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Techniques for Virtual Palaeontology (Analytical Methods in Earth and Environmental Science)
By Mark Sutton, Russell Garwood, Imran Rahman. 2014
Virtual palaeontology, the use of interactive three-dimensional digital models as a supplement or alternative to physical specimens for scientific study…
and communication, is rapidly becoming important to advanced students and researchers. Using non-invasive techniques, the method allows the capture of large quantities of useful data without damaging the fossils being studied Techniques for Virtual Palaeontology guides palaeontologists through the decisions involved in designing a virtual palaeontology workflow and gives a comprehensive overview, providing discussions of underlying theory, applications, historical development, details of practical methodologies, and case studies. Techniques covered include physical-optical tomography (serial sectioning), focused ion beam tomography, all forms of X-ray CT, neutron tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, optical tomography, laser scanning, and photogrammetry. Visualization techniques and data/file formats are also discussed in detail. Readership: All palaeontologists and students interested in three-dimensional visualization and analysis. New Analytical Methods in Earth and Environmental Science Because of the plethora of analytical techniques now available, and the acceleration of technological advance, many earth scientists find it difficult to know where to turn for reliable information on the latest tools at their disposal, and may lack the expertise to assess the relative strengths or limitations of a particular technique. This new series will address these difficulties by providing accessible introductions to important new techniques, lab and field protocols, suggestions for data handling and interpretation, and useful case studies. The series represents an invaluable and trusted source of information for researchers, advanced students and applied earth scientists wishing to familiarise themselves with emerging techniques in their field. All titles in this series are available in a variety of full-colour, searchable eBook formats. Titles are also available in an enhanced eBook edition which may include additional features such as DOI linking, high resolution graphics and video.Papers from the 6th International Conference on Trilobites and their Relatives (Fossils and Strata Monograph Series #64)
By David L. Bruton, Alan W. Owen. 2019
A volume from a monograph series featuring seven papers on trilobites with brief summariesThis research volume is entitled Papers from…
the 6th International Conference on Trilobites and their Relatives. It's Volume 64 within the Fossils and Strata monograph series. The research compilation originated from a 2017 conference in Estonia. Seven papers on trilobites are included with summaries in the publication. The papers' topics cover trilobites from the Early Cambrian to the Late Devonian.A New Silurian (Fossils and Strata Monograph Series #60)
By Freek Rhebergen, Joseph Botting. 2014
A newly discovered, diverse sponge fauna of early Silurian age, is described from Gotland, Sweden. This is the first Silurian…
sponge assemblage known from Baltica, and the only diverse Llandoverian assemblage known worldwide. The fauna includes 20 genera and 29 species, of which three genera and six species are new. Eighteen species are new to Baltica. The fauna shows strong similarities to later Silurian assemblages in Arctic Canada, but one endemic species comprises ca. 50% of the fauna. The fauna shows that lithistid sponges recovered well from the late Ordovician extinction in some areas, and became widely spread in the early Silurian. In contrast, non-lithistid sponges like, such as hexactinellids, appear to have evolved rapidly during the Late Ordovician – early Silurian interval, and some modern groups probably originated in inshore habitats.Ordovician rhynchonelliformean brachiopods from Co. Waterford, SE Ireland: Palaeobiogeography of the Leinster Terrane (Fossils and Strata Monograph Series #124)
By David A. Harper, Maria Liljeroth, Hilary Carlisle, Arne T. Nielsen. 2017
A detailed look at the rhynchonelliformean brachiopods of Ireland This publication, Ordovician rhynchonelliformean brachiopods from Co. Waterford, SE Ireland: Palaeobiogeography…
of the Leinster Terrane, is Number 62 within the Fossils and Strata series. The international Fossils and Strata series features monographs in palaeontology and biostratigraphy with taxonomic descriptions. The series is owned by and published on behalf of The Lethaia Foundation in cooperation with the Scandinavian countries.Microfossils
By Howard Armstrong, Martin Brasier. 2005
