The rapid evolution of terrestrial ecosystems in the Devonian Period combined with climate change and many global events had a pronounced influence on sedimentation and biodiversity in various terrestrial and marine settings. This volume presents a number of case studies which cover the following topics land-sea transitional settings, the role of ecological-evolutionary subunits, the diversity and palaeoecology of reef building organisms and microfloras with respect to sedimentary processes and global events.

Rugose corals of the Family Phillipsastreidae are abundant, diverse, and geographically widespread in the Frasnian (lower Upper Devonian) of western Canada.

Invertebrate Palaeontology and Evolution is well establishedas the foremost palaeontology text at the undergraduate level. Thisfully revised fourth edition includes a complete update of thesections on evolution and the fossil record, and the evolution ofthe early metazoans. New work on the classification of the major phyla (inparticular brachiopods and molluscs) has been incorporated. The section on trace fossils is extensively rewritten. The author has taken care to involve specialists in the majorgroups, to ensure the taxonomy is as up-to-date and accurate aspossible.

The existence of rapid and even catastrophic turnovers within the Phanerozoic ecosystems has been discussed controversially for more than 170 years. Since 1980 this discussion has become even more intensive after the hypothesis of Alvarez, explaining the end-Cretaceous mass extinction as the result of a huge asteroid impact on the Earth. This theory stimulated several thousand papers and is still controversial. The international research programme on "Global Biological Events in Earth History" attempts to bring the discussion back to the facts by using multidisciplinary investigations of the major Phanerozoic events. The results of an international group of experts are presented giving a wealth of information and a thorough discussion of the causes of the various global events.

The Geological Evolution of Australia and New Zealand focuses on the stratigraphy of Australia and New Zealand. This compendium covers the stratigraphy, paleogeography, and paleontology of various systems, including the Precambrian, Cambrian, Ordovician, Silurian, Devonian, and Carboniferous systems. Tectonism and igneous activity of these systems are also examined in this collection. Other systems considered are the Permian, Triassic, Jurassic, Cretaceous, Tertiary, and Quaternary systems. This book will be invaluable to archeologists, historians, researchers, and academicians interested in the stratigraphy of Australia and New Zealand, as well as those who wish to study the rock formation of their respective location.