Brett, C. E. and Baird, G. C. (Eds) 1997. Columbia University Press, New York, 604 pages. £52.00.

On reading the contents section, the question that springs to mind is “Why should a Micropalaeontologist buy a book that contains only one article specifically on microfossils?” Brett and Baird’s book focuses on macrofossils in particular, but the events and processes covered by this book cannot be ignored by micropalaeontologists when it comes to interpreting data. The book is split into two sections, the first on “Lagerstätten and their genesis” and the second on “Epiboles and longer term bioevents”. Major global bioevents are not a focus of this volume.

Fortunately, with potentially complicated processes resulting in a wide variety of bedforms, the editors have written summary chapters for each of the two major sections providing definitions and new classifications. The first half of the book deals with Lagerstätten deposits. Brett, Baird and Speyer attempt to classify them, grouping them into mass mortality horizons and skeletal concentrations. Mass mortality horizons are then subdivided into rapid burial deposits (obrution) and non-obrution deposits. Skeletal concentrations are divided into allochthonous and parautochthonous beds with the latter further subdivided into single event, composite, hiatal and lag concentrations. Confused? I certainly was. If anything, these summary chapters are rather long winded and confusing. It was also a little disappointing not to be able to directly relate the contributions presented in many of the following chapters with Brett et al.’s classification of Lagerstätten. Throughout the book the line illustrations were clear and well presented, but some of the photographs were a little dull and flat in their reproduction.

The second part of the book deals with Epiboles and longer term bioevents. Epibole is an old biostratigraphic term for a thin stratigraphic interval with an extraordinary abundance of taxa that are normally rare or absent. The review chapter for this section was much clearer than that for the first part and introduced three different types of Epibole: 1. Taphonomic -local to regional events with selective preservation of taxa not normally present. 2. Ecological – population bursts or colonisation events. 3. Incursion related – brief invasion followed by rapid die off. Once again it was difficult to relate Brett and Baird’s classification to the following chapters. Most notably, Lennart Jeppsson’s chapter (the only truly microfossil based chapter) was not mentioned at all in the introduction. Jeppsson used conodont faunas to illustrate stepwise extinction events through the Llandovery-Wenlock boundary beds (Silurian) of Gotland. In this event termed the “Ireviken Event” Jeppsson was able to recognise 8 extinction datum planes in the Gotland sections which he related to his own model for “P and S” oceanic cyclicity. By superimposing Milankovich Cyclicity over his “P and S” model, Jeppsson was able to explain the variation in distance between his datum planes in terms of an interference pattern between these two global cycles.

So should a micropalaeontologist buy this book? The major drawback of this book is in its length. A single, combined reference section would have significantly cut down the thickness of this book. The length is reflected in the price of 52BGP which rather puts it out of the range of student pockets and is a little overpriced considering the quality of the paper. Micropalaeontologists should certainly not be put off by the length of this book. It is a very through piece of work and represents an excellent initial reference point for students as well as professionals interested in the study of Palaeontological Events.

Giles Miller, Department of Palaeontology, Natural History Museum, South Kensington, London SW7 5BD