GeoloGy/PaleontoloGy: A Very Enriching Relationship

Abstract

The Subsystems Atmosphere, Hydrosphere, Solid Earth and Biosphere make up the Earth System; processes ocurring in the first two are geochronologically instantaneous, and leave an ephimerous record. The processes in the Solid Earth have a long duration (thousands to millions of years) and leave a permanent, chronologically/spatially undifferentiated record. In the Biosphere occur both instantaneous processes that leave an ephemeral record, and long-lasting processes that leave a permanent, chronologically/spatially differentiated record, integrated to the Solid Earth (particularly to the sedimentary sequences).On the basis of this coincidence and on the complex material and dynamic link occurring among all subsystems, it is possible to unravel the Planet ́s history, and of course, to establish the epistemological relationship between Geology and Paleontology. Through such relationship, information or knowledge of one discipline helps to solve problems in the other, examples: 1, the discovery of the enormity of geologic time made possible the elaboration and acceptance of the Theory of Organic Evolution; 2, the existence of vicarious paleobiotas could be explained bay paleontogeographic changes; 3, the environmental recons-truction of a paleocommunity is based upon local geological information; 4, the making of the geochronologic scale stemmed from the subdivision of the fossil record; 5, the paleontological paradoxes led to discard the “fixistic” geodynamic conception; and 6, the analysis of the fossil record allows to recognize the right sequential order in structurally complex territories.