When the Invasion of Land Failed

When the Invasion of Land Failed PDF Author: George R. McGhee Jr.
Publisher: Columbia University Press
ISBN: 0231536364
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 345

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Book Description
The invasion of land by ocean-dwelling plants and animals was one of the most revolutionary events in the evolution of life on Earth, yet the animal invasion almost failed—twice—because of the twin mass extinctions of the Late Devonian Epoch. Some 359 to 375 million years ago, these catastrophic events dealt our ancestors a blow that almost drove them back into the sea. If those extinctions had been just a bit more severe, spiders and insects—instead of vertebrates—might have become the ecologically dominant forms of animal life on land. This book examines the profound evolutionary consequences of the Late Devonian extinctions and the various theories proposed to explain their occurrence. Only one group of four-limbed vertebrates exists on Earth, while other tetrapod-like fishes are extinct. This gap is why the idea of "fish with feet" seems so peculiar to us, yet such animals were once a vital part of our world, and if the Devonian extinctions had not happened, members of these species, like the famous Acanthostega and Ichthyostega, might have continued to live in our rivers and lakes. Synthesizing decades of research and including a wealth of new discoveries, this accessible, comprehensive text explores the causes of the Devonian extinctions, the reasons vertebrates were so severely affected, and the potential evolution of the modern world if the extinctions had never taken place.

When the Invasion of Land Failed

When the Invasion of Land Failed PDF Author: George R. McGhee Jr.
Publisher: Columbia University Press
ISBN: 0231536364
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 345

Get Book Here

Book Description
The invasion of land by ocean-dwelling plants and animals was one of the most revolutionary events in the evolution of life on Earth, yet the animal invasion almost failed—twice—because of the twin mass extinctions of the Late Devonian Epoch. Some 359 to 375 million years ago, these catastrophic events dealt our ancestors a blow that almost drove them back into the sea. If those extinctions had been just a bit more severe, spiders and insects—instead of vertebrates—might have become the ecologically dominant forms of animal life on land. This book examines the profound evolutionary consequences of the Late Devonian extinctions and the various theories proposed to explain their occurrence. Only one group of four-limbed vertebrates exists on Earth, while other tetrapod-like fishes are extinct. This gap is why the idea of "fish with feet" seems so peculiar to us, yet such animals were once a vital part of our world, and if the Devonian extinctions had not happened, members of these species, like the famous Acanthostega and Ichthyostega, might have continued to live in our rivers and lakes. Synthesizing decades of research and including a wealth of new discoveries, this accessible, comprehensive text explores the causes of the Devonian extinctions, the reasons vertebrates were so severely affected, and the potential evolution of the modern world if the extinctions had never taken place.

Devonian Events and Correlations

Devonian Events and Correlations PDF Author: R. T. Becker
Publisher: Geological Society of London
ISBN: 9781862392229
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 296

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Book Description
The Devonian was a peculiar period, characterized by simplified plate tectonic configurations, climatic overheating and widely flooded continents. The bloom of fishes and ammonoids, extensive reef complexes, and the conquest of land indicate major biosphere innovations, punctuated by many global events, including two of the biggest mass extinctions. The Devonian was the first system for which subdivisions were formally defined. This was achieved by significant advances in pelagic biostratigraphy. The chronostratigraphic framework and interdisciplinary techniques allow us to correlate intervals or sudden events across facies boundaries, in order to reconstruct the sedimentary and evolutionary history of the system with highest precision. This volume honors the lifetime stratigraphic achievements of Michael Robert House (1930-2002). Based on case studies from Europe, North Africa and North America, it shows how the combination of biostratigraphy, chemostratigraphy, magnetostratigraphy, sequence stratigraphy and event stratigraphy can contribute to a much deeper understanding of both regional and global environmental change.

