Download or read book Megafauna written by Richard A. Fariña and published by Indiana University Press. This book was released on 2013-05-22 with total page 458 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “An enjoyable read that provides a substantial amount of detail on the biology, ecology, and distribution of these fantastic animals . . . Highly recommended.” —Choice More than 10,000 years ago spectacularly large mammals roamed the pampas and jungles of South America. This book tells the story of these great beasts during and just after the Pleistocene, the geological epoch marked by the great ice ages. Megafauna describes the history and way of life of these animals, their comings and goings, and what befell them at the beginning of the modern era and the arrival of humans. It places these giants within the context of the other mammals then alive, describing their paleobiology—how they walked; how much they weighed; their diets, behavior, biomechanics; and the interactions among them and with their environment. It also tells the stories of the scientists who contributed to our discovery and knowledge of these transcendent creatures and the environment they inhabited. The episode known as the Great American Biotic Interchange, perhaps the most important of all natural history “experiments,” is also an important theme of the book, tracing the biotic events of both North and South America that led to the fauna and the ecosystems discussed in this book. “Collectively, this book brings attention to the discovery and natural history of ancient beasts in South America while providing a broader temporal and geographic background that allows readers to understand their evolution and potential immigration to South America.” —Quarterly Review of Biology “An excellent volume . . . This book is likely to facilitate progress in the understanding of fossil mammals from the Americas.” —Priscum

Download or read book Mega Meltdown written by Jack Tite and published by . This book was released on 2024 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book End of the Megafauna The Fate of the World s Hugest Fiercest and Strangest Animals written by Ross D E MacPhee and published by W. W. Norton & Company. This book was released on 2018-11-13 with total page 144 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The fascinating lives and puzzling demise of some of the largest animals on earth. Until a few thousand years ago, creatures that could have been from a sci-fi thriller—including gorilla-sized lemurs, 500-pound birds, and crocodiles that weighed a ton or more—roamed the earth. These great beasts, or “megafauna,” lived on every habitable continent and on many islands. With a handful of exceptions, all are now gone. What caused the disappearance of these prehistoric behemoths? No one event can be pinpointed as a specific cause, but several factors may have played a role. Paleomammalogist Ross D. E. MacPhee explores them all, examining the leading extinction theories, weighing the evidence, and presenting his own conclusions. He shows how theories of human overhunting and catastrophic climate change fail to account for critical features of these extinctions, and how new thinking is needed to elucidate these mysterious losses. Along the way, we learn how time is determined in earth history; how DNA is used to explain the genomics and phylogenetic history of megafauna—and how synthetic biology and genetic engineering may be able to reintroduce these giants of the past. Until then, gorgeous four-color illustrations by Peter Schouten re-create these megabeasts here in vivid detail.

Download or read book Awesome Mega Animals written by Joshua George and published by Imagine That. This book was released on 2021-05 with total page 20 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Elevate your knowledge with 250 curious facts about some of the most enormous creatures on Earth. Do you dare to discover the biggest of them all? From big cats, beastly bears, and more, this unique Elevate book features raised pictures and ranking reveals to encourage curiosity and exploration of some of the most amazing animal giants on Earth. From lions with sharp 1.5-in. long claws and terrifying tigers that weigh 118 lb. to bamboo-munching giant pandas and enormous polar bears, this book is packed with 250 facts to discover and learn as you challenge yourself to guess which creatures are big, which are bigger, and which creatures are the biggest!

Download or read book Twilight of the Mammoths written by Paul S. Martin and published by Univ of California Press. This book was released on 2007-05-08 with total page 276 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Paul S. Martin's innovative ideas on late quaternary extinctions and wildlife restoration have fueled one of science's most stimulating recent debates. He expounds them vividly here, and defends them eloquently. A must-read."—David Rains Wallace, author of Beasts of Eden "This is a marvelous read, by a giant in American prehistory, about one of the greatest mysteries in the earth sciences."—Tim Flannery, author of The Eternal Frontier "Whether or not you agree with Paul Martin, he has shaped how we think about our Pleistocene ancestors and their role in transforming this planet."—Ross D. E. MacPhee, Curator of Mammalogy, American Museum of Natural History

