Gregory J. Retallack – författare

As a text on paleosols, this book applies the expertise of soil science to ancient sequences of non-marine rocks. It provides an interdisciplinary bridge between the interests of soil scientists, sedimentary geologists and paleontologists, outlining the methods for the study and interpretation of paleosols, and sketching the long geological history of life and landscapes on Earth. Written principally for the student, this provides basic information on how to recognize, map and name paleosols; soil-forming factors most readily and reliably interpreted from paleosols; and addresses the evolution of soils. The book should serve both as a course text and as a professional reference. It is aimed at students and researchers in sedimentary geology, paleontology and soil science; archaeologists, paleoanthropologists and prehistorians concerned with environmental reconstruction.

A student-friendly textbook that describes ancient soils, how they may be identified, and their use in paleoenvironmental reconstructionAncient soils contain vital mineralogical, geochemical, textural, and paleontological information about the continental environments in which they formed. Advances in isotope geochemistry and sequence-stratigraphic models allow evermore detailed reconstructions of environmental change from paleosols, and new insights into such diverse topics as atmospheric chemistry, global change, paleoecology, geobiology and mass extinction. This book educates readers about the field of paleopedology and how it remains a key area of investigation for geologists and environmental scientists seeking to learn about, and reconstruct, the condition and evolution of paleoenvironments. Presented in three sections—Soils and Palesols; Factors in Soil Formation; and Fossil Record of Soils—Soils of the Past: An Introduction to Paleopedology describes the main types of ancient soil, procedures for identifying and studying them, their classification and, most significantly, a wide array of examples of how paleosols have been used for paleoenvironmental reconstruction. The book is an excellent reflection of the current state of knowledge and can be widely adopted over many disciplines. All chapters have been revised and updated to reflect advances in soil science in the last two decadesNew tables display a wealth of new data added since the 2nd edition published in 2001New figures have been added and line art has been redrawn to improve clarity and promote understandingReferences have been updated throughoutSoils of the Past, 3rd Edition is written for advanced undergraduates studying paleopedology as part of a degree in geology, environmental science, or physical geography, and for interested professional earth scientists.

It provides comprehensive information on paleosols, which are soils of the past providing a variety of clues to the evolution of life and climate on Earth and deals with topics such as the evolution of grassland ecosystems, mass extinction of the Late Permian and origin of life, all viewed from the perspective of the fossil record of soils.