The Fossil Record and Life's History - Principles of Evolution, Ecology and Behavior

Explore the rich evolutionary information contained in the fossil record through this 48-minute lecture from Yale University's "Principles of Evolution, Ecology and Behavior" course. Delve into the Cambrian animal radiation, plant evolution, and the emergence of vertebrates on land. Examine patterns in the radiation of life, vanished communities, and the concept of stasis. Discover how extinctions create opportunities for new speciation and radiation, and observe the tendency of life forms to evolve from small to larger sizes over time. Gain insights into the more complete recent fossil record and its implications for understanding evolutionary history. The lecture covers key topics including the Cambrian explosion, plant diversification, vertebrate adaptation to terrestrial environments, and the significance of evolutionary stasis.

- Chapter 1. Introduction
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- Chapter 2. Cambrian Animal Radiation
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- Chapter 3. Plant Radiation and Vertebrates Coming Ashore
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- Chapter 4. Patterns in Radiation of Life
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- Chapter 5. Vanished Communities of Life
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- Chapter 6. Stasis
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- Chapter 7. Summary
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