For the past ten years, the Column Project at the Institute for Creation Research (ICR) has mapped out the sedimentary rock record of the global Flood across the world’s continents using extensive geological data from petroleum industry wells, rock outcrops, seismic data, and published cross-sections. Using four basic observations, we progressively examine the fossil record starting at the initial fossiliferous-rich layer (Cambrian) and then sequentially move upwards with each successive megasequence. This allows for the systematic and sequential correlation between the biostratigraphic record and the corresponding megasequences. The basic observations used are 1) sudden appearance of taxa, 2) stasis (similar taxa as living or later appearing taxa in the rock record), 3) marine mixing (a predominant feature throughout the rock record), and 4) burial by ecological zonation (sequential feature of the progressive Flood). We find that the merger of the fossils and the stratigraphic record allows a better interpretation of the progression of the Flood. Each megasequence can be defined by its unique fossil content which reflects distinct ecological zones as the water rose higher and higher during the Flood year. ABSTRACT INTRODUCTION The Column Project at the Institute for Creation Research (ICR) has mapped out the sedimentary rock record of the global Flood across the world’s continents using extensive data from petroleum industry wells, rock outcrops, seismic data, and published cross-sections (Clarey 2020). Thus, similar, detailed sedimentary rock data (megasequences) are found across every continent that has been studied, including the continental shelf (Clarey and Werner 2023). These data confirm the reality of a global geological column created by the global Flood (Clarey and Werner 2018). This monumental and unprecedented project has shown that the global Flood and its corresponding Sloss-defined six megasequences (Sloss 1963) are represented by the same stratigraphic order of deposition and extent on every continent that has been evaluated: North America, South America, Africa, Europe, and Asia (Clarey and Werner 2018; Clarey 2020, 2022). It is the extent that seems to be most relevant to the fossil record on each continent as this paper will show. Megasequences supersede and include multiple geological systems and in many instances can be recognized by their bounding erosional surfaces and sudden changes in rock type which are less dependent on fossil content alone (Clarey and Werner 2018). It is our contention that megasequences are the best method to record the sedimentology of the Flood, while fossils record what flora and fauna were buried within each megasequence. The megasequences differ from the standard evolutionary geological time scale in that they are not based exclusively on changes of fossil content as are the standard Eras, Periods and Epochs. Nevertheless, the fossils help elucidate the megasequence boundaries and assist in recording the progression of the global Flood. Not only does the overall stratigraphic record of the Flood correspond globally, but the data also show that the Flood occurred in a series of progressive inundations corresponding to each megasequence which also matches well with the Hebrew text of Genesis chapter seven (Johnson and Clarey 2021). These inundations were caused by violent tsunami-like waves over the year-long period of the Genesis Flood. These progressive ebb-and-flow events began their sediment and fossil deposition in the lowest regions of the continental shelf (presumed shallow seafloors on continental margins), then proceeded to the edges of landmasses (lowland coastal regions), and then moved progressively upward onto land until finally the entire global landscape was under water by Day 150 of the Flood (Johnson and Clarey 2021). During this violent global and catastrophic process, aided by rapid plate tectonic movement (Austin et al. 1994; Baumgardner 1994) the original pre-Flood mega-continent split apart into the global configuration of the various continents we see today. Then in the latter stages of the Flood year, the newly separated continents experienced local continental and mountain range uplift, as the floodwaters continued to recede (Clarey 2020). This final stage of the Flood was characterized by vast amounts of water and sediment draining across and pouring off the continents. Some of this sediment deposition took place in large basins that were forming adjacent to mountain range uplift and also offshore in the oceans, especially on the continental shelf. Now that an accurate stratigraphic geological model of the global Flood has been developed (Clarey 2020; Clarey and Werner 2023), it is important to begin integrating the fossil record (biostratigraphy) with the stratigraphic data. Thousands of meters of Flood sediments across the globe contain vast amounts of fossils buried within them as a further testament to the Genesis Flood. The fossil record is one of sudden appearance, stasis, and then often disappearance, or extinction. This is the same pattern we observe in every geological subdivision of the geological column, including the systems and erathems (Fig. 1). Evolutionary geologists like to call Jeffrey P. Tomkins and Timothy L. Clarey, Institute for Creation Research, 1806 Royal Ln, Dallas, TX, 75010 jtomkins@icr.org, tclarey@icr.org. © Cedarville University International Conference on Creationism. The views expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent those of Cedarville University. 9th 2023 Tomkins, J.P., and T.L. Clarey. 2023. Developing a comprehensive model of global Flood paleontology: Integrating the biostratigraphic record with global megasequence deposition. In J.H. Whitmore (editor), Proceedings of the Ninth International Conference on Creationism, pp. 561587. Cedarville, Ohio: Cedarville University International Conference on Creationism. DEVELOPING A COMPREHENSIVE MODEL OF GLOBAL FLOOD PALEONTOLOGY: INTEGRATING THE BIOSTRATIGRAPHIC RECORD WITH GLOBAL MEGASEQUENCE DEPOSITION KEYWORDS megasequence, geological column, stratigraphic record, fossil formation, fossil record, biostratigraphy, global Flood
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