Evolution on Planet Earth: Impact of the Physical Environment (Vol 1) [Hardcover]

Lynn Rothschild (Editor), Adrian Lister (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 22, 2003

Driving evolution forward, the Earth's physical environment has challenged the very survival of organisms and ecosystems throughout the ages. With a fresh new perspective, Evolution on Planet Earth shows how these physical realities and hurdles shaped the primary phases of life on the planet. The book's thorough coverage also includes chapters on more proximate factors and paleoenvironmental events that influenced the diversity of life. A team of notable ecologists, evolutionary biologists, and paleontologists join forces to describe drifting continents, extinction events, and climate change -- important topics that continue to shape Earth's inhabitants to this very day. In a world where global change has become an international issue, this book provides a several billion-year evolutionary perspective on what the environment and environmental change means to life.

* Provides thorough background information on each topic while introducing cutting-edge research
* Features original material solicited from the leading minds in evolutionary biology and geology today
* Emphasizes the influence of massive geological forces - continental drift, volcanic activity, sea and tides

Editorial Reviews

Review

"An excellent text for introductory courses in biology, geology, and evolution."
- SOUTHEASTERN NATURALIST (May 2006)

"The entries are well-written attempts at opening a broad range of material to an interested audience...Highly recommended for libraries with science programs wanting to demonstrate true interdisciplinary work."
-E-STREAMS (March 2004)

"...recommended for libraries supporting undergraduate programs in biology, but it may be of broader interest since the abiotic subjects covered are often studied in chemistry and geology."
-CHOICE (March 2004)

Book Description

A provocative view of the origin, evolution, and distribution of living things on planet Earth.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 456 pages
• Publisher: Academic Press; 1 edition (July 22, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0125986556
• ISBN-13: 978-0125986557
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 7.2 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,413,083 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Evolution on Planet Earth, April 27, 2004

By 

Carolyn Billheimer (Portola Valley, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Evolution on Planet Earth: Impact of the Physical Environment (Vol 1) (Hardcover)

The authors have done a splendid job of bringing the physical environment back into evolutionary studies. Geared toward educated laymen and high school through graduate level scholars, each chapter looks at a different physical environment, e.g., radiation, plate tectonics. Instead of all evolution being caused only by genetics, this book reminds us that all the forces of the universe shape life!