QUANTITATIVE BIOSTRATIGRAPHY
Advantages of the new tools in frontier stratigraphy are:
1. Standardisation during computer input of the fossil record and execution of (semi-)
objective stratigraphic methods gives access to all data and interpretations.
2. Data sets and results are easy to communicate and rapidly updated with new
information.
3. Integration of all fossil and also physical (e.g. isotope, well-log) events in one
stratigraphic solution increases resolution and practical use.
4. Methods and results (zonation + correlation) are more objective than hand-made
solutions.
5. Zones, events and their correlations may have error bars attached.
6. Such analysis of uncertainty in the fossil event record, and in quantitative zonation
improves insight in true stratigraphic resolution and reliability of event correlation.
7. Interpolation of missing event positions in sections increases detail in correlations
between sections.
8. Unlike subjective stratigraphy, the new methods provides more than one possible
solution to the data, depending on run conditions (multiple working hypothesis).
9. Sequence stratigraphic levels or trends may be detected and visualized.
10. The new methods handle large and complex data sets, and calculate reliable
stratigraphic solutions fast
