Mark E. Patzkowsky and Steven M. Holland
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- February 2013
- ISBN:
- 9780226649375
- eISBN:
- 9780226649399
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- University of Chicago Press
- DOI:
- 10.7208/chicago/9780226649399.001.0001
- Subject:
- Biology, Paleontology
This book focuses on the interpretation of the fossil record that has been exemplified by the Cretaceous-Paleogene (K-Pg) controversy, and it has been repeated countless times across a wide array of ...
More
This book focuses on the interpretation of the fossil record that has been exemplified by the Cretaceous-Paleogene (K-Pg) controversy, and it has been repeated countless times across a wide array of paleontological studies on macroevolutionary patterns, morphological evolution, community ecology, and biostratigraphy. Stratigraphic paleobiology holds that any interpretation of the fossil record must be based on a modern understanding of the principles of sediment accumulation. It is defined as the intersection of sequence and event stratigraphy with paleobiology. This book addresses the nature and architecture of the stratigraphic record and how environmental gradients determine the distribution of species. A numerical model is developed that predicts many features of the fossil record arising as a result of stratigraphic architecture. Bases for understanding how the ecology and morphology of individual taxa change through time in a stratigraphic context are also provided in this book. The topics covered in this book apply for both marine and terrestrial ecosystems, and across invertebrates, vertebrates, and plants.Less
This book focuses on the interpretation of the fossil record that has been exemplified by the Cretaceous-Paleogene (K-Pg) controversy, and it has been repeated countless times across a wide array of paleontological studies on macroevolutionary patterns, morphological evolution, community ecology, and biostratigraphy. Stratigraphic paleobiology holds that any interpretation of the fossil record must be based on a modern understanding of the principles of sediment accumulation. It is defined as the intersection of sequence and event stratigraphy with paleobiology. This book addresses the nature and architecture of the stratigraphic record and how environmental gradients determine the distribution of species. A numerical model is developed that predicts many features of the fossil record arising as a result of stratigraphic architecture. Bases for understanding how the ecology and morphology of individual taxa change through time in a stratigraphic context are also provided in this book. The topics covered in this book apply for both marine and terrestrial ecosystems, and across invertebrates, vertebrates, and plants.
Warren D. Allmon and Margaret M. Yacobucci (eds)
- Published in print:
- 2016
- Published Online:
- May 2017
- ISBN:
- 9780226377445
- eISBN:
- 9780226377582
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- University of Chicago Press
- DOI:
- 10.7208/chicago/9780226377582.001.0001
- Subject:
- Biology, Paleontology
The nature and concept of "species" are central to paleontology, yet the resurgence of interest in species in evolutionary biology over the past few decades has had surprisingly little impact on how ...
More
The nature and concept of "species" are central to paleontology, yet the resurgence of interest in species in evolutionary biology over the past few decades has had surprisingly little impact on how paleontologists think about species. Indeed, paleontological thinking about "species" is distractingly diverse. Are species real or not? Recognizable or not? How, if at all, are species based on fossils comparable to species based on modern organisms? The answers to all of these questions are diverse. Both questions and answers are especially important, however, given the theoretical role of species in modern paleobiology and macroevolution. This book aims to both summarize current paleontological thinking about species, and encourage additional explicit consideration about them.Less
The nature and concept of "species" are central to paleontology, yet the resurgence of interest in species in evolutionary biology over the past few decades has had surprisingly little impact on how paleontologists think about species. Indeed, paleontological thinking about "species" is distractingly diverse. Are species real or not? Recognizable or not? How, if at all, are species based on fossils comparable to species based on modern organisms? The answers to all of these questions are diverse. Both questions and answers are especially important, however, given the theoretical role of species in modern paleobiology and macroevolution. This book aims to both summarize current paleontological thinking about species, and encourage additional explicit consideration about them.
Mark E. Patzkowsky and Steven M. Holland
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- February 2013
- ISBN:
- 9780226649375
- eISBN:
- 9780226649399
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of Chicago Press
- DOI:
- 10.7208/chicago/9780226649399.003.0010
- Subject:
- Biology, Paleontology
This chapter explains how the view of stratigraphic paleobiology and its core elements originated. Once the stratigraphic framework was in place, the samples were collected for counts within the ...
