50 YEARS AGO

摘要

A critical review of the methods of determination of the temperatures of ancient seas by the measurement of the oxygen isotopes ratio in fossil calcareous organisms is given by Y. A. Birstein (Priroda, 5,21; 1959). It is based partly on the work published in the Soviet Union and it leads to certain new ideas regarding the origin of the deep sea fauna. Thus the author of this review is casting doubt upon the conclusions of C. Emiliani and C. Edwards... regarding the sharp changes of sea temperatures during the late Tertiary era, and also about those of A. Fr. Bruun... regarding the extinction of the deep sea fauna. According to the author all the deep oceanic regions must be considered to be regions of a relatively constant temperature, affording a place of refuge to many animal species which have eventually died out in the waters of a lesser depth.