BAKER, AUSTIN 8.LS4.1 Quiz A geologist found fossils of clam shells in limestone while excavating in a desert. What can be inferred based upon her discovery? The area was once covered by a shallow sea. The desert had once received heavy rainfall. The area once contained volcanic mountains. The ocean currents carried the shells to the desert.

Based on the discovery of clam shell fossils in the limestone, it can be inferred that the area was once covered by a shallow sea. Clams are marine organisms, and finding their fossils in a desert indicates that this environment was dramatically different in the past, likely a vibrant coastal or shallow marine ecosystem. In terms of geological processes, the presence of marine fossils in seemingly dry areas provides crucial insight into the earth's history. This phenomenon is not uncommon; many regions that are now arid or semi-arid once thrived under water, showcasing an incredible transformation of the landscape over millions of years due to tectonic shifts, erosion, and climate change.