More
This chapter explains how the view of stratigraphic paleobiology and its core elements originated. Once the stratigraphic framework was in place, the samples were collected for counts within the time-environment framework of depositional environments and sequences. Sampling within a time-environment framework makes the hierarchical sampling of additive diversity partitioning easy. A comprehensive understanding of diversity and global diversity trends must come from a reconciliation of global and regional patterns. Global studies have been much facilitated by the Paleobiology Database, but tests of these patterns at regional scales have not kept pace. Because species have ecological limits and because depositional environments and sedimentation rates change predictably within depositional sequences, the occurrence of fossils must necessarily be altered by sequence stratigraphic architecture. Stratigraphic paleobiology offers an approach for constructing well-designed tests of these questions.Less
This chapter explains how the view of stratigraphic paleobiology and its core elements originated. Once the stratigraphic framework was in place, the samples were collected for counts within the time-environment framework of depositional environments and sequences. Sampling within a time-environment framework makes the hierarchical sampling of additive diversity partitioning easy. A comprehensive understanding of diversity and global diversity trends must come from a reconciliation of global and regional patterns. Global studies have been much facilitated by the Paleobiology Database, but tests of these patterns at regional scales have not kept pace. Because species have ecological limits and because depositional environments and sedimentation rates change predictably within depositional sequences, the occurrence of fossils must necessarily be altered by sequence stratigraphic architecture. Stratigraphic paleobiology offers an approach for constructing well-designed tests of these questions.
Lars Werdelin (ed.)
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- March 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780520257214
- eISBN:
- 9780520945425
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- University of California Press
- DOI:
- 10.1525/california/9780520257214.001.0001
- Subject:
- Biology, Evolutionary Biology / Genetics
This volume is a comprehensive review of the African mammalian fossil record over the past 65 million years. The book includes current taxonomic and systematic revisions of all African mammal taxa, ...
More
This volume is a comprehensive review of the African mammalian fossil record over the past 65 million years. The book includes current taxonomic and systematic revisions of all African mammal taxa, detailed compilations of fossil site occurrences, and a wealth of information regarding paleobiology, phylogeny, and biogeography. Primates, including hominins, are particularly well covered. The discussion addresses the systematics of endemic African mammals, factors relating to species richness, and a summary of isotopic information. The work also provides contextual information about Cenozoic African tectonics, chronostratigraphy of sites, paleobotany, and global and regional climate change. Updating our understanding of this important material with the wealth of research from the past three decades, this volume is an essential resource for anyone interested in the evolutionary history of Africa and the diversification of its mammals.Less
This volume is a comprehensive review of the African mammalian fossil record over the past 65 million years. The book includes current taxonomic and systematic revisions of all African mammal taxa, detailed compilations of fossil site occurrences, and a wealth of information regarding paleobiology, phylogeny, and biogeography. Primates, including hominins, are particularly well covered. The discussion addresses the systematics of endemic African mammals, factors relating to species richness, and a summary of isotopic information. The work also provides contextual information about Cenozoic African tectonics, chronostratigraphy of sites, paleobotany, and global and regional climate change. Updating our understanding of this important material with the wealth of research from the past three decades, this volume is an essential resource for anyone interested in the evolutionary history of Africa and the diversification of its mammals.
Kristina Curry Rogers (ed.)
- Published in print:
- 2005
- Published Online:
- March 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780520246232
- eISBN:
- 9780520932333
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- University of California Press
- DOI:
- 10.1525/california/9780520246232.001.0001
- Subject:
- Biology, Evolutionary Biology / Genetics
Sauropod dinosaurs were the largest animals ever to walk the earth, and they represent a substantial portion of vertebrate biomass and biodiversity during the Mesozoic Era. The story of sauropod ...
