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Books > Earth & environment > Earth sciences > Palaeontology
This substantial volume showcases 35 of the presentations delivered
at the 5th International Brachiopod Congress in Copenhagen. The
brachiopod congresses are a focus for cutting-edge research in
brachiopod palaeontology and neontology. The presentations from the
Copenhagen Congress cover a wide range of material from basic
morphology and taxonomy through advances in molecular phylogeny and
ultrastructural studies to the biogeography and palaeoecology of
the phylum. About 75% of the papers relate to fossil brachiopods
and the rest to living forms The following fields are represented
in the volume: Taxonomy/Morphology (25%), Ecology/Palaeoecology
(35%) and Stratigraphy/Biogeography (20%), phylogeny (10%) and
Biochemistry/Genetics (10%). The volume is beautifully illustrated
throughout and the papers together represent an exciting snapshot
of contemporary brachiopod research as it continues into the third
millennium.
This volume presents the current state of knowledge on the osseous
projectile weaponry that was produced by Pleistocene cultures
across the globe. Through cross-cultural and temporal comparison of
manufacturing methods, design, use methods, and associated
technology, chapters in this volume identify and discuss
differences and similarities between these Pleistocene cultures.
The central research questions addressed in this volume include:
(a) how did osseous weaponry technology develop and change through
time and can these changes be tied to environmental and/or social
influences?; (b) how did different Pleistocene cultures design and
adapt their osseous weaponry technology to their environment as
well as changes in that environment?; and (c) can we identify
cultural interaction between neighboring groups through the
analysis of osseous weapons technology - and if so - can we use
these items to track the movement of peoples and/or ideas across
the landscape? Through addressing these three central research
questions, this volume creates an integrated understanding of
osseous technology during a vital period in Modern Human cultural
development which will be useful for students and advanced
researchers alike.
This edited volume presents current archaeological research and
data from the major early Acheulean sites in East Africa, and
addresses three main areas of focus; 1) the tempo and mode of
technological changes that led to the emergence of the Acheulean in
East Africa; 2) new approaches to lithic collections, including
lithic technology analyses; and 3) the debated coexistence of the
Developed Oldowan and the early Acheulean. The chapters are the
proceedings from the workshop titled "The Emergence of the
Acheulean in East Africa", held at University of Rome "La Sapienza"
on September 12-13, 2013. The aim of the workshop was to bring
together researchers currently working in this field in East
Africa, in order to define the characteristics and the evolution of
the early Acheulean. The volume was expanded with some chapters on
the preceding Oldowan, on the African fauna and on paleovegetation,
on the Acheulean in Asia and, eventually, on the Acheulean in
Europe. The book is addressed to the scientific community, and will
be of interest to researchers, graduate students, archaeologists,
paleontologists, and paleoanthropologists. This volume is dedicated
to the memory of Jean Chavaillon (March 25, 1925 - December 21,
2013), the leading archaeologist and Quaternary geologist who
researched with unfailing enthusiasm the earliest human cultures
and directed from 1965 to 1995 the French Archaeological Mission at
Melka Kunture.
Paleoecology is a discipline that uses evidence from fossils to
provide an understanding of ancient environments and the ecological
history of life through geological time. This text covers the
fundamental approaches that have provided the foundation for
present paleoecological understanding, and outlines new research
areas in paleoecology for managing future environmental and
ecological change. Topics include the use of actualism in
paleoecology, development of paleoecological models for
paleoenvironmental reconstruction, taphonomy and exceptional fossil
preservation, evolutionary paleoecology and ecological change
through time, and conservation paleoecology. Data from studies of
invertebrates, vertebrates, plants and microfossils, with added
emphasis on bioturbation and microbial sedimentary structures, are
discussed. Examples from marine and terrestrial environments are
covered, with a particular focus on periods of great ecological
change, such as the Precambrian-Cambrian transition and intervals
of mass extinction. Readership: This book is designed for advanced
undergraduates and beginning graduate students in the earth and
biological sciences, as well as researchers and applied scientists
in a range of related disciplines.
From his stunning discovery of "Tyrannosaurus rex "one hundred
years ago to the dozens of other important new dinosaur species he
found, Barnum Brown led a remarkable life (1873OCo1963), spending
most of it searching for fossilsOCoand sometimes oilOCoin every
corner of the globe. One of the most famous scientists in the world
during the middle of the twentieth century, BrownOCowho lived fast,
dressed to the nines, gambled, drank, smoked, and was known as a
ladiesOCO manOCobecame as legendary as the dinosaurs he uncovered.
"Barnum Brown "brushes off the loose sediment to reveal the man
behind the legend. Drawing on BrownOCOs field correspondence and
unpublished notes, and on the writings of his daughter and his two
wives, it discloses for the first time details about his life and
travelsOCofrom his youth on the western frontier to his spying for
the U.S. government under cover of his expeditions. This absorbing
biography also takes full measure of BrownOCOs extensive scientific
accomplishments, making it the definitive account of the life and
times of a singular man and a superlative fossil hunter.
