Question

were rarely preserved, but hard tissues, like bones and shells, fossilized much more frequently. also, while fossils can form in a number of ways, most are formed when a plant or animal dies in a watery environment and is buried in mud and silt. plants and water creatures are thus more often fossilized than land creatures. which factor likely contributed most to limiting the number of fossils of land creatures? 1 most land creatures were almost entirely made up of softer tissues that decayed too quickly to fossilize. 2 plants and water creatures fossilized in the most common way, while land creatures fossilized in other ways. 3 most land creatures probably died away from watery environments where they would be covered in silt

Explanation:

The text states that most fossils form when a plant or animal dies in a watery environment and is buried in mud and silt. Since land - creatures are less likely to die in such environments compared to plants and water - creatures, this factor likely limits the number of their fossils.

Answer:

1. Most land creatures probably died away from watery environments where they would be covered in silt.