Understanding Late Devonian and Permian-Triassic Biotic and Climatic Events

Understanding Late Devonian and Permian-Triassic Biotic and Climatic Events PDF Author: Jeff Over
Publisher: Elsevier
ISBN: 0080457843
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 343

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Book Description
The Late Devonian and Permian-Triassic intervals are among the most dynamic episodes of Earth history, marked by large secular changes in continental ecosystems, dramatic fluctuations in ocean oxygenation, major phases of biotic turnover, volcanism, bolide impact events, and rapid fluctuations in stable isotope systems and sea level. This volume highlights contributions from a broad range of geological sub-disciplines currently striving to understand these critical intervals of geologically rapid, global-scale changes.* Provides updated, current models for the mid-Late Devonian and Permian-Triassic mass extinction episodes* Highlights several new analytical approaches for developing quantitative datasets* Takes an integrated approach presenting datasets from a broad range of sub-disciplines

Simulation of Ground-water Flow in the Silurian-Devonian Aquifer, Cedar Falls, Iowa

Simulation of Ground-water Flow in the Silurian-Devonian Aquifer, Cedar Falls, Iowa PDF Author: Michael J. Turco
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Groundwater
Languages : en
Pages : 46

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Book Description


Devonian Change

Devonian Change PDF Author: Geological Society of London
Publisher: Geological Society of London
ISBN: 9781862392731
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 308

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Book Description
The rapid evolution of terrestrial ecosystems in the Devonian Period combined with climate change and many global events had a pronounced influence on sedimentation and biodiversity in various terrestrial and marine settings. This volume presents a number of case studies which cover the following topics land-sea transitional settings, the role of ecological-evolutionary subunits, the diversity and palaeoecology of reef building organisms and microfloras with respect to sedimentary processes and global events.

Bibliographic Index of North American Devonian Cephalopoda

Bibliographic Index of North American Devonian Cephalopoda PDF Author: Edward Martin Kindle
Publisher: Geological Society of America
ISBN: 0813720230
Category : Cephalopoda, Fossil
Languages : en
Pages : 195

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Book Description


Devonian Floras

Devonian Floras PDF Author: E. A. Newell Arber
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 1107688450
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 117

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Book Description
Originally published in 1921, this book presents a detailed account 'of the two Devonian land floras'. Illustrative figures and textual notes are incorporated throughout. This book will be of value to anyone with an interest in the Devonian period, botany and the history of science.

Lower Devonian

Lower Devonian PDF Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 598

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Book Description


Devonian Ammonoids of America

Devonian Ammonoids of America PDF Author: Arthur K. Miller
Publisher: Geological Society of America
ISBN: 0813720141
Category : Ammonoidea
Languages : en
Pages : 315

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Book Description


Devonian Climate, Sea Level and Evolutionary Events

Devonian Climate, Sea Level and Evolutionary Events PDF Author: R. T. Becker, 1st
Publisher: Geological Society of London
ISBN: 1862397341
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 481

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Book Description
The geological and palaeontological records of climate change and evolutionary events reflect Earth’s widely fluctuating climate systems. Past climates hold the clues to understanding future developments. In this context, research on linked climate, biodiversity and sea-level fluctuations of the Devonian contributes to the general knowledge of deep-time climate dynamics. A fruitful co-operation between the International Geoscience Programme IGCP 596 and the International Subcommission on Devonian Stratigraphy (SDS) addressed the complex succession of climate-linked Devonian global events of varying magnitude. The primary goal of IGCP 596 was to assess mid-Palaeozoic climate changes and their impact on marine and terrestrial biodiversity using an interdisciplinary approach. The focus of SDS includes a revision of the eustatic sea-level curve and the integration of refined chrono- and biostratigraphy with modern chemo-, magneto-, cyclo-, event- and sequence stratigraphy. This enabled the much improved dating and correlation of abiotic perturbations, evolutionary changes, organism and ecosystem ranges. Results by 37 authors are presented in 14 chapters, which cover the entire Devonian.