Evolutionary Biology Of Ostracoda

There are many competitive works on the market concerning evolutionary biology, but this volume is quite distinctive in its idiographic aspect focusing on Ostracoda viewed from a wide range of disciplines, ages and environments. The book deals with various lines of idiographic biology and palaeontology of Ostracoda and nomothetic trials focusing strongly on evolutionary biology. Particular themes are morphology, biology, evolution, speciation, ecology, palaeoecology, deep sea fauna, biogeography, palaeobiogeography, biostratigraphy and exploration, all concerning Ostracoda. The last decade has witnessed a spectacular renewal of interest in the study of Otracoda, particularly in the evolutionary biology of Ostracoda, including speciation. Ostracoda are unique, ranging in age from the Cambrian period to modern times with carapaces ready to be preserved as fossils, providing various lines of invaluable evidence regarding evolutionary processes. More than 120 participants from 20 countries assembled at the Ninth International Symposium on Ostracoda and this book is a collection of all the papers presented at the Symposium, plus selected papers submitted by non-attending members. It presents an outstanding record of much pioneering research and will be of interest to specalists in Ostracoda as well as all earth and life scientists concerned with evolution. Its value is further enhanced by easy-to-use indexes of authors, localities and taxa.

Ostracoda (Crustacea) are potentially excellent model organisms for evolutionary studies, because they combine an extensive fossil record with a wide recent distribution and therefore allow studies on both patterns and processes leading to extant diversity. The main scientific domains contributing theories, concepts, and data to evolutionary biology are morphology (including ontogeny), palaeontology, genetics, and ecology, and to all of these aspects ostracods can contribute. This is clearly illustrated by the fifteen papers presented under Theme 3 of the 13th International Symposium on Ostracoda (Chatham, UK) in 1997 which are grouped in the present proceedings, one of three volumes resulting from this meeting. The contributions deal with the evolution of both extant and fossil forms (including most of the Phanaerozoic), ecology of both marine and freshwater taxa, and (developmental) morphology of both soft parts and valves. Although the canvas is wide, each paper clearly shows how studies on Ostracoda can be relevant to general theory on evolutionary biology and ecology.

The great diversity of ostracod applications in biology and palaeontology is clearly illustrated by eighteen papers from the 15th International Symposium on Ostracoda. Collectively, the contributions provide a comprehensive update of ongoing research and the latest findings in ostracod sciences. You’ll learn how ostracods are used as model groups in a variety of research studies, ranging from evolutionary biology to climate change.

Their story began 500 million years ago, but we only started to get to know them in 1746, when Linné described the first ostracod species. Vividly portraying the freshwater ostracods, this comprehensive reference work gathers the knowledge gained during some 250 years, but which to date has remained scattered throughout the literature. It starts with an introduction to the class Ostracoda with a special focus on freshwater ostracods and highlights practical methods in their study. The systematic part includes an introduction to all families; identification keys for all subfamilies, genera and species; diagnoses for each subfamily and genus; and lists of synonyms and distribution of species. The text is richly illustrated with distribution maps, line drawings of key generic characteristics, and numerous SEM photographs. Serving as an excellent starting point for all further research on freshwater ostracods, it can be widely used not only by ostracodologists, but also by crustaceologists, evolutionists and ecologists.

Ostracod crustaceans, common microfossils in marine and freshwater sedimentary records, supply evidence of past climatic conditions via indicator species, transfer function and mutual climatic range approaches as well as the trace element and stable isotope geochemistry of their shells. As methods of using ostracods as Quaternary palaeoclimate proxies have developed, so too has a critical awareness of their complexities, potential and limitations. This book combines up-to-date reviews (covering previous work and summarising the state of the art) with presentations of new, cutting-edge science (data and interpretations as well as methodological developments) to form a major reference work that will constitute a durable bench-mark in the science of Ostracoda and Quaternary climate change. In-depth and focused treatment of palaeoclimate applications Provides durable benchmark and guide for all future work on ostracods Presents new, cutting-edge science