Dinosaur Tracks and other Fossil Footprints of Europe

"Dinosaur Tracks and Other Fossil Footprints of Europe " written by Martin G. Lockley and Christian Meyer is a wonderfully exciting book about vertebrate ichnology... the study of track of footprints of ancient vertebrates, that have walked the face of Europe some 200 to 300 million years ago. "Dinosaur Tracks and Other Fossil Footprints of Europe" was wriiten after "Dinosaur Tracks and Other Fossil Footprints of the Western United States" by Martin Lockley and gives the reader a more indepth knowledge of Dinosaur, reptilian, amphibian, and mammalian tracks and informs the reader of the difference in each of these track formations. "Dinosaur Tracks and Other Fossil Footprints of Europe" is beautifully illustrated with numerous trackway art in line drawings and in photographic evidence. This book limits its scope to Europe mainly England, Sweden, France, Germany, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Switzerland, and Croatia giving the reader a broad sense of the scope to which the dinosaur roamed in major trackways or super highways of travel. It is noted in the book that most of the known trackways are of a migration paths from the south to the north, but there are trackways that go in different directions and both sauropods and therapods tracks have been found. I liked the book much better than the first book on ichnology by the same author as this book has copious illustrations to back up the author's claims and theories and you can see for yourself what the author is trying to tell you in the text, Thus illustrating, and it makes a lot of sense. The current dinosaur track renaissance in Europe is part of a worldwide dinosaur-tracking revolution that, during the past decade, has thrust the study of fossil footprints into a prominent position in the world of paleontology and sedimentary geology. Paleontology and geology are just two of the scientific disciplines that you'll need to have to read this book along the anatomy and general mechanics of movement would help in understanding this books full potential. Such observations are perhaps not surprising when we consider that Europe and North America were united with other continents at this time as part of the Pangaen supercontinent. Archosaurs and other vertebrates, therefore, were able to range widly across the Triassic world, establish themselves in their perfered habitats, and leave their distinctive tracks and traces alongside other distinctive plant and animal remains. Tracks in "Dinosaur Tracks and Other Fossil Footprints of Europe" cover a wide range of times. There are tracks from the Paleozoic, Triassic, Jurassic, Cretaceous and Tertiary periods of time making for a wide discussion of events in this book. Moreover, these observations help to demonstrate that the composition and distribution of vertebrate trackmakers are less complicated that previously supposed. "Dinosaur Tracks and Other Fossil Footprints of Europe" is a solid 5 star book and you'll learn much about the habits and habitats of the dinosaurs that made these tracks so long ago. The book has attempted to summerize the important sites and the insights they offer into vertebrate activity and evolution in Europe. Mesozoic tracks, however, are a differect story. The authors have been involved with active research at the Europian sites and have added significant knowledge and data that have been reported in recent years as the scope to which the science of ichnology is growing as more research is being devoted to these reminants of a lost age. There are very adequate bibliographies throughout the book and an extensive reference sections making this book a well annotated book and can be used for a stepping stone for future research into the amazing world of ichnology and there is and extensive appendix that is well documented as to where in Europe you can go to exterience fossil tracks first hand with illustrations to show the different formations. The long and distinguished tradition of tracking dinosaurs and other extinct animals in Europe dates back to the 1830s. Yet this venerable tradition of scientific activity cannot compare in magnitude and scope with the unprecedented spate of discovery and documentation of the last few years. Now, following on the heels of his Dinosaur Tracks and Other Fossil Footprints of the Western United States, Martin Lockley teams up with Christian Meyer to present an up to date synthesis of the recent findings in the field of European fossil footprints. Drawing extensively on their own research results from studies in Britain, Switzerland, Portugal, Spain, and elsewhere, the authors create a dynamic picture of mammal, reptile, bird, and amphibian "track-makers" throughout more than 300 million years of vertebrate evolution, placed in the context of Europe's changing ancient environments.Beginning with an introduction to tracking and a history of the European tracking tradition, Dinosaur Tracks and Other Fossil Footprints of Europe then charts a broad path of evolutionary proliferation from the proto-dinosaurs of the Early Triassic period to the dinosaurs' decline and disappearance in the Upper Cretaceous. The survey continues into the age of mammals and birds, ending with the cave art of our Paleolithic ancestors. The long and distinguished tradition of tracking dinosaurs and other extinct animals in Europe dates back to the 1830s. Yet this venerable tradition of scientific activity cannot compare in magnitude and scope with the unprecedented spate of discovery and documentation of the last few years. Now, following on the heels of his Dinosaur Tracks and Other Fossil Footprints of the Western United States, Martin Lockley teams up with Christian Meyer to present an up to date synthesis of the recent findings in the field of European fossil footprints. Drawing extensively on their own research results from studies in Britain, Switzerland, Portugal, Spain, and elsewhere, the authors create a dynamic picture of mammal, reptile, bird, and amphibian "track-makers" throughout more than 300 million years of vertebrate evolution, placed in the context of Europe's changing ancient environments. Beginning with an introduction to tracking and a history of the European tracking tradition, Dinosaur Tracks and Other Fossil Footprints of Europe then charts a broad path of evolutionary proliferation from the proto-dinosaurs of the Early Triassic period to the dinosaurs' decline and disappearance in the Upper Cretaceous. The survey continues into the age of mammals and birds, ending with the cave art of our Paleolithic ancestors. "Martin Lockley teams up with Christian Meyer to present an up-to-date synthesis of the recent findings in the field of European fossil footprints. Drawing extensively on their own research results from studies in Britain, Switzerland, Portugal, Spain, and elsewhere, the authors create a dynamic picture of mammal, reptile, bird, and amphibian track-makers through more than 300 million years of vertebrate evolution, placed in the context of Europe's changing ancient environments."--BOOK JACKET. Presents a synthesis of recent findings in the field of European fossil footprints. Traces the history of the European tracking tradition, and creates a dynamic picture of mammal, reptile, bird, and amphibian track-makers through more than 300 million years of evolution, placed in the context of Europe's changing ancient environments. Includes many b&w photos and drawings.