The Vegetation of Antarctica through Geological Time

Looks at the fossil plant history of Antarctica and its relationship to the global record of environmental and climate change.

David J. Cantrill (Author), Imogen Poole (Author)

9780521855983, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 22 November 2012

490 pages, 61 b/w illus. 5 tables
25.2 x 17.8 x 2.8 cm, 1 kg

'[This] well-written, well-illustrated book contains instructive figures and tables, and has a comprehensive bibliography. This is an excellent reader or text for undergraduate or graduate students … Cantrill and Poole have set a high standard for future synthetic work in paleobotany, and have crafted a volume that is useful for both students and professionals. Highly recommended.' M. S. Zavada, Choice

The fossil history of plant life in Antarctica is central to our understanding of the evolution of vegetation through geological time and also plays a key role in reconstructing past configurations of the continents and associated climatic conditions. This book provides the only detailed overview of the development of Antarctic vegetation from the Devonian period to the present day, presenting Earth scientists with valuable insights into the break up of the ancient supercontinent of Gondwana. Details of specific floras and ecosystems are provided within the context of changing geological, geographical and environmental conditions, alongside comparisons with contemporaneous and modern ecosystems. The authors demonstrate how palaeobotany contributes to our understanding of the paleoenvironmental changes in the southern hemisphere during this period of Earth history. The book is a complete and up-to-date reference for researchers and students in Antarctic paleobotany and terrestrial paleoecology.

1. Introduction
2. Colonization of the land
3. Deglaciation and colonization of the South Pole
4. Mass extinction and life in the Triassic
5. Continental break up and its impact on Jurassic vegetation
6. Fern-conifer dominated lower Cretaceous (Aptian-Albian) ecosystems and the angiosperm invasion
7. The origin of southern temperate ecosystems
8. The heat is on: Paleogene floras and the Paleocene-Eocene warm period
9. After the heat: late Eocene to Pliocene climatic cooling and modification of the Antarctic vegetation
Index.

Subject Areas: Palaeontology [RBX], Earth sciences, geography, environment, planning [R], Botany & plant sciences [PST], Mathematics & science [P]