This is a new and completely rewritten edition of the well-known text Microfossils (first published in 1980) covering all the…
major microfossil groups, with information on taxonomy, phylogeny, ecology and palaeoecology. particular attention is given to the uses of microfossils in environmental reconstruction and biostratigraphy numerous line and half-tone illustrations emphasis on practical applications of micropalaeontology only student-friendly micropaleontology text availableA discussion and description of prehistoric fish within an international series Material of six osteolepiform genera is described in Morphology,…
Phylogeny and Taxonomy of Osteolepiform Fish. This publication is Number 61 within the Fossils and Strata series. The international Fossils and Strata series features monographs in palaeontology and biostratigraphy with taxonomic descriptions. The series is owned by and published on behalf of The Lethaia Foundation in cooperation with the Scandinavian countries.Lebensspuren im Stein: Ausfluge in die Erdgeschichte Mitteleuropas
By Volker Storch, Peter Rothe, Claudia Von See. 2013
„Lebensspuren im Stein“ bietet spannende Einblicke in längst vergangene Lebenswelten Mitteleuropas. Jedes Hauptkapitel ist einer Periode der Erdgeschichte zugeordnet und…
gibt neben einem Überblick über die Geologie einen fundierten Einblick in die jeweiligen Lebensformen und ihre Überreste, die bis heute unsere Landschaft formen, als Rohstoffe genutzt werden und Fossiliensammler begeistern. So erfahren wir, dass die Ostseeküsten teilweise aus den Überresten von Kalkalgen bestehen, wo die ersten Säugetiere unterwegs waren, welche phantastischen Riesenformen das Karbon bevölkerten, wie die Urpferde aussahen und wo heute noch versteinerte Wälder zu sehen sind. Exkurse zu Massenaussterben, Eiszeiten und der Entstehung des Menschen ergänzen das Werk, eine fundierte Einführung ermöglicht es auch Einsteigern, die „Lebensspuren im Stein“ zu verstehen. Das Buch basiert auf einer erfolgreichen Serie des Magazins „Biologie in unserer Zeit“, an der viele bekannte Wissenschaftler mitgearbeitet haben. Es ist sowohl eine ideale Einführung für Studenten als auch ein fachkundiger Begleiter für alle von der Paläontologie Begeisterten – ob Forscher, Mitarbeiter in Museen oder Interessierte anderer Fachbereiche.This monograph describes early Ordovician (Ibexian:Tremadocian–early Floian) trilobites from Northern Spitsbergen from the section through the Kirtonryggen Formation adjacent to…
Hinlopen Strait. The Formation is divided into three Members, each with distinct trilobites collectively representing the fullest known succession from the Bathyurid biofacies of the eastern Laurentian carbonate platform. Previous research on the Ordovician of Spitsbergen is summarised and correlations with similar faunas previously described from Canada, Greenland, western Newfoundland, Vermont–New York State, Oklahoma and Missouri are discussed. Taxonomic problems are discussed in detail leading to the recognition of 53 species, of which 15 are new, belonging to 31 genera including four new. Twenty-four taxa are described under open or tentative nomenclature. The lower Member yields the earliest known occurrences of the Illaenoidea, Proetoidea and Scutelluoidea, supporting the hypotheses relating the origin of new major clades to inshore habitats.History of Life
By Richard Cowen. 2013
This text is designed for students and anyone else with an interest in the history of life on our planet.…
The author describes the biological evolution of Earth’s organisms, and reconstructs their adaptations to the life they led, and the ecology and environment in which they functioned. On the grand scale, Earth is a constantly changing planet, continually presenting organisms with challenges. Changing geography, climate, atmosphere, oceanic and land environments set a stage in which organisms interact with their environments and one another, with evolutionary change an inevitable result. The organisms themselves in turn can change global environments: oxygen in our atmosphere is all produced by photosynthesis, for example. The interplay between a changing Earth and its evolving organisms is the underlying theme of the book. The book has a dedicated website which explores additional enriching information and discussion, and provides or points to the art for the book and many other images useful for teaching. See: www.wiley.com/go/cowen/historyoflife.Graptolite Paleobiology (TOPA Topics in Paleobiology)
By Jörg Maletz. 2016
The graptolites constitute one of the geologically most useful taxonomic groups of fossils for dating rock successions, understanding paleobiogeography and…