This book introduces the reader to the unique geology of Greece.
This country is a natural geology laboratory that can help us
understand the present-day active geodynamic processes in the
Hellenic orogenic arc, including earthquakes, volcanoes, coastline
changes and other processes of uplift and subsidence, as well as
the intense erosion, transport and deposition of sediments.
Additionally, Greece offers a remarkable geological museum,
reflecting the complex history of the area over the last 300
million years. By studying the rocks of Greece, one can discover
old oceanic basins, e.g. in the Northern Pindos and Othrys
mountains, crystalline rocks of Palaeozoic age, old granitic and
volcanic rocks, as well as other sedimentary rocks including
fossils from the shallow neritic facies to pelagic and abyssal
facies. The younger sediments demonstrate the continuously changing
palaeogeography of Greece, with areas of lakes, high plateaus and
gulfs that are transformed into new forms of islands, peninsulas or
high mountains, etc. All the above subjects are included in the
book, which describes the tectonic structure of the geological
strata, together with the evolutionary stages of the
palaeogeography and geodynamics within the broader Mediterranean
context. A special characteristic of the book is the development of
the orogenic model of the Hellenides with the application of the
tectono-stratigraphic terrane concept in the Tethyan system.
Picture a world of dog-sized scorpions and millipedes as long as a
car; tropical rainforests with trees towering over 150 feet into
the sky and a giant polar continent five times larger than
Antarctica. That world was not imaginary; it was the earth more
than 300 million years ago in the Carboniferous period of the
Paleozoic era. In Carboniferous Giants and Mass Extinction, George
R. McGhee Jr. explores that ancient world, explaining its origins;
its downfall in the end-Permian mass extinction, the greatest
biodiversity crisis to occur since the evolution of animal life on
Earth; and how its legacies still affect us today. McGhee
investigates the consequences of the Late Paleozoic ice age in this
comprehensive portrait of the effects of ancient climate change on
global ecology. Carboniferous Giants and Mass Extinction examines
the climatic conditions that allowed for the evolution of gigantic
animals and the formation of the largest tropical rainforests ever
to exist, which in time turned into the coal that made the
industrial revolution possible-and fuels the engine of contemporary
anthropogenic climate change. Exploring the strange and fascinating
flora and fauna of the Late Paleozoic ice age world, McGhee focuses
his analysis on the forces that brought this world to an abrupt and
violent end. Synthesizing decades of research and new discoveries,
this comprehensive book provides a wealth of insights into past and
present extinction events and climate change.
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Tyrannosaurid Paleobiology
(Hardcover)
J Michael Parrish, Ralph E. Molnar, Philip J Currie, Eva B Koppelhus; Contributions by Bruce M. Rothschild, …
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The opening of an exhibit focused on "Jane," a beautifully
preserved tyrannosaur collected by the Burpee Museum of Natural
History, was the occasion for an international symposium on
tyrannosaur paleobiology. This volume, drawn from the symposium,
includes studies of the tyrannosaurids Chingkankousaurus fragilis
and "Sir William" and the generic status of Nanotyrannus; theropod
teeth, pedal proportions, brain size, and craniocervical function;
soft tissue reconstruction, including that of "Jane";
paleopathology and tyrannosaurid claws; dating the "Jane" site; and
tyrannosaur feeding and hunting strategies. Tyrannosaurid
Paleobiology highlights the far ranging and vital state of current
tyrannosaurid dinosaur research and discovery.
There are many books on palaeontology, aimed at amateurs,
undergraduates and aspiring academics. Perhaps commonest amongst
these are guides to fossil identification, from the general (basic
texts on fossil variety and morphology) to the specific (field
guides to specific groups, localities or horizons). Many of these
are readable, comprehensive and provide good advice. This is not
such a book - there is more to the subject than just putting a name
on a specimen, however important that may be. As the book's title
states, this is a practical manual covering the many aspects of
palaeontology. It is organised in fifty-three chapters; each
chapter focusses on one aspect of palaeontology as viewed with a
geologist's trained eye. It can be read from cover-to-cover or
dipped into when an answer to a specific question is needed. The
aim is to help the developing palaeontologist move their skills on
to the next level. It is aimed, primarily, at the beginner in the
broadest sense, both amateur and undergraduate. Palaeontologists
and geologists are encouraged to use the book as much as a
reference as a reader, dipping in to the chapters that contain
relevant tips, hints and comments to enable them to improve their
understanding of their current interest. It is informative,
readable and, most of all, of practical application for all
palaeontologists.
One of the leading textbooks in its field, Bringing Fossils to Life
applies paleobiological principles to the fossil record while
detailing the evolutionary history of major plant and animal phyla.
It incorporates current research from biology, ecology, and
population genetics, bridging the gap between purely theoretical
paleobiological textbooks and those that describe only invertebrate
paleobiology and that emphasize cataloguing live organisms instead
of dead objects. For this third edition Donald R. Prothero has
revised the art and research throughout, expanding the coverage of
invertebrates and adding a discussion of new methodologies and a
chapter on the origin and early evolution of life.
