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A comprehensive, one-term paleontology text. Its unified approach presents animal, plant, and invertebrate history and interaction. Emphasis is on how life evolved and shows how paleontology reveals earth history. Presents an integrated picture of paleontology, rather than detailed classification schemes. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Good overview, but some things are out of date
I had this as the textbook to the general paleontology course I took as an undergrad at the University of Florida back in the late 1990s. I found it to be quite thorough and useful as a general intro, though as the field had already progressed significantly in many ways by that time (and moreso by now), I found it wanting for methodological or conceptual uses. I would certainly still recommend it as an intro to many of the key issues in paleontology - I still refer to it for reminders of some apsects of paleo that I do not encounter frequently in my work - but I would not consider it ultimately as useful as some other texts out there that are more recent if you are planning to start a career in paleontology.

NOT A DINO-DICTIONARY!
This book is terrific as it explains the ins and outs of Palaeontology rather than gives a very basic dictionary of the most popular dinosaurs in the Mesozoic. It is a good book for anybody who is interested in evolutionand how Palaeontology is used to discover the history of the earth. If youwant explanations as to what Palaeontology, Palaeoichnology andPalaeobotany is then pick up this book and be amazed! The wording is alittle complicated however and if you're not familar with Palaeontologists'jargon you may find yourself a little lost but have a go anyway, you'llfind yourself intrigued.--Nikki DuncanAustralia ... Read more

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This scarce antiquarian book is a selection from Kessinger Publishing's Legacy Reprint Series. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment to protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature. Kessinger Publishing is the place to find hundreds of thousands of rare and hard-to-find books with something of interest for everyone! ... Read more

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The Encyclopedia of Paleontology is designed to address the shortage of general reference works on both vertebrate and invertebrate paleontology and to serve the needs of students and lay persons interested in the field. As the encyclopedia aims to provide basic information, the majority of the 350 entries are devoted to explanations of paleontological concepts and techniques, examinations of the evolutionary development of particular organisms and biological features, profiles of major discoveries, and biographies of leading scientists. Each entry includes an essay and a further reading list. An international team of 200 leading experts in the field has prepared the illustrations and the essays, which range from concise descriptions to comprehensive discussions. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Great breadth and depth, suited for paleo fanatics and college libraries
This is 1400+ pages packed with information on a myriad of topics in paleontology, with articles about notable paleontologists, prehistoric environments and habitats, climate, geology, biology, morphology, and various groups of organisms. You won't find full articles on individual species, but certain species can be found within chapters that cover a wider group such as a genus or family, for example. Or maybe not.

This set is not comprehensive. Instead, it is a rather large smattering of widely diverse articles -- and I suspect its creation was fully dependent on the whims and availability of its many contributing authors. No complaints from me, I enjoy reading any well written book on prehistoric life that isn't dino-centric.

Now in the interest of full disclosure, I illustrated the Chelicerates chapter, and my illustration of coal forest chelicerates was selected for the cover of Volume One. I'd prefer that the entire encyclopedia focused on life in the coal forest...but perhaps that's not relevant to this review!

With a hefty price tag of nearly $400 dollars, or roughly half that amount if purchased at Amazon's bargain and used book sources, I can't imagine anyone other than total paleo fanatics, the very wealthy, or college libraries purchasing this book. It would surely be the gift of a lifetime for a student with a deep interest in prehistoric life.

the most comprehensiveencyclopedia onpaleontology
undoubtly amost importantscientific work.very rarely i encountered such a book-very clear explanation -cohen ... Read more

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This expanded and updated second edition offers a comprehensive look at macroevolution and its underpinnings, with a primary emphasis on animal evolution. From a Neodarwinian point of view, the book integrates evolutionary processes at all levels to explain the diversity of animal life. It examines a wide range of topics including genetics, speciation, development, evolution, constructional and functional aspects of form, fossil lineages, and systematics, and --in a major new chapter--takes a hard look at the Cambrian explosion. The author delves into the age of molecular science and integrates important recent contributions made to our understanding of evolution. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (1)

Paleo
This is excellent book that providea a brief overview of the field of paleontology.A great book for nonscientists. ... Read more

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The Vendian System summarizes the result of detailed studies carried out over 30 years at the Precambrian-Phanerozoic boundary of the Russian platform and adjacent areas. The paleontological material collected in some of the world's richest locations is unique. The reader will find a wealth of information on paleontological data as well as on stratigraphic and regional correlations, vital for the understanding of organic evolution around 600 million years ago. Volume 1 contains the systematic description and documentation of the paleontological data. In Volume 2 the regional geological background is described and a general interpretation is given. ... Read more

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Gran Barranca in Patagonia exposes the most complete sequence of middle Cenozoic paleofaunas in South America. It is the only continuous continental fossil record of the Southern Hemisphere between 42 and 18 million years ago, when climates at high latitudes transitioned from warm humid to cold dry conditions. This volume presents the geochronology of the fossil mammal sequence and a compilation of the latest studies of the stratigraphy, sedimentology, mammals, plants, invertebrates and trace fossils. It is also the first detailed treatment of the vertebrate faunal sequence at Gran Barranca, providing important new evidence about biotic diversity and evolution in the native species. A revised taxonomy allows a reevaluation of the origination and extinction of herbivorous mammals, marsupials, and xenarthrans, and the earliest occurrence of rodents and primates in southern latitudes. Academic researchers and advanced students in vertebrate paleontology, geochronology, sedimentology and paleoprimatology will value this wealth of new information. ... Read more

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This volume delves into a spectrum of theoretical as well as applied aspects of high-resolution stratigraphic approaches in paleontology. It explores how increasingly detailed knowledge of the fossil record can enhance our understanding of the evolution of life on Earth and also allows geoscientists to address a broad range of important evolutionary and environmental questions in this arena.

