Models in Paleobiology

Models in Paleobiology PDF Author: Thomas J. M. Schopf
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 268

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Book Description

Models in Paleobiology

Models in Paleobiology PDF Author: Thomas J. M. Schopf
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 268

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Book Description


Testing Character Evolution Models in Phylogenetic Paleobiology

Testing Character Evolution Models in Phylogenetic Paleobiology PDF Author: April Wright
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 9781009048842
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 75

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Book Description
Macroevolutionary inference has historically been treated as a two-step process, involving the inference of a tree, and then inference of a macroevolutionary model using that tree. Newer models blend the two steps. These methods make more complete use of fossils than the previous generation of Bayesian phylogenetic models. They also involve many more parameters than prior models, including parameters about which empiricists may have little intuition. In this paper, we set forth a framework for fitting complex, hierarchical models. The authors ultimately fit and use a joint tree and diversification model to estimate a dated phylogeny of the Cincta (Echinodermata), a morphologically distinct group of Cambrian echinoderms that lack the five-fold radial symmetry characteristic of extant members of the phylum. Although the phylogeny of cinctans remains poorly supported in places, this Element shows how models of character change and diversification contribute to understanding patterns of phylogenetic relatedness and testing macroevolutionary hypotheses.

Evolutionary Paleobiology

Evolutionary Paleobiology PDF Author: James W. Valentine
Publisher: University of Chicago Press
ISBN: 9780226389110
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 504

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Book Description
Representing the state of the art in evolutionary paleobiology, this book provides a much-needed overview of this rapidly changing field. An influx of ideas and techniques both from other areas of biology and from within paleobiology itself have resulted in numerous recent advances, including increased recognition of the relationships between ecological and evolutionary theory, renewed vigor in the study of ecological communities over geologic timescales, increased understanding of biogeographical patterns, and new mathematical approaches to studying the form and structure of plants and animals. Contributors to this volume—a veritable who's who of eminent researchers—present the results of original research and new theoretical developments, and provide directions for future studies. Individually wide ranging, these papers all share a debt to the work of James W. Valentine, one of the founders of modern evolutionary paleobiology. This volume's unified approach to the study of life on earth will be a major contribution to paleobiology, evolution, and ecology.

The Paleobiological Revolution

The Paleobiological Revolution PDF Author: David Sepkoski
Publisher: University of Chicago Press
ISBN: 022627571X
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 581

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Book Description
The Paleobiological Revolution chronicles the incredible ascendance of the once-maligned science of paleontology to the vanguard of a field. With the establishment of the modern synthesis in the 1940s and the pioneering work of George Gaylord Simpson, Ernst Mayr, and Theodosius Dobzhansky, as well as the subsequent efforts of Stephen Jay Gould, David Raup, and James Valentine, paleontology became embedded in biology and emerged as paleobiology, a first-rate discipline central to evolutionary studies. Pairing contributions from some of the leading actors of the transformation with overviews from historians and philosophers of science, the essays here capture the excitement of the seismic changes in the discipline. In so doing, David Sepkoski and Michael Ruse harness the energy of the past to call for further study of the conceptual development of modern paleobiology.

The Structure of Evolutionary Theory

The Structure of Evolutionary Theory PDF Author: Stephen Jay Gould
Publisher: Harvard University Press
ISBN: 0674417925
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 1460

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Book Description
The world’s most revered and eloquent interpreter of evolutionary ideas offers here a work of explanatory force unprecedented in our time—a landmark publication, both for its historical sweep and for its scientific vision. With characteristic attention to detail, Stephen Jay Gould first describes the content and discusses the history and origins of the three core commitments of classical Darwinism: that natural selection works on organisms, not genes or species; that it is almost exclusively the mechanism of adaptive evolutionary change; and that these changes are incremental, not drastic. Next, he examines the three critiques that currently challenge this classic Darwinian edifice: that selection operates on multiple levels, from the gene to the group; that evolution proceeds by a variety of mechanisms, not just natural selection; and that causes operating at broader scales, including catastrophes, have figured prominently in the course of evolution. Then, in a stunning tour de force that will likely stimulate discussion and debate for decades, Gould proposes his own system for integrating these classical commitments and contemporary critiques into a new structure of evolutionary thought. In 2001 the Library of Congress named Stephen Jay Gould one of America’s eighty-three Living Legends—people who embody the “quintessentially American ideal of individual creativity, conviction, dedication, and exuberance.” Each of these qualities finds full expression in this peerless work, the likes of which the scientific world has not seen—and may not see again—for well over a century.

