Applications of Palaeontology: Techniques and Case Studies

Description:

Palaeontology, the scientific study of fossils, has developed from a descriptive science to an analytical science used to interpret relationships between earth and life history. This book provides a comprehensive and thematic treatment of applied palaeontology, covering the use of fossils in the ordering of rocks in time and in space, in biostratigraphy, palaeobiology and sequence stratigraphy. The author presents a practical workflow for applied palaeontology, including sample acquisition, preparation and analysis, and interpretation and integration. He then presents numerous case studies that demonstrate the applicability and value of the subject to areas such as petroleum, mineral and coal exploration and exploitation, engineering geology and environmental science. Specialist applications outside of the geosciences (including archaeology, forensic science, medical palynology, entomopalynology and melissopalynology) are also addressed. Abundantly illustrated and referenced, provides a user-friendly reference for academic researchers and professionals across a range of disciplines and industry settings.

- Looks beyond palaeontology as an academic discipline to demonstrate its importance in economic, industrial and environmental applications

- Abundant illustrations provide a valuable reference for fossil identification and the stratigraphic range of key fossil groups

- Focus boxes highlight specific regional examples and real-world uses