Fossil Ecosystems of North America : A Guide to the Sites and their Extraordinary Biotas

ISBN-13: 9781840760880 / Angielski / Miękka / 2008 / 288 str.

John Nudds; Paul Selden

Opis

Most major recent advances in understanding the history of life on Earth have been through the study of exceptionally well preserved biotas (Fossil-Lagerstatten). These are windows on the history of life on Earth and can provide a fairly complete picture of the evolution of ecosystems through time. This book follows the success of Evolution of Fossil Ecosystems by the same authors which covered Fossil-Lagerstatten around the world. The success of the first book prompted this new book which draws on four localities from the original book and adds another ten, all located in North America.

Following an introduction to Fossil-Lagerstatten, each chapter deals with a single fossil locality. Each chapter contains a brief introduction placing the Lagerstatte in an evolutionary context; there then follows a history of study of the locality; the background sedimentology, stratigraphy and palaeoenvironment; a description of the biota; discussion of the palaeoecology, and a comparison with other Lagerstatten of a similar age and/or environment. At the end of the book is an Appendix listing museums in which to see exhibitions of fossils from each locality and suggestions for visiting the sites."

Recenzje

Recommended to all palaeontologists as a very enjoyable and well illustrated guide to sites.
—The Geological Magazine

An outstanding publication.
—Deposits

An excellent introduction for undergraduates…astonishingly good value for money…delightful.
—The Palaeontological Association Newsletter

Spis treści

The Gunflint Chert. Mistaken Point. Burgess Shale. Beecher’s Triolbite Bed. The Bertie Waterlime. Gilboa. Mazon Creek. The Chinle Group. The Morrison Formation. The Hell Creek Formation. The Green River Formation. Florissant. Dominican Amber. Rancho La Brea. Appendix: Museums and Site Visits.

O autorze

John Nudds, Paul Selden