Paleontology of the Upper Eocene Florissant Formation, Colorado (Special Paper)

The Florissant formation's fossil beds and petrified forest are interesting in themselves but also shed light on questions of paleoecology, macroevolution, and taphonomy (the study of the process of fossilization). Meyer (National Park Service. Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument, Colorado) and Smith (U. of Colorado Museum of Natural History--Paleontology/geological sciences, UC, Boulder) introduce 11 papers examining Florissant fossil flora, fauna, mineralogy and geochemistry through different periods and via a model of the role of microbial mats in its preservation. An integrated database/Web site to further related research is also discussed. The monograph is well-illustrated with geologic maps and images of historical figures in the field and specimens, but is not indexed. Steven W. Veatch and Hervert W. Meyer Steven W. Veatch and Hervert W. Meyer -- Neal R. O'Brien, Herbert W. Meyer, and Ian C. Harding Steven W. Veatch and Hervert W. Meyer -- Neal R. O'Brien, Herbert W. Meyer, and Ian C. Harding -- Brad Boyle ... [et al.] Steven W. Veatch and Hervert W. Meyer -- Neal R. O'Brien, Herbert W. Meyer, and Ian C. Harding -- Brad Boyle ... [et al.] -- Estella B. Leopold, Steven R. Manchester, and Herbert W. Meyer Steven W. Veatch and Hervert W. Meyer -- Neal R. O'Brien, Herbert W. Meyer, and Ian C. Harding -- Brad Boyle ... [et al.] -- Estella B. Leopold, Steven R. Manchester, and Herbert W. Meyer -- Donald R. Prothero Steven W. Veatch and Hervert W. Meyer -- Neal R. O'Brien, Herbert W. Meyer, and Ian C. Harding -- Brad Boyle ... [et al.] -- Estella B. Leopold, Steven R. Manchester, and Herbert W. Meyer -- Donald R. Prothero -- Dena M. Smith Steven W. Veatch and Hervert W. Meyer -- Neal R. O'Brien, Herbert W. Meyer, and Ian C. Harding -- Brad Boyle ... [et al.] -- Estella B. Leopold, Steven R. Manchester, and Herbert W. Meyer -- Donald R. Prothero -- Dena M. Smith -- April Kinchloe ... [et al.] Steven W. Veatch and Hervert W. Meyer -- Neal R. O'Brien, Herbert W. Meyer, and Ian C. Harding -- Brad Boyle ... [et al.] -- Estella B. Leopold, Steven R. Manchester, and Herbert W. Meyer -- Donald R. Prothero -- Dena M. Smith -- April Kinchloe ... [et al.] -- Karen J. Lloyd, Marie P. Worley-Georg, and Jaelyn J. Eberle Steven W. Veatch and Hervert W. Meyer -- Neal R. O'Brien, Herbert W. Meyer, and Ian C. Harding -- Brad Boyle ... [et al.] -- Estella B. Leopold, Steven R. Manchester, and Herbert W. Meyer -- Donald R. Prothero -- Dena M. Smith -- April Kinchloe ... [et al.] -- Karen J. Lloyd, Marie P. Worley-Georg, and Jaelyn J. Eberle -- George E. Mustoe Steven W. Veatch and Hervert W. Meyer -- Neal R. O'Brien, Herbert W. Meyer, and Ian C. Harding -- Brad Boyle ... [et al.] -- Estella B. Leopold, Steven R. Manchester, and Herbert W. Meyer -- Donald R. Prothero -- Dena M. Smith -- April Kinchloe ... [et al.] -- Karen J. Lloyd, Marie P. Worley-Georg, and Jaelyn J. Eberle -- George E. Mustoe -- Jennifer L. Young, Herbert W. Meyer, and George E. Mustoe Steven W. Veatch and Hervert W. Meyer-- Neal R. O'Brien, Herbert W. Meyer, and Ian C. Harding-- Brad Boyle ... [et al.]-- Estella B. Leopold, Steven R. Manchester, and Herbert W. Meyer-- Donald R. Prothero-- Dena M. Smith-- April Kinchloe ... [et al.]-- Karen J. Lloyd, Marie P. Worley-Georg, and Jaelyn J. Eberle-- George E. Mustoe-- Jennifer L. Young, Herbert W. Meyer, and George E. Mustoe-- Herbert W. Meyer, Matthew S. Wasson, and Brent J. Frakes. Paleontology of the Upper Eocene Florissant Formation, Colorado......Page 1 Front matter......Page 2 ISBN 978-0-8137-2435-5......Page 3 Contents......Page 4 Preface......Page 6 01- History of paleontology at the Florissant fossil beds, Colorado......Page 12 02- The role of biofilms in fossil preservation, Florissant Formation, Colorado......Page 30 03- Higher taxa as paleoecological and paleoclimatic indicators: A search for the modern analog of the Florissant fossil flora......Page 44 04- Phytogeography of the late Eocene Florissant flora reconsidered......Page 64 05- Magnetic stratigraphy of the Eocene-Oligocene floral transition in western North America......Page 82 06- A comparison of plant-insect associations in the middle Eocene Green River Formation and the Upper Eocene Florissant Formation and their climatic implications......Page 100 07- An outline morphometric approach to identifying fossil spiders: A preliminary examination from the Florissant Formation......Page 116 08- The Chadronian mammalian fauna of the Florissant Formation, Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument, Colorado......Page 128 09- Mineralogy and geochemistry of late Eocene silicified wood from Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument, Colorado......Page 138 10- Conservation of an Eocene petrified forest at Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument: Investigation of strategies and techniques for stabilizing in situ fossil stumps......Page 152 11- Development of an integrated paleontological database and Web site of Florissant collections, taxonomy, and publications......Page 170 Back Cover......Page 189 "The Upper Eocene Florissant Formation of central Colorado contains an exceptionally preserved, highly diverse assemblage of fossil plants and insects along with some vertebrates. This volume offers 11 diverse contributions, including the history of the paleontological study of the site; new models for the role of biofilms in fossil preservation; the relevance to interpretations of paleoclimate, biogeography, and the Eocene-Oligocene floral transition; plant-insect associations during the Eocene; morphometric approaches to fossil spider identification; a summary of the mammalian fauna; the mineralogical preservation of the fossil woods and conservation strategies for the petrified forest; and the development of a new database to compile a complete inventory of the fossils and their taxonomy. The volume is partially the outcome of a GSA symposium that was held during the 2004 annual meeting, and it reports many of the newest advances in our understanding of Florissant during the past decade."--Publisher's website