The Mollusks

The Mollusks

Author: Charles F. Sturm

Publisher: Universal-Publishers

Published: 2006

Total Pages: 445

ISBN-13: 1581129300

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Mollusks have been important to humans since our earliest days. Initially, when humans were primarily interested in what they could eat or use, mollusks were important as food, ornaments, and materials for tools. Over the centuries, as human knowledge branched out and individuals started to study the world around them, mollusks were important subjects for learning how things worked. In this volume, the editors and contributors have brought together a broad range of topics within the field of malacology. It is our expectation that these topics will be of interest and use to amateur and professional malacologists.


Applications of Paleoenvironmental Techniques in Estuarine Studies

Applications of Paleoenvironmental Techniques in Estuarine Studies

Author: Kaarina Weckström

Publisher: Springer

Published: 2017-02-13

Total Pages: 696

ISBN-13: 9402409904

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The aim of this edited volume is to introduce the scientific community to paleoenvironmental studies of estuaries, to highlight the types of information that can be obtained from such studies, and to promote the use of paleoenvironmental studies in estuarine management. Readers will learn about the the application of different paleoecological approaches used in estuaries that develop our understanding of their response to natural and human influences. Particular attention is given to the essential steps required for undertaking a paleoecological study, in particular with regard to site selection, core extraction and chronological techniques, followed by the range of indicators that can be used. A series of case studies are discussed in the book to demonstrate how paleoecological studies can be used to address key questions, and to sustainably manage these important coastal environments in the future. This book will appeal to professional scientists interested in estuarine studies and/or paleoenvironmental research, as well as estuarine managers who are interested in the incorporation of paleoenvironmental research into their management programs.


Shell Energy

Shell Energy

Author: G. N. Bailey

Publisher: Oxbow Books Limited

Published: 2013

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9781842177655

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This volume brings together information about little known or recently discovered concentrations of shell mounds in areas including Africa, the Near East, South-East Asia and the Americas as well as new work on mounds in the classic areas including Denmark and Japan.


Spirals in Time

Spirals in Time

Author: Helen Scales

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2015-05-07

Total Pages: 313

ISBN-13: 1472911377

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The beautifully written story of shells and their makers, and our relationships with them. Seashells are the sculpted homes of a remarkable group of animals: the molluscs. These are some of the most ancient and successful animals on the planet. But watch out. Some molluscs can kill you if you eat them. Some will kill you if you stand too close. That hasn't stopped people using shells in many ways over thousands of years. They became the first jewelry and oldest currencies; they've been used as potent symbols of sex and death, prestige and war, not to mention a nutritious (and tasty) source of food. Spirals in Time is an exuberant aquatic romp, revealing amazing tales of these undersea marvels. Helen Scales leads us on a journey into their realm, as she goes in search of everything from snails that 'fly' underwater on tiny wings to octopuses accused of stealing shells and giant mussels with golden beards that were supposedly the source of Jason's golden fleece, and learns how shells have been exchanged for human lives, tapped for mind-bending drugs and inspired advances in medical technology. Weaving through these stories are the remarkable animals that build them, creatures with fascinating tales to tell, a myriad of spiralling shells following just a few simple rules of mathematics and evolution. Shells are also bellwethers of our impact on the natural world. Some species have been overfished, others poisoned by polluted seas; perhaps most worryingly of all, molluscs are expected to fall victim to ocean acidification, a side-effect of climate change that may soon cause shells to simply melt away. But rather than dwelling on what we risk losing, Spirals in Time urges you to ponder how seashells can reconnect us with nature, and heal the rift between ourselves and the living world.


Phylogeny and Evolution of the Mollusca

Phylogeny and Evolution of the Mollusca

Author: Winston Ponder

Publisher: Univ of California Press

Published: 2008-03-25

Total Pages: 496

ISBN-13: 9780520250925

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"Ponder and Lindberg provides a breathtaking overview of the evolutionary history of the Mollusca, effectively melding information from anatomy, ecology, genomics, and paleobiology to explore the depths of molluscan phylogeny. Its outstanding success is due to thoughtful planning, focused complementary contributions from 36 expert authors, and careful editing. This volume is a must for malacologists."—Bruce Runnegar, Department of Earth and Space Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles "Our understanding of the phylogeny and evolutionary history of the mollusca has been revolutionized over the past two decades through new molecular data and analysis, and reinvestigation of morphological characters. In this volume Ponder, Lindberg, and their colleagues do a wonderful job of integrating this work to provide new perspectives on the relationships of the major molluscan clades, their evolutionary dynamics, and their history. Particularly timely is the coverage of molluscan evo-devo and genomics."—Douglas H. Erwin, Curator of Paleozoic Invertebrates, National Museum of Natural History


Molluscs in Archaeology

Molluscs in Archaeology

Author: Michael J. Allen

Publisher: Oxbow Books

Published: 2017-06-30

Total Pages: 718

ISBN-13: 1785706098

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The subject of ‘Molluscs in Archaeology’ has not been dealt with collectively for several decades. This new volume in Oxbow’s Studying Scientific Archaeology series addresses many aspects of mollusks in archaeology. It will give the reader an overview of the whole topic; methods of analysis and approaches to interpretation. It aims to be a broad based text book giving readers an insight of how to apply analysis to different present and past landscapes and how to interpret those landscapes. It includes Marine, Freshwater and land snails studies, and examines topics such as diet, economy, climate, environmental and land-use, isotopes and mollusks as artifacts. It aims to provide archaeologists and students with the first port of call giving them a) methods and principles, and b) the potential information mollusks can provide. It concentrates on analysis and interpretation most archaeologists and students can undertake and understand, and to 'review' the 'heavier' science in terms of potential, application and interpretational value.