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Quaternary Extinctions: A Prehistoric Revolution
 
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Quaternary Extinctions: A Prehistoric Revolution [Paperback]

Paul S. Martin (Editor), Richard G. Klein (Editor)
5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)

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Book Description

January 1, 1989
"What caused the extinction of so many animals at or near the end of the Pleistocene? Was it overkill by human hunters, the result of a major climatic change or was it just a part of some massive evolutionary turnover? Questions such as these have plagued scientists for over one hundred years and are still being heatedly debated today. Quaternary Extinctions presents the latest and most comprehensive examination of these questions." —Geological Magazine

"May be regarded as a kind of standard encyclopedia for Pleistocene vertebrate paleontology for years to come." —American Scientist

"Should be read by paleobiologists, biologists, wildlife managers, ecologists, archeologists, and anyone concerned about the ongoing extinction of plants and animals." —Science

"Uncommonly readable and varied for watchers of paleontology and the rise of humankind." —Scientific American

"Represents a quantum leap in our knowledge of Pleistocene and Holocene palaeobiology. . . . Many volumes on our bookshelves are destined to gather dust rather than attention. But not this one." —Nature

"Two strong impressions prevail when first looking into this epic compendium. One is the judicious balance of views that range over the whole continuum between monocausal, cultural, or environmental explanations. The second is that both the data base and theoretical sophistication of the protagonists in the debate have improved by a quantum leap since 1967." —American Anthropologist


Frequently Bought Together

Customers buy this book with Twilight of the Mammoths:: Ice Age Extinctions and the Rewilding of America (Organisms and Environments) $18.06

Quaternary Extinctions: A Prehistoric Revolution + Twilight of the Mammoths:: Ice Age Extinctions and the Rewilding of America (Organisms and Environments)

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Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

"What caused the extinction of so many animals at or near the end of the Pleistocene? Was it overkill by human hunters, the result of a major climatic change or was it just a part of some massive evolutionary turnover? Questions such as these have plagued scientists for over one hundred years and are still being heatedly debated today. Quaternary Extinctions presents the latest and most comprehensive examination of these questions." —Geological Magazine

"May be regarded as a kind of standard encyclopedia for Pleistocene vertebrate paleontology for years to come." —American Scientist

"Should be read by paleobiologists, biologists, wildlife managers, ecologists, archeologists, and anyone concerned about the ongoing extinction of plants and animals." —Science

"Uncommonly readable and varied for watchers of paleontology and the rise of humankind." —Scientific American

"Represents a quantum leap in our knowledge of Pleistocene and Holocene palaeobiology. . . . Many volumes on our bookshelves are destined to gather dust rather than attention. But not this one." —Nature

"Two strong impressions prevail when first looking into this epic compendium. One is the judicious balance of views that range over the whole continuum between monocausal, cultural, or environmental explanations. The second is that both the data base and theoretical sophistication of the protagonists in the debate have improved by a quantum leap since 1967." —American Anthropologist

--This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

About the Author

Paul S. Martin is a professor emeritus of geosciences at the University of Arizona.

Product Details

  • Paperback: 892 pages
  • Publisher: University of Arizona Press (January 1, 1989)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0816511004
  • ISBN-13: 978-0816511006
  • Product Dimensions: 10 x 7 x 1.9 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 3.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,106,330 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

 

Customer Reviews

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Average Customer Review
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14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars The authoritative source for data and theories, December 4, 2001
By 
Tom L. Forest (Forest Grove, OR USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
This review is from: Quaternary Extinctions: A Prehistoric Revolution (Paperback)
This is the best, most comprehensive treatment of available data (which has grown some) and theories (which have grown but not multiplied) on land vertebrate extinctions of the last 100,000 years. If you are a mammoth/sabertooth extinction hound, this book will feed you better than any other. It does require some specialized knowledge in a few chapters, but the gist is accessible for the educated layperson. It's worth hunting for or buying used.

A more recent offering, though briefer, is "Extinctions in Near Time," Ross MacPhee, ed.

I appreciate the candor in labeling two of the major sections, entitled 'the theoretical marketplace: geologic-climactic models' and 'the theoretical marketplace: cultural models' which encompass variations on each of the two main theories for the extinction.

In addition to theories, the book describes the various mammals as well as their pattern of disappearance region by region worldwide. At 867 pages, it will keep you going for a while, but it's worth every page.

There is only one chapter on birds, only passing references to a tortise, lizard, or fish, and nothing on plants. I would love to find similar treatments for changes in characteristic flora for the same time period.

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8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Interested in extinctions?, March 18, 1999
By A Customer
This review is from: Quaternary Extinctions: A Prehistoric Revolution (Paperback)
This is THE reference on Quaternary extinctions. The beauty of this book is that it isn't just one person's opinion, but a collection of well-researched articles on Quaternary topics by some of the top minds in the field. College students, especially in the biosciences and geography disciplines, BUY THIS BOOK AND KEEP IT HANDY!
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3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Complete, well organized, easy to read., January 10, 2002
By 
"rthevy" (BU, Lennoxville, Canada) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Quaternary Extinctions: A Prehistoric Revolution (Paperback)
Being a French speaker, I didn't have any problem understand it and reading it. The subject is really well covered and written by many scientists. Many causes are explained.
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