reconstructing plate tectonic configurations in the Lower Palaeozoic. Graptolites were largely planktic, marine organisms, and as one of the first groups that explored the expanses of the world’s oceans are vital for understanding Palaeozoic ecology. They are the best and often the only fossil group for dating Lower Palaeozoic rock successions precisely. Thousands of taxa have been described from all over the planet and are used for a wide variety of geological and palaeontological (biological) research topics. The recent recognition of the modern pterobranch Rhabdopleura as a living benthic graptolite enables a much better understanding and interpretation of the fossil Graptolithina. In the decades since the latest edition of the Graptolite Treatise, the enormous increase of knowledge on this group of organisms has never been synthesised in a compelling and coherent way, and information is scattered in scientific publications and difficult to sort through. This volume provides an up-to-date insight into research on graptolites. Such research has advanced considerably with the use of new methods of investigation and documentation. SEM investigation and research on ultrastructure of the tubaria has made it possible to compare extant and extinct taxa in much more detail. Cladistic interpretation of graptolite taxonomy and evolution has advanced the understanding of this group of organisms considerably in the last two decades, and has highlighted their importance in our understanding of evolutionary processes. This book will show graptolites, including their modern, living relatives, in a quite new and fascinating light, and will demonstrate the impact that the group has had on the evolution of the modern marine ecosystem. This book is aimed not only at earth scientists but also at biologists, ecologists and oceanographers. It is a readable and comprehensible volume for students at the MSc level, while remaining accessible to undergraduates and non-specialists seeking up-to-date information about this fascinating topic in palaeobiology.Fossils at a Glance
By Sue Rigby, Clare Milsom. 2010
Fossils provide a powerful tool for the study of the nearly 4-billion-year history of life, and its role in the…
evolution of Earth systems. They also provide important data for evolutionary studies, and contribute to our understanding of the extinction of organisms and the origins of modern biodiversity. Fossils At A Glance is written for students taking an introductory level course in paleontology. Short chapters introduce the main topics in the modern study of fossils. The most important fossil groups are discussed, from microfossils through invertebrates to vertebrates and plants, followed by a brief narrative of life on Earth. Diagrams are central to the book and allow the reader to see most of the important data “at a glance”. Each topic covers two pages and provides a self-contained suite of information or a starting point for future study. This second edition has been thoroughly revised and brought up to date. It includes new line diagrams as well as photographs of selected fossilsThe first comprehensive synthesis of genomic techniques in earth sciences The past 15 years have witnessed an explosion of DNA…
sequencing technologies that provide unprecedented insights into biology. Although this technological revolution has been driven by the biomedical sciences, it also offers extraordinary opportunities in the earth and environmental sciences. In particular, the application of "omics" methods (genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics) directly to environmental samples offers exciting new vistas of complex microbial communities and their roles in environmental and geochemical processes. This unique book fills the gap where there exists a lack of resources and infrastructure to educate and train geoscientists about the opportunities, approaches, and analytical methods available in the application of omic technologies to problems in the geosciences. Genomic Approaches in Earth and Environmental Sciences begins by covering the role of microorganisms in earth and environmental processes. It then goes on to discuss how omics approaches provide new windows into geobiological processes. It delves into the DNA sequencing revolution and the impact that genomics has made on the geosciences. The book then discusses the methods used in the field, beginning with an overview of current technologies. After that it offers in-depth coverage of single cell genomics, metagenomics, metatranscriptomics, metaproteomics, and functional approaches, before finishing up with an outlook on the future of the field. The very first synthesis of an important new family of techniques Shows strengths and limitations (both practical and theoretical) of the techniques Deals with both theoretical and laboratory basics Shows use of techniques in a variety of applications, including various aspects of environmental science, geobiology, and evolution Genomic Approaches in Earth and Environmental Sciences is a welcome addition to the library of all earth and environmental scientists and students working within a wide range of subdisciplines.Baas Becking's Geobiology: Or Introduction to Environmental Science
