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Ichnology
Par M. Gabriela Mángano, Luis Buatois. 2011
Ichnology is the study of traces created in the substrate by living organisms. This is the first book to systematically…
cover basic concepts and applications in both paleobiology and sedimentology, bridging the gap between the two main facets of the field. It emphasizes the importance of understanding ecologic controls on benthic fauna distribution and the role of burrowing organisms in changing their environments. A detailed analysis of the ichnology of a range of depositional environments is presented using examples from the Precambrian to the recent, and the use of trace fossils in facies analysis and sequence stratigraphy is discussed. The potential for biogenic structures to provide valuable information and solve problems in a wide range of fields is also highlighted. An invaluable resource for researchers and graduate students in paleontology, sedimentology and sequence stratigraphy, this book will also be of interest to industry professionals working in petroleum geoscience.The Origin of Higher Taxa
Par T. S. Kemp. 2016
In the grand sweep of evolution, the origin of radically new kinds of organisms in the fossil record is the…
result of a relatively simple process: natural selection marching through the ages. Or is it? Does Darwinian evolution acting over a sufficiently long period of time really offer a complete explanation, or are unusual genetic events and particular environmental and ecological circumstances also involved? With The Origin of Higher Taxa, Tom Kemp sifts through the layers of paleobiological, genetic, and ecological evidence on a quest to answer this essential, game-changing question of biology. Looking beyond the microevolutionary force of Darwinian natural selection, Kemp enters the realm of macroevolution, or evolution above the species level. From the origin of mammals to the radiation of flowering plants, these large-scale patterns--such as the rise of novel organismal design, adaptive radiations, and lineage extinctions--encompass the most significant trends and transformations in evolution. As macroevolution cannot be studied by direct observation and experiment, scientists have to rely on the outcome of evolution as evidence for the processes at work, in the form of patterns of species appearances and extinctions in a spotty fossil record, and through the nature of species extant today. Marshalling a wealth of new fossil and molecular evidence and increasingly sophisticated techniques for their study, Kemp here offers a timely and original reinterpretation of how higher taxa such as arthropods, mollusks, mammals, birds, and whales evolved--a bold new take on the history of life.An Ape’s View of Human Evolution
Par Peter Andrews. 2015
Our closest living relatives are the chimpanzee and bonobo. We share many characteristics with them, but our lineages diverged millions…
of years ago. Who in fact was our last common ancestor? Bringing together ecology, evolution, genetics, anatomy and geology, this book provides a new perspective on human evolution. What can fossil apes tell us about the origins of human evolution? Did the last common ancestor of apes and humans live in trees or on the ground? What did it eat, and how did it survive in a world full of large predators? Did it look anything like living apes? Andrews addresses these questions and more to reconstruct the common ancestor and its habitat. Synthesising thirty-five years of work on both ancient environments and fossil and modern ape anatomy, this book provides unique new insights into the evolutionary processes that led to the origins of the human lineage.The Geology of Australia
Par David Johnson. 2009
The Geology of Australia provides a vivid and informative account of the evolution of the Australian continent over the last…
4400 million years. Starting with the Precambrian rocks that hold clues to the origins of life and the development of an oxygenated atmosphere, it goes on to cover the warm seas, volcanism and episodes of mountain building, which formed the eastern third of the Australian continent. This illuminating history details the breakup of the supercontinents Rodinia and Gondwana, the times of previous glaciations, the development of climates and landscapes in modern Australia, and the creation of the continental shelves and coastlines. Separate chapters cover the origin of the Great Barrier Reef, the basalts in Eastern Australia, and the geology of the Solar System. This second edition features two new chapters, covering the evolution of life on Earth while emphasising the fossil record in Australia, and providing a geological perspective on climate change. From Uluru to the Great Dividing Range, from earthquakes to dinosaurs, from sapphires to the stars The Geology of Australia is a comprehensive exploration of the timeless forces that have shaped this continent.Morphometrics for Nonmorphometricians
Par Ashraf M.T. Elewa. 2010
Morphometrics is concerned with the study of variations and change in the form (size and shape) of organisms or objects…
adding a quantitative element to descriptions and thereby facilitating the comparison of different objects and organisms. This volume provides an introduction to morphometrics in a clear and simple way without recourse to complex mathematics and statistics. This introduction is followed by a series of case studies describing the variety of applications of morphometrics from paleontology and evolutionary ecology to archaeological artifacts analysis. This is followed by a presentation of future applications of morphometrics and state of the art software for analyzing and comparing shape.Paleogene Fossil Birds
Par Gerald Mayr. 2009
The present book is the first detailed review of the Paleogene avian fossil record on a worldwide scale. Numerous well-preserved…
