Several weeks ago, I promised to compile a list of selected references on
taphonomy and paleoecology for Conch-L. Well, the wheels rotate slowly, but
eventually they reach their destination.
 
Taphonomy is the study of how organisms are fossilized. Paleoecology is the
study of ancient ecology, i.e., how and where ancient plants and animals
lived and interacted with one another and with their environment. Most of
these books are available in college libraries, or by interlibrary loan
through city and county libraries. Most are out of print, except for the
ones published in the past ten years. I've included books on vertebrate
taphonomy because the basic concepts are the same. In addition to those
listed here, many textbooks on general paleontology contain chapters on
paleoecology and taphonomy. Textbooks on paleoecology in Russian and French
are also available; this is very much an international science.
 
Ager, Derek V., 1963, Principles of paleoecology: an introduction to the
study of how and where animals and plants lived in the past: New York,
McGraw-Hill Book Company, xi + 371 p. Written at about the same level as
Scientific American. Engaging reading (not too much on any one topic) and
still worth reading, though showing its age. A good pace to start for
paleoecology.
 
Boucot, Arthur J., 1981, Principles of benthic marine paleoecology: New
York, Academic Press, xiii + 463 p. One of the best-illustrated of the
college-level textbooks.
 
Dodd, J, Robert, and Stanton, Robert J., Jr., 1981, Paleoecology, concepts
and applications: New York, John Wiley & Sons, xiv + 559 p. College-level
text, and not the best place to begin, as its style is rather dense.
 
Laporte, Leo F., 1968, Ancient environments (2nd edition): Englewood
Cliffs, New Jersey, Prentice-Hall, 163 p. Scientific American level. Good
stuff, well illustrated, and brief. Recommended as a good place to start
for paleoecology.
 
Lyman, R. Lee, 1994, Vertebrate taphonomy: New York and Cambridge,
Cambridge University Press, xxvi + 524 p. College-level text.
 
Schaefer, Wilhelm, Aktuo-Palaeontologie nach Studien in der Nordsee:
Frankfurt, Verlag Waldemar Kramer, 666 p. Translated to English in 1972 as:
Ecology and palaeoecology of marine environments: Chicago, University of
Chicago Press, 568 p. "Schafer" is spelled with an umlaut over the "a". As
the German title says, this college-level work deals with the North Sea,
summarizing the work of a generation of biologists and geologists. And what
a book it is! The illustrations include both photos and careful pen-and-ink
drawings that qualify as art even though the subject matter is often
something as repulsive as a dead floating dolphin. Deals with vertebrates
and invertebrates.
 
Shipman, Pat, 1981, Life history of a fossil: an introduction to taphonomy
and paleoecology: 222 p. Mostly on vertebrates. Scientific American level.
 
Weigelt, Johannes, 1927, Rezente Wirbeltieren und ihre palaeobiologische
Bedeutung. Translated to English by Judith Schaefer in 1989 as: Recent
vertebrate carcasses and their paleobiological implications: Chicago,
University of Chicago Press, xvi + 188 p. 37 pl. Some of the photos are
gruesome (dead cows and such), but the idea is to show how dead animals can
be fossilized. This book is relatively easy to read, and well illustrated.
 
Andrew K. Rindsberg
Geological Survey of Alabama