Download or read book Creatures of Ancient Lands written by Anastasia Suen and published by Carson-Dellosa Publishing. This book was released on 2021-01-04 with total page 32 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Book Features: • 32 pages, 7 1⁄2 inches x 10 inches • Ages 8-12, Grades 3-6 leveled readers • Easy-to-read pages with vibrant illustrations • Features before/during reading activities, comprehension questions, and an extension activity • Vocabulary and glossary included The Magic of Reading: Introduce children to the magic of reading by learning about ancient creatures and dinosaurs that used to roam Earth in Mega-Cool Megafauna: Creatures of Ancient Lands. Hands-On Reading: Millions of years ago, gigantic creatures ruled the Earth. Take a trip through time and history exploring all the mega-cool and mega-sized creatures that lived on this very planet! Features: More than just an engaging story full of interesting facts about history, dinosaurs and other species, this kids book also features reading activities, comprehension questions, and vocabulary for added reading engagement. Leveled Books: Vibrant illustrations and leveled text work together to engage children and promote reading comprehension skills. This book engages 3rd-6th grade readers with fun facts and interesting topics like dinosaurs and history. Why Rourke Educational Media: Since 1980, Rourke Publishing Company has specialized in publishing engaging and diverse non-fiction and fiction books for children in a wide range of subjects that support reading success on a level that has no limits.

Download or read book Mega Mammals in Ancient India written by Shibani Bose and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2020-01-02 with total page 382 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Since antiquity, big mammals have inspired fear as well as fantasy among humans. Not only do megafauna pervade the domains of religion, art, literature, and folklore, it is also now widely acknowledged that they can serve as important, if not always adequate, indices of environmental quality. In this book, Shibani Bose looks into eras bygone in order to chronicle the journeys of three mega mammals, the rhinoceros, elephant, and tiger, across millennia in early north India. Carefully sifting through archaeological evidence and literary records in Sanskrit, Pali, Prakrit, and classical Western accounts, Bose documents the presence of these big mammals in diverse cultural contexts, from hunter-gatherer societies to the first urban civilization of India and beyond. This work aims to reconstruct human interactions with these mega species through time while trying to understand the larger ecology of ancient India. This book is especially well-timed as the conservation of our megafaunal heritage is a major concern for biologists, ecologists, and conservationists. It underlines the need to historicize human interactions with these mega mammals with the contention that awareness regarding their past is critical for their future.

Download or read book Megalodon The Mega Shark written by Enrique Fiesta and published by Mendon Cottage Books. This book was released on 2015-02-01 with total page 54 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Table of Contents Introduction Chapter 1: Appearance Chapter 2: Behavior Chapter 3: Environment Conclusion Author Bio Bonus Dinosaur Content Introduction to Dinosaurs Facts about Dinosaurs Dinosaur Extinction Dinosaur Fossils Dinosaur Eggs Dinosaur Names Dinosaur Diet Feathered Dinosaurs Plant Eating Dinosaurs The Weirdest Dinosaurs The Deadliest Dinosaurs Flying Dinosaurs Kinds of Dinosaurs The Biggest Dinosaurs The Smallest Dinosaurs Author Bio Publisher Introduction Greetings young reader! Today we are going to take a step back in time and enter a long-gone age. 1.5 million years ago there lived thousands of animals that are now extinct. “Extinct” means that they no longer exist. These extinct animals are some of the most intriguing and awe-inspiring animals that have existed on our planet. Their colossal size, strange characteristics, and mysterious disappearance make them inherently worthy of study and interest. Even more than these reasons, the study of these ancient animals itself is an incredible adventure which requires intense thought and a vivid imagination. The study of ancient animals helps you to appreciate just how mysterious and amazing our planet really is. Our planet supports not only us and the animals that live today, but it even supported creatures as gigantic and strange as the dinosaurs- just think how cool that is! I hope that you bring a spirit of openness and wonder to your study of ancient animals, and that you come to appreciate the mystery and value of the natural world. The animal we are going to talk about is a species of giant shark called Megalodon that lived during a period which coincided with the Age of the Mammals. We are going to discuss all this and more in the chapters that follow. The Megalodon was the largest predator to ever exist on the planet earth. It is a popular animal because of its immense size, power, and because it is a shark! We know what we know about ancient animals from a variety of sources including fossils, biology, and other scientific disciplines. Fossils are the ancient remains of the dinosaurs, the most familiar being their bones. Biological science is the study of life in general, but many scientists compare the ancient animals to modern day animals to support their theories. The fossils of the Megalodon are mostly relegated to its teeth. We have very few other Megalodon fossils and we will talk about this later. Before a talk about extinct animals can take place it is important that we discuss the theory of evolution. Evolutionary theory supposes that all the animals we know and see today are the direct descendants of animals that existed millions of years ago. The dinosaurs and other creatures that existed millions of years ago either died out or gradually changed into different animals. For instance, birds are considered to be surviving dinosaurs because their dinosaur ancestors survived the dinosaur extinction event (we will discuss this later). The sharks we know today are descended from the Megalodon and other related mega-sharks.