Vertebrate palaeontology is a lively field, with new discoveries
reported every week and not only dinosaurs! This new edition
reflects the international scope of vertebrate palaeontology, with
a special focus on exciting new finds from China. A key aim is to
explain the science. Gone are the days of guesswork. Young
researchers use impressive new numerical and imaging methods to
explore the tree of life, macroevolution, global change, and
functional morphology. The fourth edition is completely revised.
The cladistic framework is strengthened, and new functional and
developmental spreads are added. Study aids include: key questions,
research to be done, and recommendations of further reading and web
sites. The book is designed for palaeontology courses in biology
and geology departments. It is also aimed at enthusiasts who want
to experience the flavour of how the research is done. The book is
strongly phylogenetic, and this makes it a source of current data
on vertebrate evolution.
This book envisages a multi-proxy approach using stable isotopes,
geochemical proxies, magnetic susceptibility and associated biotic
events for paleoclimatic and paleoenvironmental interpretations of
the Mesozoic sedimentary record of India. Mesozoic rocks of India
record abnormal sea level rise, greenhouse climate, intensified
volcanism, hypoxia in seawater, extensive black shale deposition,
and hydrocarbon occurrence. The Mesozoic has also witnessed mass
extinction events, evolution of dinosaurs, and breakdown of the
supercontinent Pangea and the formation of Gondwana. Although the
Mesozoic geology of India has witnessed significant progress in the
last century, literature survey reveals a huge gap in knowledge
regarding sequence stratigraphy, chemostratigraphy and key
geological events. A synthesis of sedimentological, paleontological
and chemical data is included to presenting a comprehensive
understanding of the Indian Mesozoic record to students,
researchers and professionals.
"Special Papers in Palaeontology," published by The
Palaeontological Association, is a series of substantial separate
works conforming to the style of the "Palaeontology" journal. Two
issues are published each year and feature high standard
illustrations.Discusses the nature and quality of the conodont
fossil record.Brings together researchers, geologists and
enthusiasts who continue to find material of
significance.Contributors include Walter C. Sweet, Howard A.
Armstrong, Oliver Lehnert, James F. Miller and Steven A.
Leslie.Includes 3 plates, 9 tables and 79 text-figures.
This volume introduces a model of the expansion of cultural
capacity as a systemic approach with biological, historical and
individual dimensions. It is contrasted with existing approaches
from primatology and behavioural ecology; influential factors like
differences in life history and demography are discussed; and the
different stages of the development of cultural capacity in human
evolution are traced in the archaeological record. The volume
provides a synthetic view on a) the different factors and
mechanisms of cultural development, and b) expansions of cultural
capacities in human evolution beyond the capacities observed in
animal culture so far. It is an important topic because only a
volume of contributions from different disciplines can yield the
necessary breadth to discuss the complex subject. The model
introduced and discussed originates in the naturalist context and
tries to open the discussion to some culturalist aspects, thus the
publication in a series with archaeological and biological emphasis
is apt. As a new development the synthetic model of expansion of
cultural capacity is introduced and discussed in a broad
perspective.
Ichnology is the science of marks, tracks, trails, traces
structures and other sources of evidence of biological activity,
beyond the living beings themselves, when studied both in
continents and oceans. In spite of its scientific value and
interdisciplinary contribution, particularly in South America, in
the complex task of identifying ancient environments, information
is dispersed and sometimes even ignored. This book has recovered
the remarkably abundant information that Ichnology of terrestrial
environments has incorporated. The studied geographical regions are
the Pampas of Argentina, vast lowlands with a wide latitudinal
distribution in between the warm and wet subtropical areas and the
cold deserts of Patagonia. Pedogenetic processes preserve tracks
and marks found in sediments, rock surfaces and soils, revealing
the activity of life forms. This book refers to a variety of signs
of biological activity, particularly in ancient soils. This volume
includes abundant original information and a meticulous revision of
paleo-ichnological investigations, most by the author himself, one
of the most important South American specialists, during many
decades of his dedication to scientific research. The book includes
a review of the stratigraphic sequences of the Cenozoic
chronostratigraphic scheme. Firstly, the author provides a scrutiny
of the continental ichnofacies and the ichnological record of the
South American Cenozoic age. This is followed by chapters dedicated
to the faunal associations of vertebrates, with very valuable
information about the past climatic events and biogeographical
changes, of undoubted value for those scholars interested in
vertebrate Paleontology. Likewise, the highly relevant
ichnotaxonomy is also developed exhaustively, with special
reference to the essential activity of insects in the paleosols,
mostly ants and termites. Finally, this book presents the most
complete, extensive and up-dated bibliography in the subject, which
is probably unique as such for southern South America and most of
the world. Certainly, this is a book that will provide valuable
scientific tools for those specialists interested in this
infrequent discipline, either paleontologists, biologists,
geologists, pedologists and sedimentologists.
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