Ancient Life in Alabama
By William G. Deutsch
Ancient Life in Alabama: The Fossils, the Finders & Why It Matters is your guide to a unique and remarkable fossil record that reveals changes in the state’s biodiversity and landscapes over the past 500 million years.
“This is a must-read from one of the best natural history storytellers of Alabama.”
— Dr. R. Scot Duncan, Conservation biologist, advocate, and author of Southern Wonder: Alabama’s Surprising Biodiversity
“This book is a completely unique contribution to the fossil literature of Alabama and includes a wealth of information on the diversity of fossils in the region.”
— Jun Ebersole, Director of Collections, McWane Science Center
Upcoming Events
Alabama Waterways: The DNA of our State, Teacher Workshop. June 4-6, 2024, Decatur, AL. Bill will be one of the instructors in this workshop sponsored by the Alabama History Institute. The workshop will give educators information and resources for teaching about Alabama’s rivers in the classroom, including a copy of the book, Alabama Rivers: A Celebration & Challenge. For more information, contact Meagan McDonald, Education Coordinator, Oakville Indian Mounds Education Center, W: 256-905-2499 C:256-606-5992.
Echos from the Past: Fossil Discoveries, Environmental Insights, and Native American Perspectives. June 24-26, 2024, Gulf Shores State Park, Gulf Shores, AL. Bill will be one of the instructors in this workshop for educators, sponsored by Legacy, Inc. and the Gulf Coast Learning Campus. The workshop will trace local prehistory and history from the depths of ancient Underwater Forests, along the Native American canals, and through the nine ecosystems inside the Gulf State Park. Participants will receive a copy of the book, Ancient Life in Alabama Rivers: The Fossils, the Finders & Why It Matters. For more information, contact Penny Ragland, Education Coordinator, Legacy, Partners in Environmental Education, 334-398-3480; Legacyenved.org.
Wild About Water! Teacher Workshop. September 27-29, 2024, Camp McDowell, Nauvoo, AL. Bill will be one of the instructors in this workshop, held on the campus of Camp McDowell. Educators will have classroom and field experiences and will receive resources for teaching about Alabama’s rivers in the classroom, including a copy of the book, Alabama Rivers: A Celebration & Challenge. For more information, contact Meredith Donaldson, Director, McDowell Environmental Center; 205-387-1806, ext. 109; mecdirector@campmcdowell.org.
About Me
I am a Research Fellow Emeritus in the Auburn University School of Fisheries, Aquaculture and Aquatic Sciences, with Bachelor’s Degrees in Zoology (Houghton University) and Anthropology (Bloomsberg University of Pennsylvania), a Master’s Degree in Biology (State University of NY, Binghamton), and a Ph.D. in Fisheries and Aquatic Ecology (Auburn University). I was born and raised in Rochester, New York and spent lots of time around the Genesee River, Lake Ontario, and the Finger Lakes. From my youth, I was fascinated by both living animals and fossils, and I collected and studied both.
After finishing my master’s degree, I worked as a research biologist at a lab on the Susquehanna River in Pennsylvania for 11 years. My wife, four daughters and I then moved to Alabama in 1985, where I completed a Doctorate and Postdoctoral studies at Auburn University. I worked 26 years at AU as an aquatic ecologist and founding director of Alabama Water Watch, a citizen volunteer, water monitoring program. Through the International Center for Aquaculture and Aquatic Environments at AU, I made more than 100 trips to 25 countries, working with local communities, nongovernmental organizations, and policy makers on watershed projects. I am committed to environmental education and revealing the natural wonders of Alabama through teaching, public speaking, and science writing.
