Ichnology is the science of marks, tracks, trails, traces structures and other sources of evidence of biological activity, beyond the living beings themselves, when studied both in continents and oceans. In spite of its scientific value and interdisciplinary contribution, particularly in South America, in the complex task of identifying ancient environments, information is dispersed and sometimes even ignored. This book has recovered the remarkably abundant information that Ichnology of terrestrial environments has incorporated. The studied geographical regions are the Pampas of Argentina, vast lowlands with a wide latitudinal distribution in between the warm and wet subtropical areas and the cold deserts of Patagonia. Pedogenetic processes preserve tracks and marks found in sediments, rock surfaces and soils, revealing the activity of life forms. This book refers to a variety of signs of biological activity, particularly in ancient soils. This volume includes abundant original information and a meticulous revision of paleo-ichnological investigations, most by the author himself, one of the most important South American specialists, during many decades of his dedication to scientific research. The book includes a review of the stratigraphic sequences of the Cenozoic chronostratigraphic scheme. Firstly, the author provides a scrutiny of the continental ichnofacies and the ichnological record of the South American Cenozoic age. This is followed by chapters dedicated to the faunal associations of vertebrates, with very valuable information about the past climatic events and biogeographical changes, of undoubted value for those scholars interested in vertebrate Paleontology. Likewise, the highly relevant ichnotaxonomy is also developed exhaustively, with special reference to the essential activity of insects in the paleosols, mostly ants and termites. /divFinally, this book presents the most complete, extensive and up-dated bibliography in the subject, which is probably unique as such for southern South America and most of the world. Certainly, this is a book that will provide valuable scientific tools for those specialists interested in this infrequent discipline, either paleontologists, biologists, geologists, pedologists and sedimentologists.

This bibliography includes scientific articles on the Drakensberg, Maloti and Adjacent Lowlands published between 1808 and 2019. Although focusing on material appearing in accredited journals, there is such a wealth of information in the form of unpublished, yet traceable, reports, documents, presentations and dissertations, these are also included. The bibliography has two parts – a complete list arranged alphabetically, and the same references arranged in 33 different disciplines. These range from Palaeobotany with 17 entries, to Rock Art with 502 entries.

The book focuses on geological history as the critical factor in determining the present biodiversity and landscapes of Amazonia. The different driving mechanisms for landscape evolution are explored by reviewing the history of the Amazonian Craton, the associated sedimentary basins, and the role of mountain uplift and climate change. This book provdes an insight into the Meso- and Cenozoic record of Amazonia that was characterized by fluvial and long-lived lake systems and a highly diverse flora and fauna. This fauna includes giants such as the ca. 12 m long caiman Purussaurus, but also a varied fish fauna and fragile molluscs, whilst fossil pollen and spores form relics of ancestral swamps and rainforests. Finally, a review the molecular datasets of the modern Amazonian rainforest and aquatic ecosystem, discussing the possible relations between the origin of Amazonian species diversity and the palaeogeographic, palaeoclimatic and palaeoenvironmental evolution of northern South America. The multidisciplinary approach in evaluating the history of Amazonia has resulted in a comprehensive volume that provides novel insights into the evolution of this region.

“An enjoyable read that provides a substantial amount of detail on the biology, ecology, and distribution of these fantastic animals . . . Highly recommended.” —Choice More than 10,000 years ago spectacularly large mammals roamed the pampas and jungles of South America. This book tells the story of these great beasts during and just after the Pleistocene, the geological epoch marked by the great ice ages. Megafauna describes the history and way of life of these animals, their comings and goings, and what befell them at the beginning of the modern era and the arrival of humans. It places these giants within the context of the other mammals then alive, describing their paleobiology—how they walked; how much they weighed; their diets, behavior, biomechanics; and the interactions among them and with their environment. It also tells the stories of the scientists who contributed to our discovery and knowledge of these transcendent creatures and the environment they inhabited. The episode known as the Great American Biotic Interchange, perhaps the most important of all natural history “experiments,” is also an important theme of the book, tracing the biotic events of both North and South America that led to the fauna and the ecosystems discussed in this book. “Collectively, this book brings attention to the discovery and natural history of ancient beasts in South America while providing a broader temporal and geographic background that allows readers to understand their evolution and potential immigration to South America.” —Quarterly Review of Biology “An excellent volume . . . This book is likely to facilitate progress in the understanding of fossil mammals from the Americas.” —Priscum

Coastal exposures of the Santa Cruz Formation in southern Patagonia have been a fertile ground for recovery of Early Miocene vertebrates for more than 100 years. This volume presents a comprehensive compilation of important mammalian groups which continue to thrive today. It includes the most recent fossil finds as well as important new interpretations based on ten years of fieldwork by the authors. A key focus is placed on the paleoclimate and paleoenvironment during the time of deposition in the Middle Miocene Climatic Optimum (MMCO) between twenty and fifteen million years ago. The authors present the first reconstruction of what climatic conditions were like and present important new evidence of the geochronological age, habits and community structures of fossil bird and mammal species. Academic researchers and graduate students in paleontology, paleobiology, paleoecology, stratigraphy, climatology and geochronology will find this a valuable source of information about this fascinating geological formation.