Paleontological Data Analysis

An up-to-date edition of the indispensable guide to analysing paleontological data

Paleontology has developed in recent decades into an increasingly data-driven discipline, which brings to bear a huge variety of statistical tools. Applying statistical methods to paleontological data requires a discipline-specific understanding of which methods and parameters are the most appropriate ones, and how to account for statistical bias inherent in the fossil record. By guiding the reader to these and other fundamental questions in the statistical analysis of fossilized specimens, Paleontological Data Analysis has become the standard text for anyone with an interest in quantitative analysis of the fossil record. Now fully updated to reflect the latest statistical methods and disciplinary advances, it is an essential tool for practitioners and students alike.

Readers of the second edition of Paleontological Data Analysis readers will also find:

• New sections on machine learning, Bayesian inference, phylogenetic comparative methods, analysis of CT data, and much more
• New use cases and examples using PAST, R, and Python software packages
• Full color illustrations throughout

Paleontological Data Analysis is ideal for paleontologists, evolutionary biologists, taxonomists, and students in any of these fields.

Øyvind Hammer, PhD, is Professor of Paleontology at the University of Oslo, Norway. He has published very widely on paleontological subjects, and is co-author of the paleontological data analysis software PAST.

David A.T. Harper, DSc, is Emeritus Professor of Paleontology at Durham University, UK. He has published extensively, including numerous monographs and textbooks, and developed the software PAST along with Øyvind Hammer.