Miocene paleosols and ape habitats in Pakistan and Kenya / Gregory J. Retallack.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Retallack, Greg J. (Greg John), 1951-

Series:

Oxford monographs on geology and geophysics ; no. 19.

Oxford monographs on geology and geophysics ; no. 19

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Paleopedology--Pakistan.

Paleopedology.

Paleopedology--Kenya.

Apes, Fossil.

Paleontology--Miocene.

Paleontology.

Paleontology--Pakistan.

Paleontology--Kenya.

Kenya.

Pakistan.

Physical Description:

viii, 346 pages : illustrations ; 26 cm.

Place of Publication:

New York : Oxford University Press ; Oxford [England] : Clarendon Press, 1991.

Summary:

In this book, the habitats of our apelike ancestors of the Miocene epoch -- some 7 to 20 million years ago -- are re-examined from the perspective of knowledge yielded by the buried fossil soils in which they have been found. Fossilized soils, or paleosols, are distinctive layers within a sedimentary or volcanic sequence, and they also can be clues to former ecosystems and other aspects of paleoenvironments. Here the author characterizes in detail some 20 kinds of paleosols from the Kenyan and Pakistani localities for the dryopithicane and ramapithicine apes made famous by L.S.B. Leakey and D.R. Pilbeam. The extensive evidence cited allows for the reassessment of vegetation and landscape features of ancient tropical sites that are the source of much of what is known about our remote Miocene ancestors. The text also provides a basis for understanding paleosols formed in all tropical climates and alluvial settings, and offers a model for future research on human evolution and major events in the geological history of soils. It is a valuable resource for paleontologists, anthropologists, and soil scientists.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages [298]-322) and index.

ISBN:

0195060024

OCLC:

22911312