fossils that point to a particular event in time. Lastly, the excellent preservation state of organisms found in bogs can be attributed to anoxic conditions which slow down decomposition.