fossil bird remains from this geological period, which covers the time span from the end of the Mesozoic era to the beginning of the Miocene, have been described in the past two decades. Some of these not only provide information on morphological transformations in the evolutionary history of the extant avian taxa, but are also of great significance for an understanding of their historical biogeography. Others represent extinct taxa which sometimes show a bizarre morphology not found in modern birds, such as the giant pseudo-toothed birds which reached wingspans up to six meters. The reader is introduced to basic morphological features of the various groups which, as far as possible, are placed into a phylogenetic context in the light of current hypotheses on the interrelationships of extant birds. In a concluding chapter the biogeographical significance of Paleogene fossil birds and possible reasons for faunal changes during the Paleogene are detailed. As such, the book not only aims at providing an overview for specialists, but may also help students of other fields of vertebrate paleontology to better understand Paleogene ecosystems.Animal Teeth and Human Tools
Par Christy G. Turner II Nicolai D. Ovodov, Olga V. Pavlova, Christy G. Turner, Nicolai D. Ovodov. 2013
The culmination of more than a decade of fieldwork and related study, this unique book uses analyses of perimortem taphonomy…
in Ice Age Siberia to propose a new hypothesis for the peopling of the New World. The authors present evidence based on examinations of more than 9000 pieces of human and carnivore bone from 30 late Pleistocene archaeological and palaeontological sites, including cave and open locations, which span more than 2000 miles from the Ob River in the West to the Sea of Japan in the East. The observed bone damage signatures suggest that the conventional prehistory of Siberia needs revision and, in particular, that cave hyenas had a significant influence on the lives of Ice Age Siberians. The findings are supported by more than 250 photographs, which illustrate the bone damage described and provide a valuable insight into the context and landscape of the fieldwork for those unfamiliar with Siberia.Plants Invade the Land: Evolutionary and Environmental Perspectives
Par Dianne Edwards, Patricia G. Gensel. 2001
What do we now know about the origins of plants on land, from an evolutionary and an environmental perspective? The…
essays in this collection present a synthesis of our present state of knowledge, integrating current information in paleobotany with physical, chemical, and geological data.Rhodolith/Maërl Beds: A Global Perspective
Par Rafael Riosmena-Rodríguez, Wendy Nelson, Julio Aguirre. 2017
Rhodolith beds are recognized internationally as a unique ecosystem, and they are the focus of this interdisciplinary book. These marine…
beds occur worldwide, from the tropics to the poles, ranging in depth from intertidal to deep subtidal habitats and they are also represented in extensive fossil deposits. In the light of international interest in rhodoliths and maerl concerning their role in coastal ecosystems and with respect to biodiversity, fisheries, and the production of sediment, this book provides the most comprehensive view possible. As readers will discover, rhodoliths/maerl are fundamental to a range of ecological processes, acting as ecosystem engineers including playing key roles in recruitment and providing nursery habitats. Rhodoliths/maerl have been used commercially in some parts of the world, and they are understood to be vulnerable to coastal modifications and human-induced change, and hence their status may serve as an indicator of ecosystem health. Rhodoliths/maerl contribute to global carbon budgets although the extent remains to be evaluated, as do the potential impacts of changing global climates and ocean acidification.The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Human Paleopathology
Par Arthur C. Aufderheide, Conrado Rodríguez-Martín. 1998
This book was first published in 1998. The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Human Paleopathology is a major reference work for all…
those interested in identification of disease in human remains. Many diseases leave characteristic lesions and deformities on human bones, teeth and soft tissues that can be identified many years after death. This comprehensive volume includes most conditions producing effects recognizable with the unaided eye. Detailed lesion descriptions and over 300 photographs facilitate disease recognition and each condition is placed in context with discussion of its history, antiquity, etiology, epidemiology, geography, and natural history. Diseases affecting the soft tissues are also included as these are commonly present in mummified remains. This book will be an indispensable resource for paleopathologists, anthropologists, physicians, archaeologists, demographers, and medical historians alike.Biogeography of the Quaternary Molluscs of the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean (SpringerBriefs in Earth System Sciences)
Par Sergio Martínez, Claudia J. del Río, Alejandra Rojas. 2012
The Quaternary comprises a brief time in the Earth s history and apart from a few exceptions molluscan…
assemblages recovered from exposures along the coast of Southwestern South America Southern Brazil Uruguay Argentina are essentially the same than those that inhabit the region today leading to the assumption that no important change in the distribution of the faunas since Pleistocene times has occurred However the good taxonomic and temporal resolution reached in the last years allowed us to detect some biogeographic changes although traditional biogeographic units remain the same i e Magellanic and Argentinean Provinces These modifications involve mainly variations in the taxonomic composition of the assemblages and in the southern boundaries of some species distributions extralimital species today retracted northwards These changes are related to southward shifts of the warm waters of the Brazilian Current correlated with global warm peaks This phenomenon was more intense in the Late Pleistocene MIS 5e and in the Holocene between ca 6500-3500 14C yrExperimental Approaches to Understanding Fossil Organisms
Par Daniel I. Hembree, Brian F. Platt, Jon J. Smith. 2014
Paleontologists and geologists struggle with research questions often complicated by the loss or even absence of key paleobiological and paleoenvironmental…
information. Insight into this missing data can be gained through direct exploration of analogous living organisms and modern environments. Creative, experimental and interdisciplinary treatments of such ancient-Earth analogs form the basis of Lessons from the Living. This volume unites a diverse range of expert paleontologists, neontologists and geologists presenting case studies that cover a spectrum of topics, including functional morphology, taphonomy, environments and organism-substrate interactions.Micro-XRF Studies of Sediment Cores
