On Biomineralization
Published on 27. July 1989
Book
Hardback
336 pages
978-0-19-504977-0 (ISBN)
Description
A large variety of organisms - from bacteria to man - form minerals. Skeletons, teeth, spicules, spines, shells, darts, and granules are all mineral-containing tissues.
Why, where, and how these minerals form are the central questions addressed in this book. These questions have become important in many fields. Preserved fossils are used to interpret ancient climates, changes in chemical composition of the oceans, or to date geological and archaeological deposits and artefacts. Materials scientists investigate mineralized tissues to try to determine the design principles used by organisms to form strong materials, and many medical problems are associated with normal and pathological mineralization. Heinz Lowenstam, the pioneering researcher in biomineralization, and his former student Stephen Weiner discuss the basic principles of mineral formation by organisms, and compare the various mineralization processes. Reference tables list all known cases in which organisms form minerals.
Why, where, and how these minerals form are the central questions addressed in this book. These questions have become important in many fields. Preserved fossils are used to interpret ancient climates, changes in chemical composition of the oceans, or to date geological and archaeological deposits and artefacts. Materials scientists investigate mineralized tissues to try to determine the design principles used by organisms to form strong materials, and many medical problems are associated with normal and pathological mineralization. Heinz Lowenstam, the pioneering researcher in biomineralization, and his former student Stephen Weiner discuss the basic principles of mineral formation by organisms, and compare the various mineralization processes. Reference tables list all known cases in which organisms form minerals.
Reviews / Votes
`The authors are to be congratulated on the hard work which has gone into a text which is highly informative, and does not get bogged down in details or dead-ends.' Mineralogical Society '... excellent book ... There is a wealth of new and newly synthesized information, including dozens of previously unpublished scanning electron micrographs ... This lucid and remarkably wide-ranging volume will provide a fine basis for the work to come.'Journal of Geology 'The book provides an excellent introduction to the many aspects of the field, with extensive references to the literature. The text is generally very readable, with a smooth flow of words, and not excessively formal. Throughout the work the enthusiasm of the authors and their fascination with the topic shine through. Line drawings and photographs are well reproduced. The book is well bound and should survive frequent use.'
C. Sancetta, Marine Geology, 110 (1993)
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Oxford
United Kingdom
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Illustrations
numerous halftones and line drawings
Dimensions
Height: 240 mm
Width: 161 mm
Thickness: 23 mm
Weight
669 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-19-504977-0 (9780195049770)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Heinz A. Lowenstam | Stephen Weiner
On Biomineralization
E-Book
04/1989
OUP eBook
€181.99
Available for download
Persons
Author
Professor Emeritus, Division of Geological and Planetary SciencesProfessor Emeritus, Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology
Associate Professor, Isotope DepartmentAssociate Professor, Isotope Department, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
Content
Minerals and macromolecules; Biomineralization processes; Protoctista; Cnidaria; Mollusca; Arthropoda; Echinodermata; Chordata; Some non-skeletal functions in biomineralization; Environmental influences on biomineralization; Evolution of biomineralization.