More
Sauropod dinosaurs were the largest animals ever to walk the earth, and they represent a substantial portion of vertebrate biomass and biodiversity during the Mesozoic Era. The story of sauropod evolution is told in an extensive fossil record of skeletons and footprints that span the globe and 150 million years of earth history. This volume provides a scientific summary of sauropod evolution and paleobiology. The chapters explore sauropod anatomy, detail its variations, and question the myth that life at large size led to evolutionary stagnation and eventual replacement by more “advanced” herbivorous dinosaurs. Chapters address topics such as the evolutionary history and diversity of sauropods; methods for creating three-dimensional reconstructions of their skeletons; questions of sauropodherbivory, tracks, gigantism, locomotion, reproduction, growth rates, and more.Less
Sauropod dinosaurs were the largest animals ever to walk the earth, and they represent a substantial portion of vertebrate biomass and biodiversity during the Mesozoic Era. The story of sauropod evolution is told in an extensive fossil record of skeletons and footprints that span the globe and 150 million years of earth history. This volume provides a scientific summary of sauropod evolution and paleobiology. The chapters explore sauropod anatomy, detail its variations, and question the myth that life at large size led to evolutionary stagnation and eventual replacement by more “advanced” herbivorous dinosaurs. Chapters address topics such as the evolutionary history and diversity of sauropods; methods for creating three-dimensional reconstructions of their skeletons; questions of sauropodherbivory, tracks, gigantism, locomotion, reproduction, growth rates, and more.
Jeffrey A. Wilson and Kristina Curry Rogers
- Published in print:
- 2005
- Published Online:
- March 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780520246232
- eISBN:
- 9780520932333
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of California Press
- DOI:
- 10.1525/california/9780520246232.003.0001
- Subject:
- Biology, Evolutionary Biology / Genetics
This book investigates the sauropod systematics and paleobiology. It hopes to explain how their body plan was constructed, to explore its variations, and to dispel the myth that it led to ...
More
This book investigates the sauropod systematics and paleobiology. It hopes to explain how their body plan was constructed, to explore its variations, and to dispel the myth that it led to evolutionary stagnation and eventual replacement by more “advanced” herbivorous dinosaurs. The sauropod fossil record has in part led the monolithic depiction of sauropods. It then attempts to gain new understanding of “nature's grandest extravagances.” Finally, an overview of the chapters included in this book is presented. This book documents what is currently known about sauropod evolutionary history, and also highlights deficiencies in the understanding. In that sense, it is hoped that this volume will spark interest, provoke questions, and provide fresh ground for continued research on sauropod dinosaurs.Less
This book investigates the sauropod systematics and paleobiology. It hopes to explain how their body plan was constructed, to explore its variations, and to dispel the myth that it led to evolutionary stagnation and eventual replacement by more “advanced” herbivorous dinosaurs. The sauropod fossil record has in part led the monolithic depiction of sauropods. It then attempts to gain new understanding of “nature's grandest extravagances.” Finally, an overview of the chapters included in this book is presented. This book documents what is currently known about sauropod evolutionary history, and also highlights deficiencies in the understanding. In that sense, it is hoped that this volume will spark interest, provoke questions, and provide fresh ground for continued research on sauropod dinosaurs.
Kevin Padian and John R. Horner
- Published in print:
- 2004
- Published Online:
- March 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780520242098
- eISBN:
- 9780520941434
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of California Press
- DOI:
- 10.1525/california/9780520242098.003.0032
- Subject:
- Biology, Evolutionary Biology / Genetics
This chapter examines the physiology, metabolism, and behavior of dinosaurs. It discusses the evolution of endothermy and examines the typological and transformational approaches to dinosaurian ...
More
This chapter examines the physiology, metabolism, and behavior of dinosaurs. It discusses the evolution of endothermy and examines the typological and transformational approaches to dinosaurian physiology. The chapter also contends that (1) dinosaurs were, in many respects, more like living large birds and mammals than they were like living reptiles; (2) more physiological advances occurred at or near the origin of dinosaurs than at the origin of birds; (3) not all dinosaurs were alike in these physiological respects, any more than living mammals or birds are all alike; and (4) comparative biology is a better guide to evolutionary paleobiology than typology is.Less
This chapter examines the physiology, metabolism, and behavior of dinosaurs. It discusses the evolution of endothermy and examines the typological and transformational approaches to dinosaurian physiology. The chapter also contends that (1) dinosaurs were, in many respects, more like living large birds and mammals than they were like living reptiles; (2) more physiological advances occurred at or near the origin of dinosaurs than at the origin of birds; (3) not all dinosaurs were alike in these physiological respects, any more than living mammals or birds are all alike; and (4) comparative biology is a better guide to evolutionary paleobiology than typology is.