By Don E. Canfield. 2015
Laurens Baas Becking was a pioneer in the field of microbial ecology and the father of Geobiology. This is the…
first English translation of Baas Becking’s Geobiologie: of Inleiding tot de Millieukunde published in Dutch in 1934. This book provides a fascinating view of how organisms have both adapted to and shaped their environment, from all types of settings ranging from lakes to the oceans, to acidic peats and salt ponds, drawing heavily on Baas Becking’s own keen observations. Although written 80 years ago, Baas Becking’s insights feel surprisingly modern and provide a unique insight into the fields of evolution of microbial ecology and geobiology. This book should appeal to anyone interested in microbial ecology, geobiology, biogeochemistry and the history of science. The translated text is accompanied by extensive footnotes and by an Editor’s summary at the end of each chapter placing Baas Becking’s writing in the context of modern developments in the field.The extinction of dinosaurs some sixty-five million years ago is one of the greatest biological catastrophes in the history of…
our planet. Yet in recent years, paleontologists have turned up increasing evidence that ancestors of one group of dinosaurs still fly among us: birds. Join Cathy Forster, one of the few female paleontologists working today, on an expedition to Madagascar in search of clues to the mystery of bird evolution.Bigger and Better, Updated and Expanded We live in a golden age of paleontological discovery—on average, we find one new…
dinosaur species per week. The most fascinating among them take their place in this updated edition of Dinosaurs—The Grand Tour; from Aardonyx, a lumbering beast that formed a link between two- and four-legged dinosaurs, to Zuniceratops, who boasted a deadly pair of horns. Here, you&’ll find everything worth knowing about every dinosaur worth knowing—more than 300 in all, including: Amphibious Halszkaraptor looks like no other dinosaur we&’ve found—with a head and body the size of a duck&’s, sharp claws . . . and a swanlike neck.Longer than a blue whale and three times taller than a giraffe, Patagotitan is a newly discovered contender for &“biggest dinosaur ever.&”The speedy little feathered predator Stenonychosaurus was an anatomical marvel, with retractable claws, asymmetrical ears for advanced hearing, incredible night vision, and a huge brain.Oviraptor—whose name means &“egg thief &“—doesn&’t deserve its bad rap. This specimen from 1923 is now proven to have been sitting by its own eggs—not stealing another&’s.Sinornithosaurus prove that dinosaurs shed their skin the same way that humans do, rather than sloughing it off all at once like a snake. At-a-glance sidebars put each dinosaur&’s diet, size, and location at your fingertips. Stories of harrowing expeditions conjure the thrills of history&’s most famous dinosaur hunters. Highlights from recent research reveal what&’s new in paleontology today, including scientists&’ evolving idea of what dinosaurs actually looked like. (Hint: They were more colorful—and feathery!—than we ever thought before.) And illustrations on virtually every page bring these prehistoric creatures to life in all their glory.Dueling dinosaurs and other real dino stories (Highlights Stories)
By Highlights For Children. 2019
Real dinosaurs! Read about Triceratops' horns and their purpose. Did you know that there are animals alive today that move…
similarly to dinosaurs? Sometimes museums display copies of dinosaur fossils instead of the real thing. Learn how the Smithsonian made an exact copy of a dinosaur skeleton. A dinosaur fan's dreams came true as he watched a dinosaur skeleton being rebuilt. Stories by Sharon Pochron, Cheryl M. Reifsnyder, Ph.D., Suzanne McIntire, and Don Lessem, Dinosaur EditorDiscovering the Mammoth: A Tale Of Giants, Unicorns, Ivory, And The Birth Of A New Science
By John J. McKay. 2018
The fascinating saga of solving the mystery of this ancient animal who once roamed the north country—and has captivated our…
