| Description |
1 online resource |
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text txt rdacontent |
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computer c rdamedia |
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online resource cr rdacarrier |
| Series |
Earth system - environmental sciences |
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Earth system -- environmental sciences.
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| Bibliography |
Includes bibliographical references and index. |
| Summary |
The fossil record of giant flightless birds extends back to the Late Cretaceous, more than 70 million years ago, but our understanding of these extinct birds is still incomplete. This is partly because the number of specimens available is sometimes limited, but also because widely different approaches have been used to study them, with sometimes contradictory results. This book summarizes the current knowledge of the paleobiology of seven groups of giant flightless birds: Dinornithiformes, Aepyornithiformes, Dromornithidae, Phorusrhacidae, Brontornithidae, Gastornithidae and Gargantuavis. The first chapter presents the global diversity of these birds and reviews the tools and methods used to study their paleobiology. Chapters 2 to 8 are each dedicated to one of the seven groups of extinct birds. Finally, a conclusion offers a global synthesis of the information presented in the book in an attempt to define a common evolutionary model. Focuses on the giant flightless birds that evolved independently in different parts of the world since the Cretaceous periodCovers a number of different families with different evolutionary histories, providing a source of interesting comparisonsProvides emphasis on the palaeobiology of these birds, including their evolution, adaptations, mode of life, ecology and extinction. |
| Note |
Vendor-supplied metadata. |
| Contents |
Front Cover; Paleobiology of Giant Flightless Birds; Copyright; Contents; Acknowledgments; Preface; 1. General Introduction; 1.1. Bird evolution; 1.2. Extant large terrestrial birds; 1.3. General stratigraphic distribution; 1.4. General geographical distribution; 1.5. Phylogenetic position of large terrestrial fossil birds; 1.6. Methodological approaaches used; 1.7. Organization of the book; 2. Dinornithiformes; 2.1. Historical background; 2.2. Taxonomy, systematics and classification; 2.3. Strratigraphic and geographical distribution; 2.4. Anatomy; 2.5. Paleophysiology and paleoecology. |
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2.6. Paleoenvironment2.7. Extinction; 3. Aepyornithiformes; 3.1. Historical background; 3.2. Taxonomy, systematics and classification; 3.3. Stratigraphic and geographical distribution; 3.4. Anatomy; 3.5. Paleophysiology and paleoecology; 3.6. Paleoenvironment; 3.7. Extinction; 4. Dromornithidae; 4.1. Historical background; 4.2. Taxonomy, systematics and classification; 4.3. Stratigraphic and geographical distribution; 4.4. Anatomy; 4.5. Paleophysiology and paleoecology; 4.6. Paleoenvironment; 4.7. Extinction; 5. Phorusrhacidae; 5.1. Historical background. |
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5.2. Taxonomy, systematics and classification5.3. Stratigraphic and geographical distribution; 5.4. Anatomy; 5.5. Paleophysiology and paleoecology; 5.7. Paleoenvironment; 5.6. Extinction; 6. Brontornithidae; 6.1. Historical background; 6.2. Taxonomy, systematics and classification; 6.3. Stratigraphic and geographical distribution; 6.4. Anatomy; 6.5. Paleophysiology and paleoecology; 6.6. Paleoenvironment; 6.7. Extinction; 7. Gastornithidae; 7.1. Historical background; 7.2. Taxonomy, systematics and classification; 7.3. Stratigraphic and geographical distribution; 7.4. Anatomy. |
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7.5. Paleophysiology and paleoecology7.6. Extinction; 8. Gargantuavis; 8.1. Historical background; 8.2. Taxonomy, systematics and classification; 8.3. Stratigraphic and geographical distribution; 8.4. Anatomy; 8.5. Paleophysiology and paleoecology; 8.6. Extinction; General Conclusions; An ancient and recurring phenomenon; Convergent evolution; Locomotory and diet adaptations; Geographical isolation and the structure of ecosystems; Extinction; Bibliography; Index. |
| Subject |
Birds, Fossil.
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Flightless birds -- Evolution.
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Paleobiology.
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Oiseaux fossiles.
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Oiseaux incapables de voler -- Évolution.
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Paléobiologie.
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NATURE -- Fossils.
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NATURE -- Animals -- Birds.
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Birds, Fossil
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Paleobiology
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| Added Author |
Buffetaut, Éric, author.
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| Other Form: |
Print version: Angst, Delphine. Palaeobiology of giant flightless birds. London, England ; Oxford, England : ISTE Press : Elsevier, ©2017 xiv, 281 pages 9781785481369 |
| ISBN |
9780081011430 (electronic bk.) |
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0081011431 (electronic bk.) |
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1785481363 |
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9781785481369 |
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9781785481369 |
| Standard No. |
AU@ 000061257772 |
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GBVCP 1010464477 |
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