A 'zipped' version of the program CONOP9 2007 along with read-me files, sample files, and other documentation are available via a web site (see below). An earlier version of CONOP9 was initially supplied with 'High-Resolution Approaches in Stratigraphic Paleontology' (PJ Harries, editor) and described in Chapter 13 of that volume. This is an updated version of the program, and the documentation supplied with this version supersedes the information supplied in that chapter.

To view the CONOP9 Programs, click on the link CONOP9 Programs on the right side of this page under Related links.

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Shawnee legend tells of a herd of huge bison rampaging through the Ohio Valley, laying waste to all in their path. To protect the tribe, a deity slew these great beasts with lightning bolts, finally chasing the last giant buffalo into exile across the Wabash River, never to trouble the Shawnee again. The source of this legend was a peculiar salt lick in present-day northern Kentucky, where giant fossilized skeletons had for centuries lain undisturbed by the Shawnee and other natives of the region. In 1739, the first Europeans encountered this fossil site, which eventually came to be known as Big Bone Lick. The site drew the attention of all who heard of it, including George Washington, Daniel Boone, Benjamin Franklin, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, and especially Thomas Jefferson. The giant bones immediately cast many scientific and philosophical assumptions of the day into doubt, and they eventually gave rise to the study of fossils for biological and historical purposes. Big Bone Lick: The Cradle of American Paleontology recounts the rich history of the fossil site that gave the world the first evidence of the extinction of several mammalian species, including the American mastodon. Big Bone Lick has played many roles: nutrient source, hallowed ground, salt mine, health spa, and a rich trove of archaeological and paleontological wonders. Natural historian Stanley Hedeen presents a comprehensive narrative of Big Bone Lick from its geological formation forward, explaining why the site attracted animals, regional tribespeople, European explorers and scientists, and eventually American pioneers and presidents. Big Bone Lick is the history of both a place and a scientific discipline: it explores the infancy and adolescence of paleontology from its humble and sometimes humorous beginnings. Hedeen combines elements of history, geology, politics, and biology to make Big Bone Lick a valuable historical resource as well as the compelling tale of how a collection of fossilized bones captivated a young nation.

Customer Reviews (3)

A locality, both real and mythical
At the entrance of Big Bone Lick State Park, Kentucky, one can reads
that this is the place where American vertebrate paleontology began.
This book offers a detailed historical overview of the area since the
18th century, and of the work done there, combining several scientific approaches, history, geology, biology and, of course, paleontology. It is more than a revision of Willard Rouse Jillson's 1936 classic book of the same title.

Great historical read, but needed more...
Hedeen's "Big Bone Lick: The Cradle of American Paleontology" is a great review of the historical significance that Big Bone Lick played in American paleontology and science.

It was refreshing to read how our early American forefathers, including Washington, Jefferson, and Franklin, were truly renaissance men who not only had interests in politics and world affairs, but also natural history and science issues (so different from many of our current politicians). I also enjoyed learning about how the Lick was an interface between our forefathers as well as some of the world's leading scientific minds.

The book was wonderfully quick and fascinating lead, but felt like it was lacking something.

Personally, I would have liked to learn more about the ecology of the extinct animals that were found at the site, or at least more in-depth information about the animals themselves.The content of the book really focused more on the major players who were involved in discoveries at the site, or naming and identifying the species found at the Lick, but spent little time talking about how those animals may have lived and died at the site (though did mention some speculations made by some of the people involved).Likewise, it would have been nice to learn more about the habitats and environments around the lick when these extinct animals were alive, and what may have actually caused their extinction (presumably climate change and the end of the ice age?).

Lastly, it would have been interesting if Hedeen could have expanded on the history of Native American groups at the Lick.

Overall, it's a great book and will be especially of interest to those who have visited the Lick, are familiar with the Ohio River Valley, or have an interest in early American paleontology.

Big Bone Lick
Stanley Hedeen does a nice job pulling together a wide variety of reference materials into a very readable account of the history of paleontological investigations at Big Bone Lick, Kentucky. I knew something about Thomas Jefferson's interest in the site, both before and after Lewis and Clarke's expedition to the American west, and how his paleontological interests partially motivated his desire for western exploration, but I was unfamiliar with the many others who visited the site and came away with magnificent fossils. The book highlights how this site helped raise the consciousness of people about distant times and the concept of species extinctions in general. ... Read more

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Virtual Reconstruction serves as an introduction to the principles of three-dimensional visualization techniques as they relate to fossil reconstruction and reverse engineering. It covers data acquisition, processing, virtual reconstruction, visualization, manipulation, reverse engineering, and applications to biomedicine. An adjunct Web site provides access to software, as well as sample data sets and relevant Internet links. ... Read more

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This volume was cited as Best Seller in Geology according to Library Journal Academic Newswire, November 2006!

The most relevant contributions on Mexican Paleontology are described by specialists. Diverse aspects of almost every fossil group are reviewed. Information on recent advances of important localities is provided.

This book will offer updated information useful to the fields of stratigraphy, sedimentology, tectonics, paleobiogeography, paleoclimatology and evolution. The first comprehensive source of information about Mexican fossils in English.

A very important added value to this book is the rather extensive bibliography of almost 1000 references related to the central topic, invaluable information which by itself constitutes a tribute to the memory of pioneer contributions by researchers that have worked in Mexico for the past two centuries

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This book offers a thorough and up-to-date treatment of the use of morphometric procedures in a wide variety of contexts. As one of the most dynamic and popular fields on the contemporary biological scene, morphometrics is gaining notice among researchers and students as a necessary complement to molecular studies in the understanding and maintenance of biodiversity. This is the first reference to meet that growing need.