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.
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.
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.
Based on two decades of research, The Late Devonian Mass Extinction reviews the many theories that have been presented to explain the global mass extinction that struck the earth over 367 million years ago, considering in particular the possibility that the extinction was triggered by multiple impacts of extraterrestrial objects.
"Emanating from the Fall Line city of Baltimore, site of the 2015 GSA Annual Meeting, these trips reflect the diversity of geological features in the mid-Atlantic region including the Piedmont, Appalachian Mountains, and Coastal Plain, and the importance of geology on the development and construction of the Baltimore-Washington, D.C., metropolitan area"--
Geologists and geographers study how to develop how and where karst develops and how sinkholes form, but engineers must use this information to develop karst terrane. Over the past ten years, these multidisciplinary conferences on the applied aspects of karst hydrogeology and engineering have been successful in bringing together engineers, geologists, other scientists and government regulators who must safely establish human infrastructure on karst terrane whilst protecting the environment. The essences of these conferences has always been communciation between geologists and engineers with an emplasis on practical applications and case studies. This text contains the proceedings of the fifth conference on karst geohazards. It presents 65 papers that cover topics such as: groundwater contamination through sinkholes and the karst surface; stormwater drainage and flooding problems; and foundation considerations and improvements in karst.
Geology of the Himalayan Belt: Deformation, Metamorphism, Stratigraphy presents sophisticated metamorphic and igneous rock data across various Himalayan geographic sectors, capturing their petrography, metamorphism, structure, mineralization, and regional tectonic research. With an east-west extension of about 3000 kilometers and numerous 8000 meter peaks, the Himalayas are the most spectacular mountain ranges on earth. Since the 19th century, they have provided a testing ground of global importance for the development of geodynamic concepts, from isostasy over continental collision, to more recently, feedback mechanisms between tectonics and climate. This book collects the broad range of data that's been gathered on the Himalayas over the past 50 years, providing a comprehensive analysis and interpretation on the available data that brings the scientific community a better understanding of the geological diversity and structure of the Himalayan belt, along with new techniques that have applications in a host of global geological settings. - Features a vast amount of geological research data collected in the Himalayas over the past half century - Authored by a recognized global expert on the geology of the Himalayan belt - Presents analysis and interpretation techniques to aid scientists in conducting fieldwork and research - Provides the latest information on geodynamic concepts, from isostasy over continental collision, to more recently, feedback mechanisms between tectonics and climate
