Exceptional fossil preservation : a unique view on the evolution of marine life : a unique view on the evolution of marine life

Most nonscientists are usually aware of fossils, and it is commonly believed that they are extremely rare. In fact, fossils are exceptionally common in many sedimentary rocks and are used extensively in geology for age dating, interpretation of ancient environments, and the discovery of natural resources. However, there is another type of fossil deposit that is truly rare. These rare fossil deposits, called Lagerstätten, preserve the remains of the soft tissues or the articulated skeletal remains of ancient creatures in truly astonishing fine detail. Some of these deposits are world-famous, such as the Burgess Shale, or Solnhofen but there are others dating from many different geological eras from the Paleozoic, up to the Eocene. Recently, a concerted effort has been made to understand the overall significance of these rare fossil deposits. Whereas in the past these deposits were considered novelties, modern researchers are trying to understand what they can tell us about ancient life and environments. New sophisticated techniques (including image and geochemical analyses) are providing enormous new contributions to our knowledge of Lagerstätten sites and to paleobiology in general.This volume describes many of the most famous Lagerstätten locations worldwide and is complete with over 70 superb halftones showing some of these exotic fossils in all their glory. Paleontologists are beginning to understand why such deposits occur, how they have varied since the advent of marine metazoan life, and how their presence effects our understanding of the evolution of life in the Earth's oceans. In this way, the study of Lagerstätten continues to move towards the mainstream of paleobiological, biological, and geological research, and away from its former status as the examination of mere curiosities.All those interested in these beautiful and sometimes enigmatic deposits will want to own this book. Fossil-lagerstätten: Jewels Of The Fossil Record / David J. Bottjer [and Others] -- Enigmatic Ediacara Fossils: Ancestors Or Aliens? / David J. Bottjer -- Chengjiang: Early Record Of The Cambrian Explosion / James W. Hagadorn -- Burgess Shale: Cambrian Explosion In Full Bloom / James W. Hagadorn -- Burgess Shale-type Localities: The Global Picture / James W. Hagadorn -- Orsten Deposits From Sweden: Miniature Late Cambrian Arthropods / Carol M. Tang -- Beecher's Trilobite Bed: Ordovician Pyritization For The Other Half Of The Trilobite / Walter Etter -- Hunsrück Slate: Widespread Pyritization Of A Devonian Fauna / Walter Etter -- Bear Gulch: An Exceptional Upper Carboniferous Plattenkalk / James W. Hagadorn -- Mazon Creek: Preservation In Late Paleozoic Deltaic And Marginal Marine Environments / Stephen A. Schellenberg -- Grès à Voltzia: Preservation In Early Mesozoic Deltaic And Marginal Marine Environments / Walter Etter -- Monte San Giorgio: Remarkable Triassic Marine Vertebrates / Walter Etter -- Berlin-ichthyosaur: Preserving Some Of The Earth's Largest Marine Vertebrates / David J. Bottjer -- Osteno: Jurassic Preservation To The Cellular Level / Carol M. Tang -- Posidonia Shale: Germany's Jurassic Marine Park / Walter Etter And Carol M. Tang -- La Voulte-sur-rhône: Exquisite Cephalopod Preservation / Walter Etter -- Oxford Clay: England's Jurassic Marine Park / Carol M. Tang -- Solnhofen: Plattenkalk Preservation With Archaeopteryx / Walter Etter -- Smoky Hill Chalk: Spectacular Cretaceous Marine Fauna / David J. Bottjer -- Monte Bolca: An Eocene Fishbowl / Carol M. Tang. Edited By David J. Bottjer ... [et Al.]. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Launched at a time of major economic change and an uncommon era in business, this new annual series presents the most intriguing and rigorous coverage of the years well-known and crucial-to-know developments in business and finance. Divided into thematic sections, such as bad business behavior; the financial system and its discontents; trends in global markets; the relationship between politics and money; big-picture practices; and news from the corporate world, the anthology fills a longstanding gap for those seeking diverse, enriching, yet entertaining perspectives on the business of business. This years selections include Rolling Stones profile of Don Blankenship and his corrupt tenure as CEO of Massey Energy; the London Guardians original, unprecedented investigation into the News of the World phone-hacking scandal and its indictment of the Rupert Murdoch media empire; and the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinels poignant account of the fatal consequences of federal deregulation in health and medicine. Two searing pieces on the ongoing mortgage scandal, one a hard look at the role of hedge fund Magnetar in perpetuating the housing bubble for financial gain, and the other a detailed breakdown of Countrywides malfeasance, provide critical context and background; while articles on recoveries in Ireland, Germany, and elsewhere suggest a way foreword from recession. Additional articles tackle bank fees and bailouts, the Buffet Rule, the corporate lobbys reach, the Greenspan legacy, the rise of a global business elite, the future of the American auto industry, and the meaning of recent shakeups at Pfizer, Gucci, IKEA, and other corporate institutions. Fossil-lagerstätten: jewels of the fossil record / David J. Bottjer ... [et al.] Enigmatic Ediacara fossils: ancestors or aliens? / David J. Bottjer Chengjiang: early record of the Cambrian explosion / James W. Hagadorn Burgess Shale: Cambrian explosion in full bloom / James W. Hagadorn Burgess Shale-type localities: the global picture / James W. Hagadorn Orsten deposits from Sweden: miniature late Cambrian arthropods / Carol M. Tang Beecher's trilobite bed: Ordovician pyritization for the other half of the trilobite / Walter Etter Hunsrück Slate: widespread pyritization of a Devonian fauna / Walter Etter Bear Gulch: an exceptional Upper Carboniferous plattenkalk / James W. Hagadorn Mazon Creek: preservation in late Paleozoic deltaic and marginal marine environments / Stephen A. Schellenberg Grès à Voltzia: preservation in early Mesozoic deltaic and marginal marine environments / Walter Etter Monte San Giorgio: remarkable Triassic marine vertebrates / Walter Etter Berlin-Ichthyosaur: preserving some of the earth's largest marine vertebrates / David J. Bottjer Osteno: Jurassic preservation to the cellular level / Carol M. Tang Posidonia Shale: Germany's Jurassic marine park / Walter Etter and Carol M. Tang La Voulte-sur-Rhône: exquisite cephalopod preservation / Walter Etter Oxford Clay: England's Jurassic marine park / Carol M. Tang Solnhofen: plattenkalk preservation with Archaeopteryx / Walter Etter Smoky Hill Chalk: spectacular Cretaceous marine fauna / David J. Bottjer Monte Bolca: an Eocene fishbowl / Carol M. Tang