Wahrend aus den tieferen und mittleren Anteilen des Tertiars, aus Eozan und Oligozan, nun schon eine betrachtliche Anzahl von artlieh gut definierten Holothurien-Resten bekannt ist, blieb unsere Kenntnis der miozanen Holothurien-Sklerite noch ausgesprochen luckenhaft. Die ersten Abbildungen von miozanen Skleriten, und zwar aus tortonen Ablagerungen des Wiener Beckens, brachten PAPP & KuPPER 1953, kurz nachdem 0. KuHN 1952, S. 123 darauf aufmerksam geD?;acht hatte, dass in den mikrofossilreichen jung- tertiaren Serien Osterreichs auch "Holothuroiden-Sklerite . . . wohl vorkommen durften". Die bei PAPP & KuPPER nur familienmassig zugeordneten Sklerite wurden von DEFLANDRE-RIGAUD 1961, S. 119 artlieh benannt und zu funf Arten, davon vier neu, gestellt. Bei Neuaufnahmen des Neogens am Sudwestrand des Leithagebirges im Burgenland 1951-1953 hatte A. TuLLMANN ebenfalls Holo- thurien-Sklerite, und zwar gleichfalls aus dem Torton, Fundort Eisenstadt, aus Mergeln der Bolivinenzone, isoliert. Ihm verdanke ich den Hinweis auf diesen und den Fundort Mullendorf, wo bei Aufarbeitung des alten, von A. TuLLMANN gesammelten Materials und in Mullendorf reichlich neu eingeholter Proben eine Er- weiterung unserer Kenntnis der tortonischen Holothurien von bisher 5 Arten auf insgesamt 20 Arten erzielt werden konnte. Unsere Kenntnis der miozanen Holothurien -Sklerite beruht demnach nach wie vor ausschliesslich auf OEsterreichischen Funden. Herrn Prof. Dr. A. PAPP danke ich fur die freundliche Er- laubnis zur Einsichtnahme des Originalmaterials, Herrn Professor Dr. 0. KuHN fur rege Anteilnahme an meiner Arbeit und wertvolle Ratschlage. Der OEsterreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften verdanke ich eine Subventionierung meiner Arbeit aus Ertragnissen der Figdor-Stiftung.

There is only one kind of human on earth today: us. But we are only one of a number of human species - primates of the Hominini tribe - that have existed on our planet across the millennia. In 2004 the world was astounded by the discovery of Homo floresiensis, a species of human never encountered before, on the island of Flores in the Indonesian archipelago. A very short, thickset being, with long arms and feet and an appetite for stegodons (a now extinct relative of modern elephants), it was soon nicknamed 'the hobbit'. As recently as 52,500 years ago, at a time when our own ancestors were spreading around the world, these 'hobbit' cousins lived also, at least on Flores. In Little Species, Big Mystery archaeologist Debbie Argue takes us on a journey of thrilling scientific discovery, recounting the unearthing of H. floresiensis, the archaeological expeditions that have followed, other finds - including that of a small Philippines hominin - and new paths of research and discussion. Argue conveys the excitement of searching for and finding clues to a lost past, and the animated discussions that have flowed from their discovery. She provides much contextual information to strengthen our grasp of the essential coordinates of this field and stimulate our interest in the shadowy, fascinating realm of prerecorded time.

Revised, updated, and expanded with the latest interpretations and fossil discoveries, the second edition of Oceans of Kansas adds new twists to the fascinating story of the vast inland sea that engulfed central North America during the Age of Dinosaurs. Giant sharks, marine reptiles called mosasaurs, pteranodons, and birds with teeth all flourished in and around these shallow waters. Their abundant and well-preserved remains were sources of great excitement in the scientific community when first discovered in the 1860s and continue to yield exciting discoveries 150 years later. Michael J. Everhart vividly captures the history of these startling finds over the decades and re-creates in unforgettable detail these animals from our distant past and the world in which they lived-above, within, and on the shores of America's ancient inland sea.

This Open Access volume highlights how tree ring stable isotopes have been used to address a range of environmental issues from paleoclimatology to forest management, and anthropogenic impacts on forest growth. It will further evaluate weaknesses and strengths of isotope applications in tree rings. In contrast to older tree ring studies, which predominantly applied a pure statistical approach this book will focus on physiological mechanisms that influence isotopic signals and reflect environmental impacts. Focusing on connections between physiological responses and drivers of isotope variation will also clarify why environmental impacts are not linearly reflected in isotope ratios and tree ring widths. This volume will be of interest to any researcher and educator who uses tree rings (and other organic matter proxies) to reconstruct paleoclimate as well as to understand contemporary functional processes and anthropogenic influences on native ecosystems. The use of stable isotopes in biogeochemical studies has expanded greatly in recent years, making this volume a valuable resource to a growing and vibrant community of researchers.