Download or read book The Trace Fossil Record of Major Evolutionary Events written by M. Gabriela Mángano and published by Springer. This book was released on 2016-11-17 with total page 358 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume addresses major evolutionary changes that took place during the Ediacaran and the Paleozoic. These include discussions on the nature of Ediacaran ecosystems, as well as the ichnologic signature of evolutionary radiations, such as the Cambrian explosion and the Great Ordovician biodiversification event, the invasion of the land, and the end-Permian mass extinction. This volume set provides innovative reviews of the major evolutionary events in the history of life from an ichnologic perspective. Because the long temporal range of trace fossils has been commonly emphasized, biogenic structures have been traditionally overlooked in macroevolution. However, comparisons of ichnofaunas through geologic time do reveal the changing ecology of organism-substrate interactions. The use of trace fossils in evolutionary paleoecology represents a new trend that is opening a window for our understanding of major evolutionary radiations and mass extinctions. Trace fossils provide crucial evidence for the recognition of spatial and temporal patterns and processes associated with paleoecologic breakthroughs.
Download or read book The Trace Fossil Record of Major Evolutionary Events written by M. Gabriela Mángano and published by Springer. This book was released on 2016-11-17 with total page 485 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume addresses major evolutionary changes that took place during the Mesozoic and the Cenozoic. These include discussions on major evolutionary radiations and ecological innovations on land and at sea, such as the Mesozoic marine revolution, the Mesozoic radiation of vertebrates, the Mesozoic lacustrine revolution, the Cenozoic radiation of mammals, the evolution of paleosol biotas, and the evolution of hominins. The roles of mass extinctions at the end of the Triassic and at the end of the Cretaceous are assessed. This volume set provides innovative reviews of the major evolutionary events in the history of life from an ichnologic perspective. Because the long temporal range of trace fossils has been commonly emphasized, biogenic structures have been traditionally overlooked in macroevolution. However, comparisons of ichnofaunas through geologic time do reveal the changing ecology of organism-substrate interactions. The use of trace fossils in evolutionary paleoecology represents a new trend that is opening a window for our understanding of major evolutionary radiations and mass extinctions. Trace fossils provide crucial evidence for the recognition of spatial and temporal patterns and processes associated with paleoecologic breakthroughs.
Download or read book Introduction to Paleobiology and the Fossil Record written by Michael J. Benton and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2020-06-02 with total page 661 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book presents a comprehensive overview of the science of the history of life. Paleobiologists bring many analytical tools to bear in interpreting the fossil record and the book introduces the latest techniques, from multivariate investigations of biogeography and biostratigraphy to engineering analysis of dinosaur skulls, and from homeobox genes to cladistics. All the well-known fossil groups are included, including microfossils and invertebrates, but an important feature is the thorough coverage of plants, vertebrates and trace fossils together with discussion of the origins of both life and the metazoans. All key related subjects are introduced, such as systematics, ecology, evolution and development, stratigraphy and their roles in understanding where life came from and how it evolved and diversified. Unique features of the book are the numerous case studies from current research that lead students to the primary literature, analytical and mathematical explanations and tools, together with associated problem sets and practical schedules for instructors and students. New to this edition The text and figures have been updated throughout to reflect current opinion on all aspects New case studies illustrate the chapters, drawn from a broad distribution internationally Chapters on Macroevolution, Form and Function, Mass extinctions, Origin of Life, and Origin of Metazoans have been entirely rewritten to reflect substantial advances in these topics There is a new focus on careers in paleobiology
Download or read book Evolution and the Fossil Record written by Keith C. Allen and published by . This book was released on 1990 with total page 288 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Prehistoric Life written by Bruce S. Lieberman and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2010-04-23 with total page 400 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Prehistoric life is the archive of evolution preserved in thefossil record. This book focuses on the meaning andsignificance of that archive and is designed for introductorycollege science students, including non-science majors, enrolled insurvey courses emphasizing paleontology, geology and biology. From the origins of animals to the evolution of rap music, fromancient mass extinctions to the current biodiversity crisis, andfrom the Snowball Earth to present day climate change this bookcovers it, with an eye towards showing how past life on Earth putsthe modern world into its proper context. The history of life andthe patterns and processes of evolution are especially emphasized,as are the interconnections between our planet, its climate system,and its varied life forms. The book does not just describe thehistory of life, but uses actual examples from life’s historyto illustrate important concepts and theories.