Nikos Solounias, Gina M. Semprebon, Matthew C. Mihlbachler, and Florent Rivals
- Published in print:
- 2013
- Published Online:
- November 2015
- ISBN:
- 9780231150125
- eISBN:
- 9780231520829
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Columbia University Press
- DOI:
- 10.7312/columbia/9780231150125.003.0031
- Subject:
- Biology, Paleontology
This chapter presents the results of a study which compares the paleodiets of ungulates between the late Miocene of China, and Pikermi and Samos in Greece. The paleobotanical record of the late ...
More
This chapter presents the results of a study which compares the paleodiets of ungulates between the late Miocene of China, and Pikermi and Samos in Greece. The paleobotanical record of the late Miocene indicates the persistence of forests and woodlands along with the spreading of grasslands. This means that habitats during this time interval formed a widespread grassland/savanna/woodland continuum over much of the northern continents. The ecological changes that occurred during the late Miocene and the complex ecological relationships that ungulates had with these evolving habitats, make the study of ungulate paleobiology both challenging and interesting. The present study used tooth mesowear analysis to compare the paleodietary patterns of the classic late Miocene faunas of Pikermi and Samos from Greece to those of China. Specifically, it analyzes similarity in mesowear and in hypsodonty between Pikermi, Samos, and late Miocene of China, which record key samples of species of the Pikermian Biome. It tests the integrity of the Pikermian Biome and how it compares to the African savanna.Less
This chapter presents the results of a study which compares the paleodiets of ungulates between the late Miocene of China, and Pikermi and Samos in Greece. The paleobotanical record of the late Miocene indicates the persistence of forests and woodlands along with the spreading of grasslands. This means that habitats during this time interval formed a widespread grassland/savanna/woodland continuum over much of the northern continents. The ecological changes that occurred during the late Miocene and the complex ecological relationships that ungulates had with these evolving habitats, make the study of ungulate paleobiology both challenging and interesting. The present study used tooth mesowear analysis to compare the paleodietary patterns of the classic late Miocene faunas of Pikermi and Samos from Greece to those of China. Specifically, it analyzes similarity in mesowear and in hypsodonty between Pikermi, Samos, and late Miocene of China, which record key samples of species of the Pikermian Biome. It tests the integrity of the Pikermian Biome and how it compares to the African savanna.
Bruce D. Patterson and Leonora P. Costa (eds)
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- February 2013
- ISBN:
- 9780226649191
- eISBN:
- 9780226649214
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- University of Chicago Press
- DOI:
- 10.7208/chicago/9780226649214.001.0001
- Subject:
- Biology, Natural History and Field Guides
As explorers and scientists have known for decades, the Neotropics harbor a fantastic array of our planet's mammalian diversity, from capybaras and capuchins to maned wolves and mouse opossums to ...
