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Fossils, i.e. remains of living organisms, providecritical data to reconstruct the history of lifeon Earth because they are the source of uniqueinformation concerning the past. Fossils allowstatements to be made about morphological featuresthat would otherwise remain unknown, thatalso help clarifying the phylogenetic relationshipsof organisms, which results in a betterknowledge of the fossil record and, partly, of thestratigraphic record. The latter constitutes thebasic source for palaeontologists in order to reconstructthe History of Life. Some palaeontologistsconsider that the stratigraphical record providesus with essential information necessary topropose phylogenetic hypotheses and to buildevolutionary scenarios. However, this point ofview is not generally accepted, some authorsputting forward that the fossil record is toofragmentary to be accurate (see, e.g.: G.J. Nelson,N.I. Platnick, Systematics and Biogeography:Cladistics and Vicariance, Columbia UniversityPress, New York, 1981; K.J. Peterson, Aphylogenetic test of the calcichordate scenario,Lethaia 28 (1995) 25–38). We critically analyzethe indices used to estimate the quality of thefossil record and the fit of phylogenetic hypothesesto stratigraphy. We use the concept of temporalparalogy to explain why all these measurementsare biased.2008040006印 度 奥 里 萨 冈 瓦 纳 盆 地 海 洋 的 影 响 和 侵 入 :评 论 = Marine influence and incursion in theGondwana basins of Orissa, India: A review. ( 英文 ). Goswami S. palaeoworld, 2008, 17(1): 21-32The Permian–Triassic succession of the IndianGondwana Sequence was previously consideredto have been deposited in a fluviatile-lacustrineenvironment. Similarly, earlier Lower Gondwanasof Orissa State (a major part of the MahanadiMaster basin) were considered entirely freshwater deposits. Faunal evidence is still scanty inthis master basin. Ichnology and palynologyalong with a few sedimentary records are reviewedand analysed for inferring marine signature.The marine nature of the Talchir, Karharbari,Barakar, Barren Measures and Kamthisediments of three major basins (Talcher, IbRiver and Athgarh) in Orissa State was predictedon the basis of typical marine ichnofossils. Mostof these sediments also contain acritarchs reflectingmarine marginal environment throughoutthe Permian. Moreover, evidence of waveactivity, salinity raise and discovery of phosphoritein Permian sediments also strengthen thisview.Hence, the previous model of continental faciesfor the Lower Gondwanas is found to beincorrect. The ichnofossils (Skolithos andCruziana ichno-facies), acritarchs (Foveofusa,Leiosphaeridia, Greinervillites, etc.) and otherpalynofossils of marine origin can be utilized asa tool for palaeoenvironmental reconstruction. Inthe Gondwana basins of Orissa (Mahanadi Masterbasin), consistent occurrence of marine acritarchsand trace fossils with some typical sedimentarystructures such as wave ripples has beenstudied and reviewed from the Talchir (EarlyPermian) to Upper Kamthi (Triassic) formationsat various time intervals. Here marine incursioncould have occurred due to the well knownglobal transgressions during Permian and Triassic.2008040007古 生 物 学 、 考 古 学 和 古 人 类 学 中 的 古 遗 传学 : 贡 献 与 局 限 = Palaeogenetics in palaeontology,archaeology and palaeoanthropology:Contributions and limits. ( 英 文 ). Vignea J D;Darlub P. Comptes Rendus Palevol, 2008, 7(2/3):81-902008040008研 究 化 石 保 存 的 微 观 、 化 学 和 分 子 方 法 =Microscopic, chemical and molecular methodsfor examining fossil preservation. ( 英 文 ).Schweitzer M H; Avci R; Collier T; Goodwin MB. Comptes Rendus Palevol, 2008, 7(2/3): 159-184Advances in technology over the past twodecades have resulted in unprecedented access todata from biological specimens. These data haveexpanded our understanding of physical characteristics,physiological, cellular and subcellularprocesses, and evolutionary relationships at themolecular level and beyond. Paleontological andarchaeological sciences have recently begun toapply these technologies to fossil and subfossilrepresentatives of extinct organisms. Data derivedfrom multidisciplinary, non-traditionaltechniques can be difficult to decipher, andwithout a basic understanding of the type of informationprovided by these methods, their usefulnessfor fossil studies may be overlooked.This review describes some of these powerfulnew analytical tools, the data that may be accessiblethrough their use, advantages and limitations,and how they can be applied to fossil materialto elucidate characteristics of extinct organismsand their paleoecological environments.2008040009海 洋 生 物 分 化 对 浮 游 植 物 化 学 计 量 比 的 响 应= Marine biodiversification in response to evolvingphytoplankton stoichiometry. ( 英 文 ). MartinaR E; Quiggb A; Podkovyrovc V. PalaeogeographyPalaeoclimatology Palaeoecology,2008, 258(4): 277-2912