Download or read book The Adequacy of the Fossil Record written by Stephen K. Donovan and published by . This book was released on 1998-08-24 with total page 336 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The 'incompleteness of the fossil record' is an excuse used by some scientists to reject any fossil evidence that runs counter to current preconceptions. Adequacy and completeness are difficult concepts that should not be confused. The fossil record may be incomplete, but it is entirely adequate for many and most requirements of palaeontology, as well as answering wider questions in geology and biology. The Adequacy of the Fossil Record is intended to be an up-to-date review that seeks to debunk these and other objections.
Download or read book Vertebrate Ichnology written by Spencer G Lucas and published by Elsevier. This book was released on 2024-09-01 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Vertebrate Ichnology: The Fossil Record of Prehistoric Behavior is a complete review and analysis of vertebrate trace fossils, including how vertebrate trace fossils inform our understanding of major evolutionary events. It covers all aspects of the vertebrate trace fossil record including tetrapod footprints, fish traces and other trails, burrows, nests and more. Each record is reviewed by prominent experts with extensive illustrations and can be used as a tool to solve problems of vertebrate biochronology and biogeography. Megabiases in the record are identified, and trace fossils applied to analysis and the understanding of major events in the evolutionary history of vertebrates. Vertebrate Ichnology is a useful daily reference for paleontologists and geologists; and teaching professors or other researchers working in trace fossils and related fields, including university and graduate students. Fully covers all aspects of the vertebrate trace fossil record through review and analysi Includes not only footprints, but all other kinds of vertebrate traces, bringing to the fore relatively understudied vertebrate trace fossils Written by the most active and informed experts on vertebrate trace fossils for an up-to-date and authoritative reference
Download or read book Telling the Evolutionary Time written by Philip C J Donoghue and published by CRC Press. This book was released on 2003-12-16 with total page 374 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Determining the precise timing for the evolutionary origin of groups of organisms has become increasingly important as scientists from diverse disciplines attempt to examine rates of anatomical or molecular evolution and correlate intrinsic biological events to extrinsic environmental events. Molecular clock analyses indicate that many major groups
Download or read book Evolutionary Patterns written by Alan H. Cheetham and published by University of Chicago Press. This book was released on 2001-08 with total page 416 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: With all the recent advances in molecular and evolutionary biology, one could almost wonder why we need the fossil record. Molecular sequence data can resolve taxonomic relationships, experiments with fruit flies demonstrate evolution and development in real time, and field studies of Galapagos finches have provided the strongest evidence for natural selection ever measured in the wild. What, then, can fossils teach us that living organisms cannot? Evolutionary Patterns demonstrates the rich variety of clues to evolution that can be gleaned from the fossil record. Chief among these are the major trends and anomalies in species development revealed only by "deep time," such as periodic mass extinctions and species that remain unchanged in form for millions of years. Contributors explore modes of development, the tempo of speciation and extinction, and macroevolutionary patterns and trends. The result is an important contribution to paleobiology and evolutionary biology, and a spirited defense of the fossil record as a crucial tool for understanding evolution and development. The contributors are Ann F. Budd, Efstathia Bura, Leo W. Buss, Mike Foote, Jörn Geister, Stephen Jay Gould, Eckart Hâkansson, Jean-Georges Harmelin, Lee-Ann C. Hayek, Jeremy B. C. Jackson, Kenneth G. Johnson, Nancy Knowlton, Scott Lidgard, Frank K. McKinney, Daniel W. McShea, Ross H. Nehm, Beth Okamura, John M. Pandolfi, Paul D. Taylor, and Erik Thomsen.
Download or read book Rereading the Fossil Record written by David Sepkoski and published by University of Chicago Press. This book was released on 2015-03-05 with total page 441 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Rereading the Fossil Record presents the first-ever historical account of the origin, rise, and importance of paleobiology, from the mid-nineteenth century to the late 1980s. Drawing on a wealth of archival material, David Sepkoski shows how the movement was conceived and promoted by a small but influential group of paleontologists and examines the intellectual, disciplinary, and political dynamics involved in the ascendency of paleobiology. By tracing the role of computer technology, large databases, and quantitative analytical methods in the emergence of paleobiology, this book also offers insight into the growing prominence and centrality of data-driven approaches in recent science.
Download or read book The Dawn of Animal Life written by Martin F. Glaessner and published by CUP Archive. This book was released on 1984 with total page 260 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This 1985 book examines the origin of the present diversity of marine invertebrate animals. A brief review of the early stages in the history of life discusses the time-scale of the relevant geological periods alongside corresponding events in the evolutionary sequence. These views of the early history of life are then matched against the fossil record and conjectures drawn from the living fauna, enabling the author to attempt an overview of the early diversification of marine animal life. Transitions to the succeeding assemblages of shellbearing fossils in Palaeozoic rocks are discussed and a number of stratigraphic adjustments are suggested for the period in which evolutionary events had their greatest impact on oceans and marine rock strata. The need for an interdisciplinary approach to early evolution is emphasized.