More
As explorers and scientists have known for decades, the Neotropics harbor a fantastic array of our planet's mammalian diversity, from capybaras and capuchins to maned wolves and mouse opossums to sloths and sakis. This biological bounty can be attributed partly to the striking diversity of Neotropical landscapes and climates and partly to a series of continental connections that permitted intermittent faunal exchanges with Africa, Antarctica, Australia, and North America. Thus, to comprehend the development of modern Neotropical mammal faunas requires not only mastery of the Neotropics' substantial diversity, but also knowledge of mammalian lineages and landscapes dating back to the Mesozoic. This book offers an exploration of the development and relationships of the modern mammal fauna through a series of studies that encompass the last 100 million years and both Central and South America. This work serves as a complement to more taxonomically driven works, providing for readers the long geologic and biogeographic contexts that undergird the abundance and diversity of Neotropical mammals. Rather than documenting diversity or distribution, this collection traverses the patterns that the distributions and relationships across mammal species convey, bringing together geology, paleobiology, systematics, mammalogy, and biogeography.Less
As explorers and scientists have known for decades, the Neotropics harbor a fantastic array of our planet's mammalian diversity, from capybaras and capuchins to maned wolves and mouse opossums to sloths and sakis. This biological bounty can be attributed partly to the striking diversity of Neotropical landscapes and climates and partly to a series of continental connections that permitted intermittent faunal exchanges with Africa, Antarctica, Australia, and North America. Thus, to comprehend the development of modern Neotropical mammal faunas requires not only mastery of the Neotropics' substantial diversity, but also knowledge of mammalian lineages and landscapes dating back to the Mesozoic. This book offers an exploration of the development and relationships of the modern mammal fauna through a series of studies that encompass the last 100 million years and both Central and South America. This work serves as a complement to more taxonomically driven works, providing for readers the long geologic and biogeographic contexts that undergird the abundance and diversity of Neotropical mammals. Rather than documenting diversity or distribution, this collection traverses the patterns that the distributions and relationships across mammal species convey, bringing together geology, paleobiology, systematics, mammalogy, and biogeography.
David Sepkoski
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- February 2013
- ISBN:
- 9780226748559
- eISBN:
- 9780226748580
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- University of Chicago Press
- DOI:
- 10.7208/chicago/9780226748580.001.0001
- Subject:
- Biology, Paleontology
Although fossils have provided some of the most important evidence for evolution, the discipline of paleontology has not always had a central place in evolutionary biology. Beginning in Darwin's day, ...
More
Although fossils have provided some of the most important evidence for evolution, the discipline of paleontology has not always had a central place in evolutionary biology. Beginning in Darwin's day, and for much of the twentieth century, paleontologists were often regarded as mere fossil collectors by many evolutionary biologists, their attempts to contribute to evolutionary theory ignored or regarded with scorn. In the 1950s, however, paleontologists began mounting a counter-movement that insisted on the valid, important, and original contribution of paleontology to evolutionary theory. This movement, called “paleobiology” by its proponents, advocated for an approach to the fossil record that was theoretical, quantitative, and oriented towards explaining the broad patterns of evolution and extinction in the history of life. This book provides, as never before, a historical account of the origin, rise, and importance of paleobiology, from the mid-nineteenth century to the late 1980s. Drawing on a wealth of archival material, this book shows how the movement was conceived and promoted by a small but influential group of paleontologists—including Stephen Jay Gould and Niles Eldredge, among others—and examines the intellectual, disciplinary, and political dynamics involved in the ascendency of paleobiology. By emphasizing the close relationship between paleobiology and other evolutionary disciplines, this book aims to write a new chapter in the history of evolutionary biology, while also offering insights into the dynamics of disciplinary change in modern science.Less
Although fossils have provided some of the most important evidence for evolution, the discipline of paleontology has not always had a central place in evolutionary biology. Beginning in Darwin's day, and for much of the twentieth century, paleontologists were often regarded as mere fossil collectors by many evolutionary biologists, their attempts to contribute to evolutionary theory ignored or regarded with scorn. In the 1950s, however, paleontologists began mounting a counter-movement that insisted on the valid, important, and original contribution of paleontology to evolutionary theory. This movement, called “paleobiology” by its proponents, advocated for an approach to the fossil record that was theoretical, quantitative, and oriented towards explaining the broad patterns of evolution and extinction in the history of life. This book provides, as never before, a historical account of the origin, rise, and importance of paleobiology, from the mid-nineteenth century to the late 1980s. Drawing on a wealth of archival material, this book shows how the movement was conceived and promoted by a small but influential group of paleontologists—including Stephen Jay Gould and Niles Eldredge, among others—and examines the intellectual, disciplinary, and political dynamics involved in the ascendency of paleobiology. By emphasizing the close relationship between paleobiology and other evolutionary disciplines, this book aims to write a new chapter in the history of evolutionary biology, while also offering insights into the dynamics of disciplinary change in modern science.
Todd A. Grantham
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- February 2013
- ISBN:
- 9780226748610
- eISBN:
- 9780226748597
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of Chicago Press
- DOI:
- 10.7208/chicago/9780226748597.003.0012
- Subject:
- Biology, Paleontology
This chapter examines the emergence of taxic paleobiology during the early 1980s, which was advocated by its proponents as a solution to the problem of independent levels of selection within the ...