Download or read book Types of Animal Life written by St. George Jackson Mivart and published by . This book was released on 1893 with total page 392 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Beatrice And Virgil may 10 written by Yann Martel and published by Penguin Books India. This book was released on 2010 with total page 205 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: When Henry receives a letter from an elderly taxidermist, it poses a puzzle that he cannot resist. As he is pulled further into the world of this strange and calculating man, Henry becomes increasingly involved with the lives of a donkey and a howler monkey--named Beatrice and Virgil--and the epic journey they undertake together.

Download or read book Extinct Madagascar written by Steven M. Goodman and published by University of Chicago Press. This book was released on 2014-09-04 with total page 255 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The landscapes of Madagascar have long delighted zoologists, who have discovered, in and among the island’s baobab trees and thickets, a dizzying array of animals, including something approaching one hundred species of lemur. Madagascar’s mammal fauna, for example, is far more diverse, and more endemic, than early explorers and naturalists ever dreamed of. But in the past 2,500 or so years—a period associated with natural climatic shifts and ecological change, as well as partially coinciding with the arrival of the island’s first human settlers—a considerable proportion of Madagascar’s forests have disappeared; and in the wake of this loss, a number of species unique to Madagascar have vanished forever into extinction. In Extinct Madagascar, noted scientists Steven M. Goodman and William L. Jungers explore the recent past of these land animal extinctions. Beginning with an introduction to the geologic and ecological history of Madagascar that provides context for the evolution, diversification, and, in some cases, rapid decline of the Malagasy fauna, Goodman and Jungers then seek to recapture these extinct mammals in their environs. Aided in their quest by artist Velizar Simeonovski’s beautiful and haunting digital paintings—images of both individual species and ecosystem assemblages reproduced here in full color—Goodman and Jungers reconstruct the lives of these lost animals and trace their relationships to those still living. Published in conjunction with an exhibition of Simeonovski’s artwork set to open at the Field Museum, Chicago, in the fall of 2014, Goodman and Jungers’s awe-inspiring book will serve not only as a sobering reminder of the very real threat of extinction, but also as a stunning tribute to Madagascar’s biodiversity and a catalyst for further research and conservation.

Download or read book Mega Predators of the Past written by Melissa Stewart and published by Holiday House. This book was released on 2022-11-08 with total page 40 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Award-winning nonfiction author and science specialist Melissa Stewart offers young readers a mega-exploration of little-known prehistoric predators that rival even the mightiest of dinosaurs! It is time for T. rex and his dinosaur cousins to step aside and let other mega-predators like the terror bird and the giant ripper lizard take the spotlight! Travel back to prehistoric times and meet some of the most impressive creatures to ever roam the Earth. You'll be amazed at the size and the fierceness of these lesser-known predators, many of them ancient ancestors of animals that we still see today. Stewart's cheeky, humorous voice—along with a comical version of the familiar "comparison man"—put these creatures in perspective. Artist and former zoologist Howard Gray brings these predators (back) to life with dynamic, humorous, and scientifically accurate illustrations. Sidebars and extensive back matter material provide more detailed information and context.