Download or read book Fossils written by Niles Eldredge and published by White Lion Publishing. This book was released on 1991 with total page 244 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this fascinating exploration of the fossil record, Niles Eldredge overturns the traditional view of evolution as a slow and inevitable process, and he shows that lifeforms generally do not evolve to any significant degree until after massive extinction. This rhythm of life--a concept developed by Eldredge and Stephen Jay Gould known as punctuated equilibria in evolution-- is revealed by the fossilized remains of the earth's ancient flora and fauna. Distinguished photographer Murray Alcosser augments Eldredge's text with 160 luminous color plates illustrating more than 250 different fossil specimens. In this new paperback edition, Fossils becomes an accessible text with appeal to a broad audience, including natural history readers and students.
Download or read book Major Evolutionary Radiations written by Paul D. Taylor and published by Clarendon Press. This book was released on 1990 with total page 464 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This unique volume takes a close look at patterns of evolutionary change responsible for the astounding diversity of life and the major radiations seen in many taxonomic groups. Evidence from the fossil record shows that this process has not occurred at an even rate. Rather, relatively short but highly active periods of evolution have yielded the multiplication of species and morphological divergences, such as the emergence of flowering plants during the late Cretaceous. The contributors to this work, all recognized authorities in their fields, discuss general aspects of major radiations, and then focus on evolution in taxonomic groups with ample fossil records. The book is an important complement to the literature of extinction and paleontology, and will be read with interest by paleontologists and evolutionary biologists alike.
Download or read book Bringing Fossils to Life written by Donald R. Prothero and published by McGraw-Hill Science, Engineering & Mathematics. This book was released on 1998 with total page 484 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Would you like to go beyond a focus on taxonomy and anatomy of major phyla of fossil invertebrates and include some of the exciting ideas of paleobiology? This book, by noted author Donald R. Prothero, is the first to combine paleobiology with paleontology topics. Written in a manner that will not intimidate, this is an accessible text for students with limited backgrounds in geology or biology. Current ideas from modern biology, ecology, population genetics, and many other concepts will be applied to the study of the fossil record.
Download or read book The Routledge Companion to Big History written by Craig Benjamin and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2019-08-01 with total page 507 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Routledge Companion to Big History guides readers though the variety of themes and concepts that structure contemporary scholarship in the field of big history. The volume is divided into five parts, each representing current and evolving areas of interest to the community, including big history’s relationship to science, social science, the humanities, and the future, as well as teaching big history and ‘little big histories’. Considering an ever-expanding range of theoretical, pedagogical and research topics, the book addresses such questions as what is the relationship between big history and scientific research, how are big historians working with philosophers and religious thinkers to help construct ‘meaning’, how are leading theoreticians making sense of big history and its relationship to other creation narratives and paradigms, what is ‘little big history’, and how does big history impact on thinking about the future? The book highlights the place of big history in historiographical traditions and the ways in which it can be used in education and public discourse across disciplines and at all levels. A timely collection with contributions from leading proponents in the field, it is the ideal guide for those wanting to engage with the theories and concepts behind big history.
Download or read book The Evolution Revolution written by Ken McNamara and published by . This book was released on 1998-10-22 with total page 316 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the last two decades the study of fossils has come of age, taking a central role in the formulation of ideas on evolution. The unravelling of the fossil record by continual new discoveries has played a major role in stimulating new ideas on patterns and rates of evolution, and on our understanding of the underlying processes and mechanisms of evolution. The Twentieth Century has seen an extraordinary increase in the rate and the range of palaeontological research worldwide. Fossil specimens in world collections have increased a million-fold since Charles Darwin’s day. These new fossil finds have filled in many pieces in the great jigsaw of life . We are now experiencing a revolution in the way in which the fossil record is contributing to our understanding of the patterns and processes that have crafted the living world as we see it today. Witty vignettes on the "lucky" rise of the vertebrates, polar dinosaurs, and many other interesting narratives … a fun but educational excursion throughout the history of life. Michael L. McKinney, University of Tennessee, Knoxville … immensely enjoyable … a fascinating book, nicely illustrated, exciting and often humorous on the one hand, but seriously scientific on the other. I would recommend it to anyone interested in the fossil record and what it has to tell us. Euan N. K. Clarkson, University of Edinburgh Popular Science
Download or read book THE ICHNOLOGY OF VERTEBRATE CONSUMPTION DENTALITES GASTROLITHS AND BROMALITES written by ADRIAN P. HUNT and published by New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science. This book was released on 2021-11-10 with total page 216 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
