Interpreting Pre-Quaternary Climate from the Geologic Record

by Judith Totman Parrish

Overview

Within the geological science of paleoclimatology, the earth's pre-Quaternary period—more than two million years ago—has been studied systematically only since the 1960's, when geologists started to take seriously the concept that the continents have changed position on the earth's surface. In the decades since, the study of pre-Quaternary paleoclimatology has expanded greatly. A wide variety of methods have been developed to study pre-Quaternary climates, but until now, no single text has sought to synthesize those methods.

Judith Totman Parrish's text offers a much-needed entry point into the literature. While a number of previous books have dealt with climate models and paleoclimate, this is the first to offer a sustained exploration of the methods that are the foundation of any interpretation of earth processes. Focusing primarily on the description and analysis of paleoclimatic indicators-signals of a particular climate—this valuable reference work offers detailed explanations of biotic and lithologic indicators in the marine and terrestrial realms and includes case histories of paleoclimatic studies.

The most up-to-date and comprehensive volume on the subject, Interpreting Pre-Quaternary Climatefrom the Geologic Record will be an important resource for students and scientists alike. Parrish's focus on the established, underexploited, and controversial methods bring to light a spectrum of potential new avenues of research in this field.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780231102063
Publisher:	Columbia University Press
Publication date:	12/08/1998
Series:	The Critical Moments and Perspectives in Earth History and Paleobiology
Pages:	348
Product dimensions:	8.60(w) x 10.90(h) x 1.00(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Judith Totman Parrish is a professor of geosciences at the University of Arizona.

Table of Contents

Foreword
Introduction
Marine Biotic Indicators of Paleoclimate
Continental Biotic Indicators of Paleoclimate
Marine Lithologic Indicators of Paleoclimate
Continental Lithologic Indicators of Paleoclimate
Integrating Marine and Continental Paleoclimatic Records
Models
Case Histories of Paleoclimatic Studies

Editorial Reviews

An excellent resource for researchers and a beginning point for graduate students in pre-Quaternary climatology.

Northeastern Naturalist

A valuable sourcebook that describes how various indicators are used to interpret paleoclimate...This text is an excellent sourcebook for professors, students and researchers who want a basic grasp of pre-Quarternary climates.

Nina L. Baghain Scientist

A valuable sourcebook that describes how various indicators are used to interpret paleoclimate...This text is an excellent sourcebook for professors, students and researchers who want a basic grasp of pre-Quarternary climates.

American Scientist - Nina L. Baghai

A valuable sourcebook that describes how various indicators are used to interpret paleoclimate...This text is an excellent sourcebook for professors, students and researchers who want a basic grasp of pre-Quarternary climates.

Nina L. Baghai

This is the only book of its kind at present. It will be an extremely useful reference text not just for paleoclimatologists, but for many others -both researchers and students -who would like to know how their data can be useful to the full extent.

Jane Francis

Researchers and students will want to own this book for the sheer volume of information it contains. . . . Parrish offers a solid foundation for learning about the rich variety of geologic data available for understanding past climates.

Lisa Cirbus Sloan

Parrish (geosciences, U. of Arizona) synthesizes the paleoclimatological research on the pre-Quaternary history of the planet, which has only been studied since the 1960s, when geologists started taking seriously the notion that the continents have moved around on the surface. She explains in detail the geological and paleontological methods underlying any interpretation of Earth processes, focusing primarily on the description and analysis of paleoclimatic indicators, both biotic and lithologic, in marine and terrestrial realms. She also includes case histories. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.

Booknews

This is the only book of its kind at present. It will be an extremely useful reference text not just for paleoclimatologists, but for many others—both researchers and students—who would like to know how their data can be useful to the full extent.

GSA Today - Jane Francis

A valuable sourcebook that describes how various indicators are used to interpret paleoclimate...This text is an excellent sourcebook for professors, students and researchers who want a basic grasp of pre-Quarternary climates.

— Nina L. Baghai

American Scientist

This is the only book of its kind at present. It will be an extremely useful reference text not just for paleoclimatologists, but for many others — both researchers and students — who would like to know how their data can be useful to the full extent.

— Jane Francis, University of Leeds

GSA Today