Dinosaur Paleobiology

Dinosaur Paleobiology PDF Author: Stephen L. Brusatte
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 0470656581
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 354

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Book Description
The study of dinosaurs has been experiencing a remarkable renaissance over the past few decades. Scientific understanding of dinosaur anatomy, biology, and evolution has advanced to such a degree that paleontologists often know more about 100-million-year-old dinosaurs than many species of living organisms. This book provides a contemporary review of dinosaur science intended for students, researchers, and dinosaur enthusiasts. It reviews the latest knowledge on dinosaur anatomy and phylogeny, how dinosaurs functioned as living animals, and the grand narrative of dinosaur evolution across the Mesozoic. A particular focus is on the fossil evidence and explicit methods that allow paleontologists to study dinosaurs in rigorous detail. Scientific knowledge of dinosaur biology and evolution is shifting fast, and this book aims to summarize current understanding of dinosaur science in a technical, but accessible, style, supplemented with vivid photographs and illustrations. The Topics in Paleobiology Series is published in collaboration with the Palaeontological Association, and is edited by Professor Mike Benton, University of Bristol. Books in the series provide a summary of the current state of knowledge, a trusted route into the primary literature, and will act as pointers for future directions for research. As well as volumes on individual groups, the series will also deal with topics that have a cross-cutting relevance, such as the evolution of significant ecosystems, particular key times and events in the history of life, climate change, and the application of a new techniques such as molecular palaeontology. The books are written by leading international experts and will be pitched at a level suitable for advanced undergraduates, postgraduates, and researchers in both the paleontological and biological sciences. Additional resources for this book can be found at: http://www.wiley.com/go/brusatte/dinosaurpaleobiology.

The Paleobiology of Australopithecus

The Paleobiology of Australopithecus PDF Author: Kaye E. Reed
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 9400759193
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 287

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Book Description
Australopithecus species have been the topic of much debate in palaeoanthropology since Raymond Dart described the first species, Australopithecus africanus, in 1925. This volume synthesizes the geological and paleontological context of the species in East and South Africa; covers individual sites, such as Dikika, Hadar, Sterkfontein, and Malapa; debates the alpha taxonomy of some of the species; and addresses questions regarding the movements of the species across the continent. Additional chapters discuss the genus in terms of sexual dimorphism, diet reconstruction using microwear and isotopic methodologies, postural and locomotor behavior, and ontogeny.

Numerical Palaeobiology

Numerical Palaeobiology PDF Author: D. A. T. Harper
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN:
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 488

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Book Description
Numerical Palaeobiology Computer-Based Modelling and Analysis of Fossils and their Distributions Edited by David A.T. Harper University of Copenhagen, Denmark Microcomputers have become an everyday part of the palaeobiologists tool-kit. Moreover, there is now a wide range of computer software available to handle all sorts of palaeontological data and problems. This book, aimed at final year undergraduates, graduate students and professional palaeontologists, biologists and geologists, brings together the many strands of contemporary palaeontology through the medium of numeracy. It provides a comprehensive review, with applications, of the many computer based techniques available for the analysis and modelling of palaeontological data. The first part of the book covers classical phenetic taxonomy through cladistics and the computer-generated reconstructions of fossils to actual models for fossil growth. This leads onto distribution analysis and modelling of fossils in time and space. Detailed stratigraphical distributions of fossils are described in quantitative terms together with the larger-scale patterns in the history of life itself, while palaeoecology, palynofacies, trace fossils and palaeogeography are all introduced through a spectrum of numerical algorithms. The majority of the studies are linked to specific software packages and many are illustrated with case histories. Although there are a number of books available on computer modelling and data analysis in geology, no study has integrated the two with such a range of palaeontological subject material.

Neutral Models in Biology

Neutral Models in Biology PDF Author: Matthew H. Nitecki
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 0195364074
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 177

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Book Description
Neutral models are constructed to help scientists understand complex patterns of form, structure, or behavior that may not be observed directly. In this unique volume, eight distinguished scientists present a comprehensive study of the use of neutral models in testing biological theories. They describe the principles of model testing and explore how they are applied to research in molecular biology, genetics, ecology, evolution, and paleontology. In addition to the editors, the contributors include Stephen Stigler, David Raup, Paul Harvey, L.B. Slobodkin, Stuart Kauffman, William Wimsatt, and James Crow.

Causes of Evolution

Causes of Evolution PDF Author: Robert M. Ross
Publisher: University of Chicago Press
ISBN: 0226728242
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 496

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Book Description
By studying evolution across geological time, paleontologists gain a perspective that sometimes complements and sometimes conflicts with views based solely on studies of extant species. The contributors to Causes of Evolution consider whether factors exerting major influences on evolution are biotic or abiotic, intrinsic or extrinsic. Causes of Evolution presents a broad sampling of paleontological research programs encompassing vertebrates, invertebrates, and vascular plants; empirical work and theoretical models; organisms ranging in age from Cambrian to Recent; and temporal scales from ecological time to hundreds of millions of years. The diverse array of research styles and opinions presented will acquaint scientists in related fields with the strengths and weaknesses of paleontology as an approach to evolutionary studies and will give evolutionary biologists of every stripe new bases for evaluating the scope and bias of their own work.