Par Ian W. Croudace, R. Guy Rothwell. 2015
This volume presents papers on the use of micro-XRF core scanners in palaeoenvironmental research. It contains a broad ranging view…
of instrument capability and points to future developments that will help contribute to higher precision elemental data and faster core analysis. Readers will find a diverse range of research by leading experts that have used micro-XRF core scanners in a wide range of scientific applications. The book includes specific application papers reporting on the use of XRF core scanners in a variety of marine, lacustrine, and pollution studies. In addition, coverage also examines practical aspects of core scanner usage, data optimisation and data calibration and interpretation. In a little over a decade, micro-XRF sediment core scanners have made a substantive contribution to palaeoenvironmental research. Their impact is based on their ability to rapidly, non-destructively and automatically scan sediment cores. Not only do they rapidly provide important proxy data without damaging samples, but they can obtain environmental data at decadal, annual and even sub-annual scales. This volume will help both experienced and new users of these non-destructive core scanners take full advantage of one of the most powerful geochemical screening tools in the environmental scientist's toolbox.Handbook of Paleoanthropology
Par Ian Tattersall, Winfried Henke, T. Hardt. 2007
This 3-volume handbook brings together contributions by the world´s leading specialists that reflect the broad spectrum of modern palaeoanthropology, thus…
presenting an indispensable resource for professionals and students alike. Vol. 1 reviews principles, methods, and approaches, recounting recent advances and state-of-the-art knowledge in phylogenetic analysis, palaeoecology and evolutionary theory and philosophy. Vol. 2 examines primate origins, evolution, behaviour, and adaptive variety, emphasizing integration of fossil data with contemporary knowledge of the behaviour and ecology of living primates in natural environments. Vol. 3 deals with fossil and molecular evidence for the evolution of Homo sapiens and its fossil relatives.Evolution of the Vertebrate Ear
Par Jennifer A. Clack, Arthur N. Popper, Richard R Fay. 2016
The evolution of vertebrate hearing is of considerable interest in the hearing community. However, there has never been a…
volume that has focused on the paleontological evidence for the evolution of hearing and the ear, especially from the perspective of some of the leading paleontologists and evolutionary biologists in the world. Thus, this volume is totally unique, and takes a perspective that has never been taken before. It brings to the fore some of the most recent discoveries among fossil taxa, which have demonstrated the sort of detailed information that can be derived from the fossil record, illuminating the evolutionary pathways this sensory system has taken and the diversity it had achieved.The Evolution of Human Populations in Arabia
Par Jeffrey I. Rose, Michael D. Petraglia. 2009
The contemporary deserts of Arabia form some of the most dramatic arid landscapes in the world; yet, during many times…
in the past, the region was well-watered, containing evidence for rivers and lakes. Climatic fluctuations through time must have had a profound effect on human population that lived and passed through the region. In this book, paleoenvironmental specialists, archaeologists and geneticists are brought together to provide a comprehensive account of the evolution of human populations in Arabia. A wide range of topics are explored in this book, including environmental change and its impact on human populations, the movement and dispersal of populations through the region, and the origin and spread of food producing economies. New theories and interpretations are presented which provide new insights into the evolution of human populations in a key region of the world.Fundamentals of Invertebrate Palaeontology
Par Sreepat Jain. 2017
This book provides practical morphological information, together with detailed illustrations and concise texts explaining each entry. The book details the…
morphological characters of each organism, providing fundamental information for palaeontologists and palaeobiologists alike. Each chapter starts with a brief introduction and goes on to describe the organism's morphology in detail, followed by a brief note on classification and lastly illustrated examples of stratigraphically important organisms through time along with their major distinguishing characters. The book includes over 3000 clearly labelled, hand-drawn and classroom-friendly illustrations of over 1200 species.The Nature of Culture
Par Miriam N. Haidle, Nicholas J. Conard, Michael Bolus. 2016
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.Frederic W. Harmer: A Scientific Biography
Par John A. Kington. 2014
Comprising the first definitive account of the geological and palaeometeorological studies made by the British geologist, Frederic W. Harmer (1835-1924)…
this book contributes a previously missing chapter to the history of science. The main objective of the author is to ensure that the scientific work of Harmer, which unfortunately has been widely neglected or forgotten, becomes more generally known and acknowledged. The balance of this deficiency will be redressed by bringing to light in this volume his contributions to the history of science to an audience of academic and lay readers of the current literature.Human Adaptation in the Asian Palaeolithic
Par Ryan J. Rabett. 2007
This book examines the first human colonization of Asia and particularly the tropical environments of Southeast Asia during the Upper…
Pleistocene. In studying the unique character of the Asian archaeological record, it reassesses long-accepted propositions about the development of human 'modernity. ' Ryan J. Rabett reveals an evolutionary relationship between colonization, the challenges encountered during this process - especially in relation to climatic and environmental change - and the forms of behaviour that emerged. This book argues that human modernity is not something achieved in the remote past in one part of the world, but rather is a diverse, flexible, responsive, and ongoing process of adaptation.