Author: Gregory J. Retallack

Publisher: John Wiley & Sons

Published: 2008-04-30

Total Pages: 419

ISBN-13: 0470698160

It has been 10 years since publication of the first edition ofSoils of the Past. In that time the subject of paleopedology hasgrown rapidly, and established itself within the mainstream ofgeological research. Ancient soils contain vital mineralogical, geochemical,textural, and paleontological information about the continentalenvironments in which they formed. Advances in isotope geochemistryand sequence-stratigraphic models allow more detailedreconstructions of environmental change from paleosols and newinsights into diverse topics like atmospheric chemistry, globalchange, palaeoecology, geobiology and mass extinction. This fully updated second edition of soils of the past givesdescribes the main types of ancient soil, procedures for theirrecognition and study, their classification and, mostsignificantly, a wide array of examples of how paleosols have beenused for paleoenvironmental reconstruction. Soils of the Past is written for advanced undergraduatesstudying paleopedology as part of a degree in geology,environmental science, or physical geography, and for interestedprofessional earth scientists. In the last few years however palaeopedology has become anestablished discipline in its own right, so the time is ripe for anew edition. This new book will be a good reflection of the currentstate of knowledge and be widely adopted. First edition was very well received and sold over 1500 copieswhen the subject was relatively new. The field has now grownenormously and the second edition should do considerablybetter. The new edition covers new developments in the field such as:Soils and Climate, stable isotope analysis of soils, soils andsequence stratigraphy. This edition represents the only available overview of thesubject at this level.