Species and Speciation in the Fossil Record (Hardcover)

Although the species is one of the fundamental units of biological classification, there is remarkably little consensus among biologists about what defines a species, even within distinct sub-disciplines. The literature of paleobiology, in particular, is littered with qualifiers and cautions about applying the term to the fossil record or equating such species with those recognized among living organisms. In Species and Speciation in the Fossil Record, experts in the field examine how they conceive of species of fossil animals and consider the implications these different approaches have for thinking about species in the context of macroevolution. After outlining views of the Modern Synthesis of evolutionary disciplines and detailing the development within paleobiology of quantitative methods for documenting and analyzing variation within fossil assemblages, contributors explore the challenges of recognizing and defining species from fossil specimens and offer potential solutions. Addressing both the tempo and mode of speciation over time, they show how with careful interpretation and a clear species concept, fossil species may be sufficiently robust for meaningful paleobiological analyses. Indeed, they demonstrate that the species concept, if more refined, could unearth a wealth of information about the interplay between species origins and extinctions, between local and global climate change, and greatly deepen our understanding of the evolution of life.

General

Imprint:	University of Chicago Press
Country of origin:	United States
Release date:	October 2016
Editors:	Margaret M Yacobucci • Warren D. Allmon
Dimensions:	163 x 262 x 3mm (L x W x T)
Format:	Hardcover - Cloth over boards
Pages:	384
ISBN-13:	978-0-226-37744-5
Categories:	Books > Science & Mathematics > Biology, life sciences > Life sciences: general issues > Taxonomy & systematics Books > Earth & environment > Earth sciences > Palaeontology > General
LSN:	0-226-37744-X
Barcode:	9780226377445

Is the information for this product incomplete, wrong or inappropriate? Let us know about it.

Does this product have an incorrect or missing image? Send us a new image.

Is this product missing categories? Add more categories.

Review This Product

No reviews yet - be the first to create one!