This book was originally published in 1989. The dramatic radiation of the angiosperms towards the end of the Early Cretaceous initiated major changes in terrestrial ecosystems throughout the world. Dramatic changes in the flora and fauna were exemplified by the development of angiosperm-dominated plant communities and the rapid diversification of mammals, birds and insects. Written specifically for use by advanced undergraduate and graduate students, the book presents an overview of works on the origins of angiosperms and the ecological effects upon terrestrial life of their rapid radiation. It will be of particular value to students of palaeobiology and ecology, as well as to those studying evolutionary biology and systematics.

This reference work provides an comprehensive and easily accessible source of information on numerous aspects of Evolutionary Developmental Biology. The work provides an extended overview on the current state of the art of this interdisciplinary and dynamic scientific field. The work is organized in thematic sections, referring to the specific requirements and interests in each section in far detail. “Evolutionary Developmental Biology – A Reference Guide” is intended to provide a resource of knowledge for researchers engaged in evolutionary biology, developmental biology, theoretical biology, philosophy of sciences and history of biology.

The recent discovery of diverse fossil flowers and floral organs in Cretaceous strata has revealed astonishing details about the structural and systematic diversity of early angiosperms. Exploring the rich fossil record that has accumulated over the last three decades, this is a unique study of the evolutionary history of flowering plants from their earliest phases in obscurity to their dominance in modern vegetation. The discussion provides comprehensive biological and geological background information, before moving on to summarise the fossil record in detail. Including previously unpublished results based on research into Early and Late Cretaceous fossil floras from Europe and North America, the authors draw on direct palaeontological evidence of the pattern of angiosperm evolution through time. Synthesising palaeobotanical data with information from living plants, this unique book explores the latest research in the field, highlighting connections with phylogenetic systematics, structure and the biology of extant angiosperms.

Angiosperms are the most diversi ed plant group in the world, being represented by ca 300,000 species in about 400 families. Like all of Life, including ourselves, they have had their own history and gone through many evolutionary stages before they arrived at their current forms. The origin of Angiospermae ( owering plants) has been the subject of much dispute because this is a key event in the history of life, and has a far-reaching in uence on our understanding of relationships among seed plants as a whole as well as within the angiosperms. Until recently most of palae- otanists recognized angiosperms only from the Cretaceous and younger strata. This contradicts the results of molecular analyses. I have been working on Mesozoic fossil plants for the past two decades, during which time I have studied a number of fossil plants. Some of these fossil plants have been published as Jurassic angiosperms, and, unsurprisingly, many questions and doubts have been raised about them. These questions need to be addressed se- ously and journal papers do not provide suf cient space to compare and relate these early angiosperms. In this book these pioneer angiosperms are documented in detail, sometimes with new specimens not studied before. Also, I propose a de nition of angiosperms that could be adopted in palaeobotany. My aim is to improve clarity and objectivity of judgment about what constitutes a fossil angiosperm.

Concepts of Biology is designed for the single-semester introduction to biology course for non-science majors, which for many students is their only college-level science course. As such, this course represents an important opportunity for students to develop the necessary knowledge, tools, and skills to make informed decisions as they continue with their lives. Rather than being mired down with facts and vocabulary, the typical non-science major student needs information presented in a way that is easy to read and understand. Even more importantly, the content should be meaningful. Students do much better when they understand why biology is relevant to their everyday lives. For these reasons, Concepts of Biology is grounded on an evolutionary basis and includes exciting features that highlight careers in the biological sciences and everyday applications of the concepts at hand.We also strive to show the interconnectedness of topics within this extremely broad discipline. In order to meet the needs of today's instructors and students, we maintain the overall organization and coverage found in most syllabi for this course. A strength of Concepts of Biology is that instructors can customize the book, adapting it to the approach that works best in their classroom. Concepts of Biology also includes an innovative art program that incorporates critical thinking and clicker questions to help students understand--and apply--key concepts.

The enigmatic origins of the dominant flowering plant groups are reviewed in this book.