More
This chapter examines the emergence of taxic paleobiology during the early 1980s, which was advocated by its proponents as a solution to the problem of independent levels of selection within the evolutionary process. It describes how the development of taxic paleobiology affected the paleobiology/neontology interface during the 1980s and explains the principal differences between neontology and paleobiology. The analysis reveals that though taxic methods quickly became influential among paleontologists, they had little impact in evolutionary studies and that the rise of taxic methods did not seem to promote closer collaboration across disciplines.Less
This chapter examines the emergence of taxic paleobiology during the early 1980s, which was advocated by its proponents as a solution to the problem of independent levels of selection within the evolutionary process. It describes how the development of taxic paleobiology affected the paleobiology/neontology interface during the 1980s and explains the principal differences between neontology and paleobiology. The analysis reveals that though taxic methods quickly became influential among paleontologists, they had little impact in evolutionary studies and that the rise of taxic methods did not seem to promote closer collaboration across disciplines.
David E. Fastovsky
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- February 2013
- ISBN:
- 9780226748610
- eISBN:
- 9780226748597
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of Chicago Press
- DOI:
- 10.7208/chicago/9780226748597.003.0013
- Subject:
- Biology, Paleontology
This chapter examines the social and political meaning of dinosaur paleontology in popular culture. It considers three case studies: the paleobiology of the large theropod T. rex, the discovery of ...
More
This chapter examines the social and political meaning of dinosaur paleontology in popular culture. It considers three case studies: the paleobiology of the large theropod T. rex, the discovery of dinosaur maternity, nests, eggs, and embryos, and the dinosaur extinction. The analysis reveals that important discoveries about the biology, behavior, and extinction of dinosaurs were influenced not just by empirical developments, but also by the social climate of the times in which they were produced.Less
This chapter examines the social and political meaning of dinosaur paleontology in popular culture. It considers three case studies: the paleobiology of the large theropod T. rex, the discovery of dinosaur maternity, nests, eggs, and embryos, and the dinosaur extinction. The analysis reveals that important discoveries about the biology, behavior, and extinction of dinosaurs were influenced not just by empirical developments, but also by the social climate of the times in which they were produced.
Susan Turner and David Oldroyd
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- February 2013
- ISBN:
- 9780226748610
- eISBN:
- 9780226748597
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of Chicago Press
- DOI:
- 10.7208/chicago/9780226748597.003.0014
- Subject:
- Biology, Paleontology
This chapter describes Australian paleontologist Reginald Sprigg's discovery of the famous Ediacaran fauna in 1946. It argues that Sprigg's discovery helped pave the way for Precambrian paleobiology ...
More
This chapter describes Australian paleontologist Reginald Sprigg's discovery of the famous Ediacaran fauna in 1946. It argues that Sprigg's discovery helped pave the way for Precambrian paleobiology and that his case illustrates the sometimes tortuous path of ideas to scientific acceptance. This chapter explains that the findings of Sprigg were not accepted until their later appropriation by Charles Walcott in his work at Burgess Shale.Less
This chapter describes Australian paleontologist Reginald Sprigg's discovery of the famous Ediacaran fauna in 1946. It argues that Sprigg's discovery helped pave the way for Precambrian paleobiology and that his case illustrates the sometimes tortuous path of ideas to scientific acceptance. This chapter explains that the findings of Sprigg were not accepted until their later appropriation by Charles Walcott in his work at Burgess Shale.
Manfred D. Laubichler and Karl J. Niklas
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- February 2013
- ISBN:
- 9780226748610
- eISBN:
- 9780226748597
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of Chicago Press
- DOI:
- 10.7208/chicago/9780226748597.003.0015
- Subject:
- Biology, Paleontology
This chapter examines the important morphological tradition in German paleontology. It suggests that the pluralistic and biologically oriented German paleontology both predated and anticipated many ...
