Historical Geology 8th Edition: Evolution of Earth & Life Through Time

Historical Geology 8th Edition Evolution of Earth & Life Through Time  | ISBN-13 9781305119567

Book Description :

Historical Geology: Evolution of Earth & Life Through Time, 8th Edition provides students with a comprehensive understanding of the principles of historical geology and their application in unraveling Earth’s complex history. This textbook emphasizes the interconnectedness of Earth’s systems and subsystems, helping students understand how these dynamic systems have shaped the planet over geological time.

Students will explore the underlying causes of significant events in Earth’s history and learn how to interpret these events within the broader context of Earth’s evolving systems. The book’s approach ensures that students grasp the relevance of Earth’s history as part of an integrated, dynamic system rather than a series of isolated and unrelated occurrences.

The 8th Edition covers essential topics such as the origin of the universe, plate tectonics, the rock cycle, geologic time, and the evolution of life. With a clear, concise presentation of complex concepts, this textbook is an invaluable resource for students studying historical geology.

Key Features:

• Comprehensive Coverage: Explores the principles of historical geology and their application in understanding Earth’s history.
• Integrated Systems Approach: Emphasizes the interconnectedness of Earth’s systems and subsystems, providing a holistic view of geological processes.
• Clear Explanations: Breaks down complex concepts into understandable segments, making it easier for students to grasp the material.
• Relevance to Modern Issues: Helps students understand the relevance of Earth’s history in the context of current environmental and geological challenges.

Table of Content: 

1. The Dynamic and Evolving Earth

• Introduction
• What Is Geology?
• Historical Geology and the Formulation of Theories
• Origin of the Universe and Solar System, and Earth’s Place in Them
• Plate Tectonic Theory
• Organic Evolution and the History of Life
• Geologic Time and Uniformitarianism
• How Does the Study of Historical Geology Benefit Us?

2. Minerals and Rocks

• Matter and Its Composition
• Elements and Atoms
• Minerals—The Building Blocks of Rocks
• Rock-Forming Minerals and the Rock Cycle
• Igneous, Sedimentary, and Metamorphic Rocks

3. Plate Tectonics: A Unifying Theory

• Continental Drift Hypothesis
• Evidence for Continental Drift
• Plate Tectonics: A Unifying Theory
• Plate Boundaries: Divergent, Convergent, and Transform
• Hot Spots and Mantle Plumes
• Plate Tectonics and Mountain Building
• Plate Tectonics and the Distribution of Life and Natural Resources

4. Geologic Time: Concepts and Principles

• Geologic Time Measurement
• Relative and Numerical Dating Methods
• Radioactive Decay and Isotopes
• Geologic Time and Climate Change

5. Rocks, Fossils, and Time: Making Sense of the Geologic Record

• Stratigraphy and Vertical Stratigraphic Relationships
• Marine Transgressions and Regressions
• Fossils and Fossilization
• The Relative Geologic Time Scale
• Correlation and Absolute Dates

6. Sedimentary Rocks: The Archives of Earth History

• Sedimentary Rock Properties
• Sedimentary Structures
• Depositional Environments: Continental, Transitional, and Marine
• Interpreting Depositional Environments
• Paleogeography

7. Evolution: The Theory and Its Supporting Evidence

• Evolution and Natural Selection
• Mendel’s Experiments and the Birth of Genetics
• The Modern View of Evolution
• Fossils as Evidence for Evolutionary Theory
• Extinctions and Evolutionary Trends

8. Precambrian Earth and Life History: The Hadean and the Archean Eon

• Hadean Earth History
• Archean Earth History and Greenstone Belts
• The Atmosphere and Hydrosphere
• The Origin and Early History of Life

9. Precambrian Earth and Life History: The Proterozoic Eon

• Proterozoic History of Laurentia
• Proterozoic Supercontinents and Glaciers
• The Evolving Atmosphere
• Proterozoic Life: Eukaryotic Cells and Multicelled Organisms

10. Early Paleozoic Earth History

• Continental Architecture: Cratons and Mobile Belts
• Early Paleozoic Evolution of North America
• The Sauk and Tippecanoe Sequences
• Appalachian Mobile Belt and the Taconic Orogeny

11. Late Paleozoic Earth History

• Late Paleozoic Paleogeography
• Devonian, Carboniferous, and Permian Periods
• Kaskaskia and Absaroka Sequences
• Late Paleozoic Mobile Belts and Pangaea Formation

12. Paleozoic Life History: Invertebrates

• The Cambrian Explosion
• Paleozoic Invertebrate Marine Life
• Mass Extinctions and the Permian Mass Extinction

13. Paleozoic Life History: Vertebrates and Plants

• Vertebrate Evolution: Fish, Amphibians, and Reptiles
• Plant Evolution: Silurian to Permian Floras

14. Mesozoic Earth History

• The Breakup of Pangaea
• Mesozoic History of North America
• Mesozoic Tectonics and Sedimentation

15. Life of the Mesozoic Era

• Marine Invertebrates, Phytoplankton, and Vertebrates
• The Diversification of Reptiles, Dinosaurs, and the Origin of Mammals
• Mesozoic Mass Extinctions

16. Cenozoic Earth History: The Paleogene and Neogene Periods

• Cenozoic Plate Tectonics and Orogenic Belts
• North American Cordillera and the Laramide Orogeny
• Cenozoic History of the Appalachian Mountains

17. Cenozoic Earth History: The Quaternary Period

• Pleistocene and Holocene Tectonism and Volcanism
• Onset of the Ice Age and Glaciation Effects
• Milankovitch Theory and Short-Term Climatic Events

18. Life of the Cenozoic Era

• The Age of Mammals: Placental Mammals, Carnivores, and Ungulates
• Primates and Human Evolution
• Pleistocene Extinctions and Intercontinental Migrations

19. Primate and Human Evolution

• Evolution of Primates and Hominins
• The Human Lineage and Significant Discoveries