Stratigraphic Paleobiology

Whether the fossil record should be read at face value or whether it presents a distorted view of the history of life is an argument seemingly as old as many fossils themselves. In the late 1700s, Georges Cuvier argued for a literal interpretation, but in the early 1800s, Charles Lyell's gradualist view of the earth's history required a more nuanced interpretation of that same record. To this day, the tension between literal and interpretive readings lies at the heart of paleontological research, influencing the way scientists view extinction patterns and their causes, eco-system persistence and turnover, and the pattern of morphologic change and mode of speciation. With "Stratigraphic Paleobiology", Mark E. Patzkowsky and Steven M. Holland present a critical framework for assessing the fossil record, one based on a modern understanding of the principles of sediment accumulation. Patzkowsky and Holland argue that the distribution of fossil taxa in time and space is controlled not only by processes of ecology, evolution, and environmental change, but also by the stratigraphic processes that govern where and when sediment that might contain fossils is deposited and preserved. The authors explore the exciting possibilities of stratigraphic paleobiology, and along the way demonstrate its great potential to answer some of the most critical questions about the history of life.

ISBN 0226649385   Pages 256 ISBN13 9780226649382 (What's this?)   Weight (grammes) 363 Publisher The University of Chicago Press   Published in Chicago, IL Imprint University of Chicago Press   Height (mm) 229 Format Paperback   Width (mm) 152 Publication date 27 Apr 2012   Spine width (mm) 18 DEWEY 560.17   Academic level Postgraduate DEWEY edition DC23

"The novelty of this work is that it weaves important strands of the paleontological literature - with many of the most essential parts by the authors themselves - into a coherent worldview that emphasizes the importance of understanding the geological record. This book is a significant accomplishment, and it promises to nudge and shape the future development of the field." (Gene Hunt, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution)"

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