More
This chapter examines the important morphological tradition in German paleontology. It suggests that the pluralistic and biologically oriented German paleontology both predated and anticipated many of the concerns of the paleobiology movement in the United States. This chapter explains that German paleontology developed its own paleobiology independently of both the Anglo-American tradition and the Modern Evolutionary Synthesis. Thus, it can be considered a perfect topic for a cultural history of science that places the development of scientific theories and concepts clearly within the framework of cultural references, values, and transformations.Less
This chapter examines the important morphological tradition in German paleontology. It suggests that the pluralistic and biologically oriented German paleontology both predated and anticipated many of the concerns of the paleobiology movement in the United States. This chapter explains that German paleontology developed its own paleobiology independently of both the Anglo-American tradition and the Modern Evolutionary Synthesis. Thus, it can be considered a perfect topic for a cultural history of science that places the development of scientific theories and concepts clearly within the framework of cultural references, values, and transformations.
David Sepkoski
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- February 2013
- ISBN:
- 9780226748610
- eISBN:
- 9780226748597
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of Chicago Press
- DOI:
- 10.7208/chicago/9780226748597.003.0016
- Subject:
- Biology, Paleontology
This chapter investigates the origin and early history of the theory of punctuated equilibrium, from its first articulation in 1971 through subsequent revision and reaction into the early 1980s. It ...
More
This chapter investigates the origin and early history of the theory of punctuated equilibrium, from its first articulation in 1971 through subsequent revision and reaction into the early 1980s. It argues that punctuated equilibrium cannot be separated from the broader development of theoretical paleobiology promoted during the mid-1970s by a group of paleontologists dedicated to revising the goals, agenda, and status of paleontology. This chapter also suggests that punctuated equilibrium is part of a larger movement that involved not just Stephen Jay Gould and Niles Eldredge, but his colleagues David Raup, Thomas Schopf, Steven Stanley, and others who sought to redefine paleontological evolutionary theory largely without the directional causes central to traditional Darwinian evolution via natural selection.Less
This chapter investigates the origin and early history of the theory of punctuated equilibrium, from its first articulation in 1971 through subsequent revision and reaction into the early 1980s. It argues that punctuated equilibrium cannot be separated from the broader development of theoretical paleobiology promoted during the mid-1970s by a group of paleontologists dedicated to revising the goals, agenda, and status of paleontology. This chapter also suggests that punctuated equilibrium is part of a larger movement that involved not just Stephen Jay Gould and Niles Eldredge, but his colleagues David Raup, Thomas Schopf, Steven Stanley, and others who sought to redefine paleontological evolutionary theory largely without the directional causes central to traditional Darwinian evolution via natural selection.
Joe Cain
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- February 2013
- ISBN:
- 9780226748610
- eISBN:
- 9780226748597
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of Chicago Press
- DOI:
- 10.7208/chicago/9780226748597.003.0018
- Subject:
- Biology, Paleontology
This chapter focuses on Stephen Jay Gould's attack on George Gaylord Simpson, who was considered in the 1960s as paleontology's principal innovator in macroevolutionary theory. It highlights Gould's ...
More
This chapter focuses on Stephen Jay Gould's attack on George Gaylord Simpson, who was considered in the 1960s as paleontology's principal innovator in macroevolutionary theory. It highlights Gould's efforts to deny Simpson any relevance to contemporary developments and suggests that this “ritual patricide Radical” was central to Gould's efforts at establishing a new disciplinary identity for his favored brand of macroevolutionary paleobiology. This chapter also examines the rhetorical devices used in that campaign.Less
This chapter focuses on Stephen Jay Gould's attack on George Gaylord Simpson, who was considered in the 1960s as paleontology's principal innovator in macroevolutionary theory. It highlights Gould's efforts to deny Simpson any relevance to contemporary developments and suggests that this “ritual patricide Radical” was central to Gould's efforts at establishing a new disciplinary identity for his favored brand of macroevolutionary paleobiology. This chapter also examines the rhetorical devices used in that campaign.
Richard Bambach
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- February 2013
- ISBN:
- 9780226748610
- eISBN:
- 9780226748597
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of Chicago Press
- DOI:
- 10.7208/chicago/9780226748597.003.0021
- Subject:
- Biology, Paleontology
This chapter discusses the author's personal journey as a paleoecologist and evolutionary paleobiologist from the 1950s through the 1990s. It provides insights into the central developments of the ...
