This text is designed for students and anyone else with an
interest in the history of life on our planet. The author describes
the biological evolution of Earth?s organisms, and
reconstructs their adaptations to the life they led, and the
ecology and environment in which they functioned. On the grand
scale, Earth is a constantly changing planet, continually
presenting organisms with challenges. Changing geography, climate,
atmosphere, oceanic and land environments set a stage in which
organisms interact with their environments and one another, with
evolutionary change an inevitable result. The organisms themselves
in turn can change global environments: oxygen in our atmosphere is
all produced by photosynthesis, for example. The interplay between
a changing Earth and its evolving organisms is the underlying theme
of the book.



The book has a dedicated website which explores additional
enriching information and discussion, and provides or points to the
art for the book and many other images useful for teaching. See: www.wiley.com/go/cowen/historyoflife.