INVERTEBRATE PALAEONTOLOGY AND EVOLUTION. - Fourth Edition

The study of palaeontology is the key to interpreting the patterns and processes in the history of life, and retains a vital position in all earth sciences courses. Fossils are of inestimable value in interpreting sedimentary environments, and their role in biostratigraphy is as important now as it ever was. In all respects, palaeontology is a vigorous and expanding subject, and the focus of much topical research. This new edition of Invertebrate Palaeontology and Evolution builds on the success of what has become the world's most widely used undergraduate palaeontology text, and takes account of major new advances in the field. A number of key changes have been made for this edition, including: • an updated treatment of evolutionary theory, including new findings on mass extinctions • revised classifications to include more recent work * an updated reference list * redrawing and updating of over half the illustrations • expanded treatment of trace fossils. Part One covers the basic principles of palaeontology - occurrences of fossils and their preservation, classification and stratigraphic uses. Evolution and the fossil record is extensively treated, as are the various mass extinction episodes that affected evolving life. In Part Two, each of the major phyla of dominant marine invertebrates preserved in the fossil record is treated in turn. Their structure, functional design, classification, ecology and stratigraphic uses are all considered, and an up-to-date bibliography is given at the end of each chapter. A final chapter, on both exceptional faunas and trace fossils, highlights the importance of rare kinds of preservation in establishing the diversity of faunas living at particular times, and the nature of fossil behaviour. Readership: Intermediate/advanced undergraduates in earth and environmental sciences. Zoology students studying palaeontology.