Being the only place in the northern North Atlantic yielding late Cainozoic terrestrial sediments rich in plant fossils, Iceland provides a unique archive for vegetation and climate development in this region. This book includes the complete plant fossil record from Iceland spanning the past 15 million years. Eleven sedimentary rock formations containing over 320 plant taxa are described. For each flora, palaeoecology and floristic affinities within the Northern Hemisphere are established. The exceptional fossil record allows a deeper understanding of the role of the “North Atlantic Land Bridge” for intercontinental plant migration and of the Gulf Stream-North Atlantic Current system for regional climatic evolution. ’Iceland sits as a “fossil trap” on one of the most interesting biogeographic exchange routes on the planet - the North Atlantic. The fossil floras of Iceland document both local vegetational response to global climate change, and more importantly, help to document the nature of biotic migration across the North Atlantic in the last 15 million years. In this state-of-the-art volume, the authors place sequential floras in their paleogeographic, paleoclimatic and geologic context, and extract a detailed history of biotic response to the dynamics of physical change.’ Bruce H. Tiffney, University of California, Santa Barbara ’This beautifully-illustrated monograph of the macro- and microfloras from the late Cenozoic of Iceland is a worthy successor to Oswald Heer’s “Flora fossilis arctica”. Its broad scope makes it a must for all scientists interested in climatic change and palaeobiogeography in the North Atlantic region. It will remain a classic for years to come.’ David K. Ferguson, University of Vienna

This book simulates a historical walk through nature, teaching readers about the biodiversity on Earth in various eras with a focus on past terrestrial environments. Geared towards a student audience, using simple terms and avoiding long complex explanations, the book discusses the plants and animals that lived on land, the evolution of natural systems, and how these biological systems changed over time in geological and paleontological contexts. With easy-to-understand and scientifically accurate and up-to-date information, readers will be guided through major biological events from the Earth's past. The topics in the book represent a broad paleoenvironmental spectrum of interests and educational modules, allowing for virtual visits to rich geological times. Eras and events that are discussed include, but are not limited to, the much varied Quaternary environments, the evolution of plants and animals during the Cenozoic, the rise of angiosperms, vertebrate evolution and ecosystems in the Mesozoic, the Permian mass extinction, the late Paleozoic glaciation, and the origin of the first trees and land plants in the Devonian-Ordovician. With state-of-the art expert scientific instruction on these topics and up-to-date and scientifically accurate illustrations, this book can serve as an international course for students, teachers, and other interested individuals.

Iceland is known as “the land of fire and ice”. Those who come to know this country intimately, however, can see that even the island’s inhabitants are full of fire. They are hearty, honest, and proud of their ancestors. This book is dedicated to the Icelandic men and women involved in prospecting and mining of Icelandic coal deposits during the First and Second World Wars. Their effort helped the nation survive cruel periods of war and commercial blockades. The book is the first to provide a self-contained overview of the history of coal mining in Iceland, including extensive introductory chapters on the geology of the island and the origin of coal-bearing formations. The histories of exploratory works, mining methods, and mining companies also find their place in the book. The focal point, however, lies in the description of individual coal mines, ranging from the largest systems of adits and galleries of commercial origin to small pits utilized by local farmers. Besides its historical-economic aspect, the book will be of great significance for the support of geoheritage and the promotion and protection of inanimate nature. It will appeal to a wide range of readers, such as historians, anthropologists, geologists, paleontologists, climatologists, and the general public interested in the history and nature of this beautiful Nordic country.

This volume sheds new light on the marine fauna and geological setting of the Tjörnes Sequence, North Iceland, which is a classic site for the Pliocene and Pleistocene stratigraphy of the North Atlantic region. Readers will discover descriptions of new data collected by the editors over a period of over three decades on marine faunal assemblages and sedimentology available for palaeoenvironmental reconstructions, as well as the tectonic and stratigraphical relationships on Tjörnes Peninsula. The book includes a comprehensive account of all the collections of marine fossil invertebrate macrofossils and foraminifera known to the editors from the Tjörnes Sequence. It is expected to elucidate sedimentological and faunal changes from relatively stable Pliocene conditions to highly variable and periodically harsh climatic conditions of recurring Quaternary glaciations. The distribution, recent or fossil, of various species is recorded and pertinent ecological and biological features are also discussed. The Tjörnes Sequence records the Neogene migration of Pacific species into the North Atlantic. Researchers in geology, climate science, environmental science and earth science will find this book particularly valuable.

Explore the dramatic forces that have shaped the Icelandic landscape over 30 million years Iceland's formation and ongoing evolution offers a masterclass in geophysical processes. Iceland: Tectonics, Volcanics, and Glacial Features presents a regional guide to the landscape of this unique island. Accessible to academics, students, novice geologists, and tourists alike, chapters reflect the most popular way to explore the island, beginning in the southwest region and ending in the northwest. Volume highlights include: An overview of Iceland's geologic history Exploration of the dynamic tectonic setting that has shaped the island Descriptions of landscape features of active and extinct volcanoes Discussion of the impact of glaciation in the past and present Techniques for monitoring geologic hazards Developments in harnessing geothermal energy The American Geophysical Union promotes discovery in Earth and space science for the benefit of humanity. Its publications disseminate scientific knowledge and provide resources for researchers, students, and professionals. This book was a finalist for the 2021 PROSE Award for Earth Science! Find out more about this book in this short video and a Q&A with the author

Mineral resources, vital for any society, have historically driven exploration in Iceland through three key phases. Early Icelandic settlers to America and Australia got hooked on gold exploration at the onset of the nineteenth century, and brought this knowledge back when they returned home. In the 1970s, Yugoslav geologist Slobodan Janković led a comprehensive exploration for economic resources, especially metals around large intrusions. The 1990s marked the third phase, linking geothermal systems to gold and metal deposition, exemplified by metal-rich scales in the Reykjanes peninsula. This book covers historical accounts, newspaper stories, and scientific results. The first chapters explore ore deposits in old volcanic centres, silicic bodies and young volcanic systems. The second section covers story-cases about gold, silver and other metals, and also includes a chapter focused on the Faeroe Islands, the nearby archipelago with a similar geology to Iceland.

The volcanic island of Iceland is a unique geological place due both to its position in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean and its repeated glaciations. It has been an accurate recorder of geodynamic and regional climatic evolutions for at least the last 15 million years. This book traces the history of Iceland, which is linked to the opening of the North Atlantic and the reactivation of the ancient suture of the Iapetus Ocean. It gives a view of climate evolution that is partly controlled by the dynamics of the ocean floor and analyzes the movement of the Jan Mayen tectonic plate and the progressive insularization of the Greenland–Faroe Ridge, which gave birth to Iceland. It also tries to understand the formation and migration of the deep Iceland hotspot and the lava flows that have, for millions of years, shaped this island. This book brings together the internal and external geodynamics of our planet to understand how Iceland functions and its role as a recorder of the paleoclimatic evolution of the Northern Hemisphere.