Invertebrate fossils belong to many groups – from the most primitive, including sponges and corals, through arthropods, to echinoderms, the most sophisticated in their anatomical structure. By studying them, we can learn a lot about the history of the Earth. They allow us to determine the age of rocks, and are also an excellent indicator of the palaeoenvironment. Based on various geological clues, we can determine whether their environment was a shallow or deep one. Prof. Mariusz Salamon, a palaeontologist from the University of Silesia, studies fossils of crinoids, corals, and ammonites. The scientist reconstructs ancient marine environments and the history of life on Earth. His expeditions take him from the Atacama Desert to the bottom of the Caribbean Sea. The specimens he collects form a unique database that allows us to understand the evolution of marine ecosystems and the effects of mass extinctions.
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