The evolution underground Burrows, bunkers, and the marvelous subterranean world beneath our feet

This is an unbelievably engaging book given its rather obscure topic of ichnology, which is the study of trace fossils. Even that needs an explanation--trace fossils are evidence of the activity of former life found in rock. This includes aspects such as footprints, leaf impressions, and (the subject of this book) underground burrows. The skill with which Martin (Emory Univ.) has written his natural history narrative makes this very interesting to read. The author accomplishes his task through a series of interconnected essays reflecting on his travel, experience, and research--all of which touch on an overarching thread of Darwinian evolution and paleontology. The topical breadth is very wide, from the human-built underground bunkers of the Cold War to the trace fossil trails of the Ediacaran Period, before the origin of animals themselves. In between, Martin touches on a full range of classic invertebrate and vertebrate traces. The text is supplemented with two inserts of color plates on glossy paper, a taxonomic appendix, and over 80 pages of fully referenced notes. This last feature adds to the book's suitability as an ancillary reading assignment in a university course on paleontology. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All readers. --Paul K. Strother, Boston College

Martin (geology, Emory Univ., Dinosaurs Without Bones) shows how burrows have been a survival method for all types of creatures for hundreds of millions of years. This book takes a comprehensive look at the subject, covering both contemporary animal habitats and burrows used as an evolutionary adaptation that ensured species' survival through major cataclysmic changes and mass extinctions that mark changes in geologic time periods. All manner of animals-worms, crustaceans, fish, amphibians, mammals, and even humans-create burrows to protect themselves from predators, raise their vulnerable young, and regulate temperature and humidity through seasonal changes. In doing so, these species transform the geology and ecology of their environment, effectively becoming ecosystem engineers as they alter the chemical and structural makeup of landforms and ocean floors, while serving as keystone species that guarantee the survival of a whole host of organisms. The chapters on paleontology are particularly noteworthy, as Martin is an expert ichnologist, studying the fossilized traces of animal activity found in rocks. Regrettably lacking are illustrations, forcing readers to imagine complex burrow structures from description alone. VERDICT A great introduction and history that will fascinate ecominded conservationists and fossil hunters.-Wade M. Lee, Univ. of Toledo Lib. © Copyright 2017. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.