collective imagination ever since. Today, we know that a mammoth is an extinct type of elephant that was covered with long fur and lived in the north country during the ice ages. But how do you figure out what a mammoth is if you have no concept of extinction, ice ages, or fossils? Long after the last mammoth died and was no longer part of the human diet, it still played a role in human life. Cultures around the world interpreted the remains of mammoths through the lens of their own worldview and mythology. When the ancient Greeks saw deposits of giant fossils, they knew they had discovered the battle fields where the gods had vanquished the Titans. When the Chinese discovered buried ivory, they knew they had found dragons’ teeth. But as the Age of Reason dawned, monsters and giants gave way to the scientific method. Yet the mystery of these mighty bones remained. How did Enlightenment thinkers overcome centuries of myth and misunderstanding to reconstruct an unknown animal? The journey to unravel that puzzle begins in the 1690s with the arrival of new type of ivory on the European market bearing the exotic name "mammoth." It ends during the Napoleonic Wars with the first recovery of a frozen mammoth. The path to figuring out the mammoth was traveled by merchants, diplomats, missionaries, cranky doctors, collectors of natural wonders, Swedish POWs, Peter the Great, Ben Franklin, the inventor of hot chocolate, and even one pirate. McKay brings together dozens of original documents and illustrations, some ignored for centuries, to show how this odd assortment of characters solved the mystery of the mammoth and, in doing so, created the science of paleontology.A prehistoric mystery. A fossil so mesmerizing that it boggled the minds of scientists for more than a century—until a…
motley crew of modern day shark fanatics decided to try to bring the monster-predator back to life. In 1993, Alaskan artist and paleo-shark enthusiast Ray Troll stumbled upon the weirdest fossil he had ever seen—a platter-sized spiral of tightly wound shark teeth. This chance encounter in the basement of the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County sparked Troll’s obsession with Helicoprion, a mysterious monster from deep time. In 2010, tattooed undergraduate student and returning Iraq War veteran Jesse Pruitt became seriously smitten with a Helicoprion fossil in a museum basement in Idaho. These two bizarre-shark disciples found each other, and an unconventional band of collaborators grew serendipitously around them, determined to solve the puzzle of the mysterious tooth whorl once and for all. Helicoprion was a Paleozoic chondrichthyan about the size of a modern great white shark, with a circular saw of teeth centered in its lower jaw—a feature unseen in the shark world before or since. For some ten million years, long before the Age of Dinosaurs, Helicoprion patrolled the shallow seas around the supercontinent Pangaea as the apex predator of its time. Just a few tumultuous years after Pruitt and Troll met, imagination, passion, scientific process, and state-of-the-art technology merged into an unstoppable force that reanimated the remarkable creature—and made important new discoveries. In this groundbreaking book, Susan Ewing reveals these revolutionary insights into what Helicoprion looked like and how the tooth whorl functioned—pushing this dazzling and awe-inspiring beast into the spotlight of modern science.The Evolution Underground: Burrows, Bunkers, and the Marvelous Subterranean World Beneath our Feet
By Anthony J. Martin. 2017
What is the best way to survive when the going gets tough? Hiding underground. From penguins to dinosaurs, trilobites, and…
humans, Anthony Martin reveals the subterranean secret of survival. Humans have “gone underground” for survival for thousands of years, from underground cities in Turkey to Cold War–era bunkers. But our burrowing roots go back to the very beginnings of animal life on earth. Without burrowing, the planet would be very different today. Many animal lineages alive now—including our own—only survived a cataclysmic meteorite strike 65 million years ago because they went underground. On a grander scale, the chemistry of the planet itself had already been transformed many millions of years earlier by the first animal burrows, which altered whole ecosystems. Every day we walk on an earth filled with an under-ground wilderness teeming with life. Most of this life stays hidden, yet these animals and their subterranean homes are ubiquitous, ranging from the deep sea to mountains, from the equator to the poles. Burrows are a refuge from predators, a safe home for raising young, or a tool to ambush prey. Burrows also protect animals against all types of natural disasters: fires, droughts, storms, meteorites, global warmings—and coolings. In a book filled with spectacularly diverse fauna, acclaimed paleontologist and ichnologist Anthony Martin reveals this fascinating, hidden world that will continue to influence and transform life on this planet.