Record in the sediments

As far as we know, no author has predicted the effect of a whale fall on sediments.  Thus, we will set up some predictions of possible indicators of ancient whale falls.

1.  The whale bones themselves may preserve in the sedimentary record.  However, no whale bones have been sampled from ODP drill sites around the world (Peter deMenocal pers. com.).  Also, the low sedimentary accumulation (1cm/1000 years) rates suggests that the burial of a single vertebra would take ten to twenty thousands years, enough time for degradation through organismal process.

2.  The bacteria leave signals of their presence: Example: methane pockets. Other examples include products of bacterial process, products that would be expected if life were present. 

3.  Waste products and bioturbation higher than expected.    

4.  Shell fragments and other invertebrate hard parts ‘out of place.’