Traces the history of the changing environments and evolution of the plant groups through the descriptions of the circa 52 sites, indicating the rise of conifers and cycads in the Mesozoic and, in Tertiary times, the angiosperms (flowering plants) which began to predominate at the expense of earlier plant types.

This Special Report comprehensively describes the stratigraphy and correlation of the Tertiary (Paleogene–Neogene) rocks of NW Europe and the adjacent Atlantic Ocean and is the summation of fifty years of research on Tertiary sediments by Chris King. His book is essential reading for all geologists who deal with Tertiary rocks across NW Europe, including those in the petroleum industry and geotechnical services as well as academic stratigraphers and palaeontologists. Introductory sections on chronostratigraphy, biostratigraphy and other methods of dating and correlation are followed by a regional summary of Tertiary sedimentary basins and their framework and an introduction to Tertiary igneous rocks. The third and largest segment comprises the regional stratigraphic summaries. Regions covered are the North Sea Basin, onshore areas of southern England and the eastern English Channel area, the North Atlantic margins (including non-marine basins in the Irish Sea and elsewhere) and the Paleogene igneous rocks of Scotland.

The contributions in this book explore several geologically significant sites and, in doing so, acknowledge and explore not just the geological exposures themselves, but also the people and issues that are fundamentally intertwined with the history of our science and its impact on our society. Through selective examples of outcrops and locales integral to the history of geology, we explore the evolution of modern geology, as well as the geodiversity and geoheritage of our planet. While the volume is far from comprehensive, the chapters contained herein detail a range for geoheritage value, scale of geoheritage sites and potential for geoheritage opportunities that will promote a broader, richer understanding of the complexity of the geoheritage of Earth. Importantly, many chapters offer a cautionary tale of sites almost lost to posterity and submit their take-away lessons for community mobilization towards geoheritage site protection.

Coupled with biomechanical data, organic geochemistry and cladistic analyses utilizing abundant genetic data, scientific studies are revealing new facets of how plants have evolved over time. This collection of papers examines these early stages of plant physiology evolution by describing the initial physiological adaptations necessary for survival as upright structures in a dry, terrestrial environment. The Evolution of Plant Physiology also encompasses physiology in its broadest sense to include biochemistry, histology, mechanics, development, growth, reproduction and with an emphasis on the interplay between physiology, development and plant evolution. - Contributions from leading neo- and palaeo-botanists from the Linnean Society - Focus on how evolution shaped photosynthesis, respiration, reproduction and metabolism. - Coverage of the effects of specific evolutionary forces -- variations in water and nutrient availability, grazing pressure, and other environmental variables

Although a small country, Scotland’s geology is complex, internationally renowned and offers an accessible outdoor research laboratory and training ground for earth science. The onshore and offshore geology together encompass examples of all Earth’s geological periods and preserve many classic examples of sedimentary basins and orogenic belts. Palaeontological findings have provided key evidence for the evolution of life. With a wide spectrum of contributors, full-colour figures and photographs and, for each chapter, a Topic Box highlighting key research developments and challenges, this 5th edition of The Geology of Scotland represents a major update and expansion from the 4th edition. A revised Introduction summarizes the geological evolution of Scotland, the nature of the crust and the societal relevance of geology to climate change and sustainability. The final three chapters provide a modern view on energy, water and minerals, environmental concerns and geoconservation. The intervening chapters cover the geological periods, including much new geochronological data and exciting new palaeontological discoveries.

This book is the first to describe the history of geoconservation. It draws on experience from the UK, Europe and further afield, to explore topics including: what is geoconservation; where, when and how did it start; who was responsible; and how has it differed across the world? Geological and geomorphological features, processes, sites and specimens, provide a resource of immense scientific and educational importance. They also form the foundation for the varied and spectacular landscapes that help define national and local identity as well as many of the great tourism destinations. Mankind's activities, including contributing to enhanced climate change, pose many threats to this resource: the importance of safeguarding and managing it for future generations is now widely accepted as part of sustainable development. Geoconservation is an established and growing activity across the world, with more participants and a greater profile than ever before. This volume highlights a history of challenges, set-backs, successes and visionary individuals and provides a sound basis for taking geoconservation into the future.