Fossil Mammals of Asia

The first textbook devoted to the late Cenozoic (Neogene) mammalian biostratigraphy and geochronology of Asia, this volume deploys cutting edge biostratigraphical and geochemical dating methods to map the emergence of mammals across the continent. Written by specialists working in a variety of Asian regions, it uses data from many basins with spectacular fossil records to establish a groundbreaking geochronologic framework for land mammal evolution. Asia's violent tectonic history has resulted in some of the world's most varied topography, and its high mountain ranges and intense monsoon climates have spawned widely diverse environments over time. These geologic conditions profoundly influenced the evolution of Asian mammals and their migration into Europe, Africa, and North America. Focusing on amazing new fossil finds that have redefined Asia's role in mammal evolution, this textbook synthesizes information from a range of field studies on Asian mammals and biostratigraphy, helping to trace the histories and movements of extinct and extant mammals from various major groups and all northern continents, and providing geologists from all disciplines with a richer understanding of a variety of Asia's terrains.