Encyclopedia of Geology, Second Edition presents in six volumes state-of-the-art reviews on the various aspects of geologic research, all of which have moved on considerably since the writing of the first edition. New areas of discussion include extinctions, origins of life, plate tectonics and its influence on faunal provinces, new types of mineral and hydrocarbon deposits, new methods of dating rocks, and geological processes. Users will find this to be a fundamental resource for teachers and students of geology, as well as researchers and non-geology professionals seeking up-to-date reviews of geologic research. Provides a comprehensive and accessible one-stop shop for information on the subject of geology, explaining methodologies and technical jargon used in the field Highlights connections between geology and other physical and biological sciences, tackling research problems that span multiple fields Fills a critical gap of information in a field that has seen significant progress in past years Presents an ideal reference for a wide range of scientists in earth and environmental areas of study

Concern about the effects of global change on our planet's future has driven much research into the last few thousand years of earth history. In contrast, this volume takes a much longer viewpoint to provide a historical perspective to recent and future global change. Over 40 international specialists investigate the reaction of life to global environmental changes, from Cretaceous times to the turn of the century. During this time earth's climate has changed from a very warm, 'greenhouse' phase with no significant ice sheets to today's 'ice-house' world. A wide spectrum of animal, plant and protistan life is discussed, encompassing terrestrial, shallow-marine and deep-marine realms. Each chapter considers a particular taxonomic group, looking first at the general picture and then focusing on more specialized aspects such as extinctions, diversity and biogeography. This volume will form an invaluable reference for researchers and graduate students in paleontology, geology, biology, oceanography and climatology.

This book documents analyses of the Late Cretaceous dinosaur nesting sites of the Lameta Formation at Jabalpur, Districts Dhar and Jhabua, Madhya Pradesh; Districts Kheda and Panchmahal (Gujarat); and the Pisdura, Dongargaon and Pavna sectors in the Chandrapur Districts of Maharashtra, which are exposed in India along an east-west and central axis. In this work, special emphasis has been given to the dinosaur nesting sites of the east-central Narbada River region, including its regional geology. The work was undertaken to provide detailed information concerning dinosaur eggs, eggshell fragments, nests and clutches found in the Lameta Formation of peninsular India. Prior to the present work there had been no detailed review of systematic work on the taxonomy, and of micro- and ultrastructural studies of dinosaur eggs and eggshells from the Lameta Formation. The study documents the field and laboratory investigations that facilitated the reconstruction of the morphotaxonomy, models for the burial pattern of eggs and eggshells, taphonomic implications,and the palaeoenvironmental context and palaeoecological conditions during the Late Cretaceous at the time of the extrusion of the Deccan traps, which may have been partly responsible for the extinction of the dinosaurs. The need to follow a parataxonomic classification for Indian dinosaur eggs and eggshell types is very apparent, and this book addresses this aspect in some detail. The emphasis on the application of parataxonomic schemes is based on the description of new oospecies and their comparison with previously known forms. The present work has led to the recovery of numerous nests, many collapsed eggs and hundreds of dinosaur eggshell fragments from the localities situated near the east, west and central Narbada River regions. It will be of interest to academics and professional palaeontologists, and all students of dinosaurs.

From Cretaceous times to the present, the Earth's climate changed from a very warm, "greenhouse" phase with no ice sheets to the "ice-house" world of today. In this book over forty specialists investigate the many ways that life has reacted to the global environmental changes that have taken place during this period. Coverage details a wide spectrum of animal, plant, and protistan life, with the focus on aspects such as extinctions, diversity, and biogeography. This volume will be an invaluable reference for researchers and graduate students in paleontology, geology, biology, oceanography and climatology.

This book describes the microbiota of the intertrappean beds in the Chhindwara District, Madhya Pradesh, India. In this work, special emphasis is placed on the microbiota from the Late Cretaceous-Early Palaeocene transition of the central Narmada River region. Recently, the intertrappean beds of the Eastern Deccan Volcanic Province (one of the subprovinces of the Deccan Volcanic Province) have received considerable attention, which resulted in the addition of some significant biotic assemblages to the existing record from the Dindori-Chhindwara area of the province. The biotic assemblages include charophytes, ostracods, foraminiferans, fishes, frogs, lizards, turtles, crocodiles, and mammals. In spite of the recent discoveries, the known fossil record of the Late Cretaceous-Early Palaeocene biota of India is not sufficient and thus does not permit us to speculate on the possible impact of environmental changes triggered by the Deccan volcanic lava flows on the contemporary biota and to precisely document their palaeoecologic, palaeoenvironmental and palaeobiogeographic implications. The recent biotic reports from the intertrappean beds exposed in the Chhindwara region of the Eastern Deccan Volcanic Province clearly indicate that these beds have a vast potential in terms of fossil content, which could reveal new and dissimilar biotic remains when compared to the Western Deccan Volcanic Province. The record of diverse accumulations of freshwater charophytes, brackish to freshwater ostracods, and planktic foraminiferal and fish assemblages from the intertrappean beds of Jhilmili and adjacent areas of Early Danian (P1a) age and lying just north of Chhindwara town and in the heart of peninsular India has intriguing implications for defining the age limits of the basaltic flows. The occurrence of non-marine taxa, for example, algae, molluscs, and vertebrates, associated with brackish water ostracods in the nearby Singpur and Mohgaon Kalan localities of the Chhindwara region, has also raised concerns about the sedimentary environments of these intertrappean beds. The new finds (presented in this book) prove useful for the better understanding of the palaeoecology and palaeoenvironment of the biota and also throw light on various paleobiogeographic models proposed for the northward drifting Indian plate. The microbiotic assemblages of the intertrappean beds of the eastern Deccan volcanic province at District Chhindwara, Madhya Pradesh are documented in this book. The microbiota of the central Narmada River region, the charophytes, ostracods, planktic foraminifera, and fishes, receive special attention in this study.

This edited book summarizes numerous research studies on remote sensing and GIS of natural resource management for the Himalaya region done by Indian Institutions and Universities over the last decade. It gives an overview of hydrometeorological studies on Himalayan water resources and addresses concerns in the development of water resources in this region, which is dealing with an increased pressure in population, industrialization and economic development. While the source of some of the major rivers of India are found in the Himalayas, the glaciers and water bodies in the region are continuously shrinking leading to a depletion of water and deterioration of water quality. This is affecting a population of up to 2.5 billion people. The ecosystems have been under threat due to deforestation, loss of biodiversity, expansion of agriculture and settlement, overexploitation of natural resources, habitat loss and fragmentation, poaching, mining, construction of roads and large dams, and unplanned tourism. Spaceborne remote sensing with its ability to provide synoptic and repetitive coverage has emerged as a powerful tool for assessment and monitoring of the Himalayan resources and phenomena. This work serves as a resource to students, researchers, scientists, professionals, and policy makers both in India and on a global level.