PALEOBOTANY The Biology and Evolution of Fossil Plants

Embark on an enlightening journey into Earth’s history with “PALEOBOTANY: The Biology and Evolution of Fossil Plants,” a book that seamlessly blends biology and geology to unveil the captivating story of plant life evolution.

This comprehensive work spans the full spectrum of fossil plants, spanning from Precambrian life forms to the emergence of flowering plants, fungi, and algae. It initiates with an in-depth exploration of geologic time, elucidating how organisms endure within the rock record. It also sheds light on the methodologies used to study and interpret these ancient remnants. With the addition of new chapters on diverse flowering plant families, paleoecology, ancient plant community structures, and the utilization of fossil plants as proxies for paleoclimate, this book emerges as the ultimate resource for understanding the geological history and evolution of microbes, algae, fungi, and plants.

Paleobotany, inherently interdisciplinary, emerges as a collaborative endeavor, a notion emphasized throughout the book. It serves not only as an advanced introduction for undergraduates and graduate students but also as a comprehensive reference for various disciplines in the biological and geological sciences.

While not strictly a second edition, this book thoughtfully incorporates content from Thomas N. Taylor and Edith L. Taylor’s “The Biology and Evolution of Fossil Plants” (1993). Each chapter commences with a comprehensive introduction, providing crucial insights into the featured group, including a glimpse into living representatives, where applicable. Furthermore, chapters are strategically divided to facilitate seamless navigation, catering to both professionals and enthusiasts alike.

For added clarity, Chapter 7 dives into plant structure, tissue systems, and plant organs, reinforced by a rich array of illustrations and diagrams. The glossary, meticulously expanded to feature over 900 entries, ensures easy reference, while a chart detailing geologic periods within the covers offers essential context.

In “PALEOBOTANY: The Biology and Evolution of Fossil Plants” the enthralling world of paleobotany unfolds, offering an interdisciplinary and comprehensive exploration of Earth’s botanical history, enriched by a tapestry of transition words that seamlessly guide the reader through this captivating journey.

Contents

• Preface
•  Introduction to paleobotany, how plant fossils form
• Precambrian life
•   fungi, bacteria, and lichens
•  Algae
•  Hornworts and Bryophytes
• The move to the land
• Introduction to vascular plant morphology and anatomy
• Early land plants with conducting tissue
• Lycophyta
• Sphenophytes
• Ferns and early fernlike plants
•  Progymnosperms
• Origin and Evolution of the Seed Habit
• Paleozoic seed ferns
• Mesozoic seed ferns
• Late Paleozoic and Mesozoic Foliage
• Cycadophytes
• Ginkgophytes
•  Gymnosperms with obscure affinities;
• Cordaites;
• Conifers
•  Flowering plants;
• Interactions between plants and animals
•  Appendix
• classification of organisms; glossary; bibliography; index