Lost Creatures of the Earth

by Erickson, Jon

• ISBN13: 9780816049035
• ISBN10: 0816049033
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2001-10-01
• Publisher: Checkmark Books

Summary

Outlines the processes and history of evolution, surveying the several mass extinctions of species, speculating on their causes, and explaining their impact on subsequent evolution.

Table of Contents

Tables	ix
Acknowledgments	xi
Foreword	xiii
Introduction	xv
Historical Geology: The Ages of Life	1	(24)
The Age of Bacteria
The Age of Worms
The Age of Crustaceans
The Age of Fish
The Age of Amphibians
The Age of Reptiles
The Age of Dinosaurs
The Age of Mammals
Sea Life: Marine Life-Forms	25	(22)
Protozoans
Metazoans
Shell-Less Invertebrates
Shelled Invertebrates
Marine Vertebrates
Marine Tetrapods
Land Life: Terrestrial Life-Forms	47	(23)
Terrestrial Plants
The Amphibian Invasion
Cold-Blooded Reptiles
Mammal-Like Reptiles
The Dinosaur Dynasty
The Early Birds
Warm-Blooded Mammals
Mass Extinctions: The Disappearance of Species	70	(23)
Precambrian Extinctions
Lower Paleozoic Extinctions
Upper Paleozoic Extinctions
Mesozoic Extinctions
Cenozoic Extinctions
Causes of Extinction: The Forces of Change	93	(24)
Supernovas
Geomagnetic Reversal
Cometary Impacts
Asteroid Collisions
Volcanic Eruptions
Continental Drift
Climate Cooling
Effects of Extinction: The Influence on Evolution	117	(21)
Extinction Episodes
Periodic Extinctions
Background Extinctions
Extinction Survival
Radiation of Species
The Fossil Record
Evolution of Species: The Advancement of Life	138	(22)
Biological Diversity
Species Classification
Natural Selection
Genetic Mutation
Survival of the Fittest
Missing Links
The Gaia Effect
The Life Cycles: The Periodicity of Nature	160	(21)
The Solar Cycle
The Lunar Cycle
The Tidal Cycle
The Orbital Cycles
The Hydrologic Cycle
The Geochemical Cycle
Unique Life-Forms: The Most Unusual Adaptations	181	(20)
The Enigmatic Ediacarans
Bizarre Burgess Shale Faunas
Lilies of the Sea
Jet-Propelled Mariners
Seafaring Reptiles
The Greatest Aviators
Brooding Dinosaurs
Life in the Strangest Places: Hidden Creatures of the World	201	(20)
Living Beneath the Ice
Masters of the Deep
Life in Hot Water
Subterranean Life
Reatures of the Thermal Vents
Conclusion	221	(2)
Glossary	223	(12)
Bibliography	235	(8)
Index	243

Excerpts

Species living on Earth today represent a mere fraction of the total amount of life forms that have existed since the planet was first formed. A brand-new addition to the critically acclaimed The Living Earth series, Lost Creatures of the Earth is a valuable resource for anyone requiring information on the latest in historical geology, the study of the evolution of the Earth and its developing life forms.
A general introduction details the various ages of the Earth, from the age of bacteria to the era of mammals that we know today. Subsequent chapters illustrated with more than 150 photographs, maps, and diagrams cover:
Sea Life–Marine Life Forms
Land life–Terrestrial Life Forms
Mass Extinctions–Historic extinctions
Causes of Extinctions–The Extinction Cycle
Effects of Extinction–The Purpose of Extinctions
Evolution of Species
The Life Cycles–Cyclical Nature of Life
Unique Life Forms–Curious Archaic Creatures
Strange Habitats–Diverse World Environments.