In many ways, the Triassic is the forgotten period of the Mesozoic. Most popular accounts of Earth history refer to it only in passing, as either a transitional interval that witnessed the recovery of the Earth's biota from the ravages of the end-Permian extinctions, or as the time in which that most charismatic of groups, the dinosaurs, first appeared. In addition, there is a widespread perception that most Triassic terrestrial environments were parched deserts that were almost devoid of life, a picture reinforced by artists' renderings of landscapes containing a lone archosaur hunting amongst doleful, barren sand dunes. Nick Fraser's book is a welcome antidote to this situation, providing the most comprehensive account of life, and death, in the Triassic that is currently available to a popular audience.
The book is ambitious in scope, providing concise descriptions of key terrestrial Triassic ecosystems and placing these within macroevolutionary, palaeogeographical and palaeoclimatic contexts. Although there is a strong bias toward discussion of tetrapods (understandable given Fraser's own research interests), there are numerous references to the other organisms that lived alongside them, including the floras, insects, freshwater invertebrates and fish. All of the major Triassic terrestrial biomes are reviewed, giving a truly global overview that demonstrates the true richness of the habitats that developed during this period, taking us from extensive sand seas to lowland forests, lakeshores and coastal plains. The chapters are arranged in chronological order, tracing the emergence of Triassic biomes from the disaster communities found at the inception of the period, the subsequent radiations and originations of the, sometimes bizarre, taxa characteristic of the period, and culminating with descriptions of faunas that included the first representatives of many modern groups (including crocodilians, turtles, lepidosaurs and mammals). This story also echoes changes in global climate and geography and the text concludes with a brief discussion of the factors that may have caused the Late Triassic extinction events. Fraser developed this book in collaboration with Douglas Henderson, an artist known for his superb palaeontological reconstructions, and the text is richly illustrated with evocative and beautiful paintings showcasing the diversity of life in each of the ecosystems featured. Life reconstructions of many of these organisms have not been portrayed before and the artwork will be a major attraction for anyone considering buying this volume.
One possible criticism is that the book provides little in the way of synthesis: although it offers a series of detailed windows onto Triassic environments, it does not trace the underlying evolutionary patterns in depth nor does it offer any novel perspectives on these events. In addition, the most recent references cited in the book date from 2002–3, thereby missing a large amount of new information that became available prior to the 2006 publication date. These issues notwithstanding, the book will be of great interest to undergraduate and postgraduate students, as well as providing a useful summary of information for professional palaeontologists and geologists. The large number of colour illustrations, provision of a comprehensive glossary and appendices that provide introductions to tetrapod anatomy and other specialist topics will also make this volume accessible to a wider, popular audience.