More
This chapter discusses the author's personal journey as a paleoecologist and evolutionary paleobiologist from the 1950s through the 1990s. It provides insights into the central developments of the paleobiological revolution during this period and on the important connections between paleoecology and paleobiology. This recollection illuminates some of the human aspects of doing science and helps reveal how some of the change in paleontology came about.Less
This chapter discusses the author's personal journey as a paleoecologist and evolutionary paleobiologist from the 1950s through the 1990s. It provides insights into the central developments of the paleobiological revolution during this period and on the important connections between paleoecology and paleobiology. This recollection illuminates some of the human aspects of doing science and helps reveal how some of the change in paleontology came about.
Rebecca Z. German
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- February 2013
- ISBN:
- 9780226748610
- eISBN:
- 9780226748597
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of Chicago Press
- DOI:
- 10.7208/chicago/9780226748597.003.0022
- Subject:
- Biology, Paleontology
This chapter offers insights into the author's experience as a student of paleobiology during the 1970s. It suggests that the author's relationship with her mentors including David Raup, Tom Schopf, ...
More
This chapter offers insights into the author's experience as a student of paleobiology during the 1970s. It suggests that the author's relationship with her mentors including David Raup, Tom Schopf, and Stephen Jay Gould highlights the role of pedagogy during the paleobiological revolution. This chapter also discusses how formal and informal instruction shaped the next generation of paleobiologists and provides a glimpse of the field not normally accessible through published research.Less
This chapter offers insights into the author's experience as a student of paleobiology during the 1970s. It suggests that the author's relationship with her mentors including David Raup, Tom Schopf, and Stephen Jay Gould highlights the role of pedagogy during the paleobiological revolution. This chapter also discusses how formal and informal instruction shaped the next generation of paleobiologists and provides a glimpse of the field not normally accessible through published research.
Anthony Hallam
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- February 2013
- ISBN:
- 9780226748610
- eISBN:
- 9780226748597
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of Chicago Press
- DOI:
- 10.7208/chicago/9780226748597.003.0023
- Subject:
- Biology, Paleontology
This chapter offers the perspective of a paleobiologist trained in the United Kingdom. It describes the development of paleobiological interests among British paleontologists from the 1950s to the ...
More
This chapter offers the perspective of a paleobiologist trained in the United Kingdom. It describes the development of paleobiological interests among British paleontologists from the 1950s to the 1980s, focusing on punctuated equilibrium and the associated theory of species selection, which played an important role in the author's own research. This chapter also discusses the trends in the fossil record and provides an assessment of the significance of the idea of punctuational speciation for paleobiology generally.Less
This chapter offers the perspective of a paleobiologist trained in the United Kingdom. It describes the development of paleobiological interests among British paleontologists from the 1950s to the 1980s, focusing on punctuated equilibrium and the associated theory of species selection, which played an important role in the author's own research. This chapter also discusses the trends in the fossil record and provides an assessment of the significance of the idea of punctuational speciation for paleobiology generally.
David Jablonski
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- February 2013
- ISBN:
- 9780226748610
- eISBN:
- 9780226748597
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of Chicago Press
- DOI:
- 10.7208/chicago/9780226748597.003.0026
- Subject:
- Biology, Paleontology
This chapter presents the author's view of the current state of paleontology as one of the leaders of the current generation of paleobiologists. It identifies six major areas for investigation that ...
More
This chapter presents the author's view of the current state of paleontology as one of the leaders of the current generation of paleobiologists. It identifies six major areas for investigation that will define the future of paleobiology and stresses the need for continued efforts to unite paleobiology with the wider community of evolutionary biology. This chapter also provides an important manifesto for students and practitioners of paleobiology.Less
This chapter presents the author's view of the current state of paleontology as one of the leaders of the current generation of paleobiologists. It identifies six major areas for investigation that will define the future of paleobiology and stresses the need for continued efforts to unite paleobiology with the wider community of evolutionary biology. This chapter also provides an important manifesto for students and practitioners of paleobiology.
