Mammalian Paleoecology: Using the Past to Study the Present

Author:   Felisa A. Smith (Professor, University of New Mexico)
Publisher:   Johns Hopkins University Press
ISBN:  

9781421441405


Pages:   280
Publication Date:   23 November 2021
Format:   Hardback
Availability:   In stock   Availability explained
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Mammalian Paleoecology: Using the Past to Study the Present


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Overview

What can the interactions of ancient mammals and their environments tell us about the present—and the future? Classic paleontology has focused on the study of fossils and the reconstruction of lineages of extinct species. But as diverse fossils of animals and plants were unearthed and catalogued, it became possible to reconstruct more elaborate ecosystems, tying together plants, animals, and geology. By the second half of the twentieth century, this effort gave birth to the field of paleoecology: the study of the interactions between organisms and their environments across geologic timescales. In Mammalian Paleoecology, Felisa Smith broadly considers extinct mammals in an ecological context. Arguing that the past has much to teach us and that mammals, which display an impressive array of diverse life history and ecological characteristics, are the ideal organism through which to view the fossil record, Smith • reviews the history, major fossil-hunting figures, and fundamental principles of paleoecology, including stratigraphy, dating, and taphonomy • discusses the importance of mammal body size, how to estimate size, and what size and shape reveal about long-dead organisms • explains the structure, function, and utility of different types of mammal teeth • highlights other important methods and proxies used in modern paleoecology, including stable isotopes, ancient DNA, and paleomidden analyses • assesses nontraditional fossils • presents readers with several case studies that describe how the fossil record can help inform the scientific discussion on anthropogenic climate change Mammalian Paleoecology is an approachable overview of how we obtain information from fossils and what this information can tell us about the environments of the distant past. It will profoundly affect the way paleontologists and climatologists view the lives of ancient mammals.

Full Product Details

Author:   Felisa A. Smith (Professor, University of New Mexico)
Publisher:   Johns Hopkins University Press
Imprint:   Johns Hopkins University Press
Dimensions:   Width: 17.80cm , Height: 2.10cm , Length: 25.40cm
Weight:   0.726kg
ISBN:  

9781421441405


ISBN 10:   1421441403
Pages:   280
Publication Date:   23 November 2021
Audience:   Professional and scholarly ,  Professional & Vocational
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   In stock   Availability explained
We have confirmation that this item is in stock with the supplier. It will be ordered in for you and dispatched immediately.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements 1. Introduction Part I: General Principles of Paleoecology 2. Old Bones, footprints and trace evidence of life 3. Taphonomy -putting the dead to work 4. Determining age and context Part II: Characterizing the ecology of fossil organisms 5. On being the right size 6. Show me your teeth and I will tell you what you are 7. Stable isotopes and the reconstruction of mammalian movement, diet and trophic relationships 8. Non-traditional 'fossils' 9. Reconstructing past climate Part III: Using paleoecology to understand the present 10. The past as prologue: the importance of a deeper temporal perspective in climate change research 11. Biodiversity on Earth Index

Reviews

This book is a neatly crafted package that gives the reader all the required background knowledge, while its case studies make for fascinating reading. * Inquisitive Biologist *


Author Information

Felisa A. Smith is a professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at the University of New Mexico and a Fellow of the Paleontology Society. She is the coeditor of Animal Body Size: Linking Pattern and Process across Space, Time, and Taxonomic Group and Foundations of Macroecology: Classic Papers with Commentaries.

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