Vertebrate Paleontology

25.

Macroevolutionary Patterns and Processes

25.1.

Evolutionary Trends

25.1.1.

25.1.1.1.

Body Size Increase

25.1.1.2.

Exceptions and Limitations

25.1.2.

25.1.2.1.

Irreversibility

25.1.2.2.

Molecular Evidence

25.1.3.

Evolutionary Rates

25.1.3.1.

Punctuated Equilibrium

25.1.3.2.

25.1.3.3.

Stasis Patterns

25.2.

Adaptive Radiation

25.2.1.

Island Radiations

25.2.2.

Post-extinction Radiations

25.2.3.

Key Innovations

25.2.4.

Ecological Opportunity

25.3.

Convergent Evolution

25.3.1.

Morphological Convergence

25.3.2.

Functional Convergence

25.3.3.

Molecular Convergence

25.3.4.

Constraints and Limitations

25.4.

Extinction Patterns

25.4.1.

Background Extinction

25.4.2.

Mass Extinction Events

25.4.3.

Selectivity Patterns

25.4.4.

Recovery Dynamics

25.5.

Functional Morphology

25.5.1.

Biomechanical Analysis

25.5.2.

Locomotor Adaptations

25.5.3.

Feeding Mechanisms

25.5.4.

Sensory Systems

25.6.

Paleoecological Reconstruction

25.6.1.

Community Structure

25.6.2.

Trophic Relationships

25.6.3.

Habitat Preferences

25.6.4.

Behavioral Inferences

25.7.

Paleobiogeography

25.7.1.

Continental Drift Effects

25.7.2.

Dispersal Patterns

25.7.3.

Vicariance Events

25.7.4.

Climate Influences

25.8.

Coevolutionary Relationships

25.8.1.

Predator-Prey Arms Races

25.8.2.

Plant-Herbivore Interactions

25.8.3.

Parasitic Relationships

25.8.4.

Mutualistic Associations

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24. Primate and Human Evolution

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1. Foundations of Vertebrate Paleontology