A Natural History of Shells / / Geerat J. Vermeij.

• Superior document: Title is part of eBook package: De Gruyter EBOOK PACKAGE COMPLETE 2021 English
• VerfasserIn: Vermeij, Geerat J.,
• Place / Publishing House: Princeton, NJ : : Princeton University Press, , [2021]; ©1993
• Year of Publication: 2021
• Language: English
• Series: Princeton Science Library ; 123
• Physical Description: 1 online resource (236 p.) :; 131 b/w illus.

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 creations and what they can teach us about nature. Most popular books on shells emphasize the identification of species, but Vermeij uses shells as a way to explore major ideas in biology. How are shells built? How do they work? And how did they evolve? With lucidity and charm, the MacArthur-winning evolutionary biologist reveals how shells give us insights into the lives of animals today and in the distant geological past.

Table of Contents

Frontmatter -- 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 -- Chapter 3: The Economics of Construction and Maintenance -- Annotated Bibliography -- PART II.Life in a Dangerous World : How Shells Work -- Chapter 4: The Mechanics of Shells -- Chapter 5: Predators and Their Methods -- Chapter 6: Coping with Enemies: The Shell as Protection -- Annotated Bibliography -- PART III. The Dimension of Time -- Chapter 7: A Historical Geography of Shells -- Chapter 8: Evolutionary Economics: The Rise and Fall of Adaptive Themes -- Annotated Bibliography -- INDEX