News Release

Geology and biology meet in the history of US southwestern desert surface waters

Book Announcement

Geological Society of America

Special Paper 439

image: Late Cenozoic Drainage History of the Southwestern Great Basin and Lower Colorado River Region: Geologic and Biotic Perspectives view more 

Credit: Geological Society of America

Boulder, CO, USA – The history of surface waters in the arid deserts of the U.S. southwestern Great Basin and lower Colorado River region has fascinated scientists for over two centuries. A new publication by the Geological Society of America covers a wide diversity of closed basins, ancient lake beds, and partially to fully integrated drainage systems that, says senior editor Marith C. Reheis of the USGS, "tantalizes scientists with the potential for studies of fundamental geologic and biologic processes."

These geologic and biologic processes include landscape evolution, climate history, tectonics, the distribution of regional aquatic biota, and the history of isolation and speciation. The book's 19 papers summarize and integrate geologic and biotic perspectives to provide a current synthesis of the aquatic history of this fascinating western North American region and to develop broader perspectives on the types of research on regional drainage history. Volume editors hope this book "will inspire further collaboration among earth scientists and biologists and serve as a springboard for future advances."

Late Cenozoic Drainage History of the Southwestern Great Basin and Lower Colorado River Region: Geologic and Biotic Perspectives is dedicated to Carl Leavitt Hubbs (1894-1979) and Robert Rush Miller (1916-2003) in honor of their pioneering studies of western North American fishes and aquatic biogeography and their leadership in the protection and conservation of native western fishes and their fragile habitats.

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Individual copies of the volume may be purchased through the Geological Society of America online bookstore http://rock.geosociety.org/bookstore/default.asp?oID=0&catID=9&pID=SPE439 or by contacting GSA Sales and Service, gsaservice@geosociety.org.

Book editors of earth science journals/publications may request a review copy by contacting Jeanette Hammann, jhammann@geosociety.org.

Late Cenozoic Drainage History of the Southwestern Great Basin and Lower Colorado River Region: Geologic and Biotic Perspectives
Marith C. Reheis, Robert Hershler, and David M. Miller (editors)
Geological Society of America Special Paper 439
2008, 432 pages, US$110.00, GSA member price US$77.00
ISBN 978-0-8137-2439-3

www.geosociety.org


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