A Natural History of Shells /

From "one of the master naturalists of our time" (American Scientist), a fascinating exploration of what seashells reveal about biology, evolution, and the history of lifeGeerat Vermeij wrote this "celebration of shells" to share his enthusiasm for these supremely elegant creatio...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autor principal: Vermeij, Geerat J.
Formato: Electrónico eBook
Idioma:Inglés
Publicado: Princeton : Princeton University Press, 2021.
Colección:Book collections on Project MUSE.
Temas:
Shells.
NATURE / Seashells
Electronic books.
Acceso en línea:Texto completo
Tabla de Contenidos:
  • Cover
  • Contents
  • New Preface
  • Chapter 1: Shells and the Questions of Biology
  • Part I: The Rules of Shell Construction
  • Chapter 2: Themes and Variations: The Geometry of Shells
  • An Introduction to Molluscs
  • The Logarithmic Spiral and the Conservation of Shape
  • The Diversity of Shell Shapes
  • Handedness and the Notion of Constraint
  • Growth and Form: The Inadequacy of the Logarithmir Spiral
  • Episodir Growth
  • Internal Remodeling
  • Arthropods and Molluscs Compared
  • The Evolution of Geometric Diversity
  • Plates
  • Chapter 3: The Economics of Construction and Maintenance
  • Mineral Availability
  • Energetics and Calcification
  • Solutions to Dissolution
  • Structure and Strength
  • The Shell as a Burden
  • An Evolutionary Perspective on Cost
  • Annotated Bibliography
  • Part II: Life In A Dangerous World: How Shells Work
  • Chapter 4: The Mechanics of Shells
  • Rigors of the Upper Shore
  • Life in Waves and Currents
  • Life as a Swimmer or Floater
  • Life on Sandy and Muddy Bottoms
  • Burrowing
  • The Riddle of Specialization
  • Chapter 5: Predators and Their Methods
  • Predation and Selection: The Evolutionan Importance of Failure
  • Finding the Victim
  • Pursuit
  • Capture and Subjugation
  • The Geography of Death
  • A Geographic Perspective on Risk
  • Chapter 6: Coping with Enemies: The Shell as Protection
  • Detection and Recognition
  • Silent Movement and Rapid Escape
  • Interfering with Manipulation
  • Shell-Wall Thickening
  • Corrugations and Buttresses
  • Reducing the Effects of Damage
  • Guarding the Entrance
  • The Shell as an Offensive Weapon
  • Chemical Defense
  • Intimate Associations
  • Annotated Bibliography
  • Part III: The Dimension of Time
  • Chapter 7: A Historical Geography of Shells
  • The Geography of Tropical Marine Life
  • Historical Geography of the Tropics
  • Historical Perspective on Tropical Molluscs
  • The Temperate and Polar Regions
  • Extinction and Invasion
  • Chapter 8: Evolutionary Economics: The Rise and Fall of Adaptive Themes
  • A Chronology of the History of Life
  • The Evolution of Enemies
  • The Invasion of Sediments and Rocks
  • Molluscan Responses
  • The Economics of Specialization
  • The Evolutionary History of the Housing Market
  • Molluscan History and the World Economy
  • Annotated Bibliography
  • Index

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