Abstract The Pontocaspian (Black Sea-Caspian Sea) region has a very dynamic history of
basin development and biotic evolution. The region is the remnant of a once vast Paratethys …

On the basis of paleontological content (vertebrates and palynology) and facies analysis
from river banks, road cuts, and three wells, we have assigned the uppermost levels of the …

There is a considerable controversy about whether western Amazonia was ever covered by
marine waters during the Miocene [23 to 5 Ma (million years ago)]. We investigated the …

The isolation of South America from Central America and Africa during the Tertiary Period
left a strong imprint on the flora of the Neotropics. South American Eocene through Miocene …

Although many of the current hypotheses to explain the origin and distribution of the Amazon
biodiversity has been based directly or indirectly on geological data, the reconstruction of …

Islands have long provided material and inspiration for the study of evolution and ecology.
The West Indies are complex historically and geographically, providing a rich backdrop for …

Abstract The scenery of Western Amazonia once consisted of fluvial systems that originated
on the Amazonian Craton and were directed towards the sub-Andean zone and the …

Stable isotopes have been extensively used to trace element cycles and their incorporation
into food webs. This chapter provides a brief introduction to the principles of using stable …

We review the Neogene geologic history of lowland Amazonia in an attempt to focus
attention on areas of agreement, as well as areas in dispute, in this research arena. We …

Amazonian rivers contain a remarkable fauna of endemic species derived from taxa that
generally occur in oceans and seas. Several hypotheses have been proposed to explain the …