Download or read book The Complete Dinosaur written by Michael K. Brett-Surman and published by Indiana University Press. This book was released on 2012-06-27 with total page 1161 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Praise for the first edition "A gift to serious dinosaur enthusiasts" --Science "The amount of information in these] pages is amazing. This book should be on the shelves of dinosaur freaks as well as those who need to know more about the paleobiology of extinct animals. It will be an invaluable library reference." --American Reference Books Annual "An excellent encyclopedia that serves as a nice bridge between popular and scholarly dinosaur literature." --Library Journal (starred review) "Copiously illustrated and scrupulously up-to-date... the book reveals dinos through the fractious fields that make a study of them." --Publishers Weekly "Stimulating armchair company for cold winter evenings.... Best of all, the book treats dinosaurs as intellectual fun." --New Scientist "The book is useful both as a reference and as a browse-and-enjoy compendium." --Natural History What do we know about dinosaurs, and how do we know it? How did dinosaurs grow, move, eat, and reproduce? Were they warm-blooded or cold-blooded? How intelligent were they? How are the various groups of dinosaurs related to each other, and to other kinds of living and extinct vertebrates? What can the study of dinosaurs tell us about the process of evolution? And why did typical dinosaurs become extinct? All of these questions, and more, are addressed in the new, expanded, second edition of The Complete Dinosaur. Written by many of the world's leading experts on the "fearfully great" reptiles, the book's 45 chapters cover what we have learned about dinosaurs, from the earliest discoveries of dinosaurs to the most recent controversies. Where scientific contention exists, the editors have let the experts agree to disagree. Copiously illustrated and accessible to all readers from the enthusiastic amateur to the most learned professional paleontologist, The Complete Dinosaur is a feast for serious dinosaur lovers everywhere.

Download or read book A Gap in Nature written by Tim Fridtjof Flannery and published by Atlantic Monthly Press. This book was released on 2001 with total page 212 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A short description of the extinct animal along with a color drawing.

Download or read book American Colonies written by Alan Taylor and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2002-07-30 with total page 545 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A multicultural, multinational history of colonial America from the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Internal Enemy and American Revolutions In the first volume in the Penguin History of the United States, edited by Eric Foner, Alan Taylor challenges the traditional story of colonial history by examining the many cultures that helped make America, from the native inhabitants from milennia past, through the decades of Western colonization and conquest, and across the entire continent, all the way to the Pacific coast. Transcending the usual Anglocentric version of our colonial past, he recovers the importance of Native American tribes, African slaves, and the rival empires of France, Spain, the Netherlands, and even Russia in the colonization of North America. Moving beyond the Atlantic seaboard to examine the entire continent, American Colonies reveals a pivotal period in the global interaction of peoples, cultures, plants, animals, and microbes. In a vivid narrative, Taylor draws upon cutting-edge scholarship to create a timely picture of the colonial world characterized by an interplay of freedom and slavery, opportunity and loss. "Formidable . . . provokes us to contemplate the ways in which residents of North America have dealt with diversity." -The New York Times Book Review

Download or read book History of the Impossible written by Igor Kryan and published by Lulu.com. This book was released on 2011-12-31 with total page 66 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Contents: Shiny Arrow. Strange Similarities. Oddballs. Bogus and Real Crystal Skulls. Antarctica Maps. Ancient Technology. Different Continents - Same Stories. Knowledge Transfer. Ancient Nukes. Missing Link. Atlantis - Plato Story. Atlantis - Real Story. Lost Diamonds. Exodus. Troy. Minoan. Evolution. Human Place in History. Mayan Calendar. 2012.

Download or read book Once and Future Giants written by Sharon Levy and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2011-03-22 with total page 275 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Until about 13,000 years ago, North America was home to a menagerie of massive mammals. Mammoths, camels, and lions walked the ground that has become Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles and foraged on the marsh land now buried beneath Chicago's streets. Then, just as the first humans reached the Americas, these Ice Age giants vanished forever. In Once and Future Giants, science writer Sharon Levy digs through the evidence surrounding Pleistocene large animal ("megafauna") extinction events worldwide, showing that understanding this history--and our part in it--is crucial for protecting the elephants, polar bears, and other great creatures at risk today. These surviving relatives of the Ice Age beasts now face the threat of another great die-off, as our species usurps the planet's last wild places while driving a warming trend more extreme than any in mammalian history. Deftly navigating competing theories and emerging evidence, Once and Future Giants examines the extent of human influence on megafauna extinctions past and present, and explores innovative conservation efforts around the globe. The key to modern-day conservation, Levy suggests, may lie fossilized right under our feet.