MESSEL - An Ancient Greenhouse Ecosystem

Krister T. Smith, Stephan F. K. Schaal, Jörg Habersetzer (Herausgeber)

Buch | Hardcover

XV, 355 Seiten

2018
Schweizerbart'sche, E. (Verlag)
978-3-510-61411-0 (ISBN)

Artikel merken

Messel - An Ancient Greenhouse Ecosystem is an exquisitely illustrated book by 28 internationally renowned specialists who present a synopsis of the current state of understanding of the climate and structure of the Eocene Messel ecosystem. The information is derived from studying the rocks, animal and plant fossils of the Messel pit. The Messel Pit represents an ancient maar lake situated in the archipelago that Europe was in the Eocene, close to present-day Frankfurt, Germany. This title is also available in a German language version. The exceptional state of preservation of Messel fossils has enabled researchers, in many cases for the first time, to identify minute functional details of the plants and animals of the Messel ecosystem about 48 Million years ago: plants, insects, birds, mammals (horses!), reptiles, amphibians and fishes. Introductory chapters treat Messel, its formation as a maar lake, the conditions of burial and preservation of the fossils, and history of work since discovery of the first fossil there in 1876. The Messel flora and individual fossils groups are discussed in detail in seven following chapters, discussing both paleontological and evolutionary details obtained from the Messel fossils and by comparison with other fossil locations. A final chapter summarizes all previous research and presents a synopsis of ecosystem conditions (climatic, environmental, biota, producers and consumers, occupation of ecospaces, niches) of the terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems at Messel, derived from studies of the Messel samples. This hitherto most comprehensive treatment of the fossil Messel ecosystem will make this book the standard reference work on Messel to scientists, while the lush illustrations of flora and fauna will captivate everyone from fossil enthusiasts to interested laypersons.

Erscheinungsdatum	26.07.2018
Reihe/Serie	Senckenberg-Buch ; 80
Sprache	englisch
Maße	210 x 280 mm
Gewicht	1680 g
Themenwelt	Naturwissenschaften ► Biologie ► Evolution
	Naturwissenschaften ► Biologie ► Ökologie / Naturschutz
	Naturwissenschaften ► Geowissenschaften ► Geologie
	Naturwissenschaften ► Geowissenschaften ► Mineralogie / Paläontologie
Schlagworte	bird • ecosystem • Eocene • Evolution • fish • insect • Maar Lake • Mammal • oil shale • Pollen • Preservation
ISBN-10	3-510-61411-9 / 3510614119
ISBN-13	978-3-510-61411-0 / 9783510614110
Zustand	Neuware