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The Amber Forest: A Reconstruction of a Vanished World Reviewed by June Culp Zeitner. This book is about gems, but it is also about fossils. The amber forest of the Dominican Republic has yielded some amazing, perfectly preserved fossils of ancient flora and fauna. The algarroba tree was the dominant tree and the resin producer of this forest 15-45 million years ago. This amber deposit, still being studied in depth, has alredy turned out to be the largest fossil assemblage of terrestrial invertebrates in a tropical environment. In addition to the multitudes of insects, the amber has produced evidence of birds, bats, rodents, sloths, frogs, lizards, and snakes. Besides the extinct algarroba tree, the forest was home to other primeval trees - cativo, nazareno, sebo, and caoba. There were also palm, fig, and acacia trees and an assortment of lianas, vines, and flowering shrubs and plants. Many seeds and other remnants of ancient plants from this forest remain unidentified. Much work has been done on the insects, since so many complete specimens have been discovered. There is a stingless bee, an orchid bee, a monkey grasshopper, and a hairy beetle, to name a few. Black-and-white photos and drawings are accompanied by an exotic color gallery of 171 closeups of insects and other species, some looking lively enough to spoil a picnic. (My favorite is a delicate feather of a woodpecker, which was once looking for delectable insects.) An interesting chapter for gem collectors and lapidaries is about handling, photographing, and caring for amber. This includes cutting and polishing, as well as protecting. Amber imitations and forgeries are discussed.There are warnings about copal and mislabeled specimens. Tests and ways to detect forgeries are given. The book ends with a fascinating look at a recent development - the recovery of DNA from entombed plants and animals. The authors suggest criteria for successful recovery by experienced scientists with proper laboratory conditions. The biota listed in the appendix is staggering. Bibliography references are given by chapter. This book is well written, beautiful, and for a natural science lover, exciting. Buy this book from Barnes & Noble.com
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