| The Amber Forest: A Reconstruction of a Vanished World
by G. Poinar, Jr. and R. Poinar
published by Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ, 2000.
Hard-cover, 6-1/4 x 9-1/4, color, 239 pages, $29.99.
Reviewed by June Culp Zeitner.
This book is about gems, but it is also about fossils. The amber forest
of the Dominican Republic has yielded some amazing, perfectly preserved fossils
of ancient flora and fauna. The algarroba tree was the dominant tree and the resin
producer of this forest 15-45 million years ago. This amber deposit, still being
studied in depth, has alredy turned out to be the largest fossil assemblage of
terrestrial invertebrates in a tropical environment.
In addition to the multitudes of insects, the amber has produced evidence of
birds, bats, rodents, sloths, frogs, lizards, and snakes. Besides the extinct
algarroba tree, the forest was home to other primeval trees - cativo, nazareno,
sebo, and caoba. There were also palm, fig, and acacia trees and an assortment
of lianas, vines, and flowering shrubs and plants. Many seeds and other remnants
of ancient plants from this forest remain unidentified.
Much work has been done on the insects, since so many complete specimens have
been discovered. There is a stingless bee, an orchid bee, a monkey grasshopper,
and a hairy beetle, to name a few.
Black-and-white photos and drawings are accompanied by an exotic color gallery
of 171 closeups of insects and other species, some looking lively enough to spoil
a picnic. (My favorite is a delicate feather of a woodpecker, which was once looking
for delectable insects.)
An interesting chapter for gem collectors and lapidaries is about handling,
photographing, and caring for amber. This includes cutting and polishing, as well
as protecting. Amber imitations and forgeries are discussed.There are warnings
about copal and mislabeled specimens. Tests and ways to detect forgeries are given.
The book ends with a fascinating look at a recent development - the recovery
of DNA from entombed plants and animals. The authors suggest criteria for successful
recovery by experienced scientists with proper laboratory conditions.
The biota listed in the appendix is staggering. Bibliography references are
given by chapter. This book is well written, beautiful, and for a natural science
lover, exciting.
|
Check out Reference Shelf, our experts' picks of recommended books in different fields.
Visit the Interweave Store for more books on Jewelry Making, Beading, Gems, Minerals and more
|
