Fossils in Amber

Manchester 2011, kt., 226 Seiten, 127 Farbfotos. Fossils preserved in amber provide us with a unique insight into the biodiversity and ecology of long extinct tropical forests. Today, similar habitats contain a major proportion of the planet’s biodiversity, although they are disappearing at an alarmingly rapid rate, primarily as a result of human activities such as deforestation. The hot, humid environments of these habitats in conjunction with the vast armies of decomposers and other recyclers limit the potential for fossilization in the traditional sense. The degree of amber preservation is so exquisite that even minute structural details of fragile insects and other arthropods that are millions of years old are clearly visible. Indeed, some are preserved with such life-like fidelity that their immediate demise following encapsulation in the sticky resin provides us with snapshots of fossilized behaviours. These include mating, egg laying, parasitism, feeding and predation to name but a few. Technological developments and the application of advanced imaging methodologies to these fossils means that we can now extract more information than ever before. Not only is this useful from a scientific perspective, but it also means that the true magnificence and beauty of the inclusions can be reproduced and appreciated by all, rather than just a scientist looking down a microscope.