Paleontology in Ecology and Conservation

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-x

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2. Paleontology in Ecology and Conservation: An Introduction

   • Julien Louys

   Pages 1-7

3. Paleontology and Ecology: Their Common Origins and Later Split

   • David M. Wilkinson

   Pages 9-22

4. Ecology Needs a Paleontological Perspective

   • Julien Louys, David M. Wilkinson, Laura C. Bishop

   Pages 23-38

5. Reconciling Scale in Paleontological and Neontological Data: Dimensions of Time, Space, and Taxonomy

   • J. Bret Bennington, Myla F. J. Aronson

   Pages 39-67

6. Building Links Between Ecology and Paleontology Using Taphonomic Studies of Recent Vertebrate Communities

   • Anna K. Behrensmeyer, Joshua H. Miller

   Pages 69-91

7. Paleoecology in an Era of Climate Change: How the Past Can Provide Insights into the Future

   • Melissa I. Pardi, Felisa A. Smith

   Pages 93-116

8. The Ecology of Morphology: The Ecometrics of Locomotion and Macroenvironment in North American Snakes

   • A. Michelle Lawing, Jason J. Head, P. David Polly

   Pages 117-146

9. Biodiversity, Paleozoology, and Conservation Biology

   • R. Lee Lyman

   Pages 147-169

10. Long-Term Trends in Lineage ‘Health’ of the Australian Koala (Mammalia:Phascolarctidae): Using Paleo-diversity to Prioritize Species for Conservation

    • Gilbert J. Price

    Pages 171-192

11. The Past and Future of the Mammoth Steppe Ecosystem

    • Sergey A. Zimov, N. S. Zimov, F. S. Chapin III

    Pages 193-225

12. The Future of Mammals in Southeast Asia: Conservation Insights from the Fossil Record

    • Julien Louys

    Pages 227-238

13. Conservation Implications of Fossil Roan Antelope (Hippotragus equinus) in Southern Africa’s Cape Floristic Region

    • J. Tyler Faith

    Pages 239-251

14. Paleoecology and Conservation Paleobiology: Future Directions

    • Julien Louys

    Pages 253-262

15. Back Matter

    Pages 263-273

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The fossil record contains unique long-term insights into how ecosystems form and function which cannot be determined simply by examining modern systems. It also provides a record of endangered species through time, which allow us to make conservation decisions based on thousands to millions of years of information. The aim of this book is to demonstrate how palaeontological data has been or could be incorporated into ecological or conservation scientific studies. This book will be written by palaeontologists for modern ecologists and conservation scientists. Manuscripts will fall into one (or a combination) of four broad categories: case studies, review articles, practical considerations and future directions. This book will serve as both a ‘how to guide’ and provide the current state of knowledge for this type of research. It will highlight the unique and critical insights that can be gained by the inclusion of palaeontological data into modern ecological or conservation studies.

• Conservation
• Ecology
• Endangered species
• Fossil
• Palaeoecology
• Palaeontology

From the reviews:

“This book is aimed at researchers working in ecology and conservation who are interested in making use of the vast amount of information stored within the fossil record. The greatest strength of the book is that it teaches conservation planners how to access the vertebrate paleontological record, in order to extract the long-term demographic data that they require. … it provides the building blocks required in order to achieve greater integration between palaeo- and neo-ecology and conservation biology … .” (Elizabeth S. Jeffers, Frontiers of biogeography, Vol. 5 (1), 2013)

“This book is a must read for ecologists interested in biodiversity and the impact that human populations are having on the environment. Louys … has done a superb job of pulling together papers that highlight the interaction between the fields of paleontology and ecology. … Valuable for all ecologists and students in paleontology (earth sciences) and ecological studies, as well as students and faculty with an interest in biodiversity. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Students of all levels, researchers/faculty, and professionals/practitioners.” (T. A. Franz-Odendaal, Choice, Vol. 50 (4), December, 2012)

• , Geosciences, Queensland Museum, Hendra, Australia

  Julien Louys

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